It was quite a while ago now, but I thought I’d start this blog by covering my time in South Korea. Aside from a three day stopover in Helsinki after leaving the UK, this was my first stop on this long, backpacking and working adventure.
Why did I choose South Korea first? Well, Japan was top of my list but there were things I wanted to see there that wouldn’t be possible until November/December and, with my journey starting in October 2018, I decided to visit one of Japan’s closest neighbours first. People often have the impression that South Korea and Japan are very similar, as I did, but I found that wasn’t the case after travelling around both countries. I’m going to start by detailing the places that I visited, then give an itinerary which, based on experience, I think will be better than the route I took.
Seoul (up to 2 weeks)
Likely to be your starting point, most long distance flights to Korea are to nearby Incheon International Airport, which is about 1 hour away from Seoul by train. With loads to do in Seoul and plenty of day trips, you can stay for as short or long a time as you want here. My time in Seoul was split into two parts – I initially spent two nights before heading south so I could see some local festivals. I then made my way east then up the east coast, eventually returning to Seoul for the rest of my time in South Korea.
To give you some ideas of how to spend your time in Seoul:
- Visit the five Grand Palaces of Seoul and Jongmyo Shrine. For 10,000 Won, you can buy a combination ticket which covers all of them aside from Gyeonghuigung Palace, which is free to enter anyway. Note that Gyeongbokgung Palace and Jongmyo Shrine are closed every week on Tuesday, and the other four palaces are closed every Monday. Gyeongbokgung is the largest of the palaces, and includes a changing of the guard ceremony at 10am and 2pm every day except Tuesday. Tip: you can see the changing of the guard ceremony without buying/showing your ticket. If you have time, visit the palace for the ceremony then come back to explore it later as the most crowded times are after the ceremonies.
- Bukchon Hanok Village. Hanoks are traditional Korean houses dating back to the 14th century. This part of Seoul has been preserved, giving you the chance to see a traditional Korean residential area. Note that people still live here, so don’t make too much noise while exploring!
- Bongeunsa Temple. As with most large Asian cities, Seoul has a number of temples you can visit. If you just want to see one, head to Bongeunsa Temple. At night it’s beautifully lit and dovetails nicely with a visit to the Gangnam District.
- Gangnam-gu – a district made famous and parodied by Gangnam Style, this is the wealthiest area of Seoul. Walk along K-Star Road, where Korea’s biggest entertainment companies are headquartered, to see sculptures of 17 K-Pop icons. Also head to Instagram friendly Starfield Library in COEX Mall. There are a number of outdoor food stalls near CEOX Mall and, while I was there, there was even a K-Pop concert going on nearby attracting a large crowd.
- Markets – whether you want to go shopping or eat delicious foods, the markets in Seoul have a lot of offer. Some of the main markets to visit are Namdaemun (Seoul’s oldest market), Dongdaemun and nearby Gwangjang markets, Gyeongdong and Noryangjin (for seafood, including ‘live’ octopus).
- Nightlife – something I may have got ever so slightly carried away with during my time here, South Korea’s drinking culture is legendary and the nightlife is buzzing in Seoul. Start with dinner at a Korean BBQ restaurant while sharing beer and soju, then see where the night takes you. Try and be sensible though, one night I wound up in a rather bad state with a limited recollection of what happened. I didn’t even remember that we had been to a noraebang (Korean karaoke box) for several hours until someone told me the next day. Not my finest moment. I mostly went out in Hongdae, the district I stayed in, which is the university area and tends to be a bit cheaper. Other districts to consider are Itaewon (the most popular area for foreigners) and Gangnam (for expensive nightclubs).
- Cheonggye Plaza and Cheonggyecheon Stream – the plaza commemorates the restoration of the Cheonggyecheon Stream, which had become covered up with concrete until a 2003 project to bring it back. You can now walk along the stream and the Seoul Lantern Festival (running early to mid November each year) takes place here.
- Mount Namsan and N Seoul Tower – accessible either by hiking or by cable car, this offers stunning views of Seoul’s skyline. While there, even if you don’t need to answer the call of nature, you just have to go into the toilets. The glass partition walls at the men’s urinals make for a most satisfying view and, judging from photos online, the seated view in the ladies toilets is even better.
