HotHotels
The Westin Josun Seoul, South Korea

Things to do guide

The best things to do in South Korea

Updated 7 October 2026 · 18 things to do

Pictured: The Westin Josun Seoul

South Korea moves fast. Seoul is a city of neon, skyscrapers and all-night barbecue joints, where the trains run to the second and the next trend has already arrived. Yet turn a corner and you are in a courtyard of a five-hundred-year-old palace, or on a forest trail climbing to a temple where monks have chanted at dawn for a thousand years.

That contrast is the pleasure of the place. In one trip you can eat your way through a night market, stand at one of the world's most heavily guarded borders, lie on a city beach in Busan, cycle among royal tombs in Gyeongju and hike a volcano on Jeju. Fast trains and short flights make it all surprisingly easy.

Don't miss

  1. 1Gyeongbokgung Palace
  2. 2Bukchon Hanok Village
  3. 3The DMZ
  4. 4Gamcheon Culture Village
  5. 5Seongsan Ilchulbong

Seoul

A vast capital that is easy to get around and very hard to exhaust.

  1. Gyeongbokgung Palace

    Landmark

    The throne hall Geunjeongjeon at Gyeongbokgung Palace
    Photo: Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0

    The grandest of Seoul's five royal palaces was built in the fourteenth century as the seat of the Joseon dynasty. Its gates, throne hall and lakeside pavilions stand against a backdrop of granite mountains, with glass towers rising behind. Time your visit for the changing of the guard at the main gate, a colourful ceremony with drums and banners. Many visitors rent hanbok, traditional Korean dress, from shops nearby and wander the courtyards in costume. It makes for great photographs.

  2. Changdeokgung and the Secret Garden

    Landmark

    The Buyongjeong pavilion in the Secret Garden of Changdeokgung
    Photo: No machine-readable author provided. IGEL assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0

    If Gyeongbokgung is the most imposing palace, Changdeokgung is the most loved. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it was built to follow the natural shape of the land rather than a strict grid. Behind it lies the Secret Garden, a wooded royal retreat of lotus ponds and small pavilions. It is beautiful in every season, above all in autumn.

    Tip: The Secret Garden is visited on guided tours with limited places. Book ahead.

  3. Bukchon Hanok Village

    Neighbourhood

    A street of traditional hanok houses in Bukchon Hanok Village
    Photo: Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0

    On a hillside between the two palaces, hundreds of traditional wooden houses, called hanok, line steep, narrow lanes, their curved tiled roofs rippling down towards the modern city. Some are now teahouses, craft workshops and guesthouses. People still live here, so keep your voice down and go early. Neighbouring Insadong is the place for tea, calligraphy brushes and souvenirs.

  4. N Seoul Tower

    Landmark

    N Seoul Tower on Namsan at sunset
    Photo: Rtflakfizer, CC BY-SA 4.0

    The communications tower on top of Namsan, the wooded hill in the middle of Seoul, is the city's best-known viewpoint. Walk up through the park, or take the cable car, and look out over a metropolis that runs to the horizon in every direction. Come at dusk and stay to watch the lights come on. The fences here are thick with padlocks left by couples.

  5. Myeongdong

    Neighbourhood

    Seoul's busiest shopping district is a grid of pedestrian streets blazing with signs, best known for Korean skincare and cosmetics shops that press free samples into your hands. As evening falls, street food carts roll in selling grilled skewers, spicy rice cakes, egg bread and sweet filled pancakes. It is crowded, bright and enormous fun. Teenagers will be in heaven.

Day trips from Seoul

  1. The DMZ

    Day trip

    The Demilitarised Zone, the buffer strip that has divided the Korean peninsula since the 1953 armistice, lies a short drive north of Seoul. Organised tours visit an observatory with views into North Korea, an infiltration tunnel dug beneath the border and a railway station built for trains that do not yet run north. It is a sobering and fascinating day.

    Tip: You must join an official tour and carry your passport. What is open can change at short notice.

  2. Hwaseong Fortress, Suwon

    Day trip

    Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon
    Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC0

    South of Seoul, the city of Suwon is ringed by an eighteenth-century fortress wall built by King Jeongjo. You can walk the full circuit, past handsome gates, command posts, watchtowers and floodgates over a stream. Hwaseong is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an easy trip on the Seoul subway. Suwon is also known for its marinated beef ribs, a fitting lunch.

  3. Nami Island

    Day trip

    A small, crescent-shaped river island near the lake city of Chuncheon, Nami is famous for its long, straight avenues of tall trees, made popular by a hit Korean television drama. You reach it by a short ferry ride, then stroll or cycle the paths. It is at its best in autumn, when the ginkgo leaves turn bright yellow. A gentle day out for couples and families.

Busan

Korea's second city: a big, breezy port with beaches, mountains and superb seafood.

  1. Haeundae Beach

    Beach

    The most famous beach in Korea is a broad arc of sand backed by a wall of shining high-rise towers. In summer it is packed with parasols; out of season it is a bracing place for a walk. A coastal path leads round the headland of Dongbaek Island, and a scenic seaside railway now runs along the old track towards the fishing harbour of Cheongsapo.

  2. Gamcheon Culture Village

    Neighbourhood

    The colourful hillside houses of Gamcheon Culture Village in Busan
    Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC0

    Once a poor hillside settlement, Gamcheon has become one of Busan's most photographed places. Little cube-shaped houses in pastel colours are stacked up the slope like building blocks, linked by stairways and alleys decorated with murals and sculptures. Pick up a map at the entrance and follow the art trail. It is hilly, so wear comfortable shoes.

