Are you are planning on visiting Seoul, South Korea? Here I am, who has been living in South Korea for more than 30 years to give you the ultimate guide to visiting Seoul and South Korea for first timers. I will go though 5 categories which is Flights, Transportation, Currency Exchange, Public Safety, Must-visit places . If there’s some other information you need, feel free to leave a comment anytime.
Let’t talk about the flight first.
🛫Flights – Airport, Terminals,
Immigration Form, and Flight Times
If you want to book a flight, you need to know which airport is the main international airport. And Incheon International Airport (ICN) is the airport that you are looking for. ICN is the biggest airport in Korea and only takes less than an hour to get to Seoul. If you have found a airport named GMP, it is airport mostly for the international or short-distance flights. If you are going to visit Jeju during your stay, which i highly strongly recommend, you will need to visit GMP somehow.
There are 2 terminals in ICN. If you have taken the airlines that’s (터미널 2 사용하는 airlines), they will drop you at terminal 2. If not, you will be dropped at terminal 1. Doesn’t matter where they drop you. You just find a proper signs – taxi, bus, train – and follow , you can get to you hotel.
And before you get out to baggage claim, you need to fill out the immigration form. You can write it down on the paper after you arrive, or you can submit the immigration form through online.
If you want to know the approximate flight durations, check below!
- From United states, about 12-13 hours (If NewYork, 14~15 hours)
- From Canada, about 12~13 hours
- From Europe, about 11~12 hours
- From Australia, about 10~11 hours
- From Singapore, about 6~7 hours
- From New Zealand, about 12~12 hours
After the long flight, you should get to your hotel. Let’s talk about the transportation.
🚋Transportation – From/To Airport & during your stay
1. ICN/GMP airport ↔ Seoul
There are several ways that you can use. Depending on your budget and comfort level and where you stay, You can choose one from below.
There is Uber, Taxi, express train, buses. Depending on where your hotel or airbnb is located, transportation you choose will totally vary. I’m gonna make a post that contains pros and cons on Hotel or Airbnb location in Seoul, but this time, let’s assume you got a hotel in Myeongdong.
First, Taxi or Uber you can use. You just follow the sign that says ‘Taxi’ from the Airport. It takes about an hour, but it depends on traffic. But mostly an hour. For regular taxi, they will charge you about ₩65,000~75,000. (This is about $50 ~ 60). With jumbo or deluxe taxi, there will be extra fee about ₩40,000($20~30). By taking Taxi, you will do not need any transfers. And if you are with late night arrivals or with heavy luggage, this option is the best for you. But this is the most expensive way to get to the city and as i mentioned earlier, traffic can make it slower.
There is Airport Limousine Bus. To take a bus, you just follow the ‘bus’ sign. And You need to Purchase a ticket at the bus counters inside the airport, then board at the bus stop outside the arrival hall. And again there is a direct bus line that goes directly to Myeongdong and many buses stop near big hotels.
Airport Limousine Bus only costs ₩17,000(about $13). Your lagguage will be kept under the trunk safely. Personally, my favorite and go to transportation to airport. But the downside is that popular bus line can be fully booked, so you might need to skip the next available bus and take the next one. That’s the only downside in Airport Limousine Bus.
The budget friendly version is taking the Airport Railroad (AREX). You just follow the Airport Railroad(AREX) signs. Express train costs ₩9,500(about $7) and all-stop train is even cheaper ₩4,750(about $3.5). Amazing right? But the thing is, you might need a transfer to subway.
Since the train and subway is free from the traffic, this might be the fastest way to get to your hotel. But with your heavy luggage and stairs&escalators on some subway stations, This might be a rough start of your trip.
If you are traveling with your large groups or families, you can book a private Van or Airport Transfer serves before starting your trip. It’s a door to door service, you only need to take care your people. You can pre-book via your hotel, Klook, Trazy or other travel platforms. Arrival time might differ according to the traffic of course.
2. Transportation during your stay
This is an ultimate guide to vising South Korea, Seoul. I will give you more detailed information on transportation during your stay.
But to be honest, the methods that i shared above is pretty much all. But instead of the airport limousine bus, there is buses. All kinds of buses from Local bus to intercity bus. Since Korea is relatively small country, unless you’re going to Jeju Island, you can take a bus almost anywhere.