- Cheonggyesan Mountain – if you want to get away from the crowds, head here and hike to Maebong Peak from Wonteogol Entrance. This is a relatively easy hike, taking about two hours each way and the start point is within walking distance of Cheonggyesan Subway Station.
- Day trip to the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) and Joint Security Area (JSA) – I couldn’t go personally as the JSA closed indefinitely four days before I was due to visit (grrr…). More on this below. It reopened in May 2019 so tours are possible again.
- Day trip to Nami Island. This is a popular location for many Korean dramas. There is also a French themed village, Petite France, near Nami Island though I’m not entirely sure why (the popularity of France in Korea probably has something to do with it). Note that visiting both in a day by public transport requires some planning, so spend time looking at routes/timetables (there is plenty of information online for this) unless you want to book a tour here.
- Day trip to Hwaseong Fortress. A large UNESCO listed fortress situated in the city of Suwon. Seoul’s subway system extends all the way to Suwon so getting here is straightforward – there is also the option of taking a faster and more expensive train from Seoul.
- Day trip to Seoraksan National Park – possible to do as a day trip from Seoul if you’re short on time, but it’s better to stay in the nearby town of Sokcho and spend a couple of days at the national park. I stayed in Sokcho for 3 nights – more on this further down the itinerary.
Whatever you do while in Seoul, try not to join any cults...
The DMZ/JSA Tour
If you want to do one of the (in)famous tours to the border of North Korea, there are two main options – a DMZ tour or a combined DMZ/JSA tour. The JSA part takes you right to the border where armed soldiers from South and North Korea stand guard in close proximity to each other. As part of this, you’re also sometimes allowed into one of the blue buildings used for discussions between the two countries. The building is directly on the border, so that half of it is in South Korea and half is in North Korea. During the time in here, you’re allowed to step into the North Korean side of the room and stand in North Korea, albeit only inside the building. The DMZ part takes you to an area in the demilitarised zone containing various points of interest, but does not go all the way to the border.
Visiting the JSA was the number one activity that I wanted to do while in South Korea. Unfortunately, four days before the tour I had booked, I received an email informing me that tour companies were no longer allowed at the JSA. This was because they were starting to remove military personnel/installations from the area as a result of improving relations between the two countries and couldn’t have tourists around while this operation was going on. Needless to say, I was gutted – not about the improving relations, but about that fact that I couldn’t go. Taking a DMZ tour was still an option but I chose not to, hoping to do the whole thing at some point in the future. In May 2019, the JSA reopened though my understanding is that it is different to how it used to be. I have actually now been to the JSA from the other side of the border, which I did during a tour of North Korea and the place seemed very calm and relaxed, which felt surreal considering this is supposed to be one of the most dangerous places on Earth. Before going to South Korea, I’d suggest checking what tours are available and book in advance as they sell out. Also make sure to follow the dress code specified in the tour and bring your passport along for the day. I had booked with Koridoor, a company which gets positive reviews. When they had to cancel the tour, they gave me a full refund without any issues.
Andong (1 night)
I took a bus from Seoul Express Bus Terminal Gyeongbu to Andong, which took just under 3 hours. Upon arrival, I discovered that Andong’s bus terminal had been relocated from the downtown area, so a local bus was then required to reach my accommodation in the centre.
At the time I was there, Andong were having their International Mask Dance Festival (held annually around late September/early October) which was the main reason I visited. I can’t say it was amazing, but if you want to be amused by some indecipherable performances where they dance around in masks while acting out a story in Korean, then you can do this. There are some other things you can do, like making masks, which could be good if you’re going with children, and, of course, eating local food from the various stalls set up for the event. While in Andong, you can also visit Andong Hahoe Folk Village, a UNESCO World Heritage site to give you a glimpse of a traditional Korean village and way of life. I planned to visit the village but ended up not going as I desperately needed an afternoon nap once my hostel let me check in. Recovering from the jet lag that had completely messed up my sleeping patterns since arriving in Seoul was sadly more important at the time!
At night, eat Andong-jjimdak, a steamed chicken dish including vegetables and noodles. I’m not sure if it’s the case everywhere but the place I ate in served it as a dish for two, something to bear in mind if you’re a solo traveller like me. The waitress, with very limited English, told me to be careful when I was leaving. When I didn’t understand what she meant by that, she pointed at my belly!
