South Korea absolutely blew me away. It has so much to offer, and Seoul especially is such an incredible city. I spent 10 days in Korea but could have easily spent more time here - I would have loved to go to Jeju Island but unfortunately my flight was cancelled because of a storm. If you have the time, definitely add it to your itinerary - it is meant to be amazing. This guide will outline the best things to do in Seoul, Busan, and Gyeongju, where to stay, and how to navigate South Korea.
Contents
Logistics: Making Bookings and Moving Around
South Korea has some of the best public transport I’ve experienced. Buy a T Money card at the airport or in any train station, and top it up there. It will allow you to ride the underground and buses in Seoul and other cities. Google Maps and Apple Maps however do not work. You need to download Naver, which is the Korean version of these and works perfectly for all routes.
For long-distance trains, you are better off booking a few days to a week in advance to make sure you get a seat on the train going at the time you want. They all run on time, are clean, and comfortable.
Booking accommodation should be done around 1-2 weeks in advance to ensure you’re staying at the best hostels, especially in Seoul. This is less important for smaller, less touristy cities.
A lot of activities can be booked on the day, but if you want to go to the DMZ, I recommend booking that in advance too, as they have limited numbers on tours. More on this below!
Itinerary Overview
Seoul: 4 nights
Busan: 2 nights
Gyeongju: 1 night
Seoul: 1 night (before you fly out)
Seoul
When people told me I would need a week in Seoul, I didn’t believe them. But honestly you could spend 2 weeks here and not do it all - there is so much to see and do. I recommend 4 nights at the very least, but add more if you have time!
Things to Do
Namsan Tower
For a great panoramic view of Seoul, head to Namsan Tower. It’s an easy walk up the hill where the tower stands, or you can take a cable car. There are viewpoints of the whole city up there. To go up the actual tower, you have to pay around 21,000 won (approx. £11.60), but I don’t think this is worth it. You can see plenty without going all the way. Locks of Love are all over the place which adds a nice touch.
Gyeongbokgung Palace
This is probably the most famous palace in Seoul, and it is beautiful. It costs 3000 won (approx. £1.65) to enter, or 6000 won (approx. £3.30) if you want a 4-site combo which includes some other temples and palaces. It’s free if you have rented a hanbok (traditional outfit) to wear. There is so much to see here, beyond what you can see from the ticket office, so take the time to explore!
Bukchon Hanok Village
This is a small traditional Korean village which is free to walk around. There are some pretty streets with great photo spots, and although it’s quite busy, I’d say it’s still worth the visit. People tend to concentrate in one area, but if you are away from that, it’s not as crowded.
Ansan Mountain
This is a short hike up to the top of Ansan mountain. It doesn’t take too long and the views of the city and surrounding mountains are amazing from the top. It’s also very quiet - much more of a local place than one for tourists. The signs are a little confusing, but if you just head uphill, you’ll make it eventually!
Yonsei University
Yonsei University campus is absolutely stunning. It is absolutely worth the detour to walk around and look at the buildings. I highly recommend it.
Starfield Library
This library is famous in Seoul for a reason, and I would say it is definitely worth the hype. It is free to enter as it is inside a shopping mall, and is a beautiful place to explore. The Gangnam Style statue is also right outside.
Seoul Forest Park
Seoul Forest Park is not touristy at all. It is a great place to walk around and relax by the ponds. It is shaded so perfect for cooling off when it is too hot!
Dongdaemun Design Plaza
This plaza is a very cool building with museums inside. You can see some exhibits for free, but some you’ll have to pay for. The staircase is honestly worth a look even if you don’t go to any of those exhibits!
Nuldam Space: Letter to the Future
The Nuldam Space is one of the many cafés in Seoul where you can write a letter to your future self. You sign it with a wax seal and they post it to you on the same date the next year. It costs 5000 won (approx. £2.75), plus an additional 1000 won (approx. 55p) for international shipping. This café is vegan.
Myeongdong
Myeongdong is one of the main shopping areas in Seoul. It has plenty of shops to look at, food options, and is a lot of fun to walk around.
Hongdae
Hongdae is another huge shopping and food area, and also has good nightlife. There is a much younger crowd here and the atmosphere at night is really fun.
Insa-dong Culture Street
This is a smaller area in Seoul to walk around. It has great little shops.
Gwangjang Market
Gwangjang Market is a really big market in Seoul, which has so many cheap street food options. It’s fun to explore it, especially on a rainy day because it’s mostly undercover.
War Memorial of Korea
The War Memorial of Korea is an incredibly good museum about the Korean War. It is free to enter which is amazing, and is so well put together. I learned so much there and highly recommend you visit to learn about the history of the country.
Gyeongui Line Forest Park
Gyeongui Line Forest Park is built on an abandoned train track. If you follow it towards the bridge it connects with a very long walking trail under the bridge to Hongjecheon artificial waterfall and beyond. It’s a relatively peaceful walk within the city.
Yeouido Park
Yeouido Park is a really nice place to walk around. You can cross to the riverside which also is pretty to walk along.
DMZ Tour
One of the main reasons I went to South Korea was to visit the DMZ. I booked my tour (you have to do a tour here) on Get Your Guide, and the operator was PLK Travel. It was a really great tour where we saw more than the DMZ. The first stop was the Gamaksan Mountain Suspension Bridge. It is not connected to North Korea at all, but has nice views and there is a waterfall there too (in the wet season!).
