country
South Korea대한민국
First trip: 5–7 nights in Seoul with one bed in Myeongdong or Hongdae, then Busan by KTX only if you have 3 more nights; land at Incheon (ICN) before 22:00 and take the AREX train.
South Korea is small, fast and dense: Seoul to Busan is 2 h 30 min by KTX. The trips that fail try to add Busan, Jeju and the DMZ to a five-night Seoul stay. Pick Seoul as the base, treat Busan as a second base only with three more nights, and apply the entry, map and cash rules below everywhere.
All regions, cities and parks in South Korea (Atlas) →
Regions
Busan by KTX; Gyeongju as a day trip
3–4 nights
Island; fly from Gimpo, 1 h
2–4 nights
Capital and major cities
Go to Busan for seafood, beaches and temples on the coast; it is 2.5 hours from Seoul by KTX, so it suits two nights.
Use Jeju City as an entry point to Jeju Island; plan 3 nights and hire a car or use buses to reach the coast and volcanic sights.
Treat Incheon as an airport city: use it for arrival or a half-day trip to Chinatown and Songdo, then move on to Seoul.
Routes that work
Seoul only, 5 nights
Keep one bed; use the subway for every leg inside the city.
Seoul + Busan, 8 nights
Busan is planned data only; Seoul is published.
- Fly into ICN and, if you continue to Japan or Taiwan, out of Gimpo (GMP) for a shorter airport day where the fare allows.
- Avoid Seollal (Lunar New Year, late Jan–Feb) and Chuseok (Sep–Oct): many shops close and intercity trains sell out.
- Palaces close one weekday each (Gyeongbokgung on Tuesday); put them on other days.
Arrive
Time math
- 4 days
- Seoul 4: palaces and Bukchon, Myeongdong, Hongdae, one market day
- 7 days
- Seoul 5 + Suwon or DMZ day trip + one slow day
- 10 days
- Seoul 6 + Busan 4 by KTX (planned data)
Country rules
- Check K-ETA and visa status on the official sites before you fly; the list of nationalities that must register online changes.
- Google Maps gives poor walking and driving directions in Korea; use Naver Map or Kakao Map for routes.
- Buy a T-money card (or use a phone-based transit pass) for subway and buses; it also pays at convenience stores and many taxis.
Etiquette
- Take shoes off in homes, guesthouses with a raised floor and many traditional restaurants.
- Give and receive cards, cups and cash with two hands, or with one hand supported at the wrist.
- Keep voices low on the subway; priority seats are for the elderly, pregnant and disabled travellers.
- Wear modest clothes and keep quiet inside temples; do not step on thresholds.
- Seollal (Lunar New Year, late Jan–Feb, moves yearly)
- Three-day closure of many restaurants and shops; intercity trains and buses sell out.
- Chuseok (Sep–Oct, moves yearly)
- Same three-day pattern; airports and highways are at peak.
- Palace closure days
- Each royal palace closes on one fixed weekday; Gyeongbokgung on Tuesday. Check the palace site.
- Typhoon season (Aug–Sep)
- Flights, ferries and Jeju services cancelled at short notice.
Money & passes
Cash necessity: 2/5
- Cards work almost everywhere in Seoul, including the subway top-up machines and convenience stores; carry ₩30,000–50,000 in cash for markets and small stalls.
- Foreign cards can fail at some machines and small shops; convenience-store and airport ATMs marked Global accept most foreign cards.
- Amounts on this site are in Korean won (₩). Tipping is not expected.
T-money card
Not a pass: it is a stored-value card for subway, bus and taxi fares.
Before you fly: eSIM before you fly · Visas and entry
Safety
- Street crime is low; the common problems are taxi-fare disputes at night and pickpockets in crowded markets.
- Summer (Jul–Aug) is hot and humid; monsoon rain (jangma) runs late June to July and typhoons can hit Aug–Sep. Plan indoor stops every 90 minutes.
- The DMZ and the border area are visited only on authorised tours. Check your own government's travel advice before you go.
- Emergency: 112 police, 119 fire and ambulance, 1330 Korea Travel Helpline (English).
South Korea is one stop on the East Asia line: plan Korea, Japan and Taiwan as separate trips with a flight between them.
Sources
- Korea Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA) (official)
- HiKorea - Korea Immigration Service (official)
- Visit Korea (Korea Tourism Organization) (official)
- Wikivoyage - South Korea (secondary)