Daegu (2-3 nights)
After Andong, I took a bus (1-2 hours) to Daegu, South Korea’s fourth biggest city. This is more of a business city than a tourist destination – I didn’t see another Westerner in Daegu until my third day in the city, despite there being a US military base nearby. Daegu is by no means a must visit but there are some decent attractions to see there. Hiking up Palgongsan National Park (20km north of the city, take bus 401 from Dongdaegu Station to Gatbawi, the last stop) and hiking Mount Aspan, a mountain in the middle of Daegu and with great views of the city at night, were the highlights there for me. You can also check out Duryu Park, the night markets and, for coffee lovers, Dongseongro Café Alley. Daegu has a subway so it’s easy to get around the city and, in addition to the night markets, there are plenty of options for food.
Jinju (1-2 nights)
With Daegu done, I decided to take the KTX train (the Korean high-speed rail system) rather than a bus to Jinju to see what the trains were like in Korea. It was fine but the buses are cheaper, more comfortable and just as fast in getting to many locations as the trains. Anyway, my sole reason for heading to Jinju was to check out the Jinju Lantern Festival, held annually from early to mid-October. While various events happen around Jinju at day and night during this festival, the focus is the Nam River at night. Rather than lanterns, dozens of lit inflatable balloon displays are placed on the river. Next to the river, the path is filled with food stalls set up for the festival and a lantern tunnel.
Like the mask festival in Andong, I didn’t rate this too highly but it made for an enjoyable evening. I did, however, have a great night with my Airbnb hosts. Being a small city, Jinju does not have many accommodation options and the cheap places near the river were fully booked for the festival. I found an Airbnb, a little bit out of the centre, run by a very nice couple. They had a bar next to the Airbnb which I went into on my second night. After I had a couple of beers, they were closing and invited me along to a local restaurant for some Korean food and drinks. Their English was extremely limited, but their teenage son came along and he spoke a little, which helped the conversation flow. While there, they introduced me to Makgeolli (or makkoli), a Korean rice wine which happens to be the oldest alcoholic beverage in Korea. They also introduced me to Beondegi, a snack food made with… silkworm pupae. Crunchy on the outside and juicy inside, the taste was pretty bad but I was glad to have tried it! I had a memorable night drinking and laughing with my hosts, then the next morning they took me for a hike in a local area before taking me to the bus station for my next destination.
Busan (3-4 nights)
Korea’s second biggest city is Busan, on the south coast of the country. After several days off the normal tourist route in Andong, Daegu and Jinju, I immediately got a more cosmopolitan feel after arriving in Busan. Busan was a one hour bus journey from Jinju, then a trip on the subway was needed from the bus terminal to reach my accommodation. If you’re coming from Seoul, the bus is four hours or you can catch a fast train, which takes 2-3 hours. Just don’t watch the movie ‘Train to Busan’ before that.
The beaches are one of the main reasons that Busan is a popular holiday destination for locals. I visited Haeundae beach near my hostel a couple of times. Gwangalli is the other main beach in the city and there are several smaller ones too. Letting off fireworks at the beaches is a popular activity here, although it is illegal. At night, you’ll probably notice some shifty looking sellers near the beach. Despite appearances they are just selling fireworks, not drugs (I think).
Make sure to visit Gamcheon Culture Village while in the city. Formerly a run down area of Busan, this has been transformed into what is probably the most popular attraction here. In 2009, the government decided to renovate the village in collaboration with local artists. As a result, the village was transformed into a sea of colourful houses. Between the photogenic sights, cafes and souvenir shops, this does feel very touristy but there’s a good reason for its popularity and it’s worth spending half a day there. Note that if you walk there from the nearest subway station (Toseong), as I did, then you’re in for a very steep walk. There is also a bus you can take from Toseong to get you there without sweating.
For food, as long as you like fish, you can check out Jagalchi Market. Being a port city, seafood is plentiful in Busan and Jagalchi is the largest seafood market in Korea. Enjoy fresh fish here, or sample oddities like penis fish. Really.
