In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · South Korea
Andong
안동
Give Andong one night: Hahoe Folk Village plus one Confucian academy fills a day; two nights only if you add the October mask festival.
Andong is a small provincial city in North Gyeongsang that holds two UNESCO listings: Hahoe Folk Village, a living clan village inside a river bend, and Bongjeongsa temple, home to Korea's oldest wooden building. The centre is walkable in ten minutes and the sights sit 25–50 minutes out by bus, so most travellers sleep one night, see Hahoe and one academy, and eat jjimdak before moving on.
- Country
- South Korea
- Local name
- 안동
- Best months
- Sep–Oct; also Apr–May
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (rain and heat), late Jan–Feb (cold)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- KRW
- Money
- Cards work almost everywhere, including taxis, convenience stores and many market stalls; carry ₩30,000–50,000 in cash for street food, small markets and temple donations.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₩60,000–90,000 excl. bed · Mid ₩90,000–150,000 excl. bed · High ₩150,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- SK Telecom, KT and LG U+ sell tourist SIMs and eSIMs at airport arrivals; a passport is required, and data-only plans are cheapest.
- Emergency
- Police 112 · Fire and ambulance 119 · Travel helpline (24 h, English) 1330
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 220 V · 60 Hz · Round two-pin European plugs fit; US and UK plugs need an adapter, and US-only appliances need a converter.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and cafés: No tip; a service charge appears only in top hotels.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Hotel porter: Not expected; ₩1,000–2,000 in luxury hotels if you want.; Private guide or driver: Not expected; ₩10,000–20,000 or a meal is a thank-you.
- Water
- Officially safe from the tap; most people drink filtered water, and restaurants serve it free. Bottles cost ₩800–1,500 at convenience stores.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in every subway station; paper goes in the toilet in new buildings, in the bin where a sign asks. Bidets are common.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Andong jjimdak (serves 2) | ₩25,000–35,000 |
| Heotjesabap | ₩9,000–15,000 |
| Grilled salted mackerel set | ₩12,000–20,000 |
| Local bus fare | ₩1,400–2,500 |
| Andong soju, bottle | ₩5,000–15,000 |
| Coffee or espresso drink | ₩3,500–6,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ICN · Incheon International
- KTX-Eum from Cheongnyangni in Seoul, about 2 h; no airport of its own — fly in, then rail
- TAE · Daegu International
- Closest useful airport; bus or train from Daegu, about 1 h by car
Typical fares
- Seoul (Cheongnyangni) → Andong, KTX-Eum
- about 2 h; fare check
- Andong → Hahoe, bus 46
- about ₩1,000, 50 min (check)
- Taxi across the centre
- short hop, meter fare (check)
Get around
The centre is small enough to cross on foot in under 10 minutes. Buses from the terminal opposite the train station reach Hahoe and the temples; timetables at stops are Korean-only, so pick up the English bus sheet at the tourist information office in the station. Taxis are best ordered by phone or taken from the station rank. Seoul T-money cards work on local buses.
See and do
Known for
- Hahoe Folk Village (UNESCO)
- Bongjeongsa temple (UNESCO)
- Andong jjimdak
- Andong soju
- International Mask Dance Festival
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Hahoe Folk Village | Bus 46 from the stand opposite the intercity terminal, about 50 min | About 1 h |
| Bongjeongsa Temple | Local bus toward Seohu-myeon, then a short walk | About 1 h |
| Daegu | KTX or intercity bus | About 1 h |
| Gyeongju | Bus or train via Daegu | 2–3 h |
Sleep
- Station and bus terminal area
- Motels and the Oncheon jjimjilbang within a block or two; best for one night with bags and early buses.
- Downtown / Old Market
- Jjimdak street, cafés and the river festival ground; walkable to everything central.
- Hanok stays and Hahoe area
- Traditional houses in the city and guesthouses near Hahoe; quiet, need a bus or taxi.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | 안녕하세요annyeonghaseyo |
| Thank you | 감사합니다gamsahamnida |
| How much is it? | 얼마예요?eolmayeyo |
| Where is the bus stop? | 버스 정류장이 어디예요?beoseu jeongnyujang-i eodiyeyo |
| This one, please | 이거 주세요igeo juseyo |
| Can I pay by card? | 카드로 될까요?kadeuro doelkkayo |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A slight bow with a 'annyeonghaseyo'; handshake with the right hand, left hand touching the right forearm; avoid: Hugs and cheek kisses with people you have just met
- Age and rank: Expect to be asked your age; it sets how people speak to you. Let the eldest sit and start first; avoid: Calling older people by their given name
- Handing things: Two hands for money, cards, gifts and drinks; avoid: Passing things with one hand to older people
- Subway: Quiet voices, bags off seats, queue at the marked lines; avoid: Priority and pink pregnancy seats, even when empty
- Home visit: Shoes off; bring fruit or a boxed gift; refuse once before accepting; avoid: Writing names in red ink — it is used for the dead
- Temples: Covered shoulders and knees; bow at the main hall; avoid: Stepping on thresholds; loud talk; pointing at Buddha statues
- Numbers: Know that 4 is unlucky; buildings may show F instead of a fourth floor; avoid: Giving gifts in sets of four
- Sensitive topics: Listen; follow your host's lead; avoid: Comparing Korea with Japan or China casually; jokes about the North, the Japanese colonial era, or plastic surgery
Scams and watch-outs
- Last intercity buses leave around 20:00, some routes nearer 18:00; Sunday evening traffic can wreck timings.
- Hahoe's last buses back can leave mid-afternoon outside peak season — check the return times before you go.
- Bus stop information is in Korean only; carry the English schedule from the tourist office.
- Some restaurants and the soju distillery keep weekday-only or irregular hours.
Very safe for tourists; the real risks are rural bus timetables, icy winter lanes and heavy July–August rain. Tipping is not expected.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Andong yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Hahoe Folk Village (UNESCO)
- Bongjeongsa temple (UNESCO)
- Andong jjimdak
- Andong soju
- International Mask Dance Festival
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Andong city official site: www.andong.go.kr/en/main.do
- Korea Tourism Organization — Visit Korea: english.visitkorea.or.kr/
- Wikivoyage: Andong, revision 5338538 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5338538
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Andong안동
이 주소로 가 주세요
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Andong; most are in Seoul, with consulates in Busan. The US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand all keep missions in Seoul.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/andong). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.