South Korea 2023
Tips for Traveling to Korea
When is the best time to visit?
Spring or Fall is the best time to visit. Spring for the cherry blossoms and Fall for the Ginkgo leaves. Unfortunately, I was not able to book spring so we opted for late fall/early winter. Summer is great but it is a very humid country during that time.
Should I just visit one city: Seoul?
If you have time, I would definitely make a trip out to Busan or Jeju. The city of Seoul is very modern, but it can get overwhelming with all the noise and lights during the week. Busan is the country side with beautiful beaches and colorful homes in South Korea. On the other hand, Jeju is the Hawaii of South Korea offering a nice honeymoon destination with resorts and amazing Jeju black pig pork belly or juicy Jeju oranges.
How many days is enough?
Honestly, I would say 4 days is enough for Seoul depending on how much you want to explore. When planning this trip, I wanted to see the palace and get appointments done which resulted in a long 7 day trip. If you just want to do all the touristy spots like Gyeongbokgong Palace, Myeongdong Street Food and Shopping, N Seoul Tower, Gangnam COEX Library and Gangnam Style Statue, and Gwangjang Food Market, it is a good 3-4 day trip.
What is a must-do when visiting?
Facials! It is much cheaper in South Korea than North America and most other countries. I was able to walk in or book ahead for most of my appointments. All the clinics we went to had English consultants there to assist, but I would definitely ask ahead of time if you are interested in a particular clinic or procedure. I paid $30 for a facial with microneedling and skin booster which left results right away and for the next several days.
Where should I book touristy activities?
Klook was the favorite. There is an app and you can do it on your phone last minute. I was unable to get my esims card to work at the airport, so they refunded me the amount right away. On Klook, I booked the AREX speed train from Incheon Airport to Seoul Station as well as my N Seoul Tower entrance ticket. We had also booked a KPOP broadcasting show tour with English speakers, but it got cancelled due to the show ending the season early. Once again, Klook refunded the money so fast.