I’m going to South Korea this fall… hurray! I’m super excited!
So yesterday I started writing everything I wanted to do down and later I will make a day to day plan for the free days I have next to the group activities. And I can use some more suggestions for Gyeongju, Busan and Jeju. Who has some suggestions for me?
This is what I have so far:
Gyeongju (1 free day)
-Cheomseongdae (My hotel is really close to that)
-Gyeongju national museum
-Visiting some tombs from the Shilla dynasty.
Busan (2 free days)
-Taking a tour by bus.
Gamcheon Cultural Village
Haeundae Beach
-Geumang Park Cable Car
Jeju (2 free days, Hotel in Yeon-dong Jeju-si)
-Walk Hallasan Trails (and some other ones)
-Yongduam Rock
And if someone has suggestions for Seoul next to this long list feel free to post as well:
-Exploring Hongdae
Going up the 63 building
Going to Moldir and Jholic in Gangnam
Cycle route Han River
-Gyeongbokgung
-Bukchon Hanok Village
-Changdeokgung
-Deoksugung
I think if you like the Kakaofriends characters, you should go to the popup stores. You’ll probably also have a lot of fun in SMTown. Avoid Myeongdong on weekends.
There are also a lot of street performances at the beach itself in the evening/night. They are free but you can tip them at the end. Oh, there is this 어묵집 (Fish cake house) called 고래사 (Goraesa) in Haewoondae and it has sooooo many varieties of fish cakes! After you pick the type of fish cakes you want to try and pay for it, you need to heat them up in the microwave to enjoy them. http://blog.naver.com/demisodalike/221050637769
There’s also a small section of old traditional open market (Jaerae Shijang 재래시장) which is walking distance from Haewoondae beach and it’s pretty much just 1 street. There’s a really famous Ddeokbokki house there. It’s called 상국이네 김밥 (Sang Gook Eui Neh Kimbop). It’s towards the end of the market on the right side. http://blog.naver.com/kjjy84/220479015459
Another interesting place is the traditional open fish market called Jagalchi Shijang (자갈치 시장). You will see ALL sorts of live and dead sea creatures! I had lunch there and their grilled fish was sooooo fresh and good!
Fall is a great time to visit. The weather is perfect and it’s not as crowded. Also the monsoon season should be over by then.
The Banpo Bridge fountain and music show I think are year round. Starting in April to sometime in the fall twice and evening and I think for the rest of the year once an evening.
If you are in Seoul on the weekend you can go to Hongdae (the area near Hongjik University) in the aftrnoon – there are people selling hand crafted jewelry and almost always indie band musicians are performing
Leeum Museum – Mostly modern art – Foundation is run by the wife of the CEO of Samsung
National Contemporary Museum next to Seoul Grand National Park – ride the sky tram!!!
Deoksugung has a very elaborate changing of the guard with narration in five langauges
Cahngdoekgung might be very lovely if you are there when the leaves turn color – ask hotel to help you book a tour for the “Secret Garden” – it’s not at all expensive but you need to make reservation
I’ve always wanted to do a Han River night cruise but could never find the time for it
Thanks for the suggestions everyone Will look into all of them. But the Banpo Bridge has that show all year round? Need to recheck that… my own Lonely Planet of Korea doesn’t even mention that show and the Lonely Planet for Seoul I did borrow from the library says that show is only from april to august. But that edition is from 2012 so some info is outdated I’m sure.
For Busan I don’t know where my hotel is located as the hotel chain has different hotels in Busan. Maybe I should ask my travel agent which one it is so I can see what is close and what isn’t.Maybe they can help me with making some reservations for stuff.
Banpo Bridge is open year round, BUT!!! They can close it at their discretion because of wind. They will not give you notice, so if you go and it’s windy don’t expect to see the rainbow. That could be why it’s closed when you looked. It was very windy when I went last time, and it was fall… cold and windy does not mix.
I lived there for 2 years and only saw it once!!!
Jeju… I always tell everyone that there is so much to do there that you’ll regret if you miss something. Do not miss their waterfalls!!! Jeongbang Waterfal, Cheonjiyeon Waterfall, Cheonjiyeon Waterfall… they are all relatively close together. There is also Seongsan Ilchulbong (Sunrise Peak) it’s murder to climb the stairs that are built but the view is spectacular. Think of it as a workout for your thighs. Hahaha! It about killed my daughter but a kind Chinese man picked her up and carried her all the way There is also the Teddy Bear Museum! Don’t forget Songaksan and the botanical gardens. It is the Hawaii of Korea so the foliage is amazing!!! And then there is the beach… blue and clean and clear!