We then went to Dorasan Peace Park to see the Freedom Bridge. Here you can ride the cable car, visit some of the memorials, and even buy North Korean money. The 3rd Tunnel was also a great experience. You go down into one of the tunnels built by North Korea into South Korea. You can’t take any photos inside, but it’s well worth it.
Finally, you’ll visit the Dora Observatory. Here there are binoculars to look into North Korea. You can see the flagpole, which is the 4th highest in the world, a propaganda village, guard towers, the JSA, and much more. It is quite cool to look at.
Where to Stay
I stayed at Time Travellers Relax hostel. It was small but had everything you needed, and the staff were really helpful. I also really liked the location of this one. If you are looking for a party vibe, there are many options!
Where to Eat: vegan friendly places
I am not going to lie and say it is easy to find vegan food in Korea, but Seoul does give you plenty of options. Here are some of the places I tried and tested:
Bibiri Bibimbap: all you can eat, make your own bibimbap
Jongno 24 hour ramen convenience store: this is a very fun place where you make your own ramen. They have plenty of well-labelled vegan options
Alt.a: a little more expensive but great vegan Asian fusion food
Panhonesta: for vegan bingsu and other desserts!
Osegye Hyang
Maru Jayeonsik Gimbap: they have vegan versions of Korean dishes for relatively cheap here, including gimbap and teokbokki
Busan
Busan is another large city in Korea that has plenty to do. I recommend at least 2 nights here to make sure you can see everything!
Things to Do
Coastal Walk
Walking along the coast of Busan is absolutely stunning. We started at the Oryukdo Skywalk, which we got to by bus. This is a viewpoint that is free to enter and gives amazing views of the coastline. The path then follows along the coast, it’s well signposted so you can’t really get lost. It’s about 5km from the Skywalk to the end, but it’s a very up and down trail, so not an easy hike.
Gamcheon Culture Village
The Gamcheon Culture Village is probably the main attraction in Busan because of its colourful buildings, art, and cafés. It is very pretty to walk around and has great small independent shops with local art to browse. There’s no charge to enter the village and it’s also well connected by public transport.
Haeundae Blue Line Park
You might have seen pictures of the pods at Haeundae Blue Line Park. The park runs along the coast of Busan, and is free to enter and walk along the boardwalk. If you want to go in one of the pods, you’ll have to pay extra, but unless you want the experience, the views are the same whether you’re walking or riding!
Shinsegae Department Store
Shinsegae Department Store is the biggest department store in the world, so it’s worth having a look if you’ve got extra time in Busan.
Amnam Park
Amnam park is in the south of Busan. There is a cable car you can ride to get good views of the coast, but it also has a large forested area to hike around. It’s again quite up and down, but there are short trails and long trails to suit what you’re looking for.
Book Street
Book street is exactly what it sounds like - it’s a street of bookstores, many of them completely chaotic, but with plenty of charm.
Where to Stay
I stayed at Dear Moon Guesthouse in Busan, and loved it. It was clean, quiet, and social without being party-oriented. I highly recommend it!
Where to Eat: vegan friendly places
There are a few vegan-friendly places in Busan:
Abiko Curry
Dolgorae Soft Tofu: the best local place I found!
Biff Street: there is plenty of street food here, including some veggie dumplings
Gyeongju
Gyeongju wasn’t in my initial plans, but when my flight to Jeju was cancelled, I had to reroute here. It’s a much smaller and less touristy city, but there are still a few things to see and do. I spent 2 nights here and would say that is enough time.
Things to Do
Daereungwon Tomb Complex
This area is free to enter and nice to walk around in. There are 23 tombs, and you can go inside some of them if you want.
Gyeongju Gyochon Traditional Village
This traditional Korean village is also free to enter. It’s very picturesque and interesting to walk around and learn some history. There are also a few cafes to visit here. Right next to the village is the Woljeonggyo Bridge, which is a very impressive structure, beautifully decorated and worth visiting too.
Donggung Palace and Woji Pond
The area of Donggung Palace and Woji Pond is beautiful. It costs 3000 won (approx. £1.65) to enter and is worth walking around.
Cheomseongdae Observatory
The Cheomseongdae Observatory is the oldest known surviving astronomical observatory in Asia, which I think is pretty cool. It is also free to visit.
Bomun Lake
A little further outside Gyeongju but accessible by public bus is Bomun Lake. There is a lovely path that goes all the way around it, and then beyond to see a pagoda and along the river. It’s free to visit and a great way to get out of the main city.
Where to Stay
I stayed at Blueboat Hostel in Gyeongju. It was quiet, but that’s because the city isn’t on the traditional traveller route. Nevertheless it was very clean, had a great kitchen, and was well located.
Where to Eat: vegan friendly places
There is one fully vegan restaurant in Gyeongju, and it is called Yella. The food was great - not your typical Korean fare, but delicious. I struggled to find many other places, and most are shut on Sundays. There are shops you can buy food in to cook - after much hunting and translating, I found some veggie dumplings and noodles!
Budget
My daily average for South Korea was £42. This included accommodation, inter-city trains, my T-Money card, food, activities, my SIM card, and some shopping. You’ll typically find hostels to be between £12 and £25 per night. Food can cost as little as £2 per meal, but most is between £5-£7. Most places take card payments, but have some cash just in case!
I absolutely loved South Korea and would love to go back to experience more, especially Jeju Island. Hopefully this provides a good overview of the country and how to experience as much as possible in 10 days. As always, please look after the places you visit, and leave only your footprints behind :)
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