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Jan
10
Seoul Travel & Sightseeing Guide
Filed Under Korea
A trip to Seoul
Seoul is South Korea’s capital city, home to more than 10 million people packed into one of the world’s most densely populated urban centres. It fosters a startling blend of old and new, with structures that date back 1,000 years standing next to modern facilities like state-of-the-art science institutions and amusement parks. Unique festivals make travel more interesting all year long, with citywide events scheduled practically every month.
Flights to Seoul
Seoul’s domestic airport, Gimpo, is about 10 miles west of the city centre and used to handle international flights until 2001 when Incheon International Airport opened. This new, ultra-modern facility is a painful 45-minute drive from Seoul, though plans for high-speed rail access will render transit to and from Incheon relatively painless. Taxis are required by law to use meters, and an additional 10-15% surcharge is tacked on to late-night journeys.
The local metro system enjoys extensive coverage and serves millions of passengers every day. Above ground trains add to the extensive public transport links. Roads are well-maintained and signposted in English. Keep in mind that if you’d like to hire a taxi, you have to meet them at designated ranks across the city. If you are looking for a cheap flight to Seoul try Ebookers.
Seoul
Sightseeing in Seoul
Exploring ancient temples and marketplaces in the midst of this cosmopolitan city is one of the most enjoyable pastimes in Seoul. The Unhyoung Palace is hands-down the most carefully-preserved of all Seoul’s ancient places. The Chongymyo Shrine and the Changyong Palace are both worth visiting as well. Bongeusna Temple was begun in AD 794, though most of what stands today is dramatically younger.
Enjoying one of the city’s many parks and greenspaces is an excellent way to relax; Namsan Park—with botanical gardens, the old city walls and the Seoul Tower—is one of the best. Heading out of town, Mount Pukhansan is a remarkable granite mountain cut by lush and floral valleys. Here you’ll find the Pukhan Fortress, which is open for tours, along with a whopping 100 temples scattered throughout the hillsides.
Fun by night – eating drinking and partying
Seoul has all of the restaurants, bars and cafés that you would expect from a city of this magnitude. International fare from all corners of the world can be found at Daehangno, where the emphasis is placed on tourism and hospitality, and the less-touristy dining area along Itaewon Street boasts just as much diversity, with more Eastern cuisine included on the menus. If you’re looking to go out in true Korean style, local grass-roots celebrations usually consist of equal parts beer and karaoke.
Itaewon street is also the cradle of Seoul’s nightlife. It’s sometimes referred to as ‘Little America’ in light of the heavy-handed motifs that are applied to many of the clubs and restaurants in this area. Several nightclubs sit at one end of Itaewon, while a range of dining and shopping venues can be found at the other.
Fun by day - shopping and activities
Surprisingly, many of the best shopping venues don’t really pick up until the sun sets. Dongdaemun is home to the oldest market in Seoul, but you won’t find much here during daylight hours. All the same, there’s plenty to do during the day. Indoor amusement parks are popular in Seoul, along with an impressive aquarium, year-round skiing slopes, cycling paths and plenty of other outdoor activities.
Daytrips
In case you wish to escape the bustling atmosphere of Seoul, there are some exhilarating daytrip destinations in the vicinity of this megalopolis. A most relaxing itinerary leads to Yeongjong Island, which primarily attracts beach enthusiasts. The most popular is Eulwangli Beach, featuring motels, restaurants and karaoke rooms. Off the beaten track is a ferry trip from Jamjindo to Muuido, where you will discover the peaceful Hanagae Beach and a charming fishing village.
An organised tour takes you on a thrilling 39-mile journey to Panmunjeom, a unique living remnant of the Korean War. Both sides of the 2.5-mile strip of land dividing the Koreas are the world’s most heavily armed as they are officially still at war. Interesting sights include conference rooms, propaganda palaces, the Bridge of No Return, a freedom village and four tunnels.
A further option is a daytrip to some of the surrounding cities, such as the large harbour city of Pusan, which offers short trips to the islands of Manono and Apolima. An hour northeast of Pusan lies Ulsan, the country’s industrial capital, while its educational centre is in Daegue, situated between Seoul and Pusan. Gyeongiu, an hour to the east, is the heart of historical Korea and features temples, graves, carvings as well as a beautiful lake with an amusement park.
Must-see attractions
One of the most remarkable among Seoul’s numerous palaces is Gyeongbok-gung, the city’s grandest and most significant. Its huge grounds also house the Korean Folk Museum and the Joseon Palace Museum. Second in historical importance is Changdeok-gung, built in 1405, which includes the King’s office, his bedchamber, and the most famous ‘Secret Garden’.
Mount Inwang is a 1,100-foot hill that is home to the Inwang Temple and to Guksadang, Seoul’s most renowned shamanist shrine. There are a number of trails and various creeks with shamanist offerings as well as a bizarre rock formation named the Zen Rocks.
Seoul boasts various amusement parks that provide entertainment for the entire family; Lotte World is one of the largest indoor parks on the globe and contains a folk museum, Everland is the Korean adaptation of Disneyland, and Seoul Land is more of a theme park. Your kids will particularly enjoy Children’s Grand Park, which also features a zoo.
Best time to go
Seoul has all kinds of extreme weather; in the hot summers, people suffer under severe humidity, while the winters are characterised by fluctuating pressure systems and Siberian winds, with temperatures bottoming into the sub-zeros. Most precipitation occurs in the monsoon season between June and September. The optimal time for visits is autumn since the rains are mostly over and temperatures are moderate.
Rainy day suggestions
Seoul features a variety of indoor attractions to be saved for a rainy day. Apart from the diverse museums and galleries, there is a plethora of shopping centres and markets. Yongsan Electronics Market is made up of more than 20 buildings housing 5,000 shops, while Dongdaemun market consists of large department store-like buildings. The huge COEX mall features a variety of stores as well as an aquarium, a large cinema, and the Kimchi Museum.
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