City: South Korea
Top Things to do in South Korea
Top Hotels in South Korea
10 Things to do Good for Kids in South Korea That You Shouldn't Miss
Coordinates: 36°N 128°E / 36°N 128°E / 36; 128
Restaurants in South Korea
1. Changdeokgung Palace
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4,612 reviews
This 600-year-old UNESCO World Heritage Site is the city's jewel. It's as famous for its outstanding architectural details as for its verdant and expansive gardens.
Reviewed By Inspire818731 - Belfast, United Kingdom
Interesting Palace to learn about ancient Korea and its architecture.The English tour guide to the hills and valleys of the Secret Garden was a superb insight to the life and times of the early dynasties. The Palace is spread over a wide area, which is mainly flat, but there are some steep areas, so allow plenty time to visit.Crowds,queues,heat not a problem in September.
2. Bulguksa Temple
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,275 reviews
An impressive complex of stone pagodas and wooden shrines.
Reviewed By ssbelltx - New York City, United States
Worth your time to see. Peace to walk around Beautiful grounds and worshiping areas. Don't miss if you are in Gyeongju
3. Hwaseong Fortress
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 953 reviews
Hwaseong Fortress in the town of Suwon is just a 30-minute train ride from Seoul. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of Korea’s most important historical treasures and is the only remaining walled fortress in the country.
Reviewed By chrisruggaluffagus - Yorktown, United States
This place is a great stop and definitely in my top 15 things to see in South Korea. The fortress, gates, bastions, command posts, etc are amazing and picturesque. So many great opportunities to get cool and beautiful pictures. Lots of food and markets located on the south end of the fortress are an ideal place to stop for lunch or dinner. Small entry fee gives you access to the entirety of the fortress. Parking near Yeonmundae Information Center allows you access to tourist trolley. Parking is 2000₩ for 3 hours. If you have time, plan your trip later in the day to see the fortress in day light and at night. Beautiful beautiful beautiful. Good luck and have fun.
4. Gyeongbokgung Palace
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 10,654 reviews
The National Museum of Korea and the National Folk Museum are located on the grounds of this palace, built six centuries ago by the founder of the Chosun dynasty.
Reviewed By Krubee - Singapore, Singapore
At the heart of Seoul lies this ancient yet historically significant center of the Joseon dynasty - the Eternal, Grand, Beautiful and Enchanting Gyeongbokgung Palace, the largest and grandest of the 5 palaces built during the Joseon dynasty in 1395 by King Taejo, the first King of Joseon.. It is the seat of the King, His household and the government. To date it is one of the most famous attractions in Seoul and South Korea. Millions of tourist visit this Palace and it is a must visit. You could take the Seoul metro and could alight at Gyeongbokgung station which is connected via Heungnyemun Gate or outside via Gwanghwamun station and you need to walk via North direction passing by the statue of King Sejong the Great. The National Palace Museum of Korea is located via Heungnyemun gate. The entrance fee to this palace is around 3K Won for adults. As you enter the main gate of Gwanghwamun in the south you will be greeted by several other gates as you walk north into the Geunjeongjeon (Throne hall). The cobbled stones floor indicates that you are entering history. Other significant buildings include the beautiful Gyeonghoeru Pavilion (Banquet hall) with a lake surrounding it, Gangnyeongjeon (King's residential quarter), Gyotaejeon (Queen's quarter), Hyangwonjeong (2 story Hexagonal shape pavillion on lake connected by Chwihyanggyo bridge), and many more. We went here during Fall season and it's magical we were surrounded by trees of red, yellow and orange. The wind blowing adds to the beauty of the falling leaves. Despite the plenty of tourists we have space to take beautiful photos and videos. There are even Korean cultural dance shows with photo opts afterwards. Behind this massive complex stands the mighty Mt. Baegaksan (a 342 m high granite mountain) a perfect background for your beautiful photos and videos. Some tourists rent traditional Hanbok dress, a traditional Korean clothes. Rental prices vary depending on the time starting at around 13K to 15K Won for about 4 hrs. It adds to the total experience you could get while walking around this historical palace not to mention it adds beauty to your photos and videos. Between 10 to 3 PM the traditional changing of the guards occur every hour which is a spectacle of Korean culture and tradition. We left at 5 PM which is also the closing time at this Eternal Grand Palace. It is my 2nd time to visit this but it still amazes me every time.
5. Hamdeok Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 510 reviews
Reviewed By zincx09
The beach has beautiful, clear emerald waters (the pictures doesn’t do the place justice as its much better experienced in person), and a really nice cafe by the sea with good pastries. We got there by Bus 101 from CJU airport followed by a short walk. Near the beach there are tons of places to eat, such that you will be spoilt for choice. Easy to hail a taxi there too for those who wants to travel to their next location by cab. Parking lots available too for those who are driving. Highly recommend this place for beach and sea lovers and those who enjoy coffee by the sea.