My time in Busan didn’t go entirely to plan – one of the problems with working remotely while travelling is that work sometimes gets in the way of the fun. I was in Busan very soon after I started this lifestyle and I hadn’t yet learned to not book too much in advance. As it happened, I had more work than expected to do while in Busan. I had to prioritise work and scrap plans to see some places I wanted to see here. Now I try not to book things in advance, so I can simply extend my stay in any location where this happens. Briefly, some other sights that are recommended here are Busan Tower, Haedong Yonggung Temple, Taejongdae Resort Park, Oryukdo Skywalk, BIFF Square. Reasons for me to go back to Busan someday!
Gyeongju (2-3 nights)
After Busan, it was time for another bus trip, this time a one hour journey to Korea’s old capital. Gyeongju is most notable for its royal tombs. Looking like hills (as pictured below), these are in fact burial mounds for royals and nobles from the Silla Dynasty. For the most part, Gyeongju is a walkable city and many of the attractions are located near the royal tombs, though note that walking around them all will take a fair bit of time.
For the first full day here, get ready for a lot of walking! I’d suggest starting in Tumuli Park, where many of the mounds are located at Daereungwon Tomb Complex. After this, walk to nearby Cheomseongdae Observatory, a stone tower which is the oldest surviving astronomical tower in Asia. From here, you can head to Gyochon Traditional Village, a hanok village where the buildings have been converted into shops and cafes. Have lunch in Gyochon then go to nearby Woljeonggyo Bridge, built in the 8th century. I really liked this small spot and on both sides of the bridge you can climb to the top for a view of the city. Also within walking distance from here is Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond, though I recommend leaving this until night so you can see the stunning reflection of the palace in the water. Instead, head to Gyeongju National Museum and learn about the Silla Kingdom and history of the area. By the time you’ve finished in the museum, it will probably be late afternoon/early evening, so head back to your accommodation for a break before dinner.
For the second day here, take a bus to Bulguksa Temple, an ancient Buddhist temple located in the mountains which, like most of the attractions in Gyeongju, dates back to the Silla Kingdom. Bus numbers 10, 11 or 700 will all take you to the temple and should take around 45 minutes. The temple site is quite large, so I’d allow 2-3 hours to walk around here. After this, you can take bus number 12, or hike 2.5km uphill, to visit Seokgurum Grotto. This is just one building, containing an ancient stone Buddha monument so getting here will take longer than you’ll spend at the sight itself. After this, make your way back to the city centre.
If you’re looking for a hostel in Gyeongju, I’d recommend Blueboat Hostel, which was the best hostel I stayed in during my time in South Korea. The facilities are good, it’s located near the royal tombs and there is a bus stop across the road from it which will get you to Bulguksa Temple. Finally, the lady working there was very friendly and came out with us for a couple of evenings.
If you’re short on time, you can do Gyeongju as a day trip from Busan and it’s not uncommon for people to do this. However, you wouldn’t have time to visit more than the royal tombs and nearby attractions. I also really liked the laidback vibe and food in Gyeongju, something that you can’t fully enjoy on a day trip.
Gangneung (2 nights)
My main (ok, only) purpose for coming here was to visit the Haesindang Penis Park. Yes, a park full of penis statues. Possibly the greatest thing to do in South Korea, I have written a separate post about it.
It takes approximately 5 hours (with one transfer) to travel by bus from Gyeongju to Gangneung, so my first night in Gangneung was mostly a travel day. Gangneug was one of the host cities for the 2018 Winter Olympics, with the city benefitting from a facelift in advance of the event. On the first night I had a wander around the city and visited the Jungang Night Market for dinner. Near the market, I came across a small area (pictured below) which locals seemed to enjoy hanging out at. I don’t know its name, but you’ll find the area if you walk around outside the market alleys.
On my only full day here, I visited the aforementioned park then returned to the city for dinner. The following morning, it was time for my next stop.
Sokcho and Seoraksan National Park (2-3 nights)
An easy one hour bus journey from Gangneung, the main attraction in Sokcho is Seoraksan National Park. Koreans love hiking and this is possibly the biggest attraction in the country for hikers. There isn’t a huge amount to do in the town of Sokcho itself, although you can check out the night market and Younggeumjeong Pavilion (pictured at the top of this post) easily from the town centre.
