What to book before you travel to South Korea?

Most visits can be booked on the spot. A few sell out days ahead. Here they are, stop by stop, with what you can do without booking underneath. Keep the rest of your time free.

Trip length

Weekend One week Two weeks

6 activities to book · about €79 per person

Seoul

Days 1-3

Days 1-3Gyeongbokgung Palace and the guard ceremony, guidedHalf dayThe main palace of the Joseon dynasty, with the changing of the guard in period costume at its gate.€15Book on GetYourGuide →

Days 1-3Bukchon Hanok Village and N Seoul TowerHalf dayThe lanes of traditional tiled-roof houses, then the tower on Namsan hill for the view across the whole city.€12Book on GetYourGuide →

No booking needed: Gwangjang Market · Hongdae · Cheonggyecheon stream · Myeongdong

All activities in Seoul on GetYourGuide

Gyeongju

Day 4

Day 4Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa TempleHalf dayAn eighth-century temple and, higher up the mountain, a granite Buddha in its man-made cave, both UNESCO-listed since 1995.€15Book on GetYourGuide →

Day 4Royal tombs and the observatory, guided2hThe grassy Silla burial mounds and Cheomseongdae, a seventh-century stone tower thought to be the oldest surviving observatory in East Asia.€10Book on GetYourGuide →

No booking needed: The Daereungwon royal tombs · Wolji Pond (Anapji) at night · Gyeongju National Museum · Gyerim forest

All activities in Gyeongju on GetYourGuide

Busan

Days 5-7

Days 5-7Gamcheon Culture Village, guided2hA settlement of refugees from the Korean War, its brightly painted houses stacked up a hillside and now full of murals and small galleries.€12Book on GetYourGuide →

Days 5-7Haedong Yonggungsa Temple and the beachHalf dayA Buddhist temple built on the rocks right above the sea, rare in a country where most temples sit in the mountains.€15Book on GetYourGuide →

No booking needed: Haeundae Beach · Jagalchi fish market · Taejongdae Park · Gwangan Bridge lit up at night

All activities in Busan on GetYourGuide

Indicative prices per person, checked when written. The button opens the GetYourGuide search for the activity and the town, on the days of the stop once your dates are known. Some links are affiliate links: we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.

Frequently asked questions

How much do the activities to book in South Korea cost?

€79 per person if you do them all, across 6 bookings. The most expensive is "Gyeongbokgung Palace and the guard ceremony, guided" at €15, the cheapest "Royal tombs and the observatory, guided" at €10. Prices checked when written: confirm them when you book.

What can you do in South Korea without booking anything?

12 visits on this itinerary need no ticket or time slot, starting with Gwangjang Market, Hongdae, Cheonggyecheon stream, Myeongdong. They make up most of your days: booking ahead only concerns a handful of sites with limited places.

At which stop should you book earliest?

Seoul, with 2 activities to book, against 2 at the quietest stop. That is where slots go first.

How long do these activities take?

From 2h for the shortest to Half day for the longest. Fit them into your days before filling the rest: a guided visit often takes half a day.

The rest of the trip

📒 The free printable South Korea guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→ 🗓️ Best time to visit South Korea, month by month→ 🎟️ What to book: all our destinations→