Written by Freddy Sherman
Up to this point Mar 20, 2023
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Author Freddy Sherman has traveled to South Korea a whole lot of events, including a recent scramble back and forth to Seoul in unhurried 2022.
South Korea affords the whole lot a traveler would possibly maybe maybe also need in a vacation role. It has a lengthy and engaging historical previous, a unbelievable culture, astonishing food, pleasant other folks, and an stunning tourism infrastructure (including a brand fresh high-tempo rail gadget).
It is also a rustic of contrasts, with tourist sights starting from stale mountaintop Buddhist temples esteem Bulguksa to the ultra-unusual skyscrapers of Seoul, esteem the Lotte World Tower.
It also has considered one of essentially the most uncommon sights on this planet that will almost definitely be visited: a no man’s land, half of a protection power border between two worldwide locations technically nonetheless at war (the DMZ). Glimpse the wonderful areas to head to with our list of the high tourist sights in South Korea.
1. Expertise Korean History at Changdeokgung Palace
Of the five sizable palaces constructed by the Joseon Dynasty in the 15th century round Seoul, Changdeokgung Palace used to be repeatedly essentially the most smartly-preferred royal set up. It is where the king and royal family lived their each day lives.
The palace is now not in any appreciate times correct a single building, it is far a complex of structures, and each served a assorted cause. Some are lodging; some are libraries, dining rooms, and meeting rooms, among other makes use of. Be decided to use some time in the 78-acre Huwon, or palace backyard, located in the aid of the palace. It is stuffed with pathways, green areas, pagodas, streams, and lakes.
Address: ninety nine Yulgok-ro, Waryong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Read More: Prime-Rated Tourist Attractions in Seoul
2. Explore Seashores and History in Busan
Did you realize you would also hit the seaside in Korea? Busan is the 2nd wonderful metropolis in the country, and its flee is lined with some ravishing beaches and motels. There is masses of culture and historical previous right here, too. Be decided to head to the Beomeosa Temple and the hillside village of Gamecheon. Gamecheon is a European-model village on the cliffs above the ocean, esteem Korea’s model of Santorini.
Seafood lovers wants to make decided to head to Jagalchi Market, the country’s wonderful commercial seafood market. Section of the market is open to customers, and there are masses of exiguous eating areas that can cook up your aquire, so that you would also luxuriate in it ethical right here.
Attending to Busan is easy, it takes quite bigger than two hours from Seoul on Korea’s KTX high-tempo bullet educate.
3. Consult with Jeonju, the Earlier Spiritual Capital of Korea
Jeonju is a indubitably historical metropolis, once the non secular capital of the Joseon Dynasty, it is about 90 minutes by educate from Seoul. It is dwelling to many stale temples and shrines along with a hanok village. These are came upon at some point of Korea. They’re preserved neighborhoods of stale and broken-down properties (hanoks), permitting buddies to bag a indubitably feel for what existence used to be esteem in stale Korea.
One of the most properties in the hanok villages are open for excursions, and others were made into museums (and eating areas and lodging, too), but most dwell deepest properties.
4. Seek for Seoul from Above on the N Seoul Tower
Sure, all americans visiting Seoul must head up in the metropolis’s iconic observation tower. Its set up nearly on high of a mountain, plus the height of the tower itself, will get you nearly 500 meters above sea degree and the metropolis under.
Nonetheless, scramble away some time to discover the encompassing mountain set up. The tower is approach the high of Mount Namsan, and the whole set up is Namsan Park, which is bustle by the metropolis. There are miles of hiking trails to discover, all interior a couple of minutes of downtown Seoul.
The tip phases of the N Seoul Tower embrace indoor and outside observation areas and eating areas. The skin of the tower is roofed in LED lights, which is illuminated each evening in seasonal light reveals.
There is a cable car that takes you from the metropolis (approach Myeongdong) to the tower’s corrupt set up. You most likely would possibly maybe maybe then hike from right here. After hiking the mountain and using on the cable car, scramble away time to discover the Namsan Hanok Village. These preserved historical villages, which will almost definitely be located at some point of Seoul and Korea, are re-creations of stale Korean neighborhoods. This village entails five restored hanoks or mature Korean properties.
