From Outdoor Pursuits to Relaxing Retreats
South Korea has a little something for everyone, whether you are into food, history, hiking, architecture or culture. Here are a few of the coolest things that should be on your list of things to do in Korea.
Soak Your Tired Muscles in a Hot Spring
Whether you’re visiting in the winter and want to warm up or just want to soothe your aching traveler’s muscles you can do just that with a soak in a traditional Korean-style sauna, otherwise known as a jjimjilbang. These hot tubs are fed by natural hot springs and are a delightful place to relax after a day of skiing or exploring the winding streets.
You can even get a full body scrub to get rid of any excess dry skin with a complete exfoliation. Looking for the best saunas for your spa experience? Here are some recommendations from CNN travel.
Visit a Ski Resort
Were you inspired by the Winter Olympics in South Korea in 2018? Fortunately, South Korea is 70% mountains, so there are many opportunities to enjoy some great skiing during your visit.
You’ll find plenty of wonderful places to ski, such as Yongpyong Ski Resort, Daemyung Vivaldi Park and many more. Here is a helpful guide to skiing in South Korea from Trazy.com. Your skiing skills might not be Olympic level, but you’ll still have a lot of fun.
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Admire Impressive Palaces
Seoul is known as the City of Palaces and for good reason. There are five different ancient imperial sites within the Korean capital and the most impressive of these is Gyeongbokgung, which translates to “Palace Blessed Greatly by Heaven.”
This enormous, sprawling complex takes several hours to explore and contains many stunning examples of elegant carvings and royal Korean architecture. Consider taking a guided tour of the palace so you can learn about the history and the cultural significance of this important historical site.
Find Peace at a Buddhist Temple
The Jogyesa Korean Buddhist temple is an oasis of calm within the buzzing business district of Seoul. It is free to enter and you can take a moment to admire the stunning gold sculptures of Buddha, the intricately carved designs and the numerous colored prayer flags.
Within the temple compound you will also find trees that are over 500 years old. Make sure you are quiet and respectful during your visit — this is a place of worship and many people will be there paying their respects to the Buddha.
Go Shopping in Myeong-dong
If shopping is one of your favorite things to do while traveling, you’ll love the Myeong-dong district of Korea. It’s one of the busiest shopping neighborhoods and it is packed with trendy shops and street stalls. You’ll find everything from fashion to cosmetics to jewelry to cute socks with pop culture characters printed on them.
If all of the shopping causes you to work up an appetite, you’ll also find plenty of food stalls here offering up snacks like grilled octopus, ice cream, Korean sweets and even hot dogs. Yes, the Koreans love hot dogs and they serve them up at street food stalls in many ways, including wrapped in bacon and wrapped in french fries then deep-fried. Yum!
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Eat Street Food at Gwangjang Market
Speaking of food, if you want to try the full gamut of Korean street food you’ll love Gwangjang Market. Bring your appetite and sit down on a plastic stool at one of the many streets stalls, each serving up a unique and delicious authentic dish.
You’ll see mouthwatering Korean barbecued beef, fragrant noodles, fresh fish and so much more. Try the gimbap, which is a sheet of seaweed filled with rice, egg and pickled veggies.
Check out a Traditional Tea House
Another wonderful way to wind down after a long day of exploring is to wrap your hands around a warm cup of tea at a traditional tea house. There are many charming spots around that pay tribute to the ancient tea traditions of Korea.
For some suggestions on the loveliest and most authentic tea houses in Seoul, take a look at this article from the Culture Trip which features local favorites such as Gahwadang, Tea Therapy Haengrang and Tteuran Tea House.