There are two main hiking trails in Seoraksan National Park, which are both doable in a day if you start early enough, though you may wish to tackle them over two days to make it less of a physical challenge. I suggest following the trail covering Heundeulbawi Rock and Ulsanbawi Rock first. This offers the best views and is the most popular as a result, so start early if you want to beat the crowds arriving from Seoul on day trips. Note that this hike gets steep, and reaching the top involves walking up a steel staircase of over 800 steps. In total, it should take about 4 hours to do a round trip from the park entrance to the top and back. The second main hike takes you to Biryong Waterfall and Towangseong Falls Observatory Course. While popular, this isn’t anywhere near as busy as the path to Ulsanbawi and is roughly a 3 hour round trip from the park entrance. If you’re having two days at Seoraksan, you’ll also have time to take the cable car to the top of Gwongeumseong Fortress for more of those glorious mountain views. Waiting times can be 2-3 hours for the cable car, so enquire at the cable car ticket office when you arrive at the park to help plan your day.
I’d suggest having a relaxing day exploring the town when you arrive in Sokcho and then, depending on your length of stay, visiting Seoraksan for the next 1-2 days. Getting to Seoraksan from Sokcho is straightforward, take bus number 7 or 7-1 (bus numbers are weird here) from Sokcho and you’ll be there in about an hour – your accommodation will point you to the nearest bus stop and it terminates at Seoraksan. This is the main attraction in town, so expect the bus to be crowded unless you make an early start. There is also, of course, the pricier option of taking a taxi there.
Return to Seoul
From Sokcho it’s a 2 hour bus ride back to Seoul for further time there, your flight home or on to your next destination.
Alternative Itineraries
My itinerary (shown above) had one notable omission, Jeju Island. Jeju is a popular island accessible by flight (you can also get there by boat from Busan). While I didn’t do this, my feeling is that you’re better off starting in Seoul, taking a flight to Jeju Island then Busan, then continuing my route from Gyeongju. I decided to visit Andong and Jinju to experience the festivals that were occurring at the time I was in Korea. Visiting Daegu as well made sense as the city is between them and I wanted to hike Palgongsan Mountain. While I enjoyed my time in these places, I wouldn’t say any of them were amazing. If you do want to visit them and Jeju, you could spend 4-5 days less in Seoul and simply add a return flight/boat trip from Busan to Jeju to this itinerary. From conversations I had with other travellers while in Korea, it’s advisable to hire a car (you’ll need a valid international drivers licence for this) to get around Jeju Island as buses are infrequent. If you’re restricted to two weeks in South Korea, I’d suggest visiting Seoul, Busan, Gyeongju, Gangneung (only if you want to see the penis park) and Sokcho, with shorter stays in each, possibly day trips instead in some cases.
Working Remotely in South Korea
Offering some of the fastest WiFi speeds in the world, it should be no surprise that working remotely in South Korea is extremely easy. During my one month in the country, I just worked from the hostels I stayed in. The vast majority of coworking spaces in the country are in Seoul. Coworking spaces can also be found in Busan and some other parts of the country – I believe Daegu is the only other place I visited that offered coworking spaces but, in any case, I simply didn’t need them. There’s a strong coffee shop culture in South Korea, so finding cafes to work from should also be straightforward. I didn’t work from any of the cafes here, but I found no WiFi issues while making general use of the internet in any of the coffee shops I stopped in during my time in the country.
Transport
Getting around South Korea is a breeze. Intercity buses are a cheap, comfortable way of getting around the country and, while it depends on where you’re going, they are usually no slower than taking the train service.
Upon arrival I’d advise getting a T-money card – this is a rechargeable smart card which can be used on public transport around South Korea. You simply tap in/out on local buses and at barriers at the subway stations. I’ve put more detail about this in my post on the costs of travelling South Korea.
Accommodation
With the exception of the Airbnb in Jinju, I stayed in hostels throughout my time in Korea. While not South East Asia prices, the hostels were fairly cheap and most of them included a basic breakfast. I noticed that many hostels in South Korea were not listed on Hostelworld so make use of Booking.com or another alternative.
Costs
While it certainly costs more than the typical backpacker haunts in Asia, travelling in South Korea may not be as expensive as you think. I’ve written about this in detail here.
Hope this guides help you plan a trip to South Korea! If you have any questions or recommendations, drop them in the comments below.
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A One Month Itinerary for South Korea