Address: 105 Namsangongwon-gil, Yongsan 2(i)ga-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
5. Watch How Of us Lived 600 Years Within the past on the Bukchon Hanok Village
Hanok villages, that would also simply be show masks in a couple of areas in Seoul and round Korea, are residing museums. They’re restored and preserved stale neighborhoods, some in their usual space (esteem Bukchon) and a few re-created with hanoks (mature Korean properties) moved from in other areas. They give buddies a likelihood to no longer wonderful expertise what it used to be prefer to stay in a hanok, but also what it used to be prefer to stay in Korea 600 years ago.
You most likely would possibly maybe maybe expertise the small, slim streets and in addition discover Korean culture, as many of the hanoks are museums or provide cultural demonstrations. Many are deepest properties, and a few provide lodging. That’s what makes these village areas so particular; they’re actual residing historical previous on memoir of many of the properties are privately owned and occupied by exact local residents.
Bukchon Hanok Village is a favored set up to discover, because it is ethical in central Seoul, in the set up between the Gyeongbokgung Palace and the Changdeokgung Palace.
6. Hike in the Mountains at Seoraksan Nationwide Park
Just like the Yosemite of Korea, this majestic natural wonderland (Korea’s first nationwide park) has mountains, lakes, waterfalls, streams, and miles of hiking trails that can let you discover them.
This park is known for its natural fluctuate, because it has over 1,500 assorted animal species and over 1,000 assorted forms of plants. There are also two Buddhist temples interior the park, one is named the “Temple of a Hundred Pools” attributable to the overall ponds round it fed by mountain streams.
Must you bag bored stiff in strolling, there is a cable car that can take you up Seoraksan Mountain for some unheard of views of the mountains and valleys. It takes about four hours by bus or three hours by car to attain the park from Seoul.
7. Look into North Korea on the DMZ
DMZ stands for demilitarized zone, and it is far the no-man’s land border between North and South Korea. Heavily guarded and mined, this weird and wonderful set up will be visited, but wonderful on an official, guided tour. The official set up is about four kilometers wide and is formally is named the JSA or Joint Security Space. It is potentially the wonderful set up to head to in South Korea to receive out about this warfare.
The No Taking a look Half of-Day Korean DMZ Tour from Seoul entails round-scramble back and forth transportation from Seoul. Legitimate DMZ excursions embrace a visit to the 3rd Tunnel, dug by the North to facilitate an invasion of the South, and to the Dora Observatory, where you would also discover across no-man’s-land into North Korea.
8. Take a look at out Korean Art work, History, and Archeology on the Nationwide Museum of Korea
As a worldwide capital, Seoul is stout of masses of museums. The wonderful is the Nationwide Museum of Korea, and esteem the Met in Unique York, it is far a set up that in actuality can no longer be explored in a single visit. The immense series combines art, historical previous, and archeology, equipped to illustrate the historical previous of Korean culture and enlighten the memoir of the Korean other folks.
It is also an stunning attraction to peek if you wonderful web restricted time in Seoul. The series is previous immense, because it goes aid over 1,000,000 years. It is engaging, especially for households and young other folks as there is such a immense series of objects. Every part from Stone Age instruments to unusual art work by Korean artists.
Address: 137 Seobinggo-ro, Seobinggo-dong, Yongsan-gu
9. Be pleased Relaxing at Korea’s Largest Amusement Park, Lotte World
There is an amusement park ethical all by downtown Seoul. It is miles a stress-free set up to use the day and a likelihood to immerse yourself in exact Korean commercial culture. Lotte World entails a hotel, movie theaters (one with the world’s wonderful masks), a folk museum with mature performances, and other issues to carry out esteem ice skating.
This theme park is on the corrupt of the Lotte World Tower, the tallest building in South Korea and the fifth tallest building on this planet. The tower has a whole lot of observation areas and experiences, its beget luxurious hotel (the SIGNIEL SEOUL), and a fluctuate of looking out and dining alternate choices interior.
A visit is stress-free for every kids and adults, and besides for the rides and sights there is masses of looking out and in addition artists’ workshops and cultural performances to seem. There is the world’s wonderful indoor theme park and an exterior theme park set up known as Magic Island.
For a bigger, outside theme park expertise, Everland is about forty five minutes outside Seoul and is Korea’s model of Disneyland.