In Seoul, Subway is absolutely the best transportation. Subway line is spread out to every corner of Seoul, and they even spread out to Incheon, Gyeounggi. So people living in Seoul don’t ever use their car unless they want to show off their big fancy car. 😂
You can take buses or subways, even taxis with a transportation card. (You will be using T-money card during your stay.) Tagging is so well prepared. So don’t you worry about how to take a public transportation. I will be coming back with details on how to use each ones.
🚔 Safety – North Korea, Pickpocket, Late night
Korea has a very safe country and has great public safety.
No Guns allowed. No Refugees. No Drugs (recently they are some news that drugs became common but never seen one high on streets.).
But I assume some people hesitate visiting Korea because the tension between South and North Korea. I agree a problem with the North Korea is understandable. If i wasn’t born and raised in South Korea, I would’ve thought that South Korea is not safe at all. But the thing is, we are totally safe here. Thanks to our Army and military.
About the Pick-pocketing, it is really rare to see the pick-pocket in Korea. And there is CCTV everywhere so we have more that 50% of crime detection rate. And actually, in Korea, no one take a phone – left alone – on a chair or table in public places. So we put our bags or wallet or phones on table to reserve a seat. Using a personal items as some kind of reservation methods. You should try this some time!
And during the Late night, if you are traveling alone, you will probably be safe. But with drunken people around you, you never know what can happen. So my recommendation for a female traveler, not to wander around after midnight especially if there’s pubs or clubs. Remember what your parents told you. “Be aware of strangers, Don’t go out when it’s too late” in any country!!
💰 Currency – Credit Card, Cash, Tips
In south Korea, we use KRW called won. 1 USD is almost 1,400won. Differs time to time, but not too much.
In Korea, credit card has been a main pay method so i don’t even remember when is the last time used the cash. If you visit traditional markets or some street food, they might ask you to pay in cash. (eventhough it is illegal.) So just in case, i recommand you to exchange money about 50~100 USD. If you haven’t got to use them, then you can use cash at the end of your trip.
If you want to exchange your money, I do not recommend the currency exchange office at the airport or the hotel. They costs you lot of fee. There are so many currency exchange booth in the city. They are chip, has good currency rates, low fee.
About tips, you don’t need to tip anywhere. Not to taxi drivers, Not to hotel employees, Not even at the restaurants even if they gave you so many dishes. It’s most likely all included with the menu. Such a good news 🙂
✅ Places to visit – Seoul, Busan, Gyungju, Jeju and DMZ
Honestly, there are not so many cities that you need to look around compared to other countries like European countries, USA, Japan, China. So i really wish you could visit at least the cities that i recommend. But it’s going to take few weeks. Let me briefly summary the charming points of each cities.
1. Seoul, Central of South Korea
Seoul is the most popular city in Korea. Everything is here in Seoul. Famous restaurants, working places, palaces from the old, young-energetic colleges, even amusement park! The Gangnam from the song ‘Gangnam Style’ is in Seoul, one of the most expensive neighborhood in Korea. There are so much to tell you, but let me just go through must-visit in Seoul.
First, my personal favorite places, Gyeongbokgung, Changgyeonggung, and the nearby area.
Gyeongbokgung is where I went on my first date with my husband, so I have really good memories of this place. What I love about this area is the vibe. Tho, there are modern skyscrapers lined up along the big roads right in front of the palace, Gyeongbokgung stands quietly and gracefully, giving a very peaceful and elegant atmosphere. There are also many buildings nearby designed in traditional Korean architecture, so it’s a perfect place to take a walk. Since it’s a popular date spot, there are so many amazing restaurants and cafes around, so I highly recommend visiting!
Next is Myeongdong.
To be honest, I don’t go there often because it’s always crowded, but for first-time visitors to Korea, I definitely recommend visiting at least once. There are tons of shops, restaurants, and especially street food stalls, so you’ll have fun walking around and eating. If you love shopping, you’ll enjoy Myeongdong even more because you can find almost every brand here, especially all the famous K-beauty brands are gathered in one place!
Another place I love in Seoul is Namsan Mountain (Namsan Park).
It’s pretty high, so there’s a cable car or a bus to take you up, but you can also hike up if you want some exercise. Just be ready—it’s a real hike!
Once you reach the top, you’ll be rewarded with the most stunning night view of Seoul. Seriously, the view is breathtaking. Personally, I usually choose to walk up because I don’t like waiting in line for the cable car, but every time I hike, I regret it halfway. Still, when I get to the top and just sit and enjoy the view, I feel like it was all worth it. As i mentioned before, you can totally take a cable car or a bus to the top if hiking isn’t for you. Either way, I highly recommend visiting Namsan for the night view!