  3. Jagalchi Fish Market

    Market

    Korea's largest seafood market sprawls along the waterfront in Busan's old port. Outside, stallholders preside over tanks and basins of fish, crabs, octopus and shellfish you may never have seen before. Inside the main building, you can choose your catch downstairs and have it prepared in the restaurants above. It is lively, salty and not for the squeamish.

  4. Haedong Yonggungsa Temple

    Landmark

    Haedong Yonggungsa Temple on the shore near Busan
    Photo: Londenp, CC BY-SA 3.0

    Most Korean temples hide in the mountains. This one sits right on the rocky shoreline north-east of Busan, with waves breaking beneath its halls and pagodas. A long flight of steps leads down to it through pine trees. Sunrise is the classic time to visit, and the temple is especially colourful around Buddha's Birthday in spring, when it is hung with lanterns.

Gyeongju and Jeju

  1. Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto

    Landmark

    The stone stairs at the entrance to Bulguksa Temple in Gyeongju
    Photo: Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Gyeongju was the capital of the ancient Silla kingdom for almost a thousand years and is often called a museum without walls. Bulguksa, on a wooded mountainside outside town, is its masterpiece: a Buddhist temple of stone terraces, bridges and two celebrated pagodas. Higher up the mountain, the Seokguram Grotto shelters a serene granite Buddha gazing out to sea. Together they are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

  2. Daereungwon tombs and Cheomseongdae

    Landmark

    Grassy burial mounds in the Daereungwon tomb complex in Gyeongju
    Photo: Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0

    In the middle of Gyeongju, the tombs of Silla kings and nobles rise from the ground as huge, smooth grassy mounds, like green hills in a city park. One has been opened so you can see inside. A short walk away is Cheomseongdae, a bottle-shaped stone tower from the seventh century and one of the oldest surviving observatories in Asia. Hire a bicycle and take your time.

  3. Seongsan Ilchulbong

    Nature

    The tuff cone of Seongsan Ilchulbong on Jeju Island
    Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC0

    Jeju is a volcanic island off the south coast, Korea's favourite holiday spot. On its eastern tip, Seongsan Ilchulbong, or Sunrise Peak, is a volcanic crater that rose from the sea, its rim ringed with jagged rocks like a crown. A stepped path climbs to the top for views over the green bowl of the crater and along the coast. As the name suggests, dawn is the time to go.

  4. Hallasan

    Nature

    The crater lake Baengnokdam at the summit of Hallasan
    Photo: Yoo Chung, CC BY-SA 2.5

    The broad volcano at the centre of Jeju is the highest mountain in South Korea and a national park. Well-marked trails climb through forest and open moorland, and the longest lead to a crater lake at the summit. It is a full, demanding day for fit walkers; shorter routes give a good taste of the mountain. In spring the slopes bloom with azaleas, and in winter they are deep in snow.

    Tip: Summit trails have cut-off times for starting and may need a reservation. Check the rules before you go.

Eat and drink

  1. Korean barbecue

    Food

    The essential Korean meal is one you cook yourself. Slices of pork belly or marinated beef sizzle on a grill set into the table, then get wrapped in a lettuce leaf with garlic, chilli paste and whatever else takes your fancy. A spread of small side dishes, including kimchi, arrives with the meat. It is noisy and sociable, and best with a group. Staff will help first-timers.

  2. Gwangjang Market

    Market

    Vendors serving food at Gwangjang Market in Seoul
    Photo: kallerna, CC BY-SA 4.0

    One of Seoul's oldest traditional markets is the place to try Korean street food sitting shoulder to shoulder on a bench at a steaming stall. The specialities are crisp mung bean pancakes fried in front of you, small seaweed rice rolls with a mustard dip, and hand-cut noodles in broth. Point at what looks good. Hungry travellers of every kind will love it.

Where to stay in South Korea

Not sure which area suits you? Read our guide: Where to stay in South Korea →

Getting around

The high-speed KTX train links Seoul with Busan and stops near Gyeongju, and intercity buses reach everywhere else. Seoul and Busan both have excellent, well-signed subway systems; a rechargeable transport card works across the country. Jeju is a short flight from Seoul or Busan, and a hire car or tour is the easiest way round the island.

When to go

Spring and autumn are the best seasons: mild and bright, with cherry blossom in spring and vivid foliage in autumn. Summers are hot and humid with a rainy spell, and winters are cold and dry, with skiing in the mountains.

Questions about visiting South Korea

What is South Korea best known for?
The buzzing capital Seoul and its royal palaces, K-pop and Korean film and television, food such as kimchi and Korean barbecue, the DMZ, the port city of Busan and the volcanic island of Jeju.
How many days do you need in South Korea?
Allow four or five days for Seoul and a DMZ trip. With ten days you can add Busan and Gyeongju by train, and two weeks leaves time for Jeju as well.
Do you need a car in South Korea?
No. Trains, buses and city subways are fast, frequent and easy to use. The one place a hire car is useful is Jeju Island.
What is there to do in South Korea with kids?
Dressing up in hanbok at the palaces, the cable car to N Seoul Tower, Nami Island, Busan's beaches and the coastal railway, and the volcanic scenery of Jeju all suit families.

More guides