While in Seoul, you can take the train to Suwon (it’s an hour by car) by train it’s a blink… you can visit the Fortress.
I went back to Korea with a friend who had never been there and we still didn’t see everything in Seoul and we were there for 2 weeks!!! So plan accordingly and don’t expect to see everything. Oh and don’t forget about Hongdae in Seoul! That alone can take all day because there is so much to do in that one little area (museums, attractions, music, food, etc…) I also recommend that you watch a Korean baseball game even if you hate baseball. Korean games are far beyond your imagination. It’s one big party with thousands in attendance. I can’t explain it but it’s worth it.
This is my facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kakashiandme My photos are public and everything I did in Seoul or in Korea itself is there and might help you decide what you’d like to do. Any questions, I’m only a message away.
I’m going with a travel agency in a group so although I have some freedom here and there the travel and such is set. I don’t plan to do some hardcore hiking for my own good but yes I did read Jeju has some very awesome waterfalls. I have a fascination for waterfalls so I really hope I can see those but the problem is I don’t have a drivers license so I cannot rent car and as far as I know the most pretty ones are on the other side of the island. So I hope some people in the group have the same interests of things we want to do in Jeju so we can rent a taxi for a day or rent a car (if someone else has a license) and share costs. I already heard from others public transport in Jeju can take long…
My hotel is in Hongdae so I will explore that on the day I arrive and most likely after a long day exploring other parts of Seoul when I find it to early to go to bed.
Seoul is awesome during the day… but it’s better at night… So I hope you can take a few hours and look around the place in it’s beautiful shining glory. The lights at night are spectacular. hugs
Oh yes I’m looking forward to seeing it durin the day and when it becomes dark with all the lights. I liked to se that in China too when I was there. And I’m looking forward getting to know more K indie bands while wandering the streets of Hongdae
K-Indie!!! I highly recommend Broken Valentine (I was good friends with Van before he passed away in Aug.2015), the Breeze, Dickpunks, 10CM, Daybreak, and Standing Egg… Not sure if you are in to hard or mellow… so that list has it all.
I have asked my eldest daughter, she was in 2015 in Seoul. And recommend, if you visit some palaces, you should be early there and try on some hanboks and take photos.
If possible, you could try to watch a Baseball match in Incheon, maybe the camera catches you and usually they invite 1-2 viewers down to the playground. You can get an autograph or a signed baseball. They like to select foreigners!
You should visit the Dongdaemun Design Plaza, they often have special design events. I’m not sure, if the LED Rose Garden is still open.
If you find the time, you should visit the Incheon Fish Market and enjoy some fresh seafood like Sashimi
Based on recent photos it is still there the LED Rose garden. It isn’t open or closed per se. They just surround the DDP which stands for Dongdaemun Digital Plaza and Park.
I to save my life could not find the historic park that is apparently next to it.
After more reading of the michellin guide on South Korea, I saw these and am interested in going. Food in the most expensive restaurants in Seoul is not on average several hundred thousand won! But close to 100,000 aka you can actually go and not break the bank.
Dawon is a traditional teahouse in a hanok. It is also a gallery.
Ihwaja (이화자) is a kitchen run by a chef 2 chefs after the last royal chef. You can get royal cuisine here.
Nakwon Ricecake House (낙원떡집) - run by ex- palace maids and been in the business for 90 years!
Gallery Hyundai - has good mix of new and old Korean stuff
Leeum - is Mr. Lee Gun Hee’s personal collection so some interesting nicknacks.
Lee Do Pottery Workshop (도예가 이도) - ceramics from the best kilns in Korea also a cafe.
I am a freak for museums so here’s another:
국제갤러리 has a lot of renowned art with nice Italian bistro attached
I forget if you wear glasses but the stores under Myeongdong station is the place to get it and where I got two pairs.
Pro tip: Dress in hanbok to get free admission to the palaces.
Will look into all of them. But the Banpo Bridge has that show all year round? Need to recheck that… my own Lonely Planet of Korea doesn’t even mention that show and the Lonely Planet for Seoul I did borrow from the library says that show is only from april to august. But that edition is from 2012 so some info is outdated I’m sure.