Planning to visit South Korea? You're in the right place to find plenty of pre-trip inspiration! From exploring cities that pulsate with eye-searing neon, to partaking in traditional tea ceremonies, staying in traditional hanok houses, and enjoying Korean takes on karaoke, here we present the best things to do in South Korea.
Tea may have ceded ground to coffee across the nation, but Seoul’s traditional Insadong district still has dozens of secluded tearooms serving traditional brews.
While green tea is by far the most popular, if you find your way to a specialist tearoom, seize the opportunity to try something more special.
Joining a South Korean tea ceremony is one of the best things to do in South Korea © mnimage/Shutterstock
Tucked behind Changdeokgung Palace in central Seoul, Huwon — often called the Secret Garden — is one of the best places to visit in South Korea for a quiet break from the city’s buzz. Once reserved for royalty, the garden’s serene lotus pool, pavilions, and forested paths still feel fit for a king.
You enter via a shaded trail that opens suddenly into a scene straight from a scroll painting. For the full effect, time your visit for late June or early July, when the lotus flowers are in bloom and the garden feels truly alive.
Huwon, Seoul © Alon Adika/Shutterstock
For culture vultures, one of the best things to do in South Korea is visit Jeonju Hanok Village in Jeolla.
Here, in one of Korea’s most agreeable cities, you can sleep in a traditional wooden hanok house heated from underneath by gentle flames.
Highlights of the village include a cathedral, an ancient shrine, and a former Confucian academy, as well as museums showcasing calligraphy, paper and wine making.
If that wasn't enough, musical pansori performances are also frequent, and you may even be able to participate in traditional activities like weaving and lantern making during your visit or stay.
Editor's tip: weighing up where to stay? Read up on South Korea accommodation.
Jeonju Hanok Village in South Korea © ST_Travel/Shutterstock
Korea’s dirtiest, most enjoyable festival — the Boryeong mud festival — takes place each July on the west coast — don’t forget your soap!
While there’s plenty going on by the beach for most of the year, for two July weekends, and the space between them, the beach becomes a sea of mud-splattered foreigners and their Korean buddies.
The stuff is everywhere, allowing participants to wrestle or slide around in it, throw it at their friends or smear it all over themselves, then take lots and lots of pictures — some of which will end up on TV, in newspapers or on tourism posters.
Boryeong Mud Festival at Daecheon beach, South Korea © yochika photographer/Shutterstock
Get drunk the local way with milky makgeolli rice wine, which has undergone a huge surge in popularity of late.
For decades, young Koreans pooh-poohed this delicious rice beer, but it's been given a new lease of life, and is now sold at mini-markets and convenience stores across the country.
Seoul even has a bunch of chic bar-restaurants dedicated to the stuff.
Makgeolli, Korean traditional rice wine © AdobeStock
Although it may sound like the epitome of Jeju tack, the Teddy Bear Museum impresses even its most sceptical visitors.
The main building is filled with floors of bears, but the diorama room is the museum highlight, with furry depictions of historical events — one for every decade of the twentieth century, such as teddies tearing down the Berlin Wall, landing on the moon, and going down with the Titanic.
Teddy bear exposition © fullerdada/Shutterstock
Shoehorned into a tranquil valley northeast of Danyang is Guinsa, one of Korea’s more remarkable temple complexes.
A great divider among Koreans, it’s viewed by many as the most un-Korean temple.
With snake-like winding paths, its colours and building styles are hard to find anywhere else in the country, and the usual elegant restraint of traditional layouts has been replaced by a desire to show off.
Guinsa temple © 5n2/Shutterstock
The wonderfully unspoilt countryside surrounding the city of Andong in the province of Gyeongsang is studded with gems, and the former Confucian academy of Dosan Seowon is one of the best.
It's surrounded by some of the most gorgeous countryside in the area. On the bus journey from Andong, you’ll wind past rice paddies and pleasantly unspoiled countryside, before ducking down to the academy’s entrance. From here, it’s a short walk to the complex itself.
