South Korea

South Korea, in a few days

From Seoul and its palaces to seaside Busan, by way of the old royal city of Gyeongju, then across to the volcanic island of Jeju, by high-speed train: the map, what is worth booking, everything that costs nothing, and where to sleep at three budgets.

Day by day

1

Seoul

Days 1-3

A megacity of nearly ten million where five Joseon palaces stand among the towers. Gyeongbokgung is the largest, a short walk from the wooden hanok houses of Bukchon.

🎟️ Worth booking

• Gyeongbokgung Palace and the guard ceremony, guidedHalf day · from €15
  The main palace of the Joseon dynasty, with the changing of the guard in period costume at its gate.
• Bukchon Hanok Village and N Seoul TowerHalf day · from €12
  The lanes of traditional tiled-roof houses, then the tower on Namsan hill for the view across the whole city.

✦ Free to visit

• Gwangjang Market
• Hongdae
• Cheonggyecheon stream
• Myeongdong

📲 Book things to do in Seoul on GetYourGuide

2

Gyeongju

Day 4 · 🚄 KTX 2h

Capital of the Silla kingdom for close to a thousand years, and known as the museum without walls. Royal burial mounds rise in the middle of town, and the Bulguksa temple and Seokguram grotto are UNESCO-listed.

🎟️ Worth booking

• Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa TempleHalf day · from €15
  An eighth-century temple and, higher up the mountain, a granite Buddha in its man-made cave, both UNESCO-listed since 1995.
• Royal tombs and the observatory, guided2h · from €10
  The grassy Silla burial mounds and Cheomseongdae, a seventh-century stone tower thought to be the oldest surviving observatory in East Asia.

✦ Free to visit

• The Daereungwon royal tombs
• Wolji Pond (Anapji) at night
• Gyeongju National Museum
• Gyerim forest

📲 Book things to do in Gyeongju on GetYourGuide

3

Busan

Days 5-7 · 🚄 KTX 30 min

Korea's second city and its busiest port, with Haeundae beach on one side and the painted hillside houses of Gamcheon on the other.

🎟️ Worth booking

• Gamcheon Culture Village, guided2h · from €12
  A settlement of refugees from the Korean War, its brightly painted houses stacked up a hillside and now full of murals and small galleries.
• Haedong Yonggungsa Temple and the beachHalf day · from €15
  A Buddhist temple built on the rocks right above the sea, rare in a country where most temples sit in the mountains.

✦ Free to visit

• Haeundae Beach
• Jagalchi fish market
• Taejongdae Park
• Gwangan Bridge lit up at night

📲 Book things to do in Busan on GetYourGuide

Worth sorting before you go

The KTX · The high-speed train links Seoul and Busan in about two and a half hours. Jeju is an island: a short flight from either city.

📶 eSIM data
Online the moment you land, no roaming bill.
Get one · Holafly

🛡️ Travel insurance
Health, luggage, cancellation.
Cover it · Ekta

🚗 Car hire
Compare the agencies before you land.
Compare · Booking

💳 Fee-free card
Pay at the real rate, with no exchange markup.
Open one · Revolut

🚐 Airport transfer
A private car at a fixed price from the moment you land.
Book it · GetTransfer

Some links are partner links: we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.

Flavours & local habits

🍽️ Worth tasting

• Bibimbap: rice in a bowl with vegetables, an egg and a spoonful of gochujang chilli paste, mixed at the table.
• Korean barbecue: meat grilled at your table and wrapped in lettuce leaves.
• Kimchi: fermented cabbage with chilli, served with every meal.
• Tteokbokki: chewy rice cakes in a sweet, fiery sauce, the classic street snack.
• Jeju black pork: the island's own breed, grilled thick over charcoal.
• Soju and Korean beer, often drunk together, with the street food of Myeongdong.

⚠️ Best avoided

• Google Maps barely works for directions here: install Naver Map or KakaoMap, and get a T-money card for transport.
• Mind the etiquette: pour and receive drinks with both hands, and let the eldest start eating first.
• Never stand your chopsticks upright in rice.
• Bukchon is a lived-in neighbourhood: its central lanes are closed to visitors in the evening, and quiet is expected.
• Book early for the cherry blossom in April and the autumn leaves in late October.

Words that help

English ↔ Korean

✈️ Flight delayed by 3 hours or more, or cancelled? You may be owed up to €600. Check your flight on AirHelp.

The practical page

Scan to open this guide online, always up to date.
https://offwegooo.com/en/guides/south-korea

Packing checklist

Have a good trip.
Guide made on offwegooo.com · Photos via Pexels · Details are indicative, check before you leave.