Address: Songpa-gu, Jamsil 6(yuk)-dong, Olympic-ro, 300, Seoul
10. Gyeongbokgung Palace
Also is named the Northern Palace, the mammoth Gyeongbokgung Palace complex has long gone by some unheard of turmoil over time. It used to be first constructed in 1395 all around the Joseon dynasty, which constructed five sizable palaces round Seoul. The palace has been bombed, destroyed, and rebuilt a whole lot of events, occupied by the Japanese (first in 1592), and wonderful at final restored in 1990.
Be decided to set up out Gyeonghoeru Pavilion and Hyangwonjeong Pond, two of the final usual constructions from the Joseon interval.
The palace compound will be explored on a guided strolling tour. There are also two museums interior the grounds (the Nationwide Palace Museum and the Nationwide Folks Museum), each value a visit.
Address: 161 Sajik-ro, Sejongno, Jongno-gu, Seoul
11. Trip the Cable Automotive at Hallyeo Maritime Nationwide Park
The ruggedly ravishing Hallyeo Maritime Nationwide Park entails miles of raw shoreline on over 300 separate islands. Every has hiking trails with spectacular ocean and cliff views. The set up also facets a cable car, is named the Hallyeosudo Viewing Ropeway. It is miles the actual dual-cable, automatic circulating gondola gadget in the country.
The skedaddle is sort of 2.4 kilometers lengthy and takes nine minutes to attain the summit. You’re rewarded with sweeping views of the geographical region and shoreline, including the Japanese island of Daemado. The park is about an hour by bus or car from downtown Seoul.
12. Bulguksa Temple
One of Korea’s actual need to-undercover agent Buddhist temples, Bulguksa Temple is thought of by many to be the country’s most basic. It is formally Historic and Scenic Space Quantity One as classified by the manager. The temple is dwelling to seven of the country’s nationwide treasures, sacred pagodas, and statues of the Buddha.
The temple is on the slopes of Mount Toham in Gyeongju, the stale capital metropolis of Korea. It is miles a metropolis so historical, it is known as a “museum with out walls” attributable to the overall historical websites and temples. Gyeongju is about two and a half hours from Seoul by the fresh KTX high-tempo educate.
Address: 15-1 Jinhyeon-dong, Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-carry out
13. Consult with the Blue House, South Korea’s White House
Named for the striking blue-tile roofs of its many pavilions and structures, the Blue House, principal esteem the White House, is the dwelling of the Korean president. The very stable complex of structures also homes many Korean executive executive offices and official meeting websites. It is miles a engaging set up to head to, because it affords you a in the aid of-the-scenes discover at unusual Korean executive and Korean formal culture.
Rather tons of what you undercover agent on the guided sightseeing tour are meeting rooms and official teach reception rooms where international dignitaries are welcomed. Hour-lengthy public excursions are given, but you wish to look at online upfront for a security compare.
Address: 1 Sejongno, Jongno-gu, Seoul
14. Revel in a Seaside Getaway on Jeju Island
A truly usual resort vacation role (mediate the Hawaii of Korea), this volcanic island is easiest reached by a swiftly hour-lengthy domestic flight from Seoul. The island boasts ravishing beaches along with masses of culture and historical previous.
The very wonderful mountain in South Korea (a dormant volcano known as Hallasan) is right here along with miles of enormous lava tubes. The lava tubes, that would also simply be explored, are natural air pockets in the hardened lava, the scale of railway tunnels.
Be decided to head to Jungmun Seaside to peek the diving ladies folk. These are ladies folk who free dive hundreds of feet to gain assorted forms of seafood. This tradition began centuries ago, when the local males had been all out on fishing boats. The island also has hundreds of miles of hiking trails and masses of hot springs and health spas.
15. Stroll by Seoul’s Restored Gwanghwamun Gate
This attraction is a sizable gate, beforehand the opening in the fortress wall to the Gyeongbokgung Palace located interior. It used to be on the initiating set up constructed with the palace in the 15th century but has been destroyed and rebuilt many events. Most no longer too lengthy ago in 2010, it used to be moved aid to its usual space in entrance of the palace and Gwanghwamun Square and restored with educated materials the use of mature programs.