On arrival, the wide valley to your right is simply stunning, the sound of rushing water from the stream occasionally augmented by the splutter of a faraway tractor.
For sure, walking through the valley is one of the calming things to do in South Korea, and likely to be a highlight of any South Korea itinerary.
Dosanseowon Confucian Academy, Andong, South Korea © Shutterstock
The Korean peninsula has thousands of islands on its fringes, with the seas around Mokpo boasting by far the greatest concentration.
Though many are merely bluffs of barnacled rock that yo-yo in and out of the West Sea with the tide, plenty are large enough to support fishing communities, and are accessible by ferry from Mokpo — a great example of how varied getting around South Korea can be beyond the trains and highways.
In fact, the quantity of islands is so vast that it’s easier to trailblaze here than in some less-developed Asian countries — many inhabitants have never seen a foreigner, and it’s hard to find a more quintessentially Korean experience.
So, pick up a map in Mokpo, get on a ferry and lose track of time.
Aerial view of port of Mokpo, Republic of Korea © trabantos/Shutterstock
A 24-hour market in a city that never sleeps, Dongdaemun is a Seoul institution, and the largest in the country.
Spread out, open-air and indoors, in various locations around the prettified Cheonggyecheon creek, it's impossible to list the whole range of things on sale here — nything from herbs, hanbok and paper lanterns, to knock-off clothing, usually on sale for reasonable prices.
Though each section of the market has its own opening and closing time, the complex as a whole never closes, so at least part of it will be open whenever you decide to come.
Night-time is when the market is at its most atmospheric, with clothes stores pumping out music into the street at ear-splitting volume, and the air filled with the smell of freshly made food sizzling on streetside stalls.
Dongdaemun market, South Korea © mTaira/Shutterstock
Shaped like a soft volcano, Naejangsan National Park's ring of peaks provides the country’s most mesmerizing displays of fall foliage — a true standout among South Korea national parks.
Maple trees are the stars of the show in this annual incandescence, with squads of elm, ash and hornbeam adding their hues to the mix.
The many trails and peaks across the park keep hikers happy year-round, though most visitors head to the amphitheatre-shaped mountain circle in the northeast, where the nearby tourist village has plenty of accommodation and places to eat.
Naejangsan National Park © jaaoe.bc/Shutterstock
The 4km-wide Demilitarized Zone separating North and South Korea is the world’s frostiest remnant of the Cold War.
The route to Panmunjom follows the Reunification Highway from Kaesong. Your first stop will be at the KPA guard post, which sits just outside the northern barrier of the DMZ. Though the southern flank is just 4km away, it feels much further.
After being given a short presentation by a local soldier, it’s time for the ride into the DMZ itself. Take note of the huge slabs of concrete at the sides of the road, ready to be dropped to block the way of any invading tanks — this same system is in place on the other side.
A short way into the DMZ is the Armistice Hall, which was cobbled together at incredible speed by North Korean soldiers to provide a suitable venue for the signing of the Korean Armistice Agreement, a document which brought about a ceasefire to the Korean War on July 27, 1953.
South Korea DMZ © JNEZAM/Shutterstock
Seoul’s latest “secret” area is a quiet maze of roads tucked away behind the royal palaces. Here you’ll find elegant restaurants and cafés, and very few tourists.
Hidden from central Seoul by the mountain of Bugaksan, Buamdong is one of the capital’s quaintest and calmest corners.
Recent years have seen its fame propelled by modern Korea’s number-one cultural catalyst — the television drama. Ever since the picturesque café Sanmotungi was used as a set in hit drama The Coffee Prince, young Seoulites have been heading to the area in ever greater numbers.
Despite this, Buamdong retains a tranquillity that’s almost impossible to find in other parts of Seoul. It also offers a smattering of galleries and excellent places to eat and drink.
Set on spending time in Seoul? Wise up on the best places to stay in Seoul.
Cafe in the Buamdong© SAHACHATZ/Shutterstock
A near-mandatory part of a Korean night out is a trip to a “singing room”, the local take on Japan’s karaoke bars.