6. National Museum of Korea
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,362 reviews
This is the largest museum in Korea with over 220,000 objects in its collection. It has six permanent exhibition galleries such as Historical Gallery and Fine Arts Gallery. It also has special exhibition halls, a children's museum, outdoor exhibit areas, restaurants, cafes, shops and other amenities. *Admission: Free to Permanent Exhibition & Children's Museum(changeable after 2010)*Hours: Tue/Thu/Fri: 9am-6pm, Wed/Sat: 9am-9pm, Sun/holidays: 9am-7pm, closed Mon & January 1st
Reviewed By Janet1016 - Ottawa, Canada
I think it's awesome when a Museum offers free admission, especially to International travelers who can then learn all about a Country's Culture. My husband, son and I spent a week in Seoul, our very first trip to South Korea and visited the National Museum of Korea on our second day. It's a vast building, and one of the largest museums in Asia. We took the MRT to get there and it was a nice walk from the MRT station to the Museum. The Museum offers one hour free English language tours which we took. Our Guide was very friendly and personable and spoke English very well. There are also maps of the Museum available in English and they also detail the top sights if you have a limited amount of time to spend. I was fascinated most by the Gold Crowns and Caps, so delicate and ornate and so different from say English Crowns. :) The Museum houses many, many of Korean's National Treasures and it's really awe inspiring to get to see them and learn South Korea's history. You could spend a couple of days going through here no problem, plus there is another Museum on the grounds as well that is devoted to the Korean Language, the National Hangeul Museum. There is a large Food court area within in you get peckish and it serves really lovely meals. This is a great spot to visit if you're in Seoul. Go!!!!
7. Everland
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,805 reviews
Everland was Korea’s first family park and is still one of its most popular. There is a safari area featuring lions, tigers and bears, a water park, and some of the country’s most famed, lush gardens.
Reviewed By bub2828
Visited everland with wife and 2 teenages had a great day the T express is a must go on ride the pandas were great to see along with the chimps and orangutans would recommend a visit if your in souel.
8. The War Memorial of Korea
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4,269 reviews
Poignant exhibits, war memorabilia, art works, and military equipment make this a perfect place to learn about Korea’s history of war, most notably with North Korea. Kids will enjoy the display of actual tanks and airplanes.
Reviewed By Culinary-Consultants - Ferrara, Italy
As a veteran I am a lover of places that price and honor, the fellow and good military men and women of the past and present; Men and Women who gave the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of freedom and liberty. In this vein, I dedicate part of every travel we make with our company to search for Memorials and Museums of War. The War Memorial of Korea as expected for the history of this country, is no disappointment. It opened in 1994 on the former site of the army headquarters to exhibit and memorialize the military history of Korea and it holds an exquisite collection and memorabilia of several past wars ranging from prehistoric times with very rudimentary weapons; passing with extreme detail throughout the Korean War and the ROK Armed Forces until more modern conflicts and the presence of South Korea as an allied in the United Nations. 13,000 items are displayed in six halls under different themes and about 100 large weapons are displayed in the outside exhibition area on the lawns around the building. Outside the building premises you can see a great variety of mobile units such as fixed-wing air-crafts like the De Havilland Canada U-6A Beaver, the Curtiss C-46D-20-CU Commando, also the Fairchild C-123J built in 1956 as a C-123B and later converted to a C-123J in the 1960s. Helicopters are also in the premises, such as the Bell AH-1J “International Cobra”, also the Bell UH-1B Iroquois, even Russian units as the Sikorsky H-5H Dragonfly and the Sikorsky HH-19B Chickasaw. But there are more mobile units such as armored vehicles, artillery and anti-aircraft guns. Missiles and several other maritime vessels like the Hurricane Aircat Air-boat used by ROK special forces during the Vietnam War and much more well kept pieces of war history are exhibited here at the War Memorial of Korea. The place definitely has been groomed to detail and has also a special glow about it; meaning a building with a soul. I truly recommend this place for the lovers of War History and War Artifacts and here you will also find a special place for the special connection we have with those who gave it all for the sake of freedom in South Korea and everywhere else.
9. Nami Island
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,881 reviews
Nami Island is Korea’s most globally recognized tourist destination and cultural brand welcoming over 3.3 million guests annually. Combining a refreshingly beautiful natural setting only 63 kilometers from Korea’s capital of Seoul, Nami Island is a peaceful place promoting culture and leisure in harmony with humanity and nature.
Reviewed By bobader - Kuwait City, Kuwait
Dreaming island .. beautiful place to spend the day .. a lot of activities a fun ... amazing place to take a lot of pictures , a mixture of colors and charming views
10. Seoraksan National Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,014 reviews
Reviewed By Kendramcc - Hove, United Kingdom
My daughter and I visited Seoraksan as part of a month long trip around South Korea. We stayed in Sokcho-si for 3 nights and this proved to be an excellent choice as a local number 7 or 7-1 bus takes you into the gates of the National Park for 1250₩ The park has multiple routes and trails you can follow of varying distances and heights to climb. There is a cable car to one of the peaks but we opted for a 3km climb (mostly steps but initially there are rocky paths to clamber up) to Towangseongpokpo. The MOST STUNNING views when I finally made it to the top! My daughter danced on ahead like it was no effort ???? I’ve attached a few pictures - if you are visiting South Korea and are able to squeeze in a day trip to Seoraksan, I promise it will be worth it!