The old restoration included concrete and other non-mature improvement programs, but the fresh gate has been totally constructed with stale programs, the use of wonderful native woods and handmade fittings.
Gwanghwamun Gate is dwelling to the altering of the guards ceremony (performed since 1469), which occurs each day (besides for Tuesdays) at 10am and 2pm. The set up in entrance of the gate, Gwanghwamun Square, is a mammoth public set up usually stale for political and social demonstrations.
Address: 161 Sajik-ro, Sejongno, Jongno-gu, Seoul
16. Cease In a single day at Jingwansa Temple
This stale temple complex about quarter-hour from downtown Seoul affords each an educated Buddhist temple expertise (including a temple stop program) and a stunning nationwide park. The temple, which used to be first established on the role in 1,000 BCE, has a whole lot of packages for buddies to receive out about and expertise Buddhism and the monk contrivance of life.
The temple is a need to-visit attraction for foodies, as they grow most of their very beget food on-role. The temple also prepares its beget Korean specialties, esteem pickling kimchi in stale, huge pottery jars. Jingwansa affords meals to the general public (and extended overnight stays) and tutorial packages that demonstrate the sustainability of the stale temple operation.
You most likely would possibly maybe maybe carry out a temple stop program, which contains an overnight visit, or correct come for a meal (vegetarian) or to discover the structures and shrines. You most likely can moreover visit the set up correct to discover Bukhansan Nationwide Park, because the temple is interior it. There are miles of hiking trails and three peaks, that would also simply be climbed. With the exception of the mountains and forests and their spectacular surroundings, there are also ruins of an stale fortress along the hiking trails.
Address: 73 Jingwan-gil, Jingwan-dong, Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul
17. Employ a Night Out in Itaewon
Sure, it is far a touristy, ex-pat set up stuffed with gift outlets and avenue food, but the Itaewon neighborhood is a mighty set up to correct use a day wandering round. It is especially stress-free in the early evening, when residents also come out to take dinner and other folks-look. There is an vitality right here that defines the cosmopolitan metropolis, and it is far mostly a favored strolling role for locals. You are going to undercover agent masses of Korean households, kids, and couples playing the outlets and eating areas.
For these wanting for educated Korean food, right here’s no longer the set up to come aid, but it completely is the set up to come aid for worldwide meals no longer widely accessible in Seoul. Things esteem Italian food, pizza, burgers, and American-model western barbecue.
18. Revel in a Meal in One of Seoul’s Boulevard Food Markets
As considered one of the most world’s mighty food cultures, no visit to Korea is whole with out playing some avenue food. The Gwangjang Market, in Central Seoul, is actually a foodie heaven on earth. The mammoth covered market set up is stout of a whole lot of food stalls providing a whole array of Korean specialties. It is indubitably considered one of the most wonderful areas to head to in Seoul if you are hungry.
The cool teach about this market and most food markets in Seoul is that most of these food stalls are esteem dinky mini eating areas in that they’ve a row of stools and a counter, so that you would also sit and revel in. It is also cool that nearly all stands will give you a free sample.
Stalls now and again provide bindaetteok (mung bean pancakes), bibimbap (rice combined with sauteed pork, greens, and gochujang crimson chili paste), gimbap (Korean sushi), sundae (blood sausage), tteokbokki (stagger-fried fascinating rice desserts), and various forms of noodles.
19. Treasure Cherry Blossoms on the Jinhae Cherry Blossom Competition
Boasting nearly 400,000 cherry bushes, some over 100 years broken-down, Jinhae is the wonderful set up in Korea to revel in cherry bushes blossoming with vegetation each spring. This exiguous metropolis, located along South Korea’s southern flee, hosts the country’s preferred annual cherry blossom pageant. Over 1,000,000 buddies a year come to Jinhae correct to peek the cherry blossoms.
Formally is named Gunhangjae (Naval Port Competition), the Jinhae cherry blossom pageant takes set up in unhurried March or early April, looking out on when the bushes are in flower. Head to Yeojwacheon shuffle and Jinhae’s Gyeonghwa educate set up for a couple of of the wonderful blossom viewing. You most likely can moreover revel in the pageant’s food markets, public art installations, and stay performances.
Getting from Seoul to Jinhae is easy by South Korea’s high-tempo ATX educate — the scramble takes correct under three hours.