Found all over the country, these are wildly popular with people of all ages, and usually sam-cha in a Korean night out – the “third step” after a meal and drinks.
You don’t sing in front of a crowd, but in a small room with your friends, where you’ll find sofas, a TV, books full of songs to choose from and a couple of maracas or tambourines to play.
While outsider are usually intimidated at first, after a few drinks it can be tough to get the microphone out of people’s hands. For sure this is one of the best things to do in South Korea for fun!
A singer in the Noraebang © liza54500/Shutterstock
A fire at the centre of your table and a plate of raw meat to fling onto it — might this be one of the most fun things to do in South Korea, for carnivores, at least.
Barbecued meat is one of Korea’s signature foods, and in this case you get to play chef with a plate of raw meat that's commonly placed on a grill over charcoal, plus a pair of scissors to slice it.
As excess fat drips off the meat onto the briquettes, it releases the occasional tongue of flame, which lends a genuine air of excitement to the meal.
Two of the most popular meat dishes are galbi and samgyeopsal, which are almost always cooked by the diners themselves in the centre of the table.
Galbi is rib-meat, most often beef (so-galbi; 소갈비) but sometimes pork (dwaeji-galbi; 돼지갈비). Meanwhile, Samgyeopsal (삼겹살) consists of strips of fatty pork belly.
Into food? Discover the ten top places to eat Korean food.
Enjoying a Korean meat feast — another of the best things to do in South Korea © Yeo Jung Kim/Shutterstock
For centuries, Gongju’s focal point has been the hilltop fortress of Gongsanseong, whose 2.6km-long perimeter wall was built from local mud in Baekje times, and received a stone upgrade in the seventeenth century.
Following an almost caldera-like course, you can walk the entire circumference of the wall — a flag-pocked, up-and-down course that affords splendid views of Gongju and its surrounding area.
The grounds inside are worth a look, too. Inhabited by stripey squirrels, paths lead to a number of carefully painted pavilions, this is a great place to start unraveling the mysteries of the Baekje trail in Korea.
Gongsanseong pavilion © photo_jeongh/Shutterstock
For those fed up with temples, war museums and national parks, the area around Jeongdongjin has some rather more unusual attractions to float your boat.
Near this small, windswept coastal village lie two retired nautical vessels — an American warship from the Korean War, and an equally authentic North Korean submarine.
From Gangneung, trains make the short trip down the coast, much of which is cordoned off with barbed wire, before stopping at what is apparently the world’s closest train station to the sea.
A short stretch of sand separates the track from the water, and it’s here that Korean couples flock to hold hands and watch the sunrise — the area was featured in Sandglass, a romantic Korean soap opera.
Jeongdongjin, South Korea © nop popeye77/Shutterstock
Travellers seeking to delve headfirst into Korea’s rich and storied history should make little Gyeongju their primary target.
The former capital of Silla, this is the country's most traditional city, and should be on every visitor’s list of the best things to do in South Korea.
Here you can walk among kings from a long-expired dynasty, and view treasures accumulated during a millennium of imperial rule.
If this sounds a little like Kyoto, you’d be half right. Unlike Japan’s more illustrious ancient capital, Gyeongju remains decidedly semi-rural in nature and a little rougher around the edges.
Gyeongju, South Korea © Shutterstock
Some visitors end up spending hundreds of dollars on Socialist realist art, often coming back for more, and prospective owners (or dealers, since there’s money to be made) should swing by the Mansudae Art Studio, though a shop down south in Panmunjom sells cheaper, slightly lower-quality fare.
A visit to the stamp shop also comes as part of many tours, and their socialist realist designs are really quite striking — they're a good purchase, even if you’re not a philatelist.
Your hotel’s shop is also likely to stock a series of similarly cool badges.
Pyongyang © Kanokratnok/Shutterstock
Sitting proudly on Namsan’s crown, cilmbing the N Seoul Tower by cable car will see some rather spectacular scenes spread out before you.
The five levels of its upper section are home to a viewing platform, and assorted cafés and restaurants.