Another thing I hope you experience while you’re in Korea is Hangang Park.
Seoul is divided into Gangnam (south of the river) and Gangbuk (north of the river) by the Han River (Hangang in Korean). Honestly, this river is so much bigger than rivers in most cities. When I feel overwhelmed or tired, I love going to Hangang to relax.
There’s this unique Korean culture where people sit on mats in the park and order fried chicken and beer for delivery right to the park. Yes, delivery to the park! And with so many delivery people there, it’s amazing how everything gets to the right person. 😂 So if you want to relax and enjoy a local experience, I definitely recommend hanging out at Hangang Park.
Last Recommendation!
I was planning to introduce only five places, but now that I’ve listed so many, choosing the last one is really difficult… But if I had to pick one more, I would say Yongsan IMAX Theater! I highly recommend watching a movie there.
When I first visited Yongsan IMAX, my eyes and mouth were wide open in shock—it’s that impressive. Yongsan IMAX is the largest IMAX screen in Asia, and when it opened in 2017, it was the biggest in the world. Even now, I think it’s still ranked among the largest. So if you’re a movie lover or just want a cool local experience, definitely check it out!
2. Busan, Second largest city in South Korea
Busan is a port city and the second largest city in Korea, after Seoul. What impressed me the most about Busan is how the ocean stretches out in front of you, and behind it, there’s a forest of tall buildings. If you turn your head slightly, you’ll also see lush green mountains. Honestly, I didn’t realize how special this was until a friend from the U.S. visited and couldn’t stop saying how beautiful it was.
Busan is great for enjoying the beach in summer, and at night, people gather at the beach for picnics, drinks, and fireworks. Compared to Seoul, Busan definitely feels more free-spirited and youthful!
3. Gyeongju, Capital from the old days
Gyeongju was the capital of the Silla Dynasty, one of Korea’s ancient kingdoms. People often joke that in Gyeongju, if you dig anywhere, you’ll hit a cultural treasure — that’s how rich in history this city is. Because of that, the city works hard to preserve its traditional and historic atmosphere. There are many beautiful accommodations and countless cultural heritage sites to visit, and at night, the city has a completely different, charming vibe.
Personally, I think spring and fall are the best times to visit Gyeongju because of the amazing weather and beautiful scenery. If you enjoyed places like Gyeongbokgung and Changgyeonggung in Seoul and liked the traditional Korean atmosphere, you’ll love Gyeongju.
However, I know Gyeongju is a bit far from Seoul, so if you’re short on time, I recommend Jeonju as a great alternative. Jeonju is like a smaller version of Gyeongju and has a famous Hanok Village, where you can rent and wear hanbok (Korean traditional clothing) and walk around. Jeonju is also very tourist-friendly with lots of famous restaurants, so even Korean locals go there for day trips. If I had to compare, Gyeongju is quieter and more historic, while Jeonju is a bit more lively and touristy.
4. Jeju Island, Beautiful nature
Jeju Island is a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site — the entire island! Do I even need to say more?
Jeju is one of the most popular travel destinations for Koreans, and it’s been featured in so many dramas and shows. For example, the recent hit drama “Thank You for the Hard Work (K-drama I am so in to)” and “King the Land” were both filmed in Jeju. Wherever you go on the island, it’s absolutely stunning, which is why so many movies and dramas are shot there.
Back in the 70s and 80s, Jeju was THE place for honeymoon trips, so for many Koreans, it’s a special, nostalgic destination. Honestly, with just that introduction, don’t you want to visit already?
5. DMZ – demilitarized zone
Finally, the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) — a heartbreaking reminder that South and North Korea are still technically at war, the last divided country in the world.
If you’re visiting Korea, I think this is something you should see at least once to understand the history and situation here. For Korean students, visiting the DMZ is a mandatory school field trip, so I went when I was young. I still remember being amazed when I saw North Korean land just across the line — it was so surreal.
While you can’t enter the DMZ itself, there are places like Panmunjom (Joint Security Area) and Dora Observatory, where you can safely visit and learn about the Korean War and current situation. If you’re interested in history and politics, I highly recommend visiting!
You can get some more current informations if you click the picture above.
It’s just start of the guide to visiting Seoul, South Korea!
So, what do you think? I think this is definitely worthy of being called an “Ultimate Guide to Visiting South Korea,” don’t you?
Of course, there are so many more details, and I plan to write more in-depth posts on each topic soon. But if you have any questions or want to know more, feel free to leave a comment or email me anytime!
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