We visited South Korea together and want to share a few “tips and tricks” we learned from the experience. South Korea is a wonderful country with super polite and super friendly people. The country is remarkably clean (much cleaner than the US). We admire how efficient everything is there – everything runs on schedule! Today we will share our top South Korea tips for an amazing trip with you.
Note: We may earn a small commission from the affiliate links below.
Be Picky About Palaces
We always enjoy looking at ancient palaces and there are many beautiful ones in South Korea. But after a while, they all start to run together. One of the top South Korea travel tips we recommend is to focus on one or two palace complexes and really enjoy those. Our favorite palace in Seoul was the Gyeongbokgung Palace. It is the most comprehensive palace complex, and the Folk Museum of Korea is located on the premises.
Something to keep in mind – almost all of South Korea was destroyed in the war with North Korea. Therefore, most sites have signs stating it was rebuilt in the early 1970’s. Of course, that explains why they are in such excellent condition, but do not expect to see ancient ruins like you would in other destinations.
Don’t Skip the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)
The Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) is one of the most interesting things we did in South Korea! As a US citizen, this is the closest we can get to North Korea (without severe consequences). Walk through the DMZ 3rd Infiltration Tunnel, visit the Dorasan Train Station, and by all means peer into North Korea from the observation deck on the South Korea side!
This is a great place to start understanding more about the history of both North and South Korea. In the US, many of us think of this in black/white terms (North Korea is bad and South Korea is good), but it isn’t a black/white issue. The division of one Korea into two countries greatly impacted citizens. Now we understand that the people who populate the two countries are one people who long to be reunified.
That’s the beauty of travel – it gives you insight to understand the shades of gray that make up our world. Perhaps it’s only through travel that we can better understand the long-term impact of our day-to-day decisions at home.
Watch the Haenyeo Female Divers on JeJu Island
It is a difficult hike to the Sangumburi Sunset Crater but the pay-off is worth the effort. The Haenyeo Female Divers Demonstration is a definite must-see! These women, most of whom are quite elderly, can hold their breath for three minutes and spend 5-6 hours a day diving to the ocean floor to gather live seafood. This is a site to behold, and you will enjoy a plate of the freshest seafood you have ever eaten at the end.
Spend a Half Day at Haedong Yongungsa Temple
The most beautiful and intriguing place in Busan is the Haedong Yongungsa Temple. So, rather than visit every temple in the country, consider spending quality time at Haedong Yongungsa Temple. This temple complex, located on the coast of the Sea of Japan (East Sea), is massive. Fully exploring it takes time.
There are several nooks and crannies to this temple complex. If you try to rush this visit, you will miss the most beautiful and interesting aspects of this gorgeous site. It is a beautiful place to relax and people watch. Tourists come from all over the world to visit the complex, and many followers of Buddha also choose this location to worship.
Act Silly at the Trick Eye Museum
The Trick Eye Museum in Seoul features various paintings on the wall and floor. After loading the Trick Eye app to your phone, you take photos that result in cartoon and three-dimensional effects. They say it uses artificial intelligence, but it looks a lot like Magic Shots at Disney World.
It sounds lame, but it was really a lot of fun and was a good break from palaces and temples. We took millions (ok, maybe not millions) of pictures and videos. Our ticket also included a visit to the Ice Museum. It consisted of interesting ice sculptures, houses, etc. We especially enjoyed seeing the ice toilet – BRRRR!
Eat the Street Food
One of the coolest things about South Korea is that you can safely drink the water and eat the street food. This makes a trip here convenient and easy! Throughout the city, we found stand-alone food vendors as well as whole blocks covered with pop-up kitchens cooking up all sorts of delicacies right on the sidewalk.
We saved an entire evening in Seoul to dine exclusively on street food, and we were not disappointed. There were numerous vendors with loads of options, including sweet crispy Korean fried chicken, steamed buns, dumplings, mung bean pancakes, chicken skewers, fish shaped pastries, and so much more! There were so many things to choose from! We love eating anything fried and on a stick. It’s like going to the fair!
Dine at the 7-Eleven
Prior to our trip, we read about buying and eating ramen in convenience stores. We love an unusual dining plan and had to do this! But we were cold and exhausted, so we decided to simply purchase the food and enjoy it from the warmth of our room and comfort of our jammies. The kettle in the room was just what we needed to enjoy a fabulous meal of spicy ramen and spicy shrimp flavored crisps. In fact, we loved this so much we repeated it the next evening but paired our ramen with squid corn chips for variety.
This is a great way to grab a quick and/or late night meal. The convenience store has a variety of ramen to rival the candy aisle in the US, and Korea is known for odd (to us) snack food. It is also very easy on the budget!
Take Public Transportation
Seoul also has an excellent subway system with multinational announcements and signage. The bus is accessible, but better for Korean speakers. Be sure to pick up a T-money Card at a nearby convenience store. These can be used to pay for subway, bus, and even taxi service. If you decide to take a taxi, download the Kakao T mobile app to hail a taxi when out and about.
Don’t Forget to Bring…
No listing of South Korea travel tips would be complete without suggestions on what to pack. Of course you want to pack your clothes and such, but keep the following items in mind specifically:
- Passport, Cash, COVID-19 Vaccinations Card and reservation information. I really like this Doulove Passport and Vaccine Card Holder Combo.
- Phone and charging cables.
- Stylish clothing – Korean fashion is much less casual than in the US.
- Two pair of comfortable walking shoes so you can trade them out.
- Power adapter with two round holes instead of prongs.
- Portable charger so you don’t run out of battery while taking photos or navigating with GPS.
- Reusable water bottle – the water in South Korea is safe to drink and this bottle is easy to throw in a bag, or tote around using the handy paracord handle, while also keeping that water cool!
- Warm, yet packable, coat for winter.
- A windproof umbrella is a good idea to shield you from both rain and the sun.
- Swim clothes for trip to the beach or a dip in the hotel pool any time of year.
- Face mask – whether to prevent disease or protect you from air pollution in Seoul, bringing a high quality face mask is an important South Korea travel tip. They sell masks at convenience stores, but they are MUCH thicker and difficult to wear.
- Hand Sanitizing Wipes – liquid sanitizer is also good but sometimes you need the friction a wipe provides to remove the dirt!
- Ear buds – Many locations, particularly public transportation, post signage asking that you have “no leakage” from your headset. So keep your tunes turned down or invest in quality gear.
Start Planning Your Trip!
For the scoop on this beautiful country, check out our Top Five Must See Sites in South Korea. A trip to South Korea is definitely worth your time and money! Of course, we think a trip anywhere is worth the time and money, so you will need to make your own bucket list of destinations.
Do you have any South Korea travel tips to share?
Drop us a line in the comments below, sign up for our newsletter, and check out our website for more great travel posts! You can also contact us and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest so you never miss a post!
