South Korea Attractions

Recommended by Aleem Raheem, Earth Trip co-founder and South Korea specialist · Updated October 2026

Things to Do in South Korea: Palaces, Temples, Food and Islands

South Korea packs a remarkable amount into a small country. In two weeks you can watch the guard change at a royal palace in Seoul, eat your way around a night market, sleep in a Buddhist temple, explore the royal tombs of Gyeongju, hike among granite peaks in Seoraksan and climb a volcanic crater on Jeju Island.

These are the experiences our South Korea specialist Aleem Raheem recommends most. Every one can be arranged privately, with your own English-speaking guide, as part of a tailor-made South Korea holiday.

1. Seoul’s Royal Palaces and Old Town

Seoul was the capital of the Joseon dynasty for more than 500 years, and its palaces sit right in the middle of the modern city.

• Gyeongbokgung Palace: the largest of Seoul’s palaces, with the colourful Changing of the Royal Guard ceremony at the main gate.
• Changdeokgung and the Secret Garden: a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with a beautiful wooded garden of pavilions and ponds, visited on a guided tour.
• Jongmyo Shrine: the royal ancestral shrine, also listed by UNESCO, quiet and atmospheric.
• Bukchon Hanok Village and Insadong: lanes of traditional wooden houses, tea houses, craft shops and galleries between the palaces.
• Wear a hanbok: rent traditional Korean dress for the day and you get free entry to the royal palaces.

2. Modern Seoul and Its Food

• Gwangjang Market: one of Seoul’s oldest markets, famous for mung bean pancakes, gimbap and noodles, best with a local food guide.
• Myeongdong and N Seoul Tower: street food and shopping by evening, then views over the city lights from Namsan mountain.
• Cheonggyecheon Stream and Dongdaemun Design Plaza: a walk along the restored stream in the city centre to Zaha Hadid’s futuristic building.
• Bukhansan National Park: granite peaks and temples on the edge of the city, reachable by metro and bus.
• Korean cooking class: learn to make kimchi, bibimbap or Korean barbecue with a local chef.

3. The DMZ

A guided day trip from Seoul takes you to the Demilitarised Zone, the heavily guarded border with North Korea. Visits can include observation points and an underground infiltration tunnel. You will need your passport, and tours are sometimes cancelled at short notice.

4. Suwon, Jeonju and Andong

• Hwaseong Fortress, Suwon: walk the 18th-century walls and gates of this UNESCO-listed fortress, an hour from Seoul.
• Jeonju Hanok Village: more than 700 traditional houses, with craft workshops, tea houses and a bibimbap-making class in the city where the dish was born.
• Hahoe Folk Village, Andong: a UNESCO-listed village of thatched and tiled houses on a bend in the river, known for its masked dance performances.

5. Gyeongju, the Museum Without Walls

Gyeongju was the capital of the Silla kingdom for nearly a thousand years and is full of history.

• Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto: a beautiful hillside temple and a granite Buddha carved over 1,200 years ago, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
• Daereungwon Tomb Complex: grassy royal burial mounds in the centre of town, with one tomb open to visitors.
• Cheomseongdae and Donggung Palace: one of Asia’s oldest surviving observatories, and the palace and Wolji Pond, best seen lit up in the evening.

6. Temple Stays and Haeinsa

Spend a night in a Buddhist temple through the Templestay programme. Join the monks for chanting before dawn, try meditation and share simple vegetarian meals. Haeinsa, in the mountains of Gayasan National Park, holds the Tripitaka Koreana, more than 80,000 woodblocks of Buddhist scripture carved in the 13th century and listed by UNESCO.

7. Seoraksan National Park

Korea’s most famous mountain park, in the north-east, has granite peaks, waterfalls and the temple of Sinheungsa with its giant bronze Buddha. Take the cable car up to the Gwongeumseong fortress for views, or hike to the dramatic rock face of Ulsanbawi. In October the forests turn red and gold.

8. Busan

• Haedong Yonggungsa: a Buddhist temple built on rocks right by the sea.
• Gamcheon Culture Village: brightly painted houses climbing the hillside, with murals and small galleries.
• Jagalchi Fish Market: Korea’s biggest fish market, where you can choose seafood and have it cooked upstairs.
• Haeundae Beach and Taejongdae: city beaches and coastal cliffs with lighthouse views.

9. Jeju Island

Jeju is a volcanic island and UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, a short flight from Seoul or Busan.

• Seongsan Ilchulbong: climb this volcanic crater rising from the sea for sunrise.
• Manjanggul Lava Tube: walk through a huge lava tunnel formed by ancient eruptions.
• Hallasan: hike South Korea’s highest mountain, or take one of the shorter forest trails.
• Haenyeo divers: meet the women divers who have harvested the sea without breathing equipment for generations.
• Jeju Olle trails: coastal walking paths past black lava beaches, cliffs and tangerine farms.

South Korea Experiences at a Glance

Travelling Responsibly in South Korea

We work with local, English-speaking guides and small family-run businesses, from market food stalls to hanok guesthouses and craft workshops. At temples, we ask you to dress modestly and follow the monks’ guidance, and on Jeju we support haenyeo-run experiences that help keep the divers’ traditions alive. Read more about our responsible travel approach.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many days do I need in Seoul?

We recommend four or five nights. That gives you time for the palaces, Bukchon and Insadong, a food tour, a day trip to the DMZ and another to Suwon, without rushing. Many clients spend a final night in Seoul before flying home.

Are Seoul’s palaces closed on certain days?

Yes. Gyeongbokgung Palace and Jongmyo Shrine are closed on Tuesdays, and Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung and Deoksugung are closed on Mondays. We plan your sightseeing around these days. If you wear a hanbok, entry to the royal palaces is free.

When is cherry blossom season in South Korea?

Cherry blossom usually arrives on Jeju and in Busan in late March, in Gyeongju around the end of March and early April, and in Seoul in early April. It lasts about a week in each place and varies from year to year with the weather.

When are the autumn colours in South Korea?

The leaves start to turn in the mountains of Seoraksan in early October and reach Seoul, Gyeongju and the south from late October into early November. Weekends at Seoraksan are very busy at this time, so we plan visits on weekdays.

Do I need to book to hike Hallasan on Jeju?

Yes, for the two trails that reach the summit, Seongpanak and Gwaneumsa, which need an online reservation in advance. Bookings open on the 1st of the month before, and the full hike takes eight to ten hours. Shorter trails, such as Eorimok and Yeongsil, don’t need booking and give wonderful views without going to the top.

Can I meet the haenyeo divers on Jeju?

Yes. The haenyeo are Jeju’s women divers, who collect shellfish and seaweed without breathing equipment, and their culture is listed by UNESCO. We can arrange a visit to a haenyeo school or village, where you can watch them work and try the seafood they catch.

Plan Your South Korea Holiday

Many of these experiences feature in our 14-day South Korea Classic Holiday, from £3,790 per person, and our 23-day China, South Korea and Japan holiday. Browse our hotels in South Korea, read our South Korea travel guide for practical advice, or see our South Korea holidays. To start planning, request a video call with our specialist.