Visiting at sunset is recommended to see the grey mass of daytime Seoul transform into a brilliant neon spectacle.
Seoul City Skyline and N Seoul Tower in South Korea © AdobeStock
The mass of islands draped along Korea’s southern coast fades into the Pacific, before coming to an enigmatic conclusion in crater-pocked Jeju Island, known locally as Jejudo (제주도).
This tectonic pimple in the South Sea is the country’s number one holiday destination, particularly for Korean honeymooners, and it’s easy to see why. Think beaches, farmland, lava tubes and volcanic craters. And now you can walk around the whole island on the Jeju Olle Trail.
The volcanic crags, innumerable beaches and colourful rural life draw comparisons with Hawaii and Bali, a fact not lost on the local tourist authorities.
While this hype puts some travelers off, the island makes for a superb visit if taken on its own terms. Indeed, those who travel into Jeju’s more remote areas may come away with the impression that little has changed here for decades.
Jeju island, South Korea © AdobeStock
Koreans gush about Seoraksan National Park, and with very good reason. It contains some of the tallest peaks in the country, with mist-fringed bluffs of exposed crag that could have come straight from a Chinese painting.
The name gains ambiguity in translation, but roughly translates as “Snow-cragged Mountains”. While these bony peaks are pretty enough on a cloudy day, in good weather they’re set alight by the sun, bathed in spectacular hues during its rising and setting.
Seoraksan is one of the highest parks in the country — as a result, it's usually the first to display the reds, yellows and oranges of fall.
Wondering when to take your trip? Read up on the best time to visit South Korea, whether you want to see that fall foliage, or fancy seeing spring blossom.
Seoraksan National Park, South Korea © AdobeStock
The glorious palace of Gyeongbokgung is, with good reason, the most popular tourist sight in the city, and a focal point of the country as a whole.
The place is absorbing, and strolling the dusty paths between its delicate tile-roofed buildings is one of Seoul's most enjoyable experiences.
Gyeongbokgung was ground zero for Seoul’s emergence as a place of power, having been built to house the royal family of the embryonic Joseon dynasty, shortly after they transferred their capital here in 1392.
While the complex has witnessed fires, repeated destruction and even a royal assassination, careful reconstruction means that the regal atmosphere of old is still palpable, aided no end by the suitably majestic crags of Bugaksan to the north.
A large historical complex with excellent on-site museums, visiting this stunner can easily eat up the best part of a day.
Editor's tip: time your visit to coincide with the colourful changing of the guard ceremonies.
Gyeongbok palace in Seoul City © AdobeStock
One of the best things to do in South Korea with your kids is to visit one of the fascinating Korean amusement parks.
The local version of Disneyland is incredibly popular – the Lotte World complex receives over five million visitors per year, and it’s hard to find a Korean child, or even an adult, who hasn’t been here at some point.
It comprises two theme parks — the indoor section is known as Lotte World Adventure, and this is connected by monorail to Lotte Water Park, an outdoor section located in the middle of a lake, and also home to a spa.
Also within the complex are a bowling alley, ice rink and large swimming pool.
Lotte World — a major tourist attraction in Seoul © AdobeStock
The huge National Museum of Korea is a Seoul must-see for anyone interested in history. It houses over eleven thousand artefacts, including an incredible 94 official National Treasures, but only a fraction of these will be on show at any one time.
Among the many rooms on the ground level are exhibitions from the Three Kingdoms period, which showcase the incredible skill of the artisans during that time – gold, silver and bronze have been cast into ornate shapes, the highlight being a fifth-century crown and belt set that once belonged to a Silla king.
Move up a floor and the focus shifts to paintings, calligraphy and wooden art, and there’s usually a colossal Buddhist scroll or two.
Keen to uncover the country in authentic style? Contact our local travel experts to have them curate your perfect South Korea itinerary.
You might also want to wise up with our practical South Korea travel tips.
Buddha statue, National Museum Of Korea, Seoul © AdobeStock
written by
Rough Guides Editors
updated 09.04.2025
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