WP Tips on How to Have Fun in MERS-Hit Seoul

The Washington Post blog on Thursday offered a list of handy tips for people who want to enjoy the empty streets of Seoul as people stay home amid fears of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome.

One is to see Hollywood blockbuster "San Andreas," for which tickets would usually be tough to find.

Another treat is the Namsan cable car, which usually has long lines of Chinese tourists. "But with the Korea Tourism Organization saying that more than 45,000 Asian tourists have canceled planned visits, this is a good time to enjoy the view without the bustle," the daily wrote.

The paper recommends the cable car for "stunning views over the southern part of the city and beautifully landscaped walking paths."

The old quarters of Seoul's Bukchon and Samcheong-dong, famous for their traditional wooden houses, winding alleys, cafes and fashion boutiques, are also nice and empty. "Usually the streets are full of tourists stopping to take photos on the quaint old streets... But on a stroll through the area Wednesday, the streets were all but deserted," it said.

The newspaper also recommended catching a baseball game in the capital. The Korean Baseball Organization said last Friday's games had about half the audience compared to a week earlier.

The daily said the MERS outbreak has also given Korean children "a chance to do something they don't do enough: play outside" as 2,500 schools and thousands of cram schools have closed temporarily.