South Korea, South Korea

City · South Korea

South Korea

From Seoul’s fortress walls to Gyeongju’s Silla capital and Jeju’s volcanic shore, South Korea sets hanok lanes and temple mountains beside Asia’s most energetic cities.

Travel by Ildy tip

Architecture

Walk the Naksan section of the Seoul City Wall, reached uphill from Hyehwa Station through Ihwa-dong; at dusk the Joseon-era stones frame one of the city’s best night views.

Best time to visit

Best time to travel

Mid-April to May and mid-October to early November are mild and dry; the jangma monsoon brings heavy rain from late June to late July, and mountain foliage peaks from late October.

Travel tips

Travel by Ildy tips

  • From Incheon Airport, take the AREX airport railroad to Seoul Station: the non-stop Express train is quickest, the all-stop service is the cheaper alternative, and Seoul Station connects to subway Lines 1 and 4.
  • In Seochon’s Tongin Market, swap cash for brass yeopjeon coins and fill a lunchbox stall by stall, then eat it at the market’s dosirak café upstairs.
  • In Gyeongju, save Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond for after dark, when the lit pavilions double in the water; the Silla-era site is part of the UNESCO-listed Gyeongju Historic Areas.
  • On Jeju, visit the Haenyeo Museum in Gujwa-eup to meet the island’s women divers, who harvest abalone and sea urchins without breathing gear — a culture UNESCO inscribed in 2016.

Travel by Ildy recommends

Follow the rhythm of the place first, then shape the journey around the experiences that feel most like your own.

Location

South Korea on the map

South Korea

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Interactive map: South Korea

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Where to stay

Stay ideas — South Korea

South Korea, South Korea

South Korea

South Korea