SOUTH KOREA: RESOURCES GUIDE
About South Korea:
South Korea is a country that seamlessly blends ancient traditions with modern technology and culture. With its rich history, stunning landscapes, and delicious cuisine, it's a destination that should not be missed.
One of the top destinations in South Korea is the bustling city of Seoul, with its skyscrapers, historic palaces, and street food stalls. But there's much more to explore in this amazing country - from the scenic beauty of Jeju Island to the traditional villages of Andong.
History buffs will be delighted by the many historic sites and monuments that can be found throughout South Korea, including the Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul - a stunning example of traditional Korean architecture, and the ancient city of Gyeongju - once the capital of the Silla dynasty and now a UNESCO World Heritage site.
For those interested in culture, South Korea has a rich tradition of art, music, and dance. Visitors can attend performances of traditional Korean drumming and dance, or explore the contemporary art scene in the trendy neighborhoods of Seoul.
Foodies will also find plenty to enjoy in South Korea, with its delicious barbecue, savory pancakes, and spicy kimchi - a fermented cabbage dish that is a staple of Korean cuisine. And with its many opportunities for outdoor adventure, including hiking in the mountains and swimming in the crystal-clear waters of Jeju Island, South Korea is the perfect destination for those who love to explore the great outdoors.
With its unique blend of ancient history, modern technology, and vibrant culture, South Korea is an amazing destination that should be on every traveler's bucket list. So why not book your trip today and experience all the wonders that this incredible country has to offer?
Welcome to Adventure Fares' Resources and Information Guide. These guides are compiled to provide a great "starting place" for planning. Here, we try to help you with the 4 big planning goals for any destination: Where to Stay / Where to Eat / What to See and Do / How to Budget. We even try to include some great itinerary links. Have fun planning your travel adventure! These resource pages are always being updated. If you would like to see a country / city / place not already in our resource guides, please email your requests or suggestions to: [email protected]
BUDGET RESOURCES:
We typically go to Budget Your Trip to research budgeting! We highly recommend their website. They do a fantastic job of compiling data from thousands of travelers around the world! This data is so useful for anyone who’s wanting to make the most of their travel budget. If you sign up and enter your own expenses - you contribute to the data and also get to access their fantastic planning tools - with charts, maps, graphs, and tables of your trip finances. Bookmark their site, and go there for a lot more in-depth budgeting research: BudgetYourTrip.com
With this chart, we just wanted to give you an idea of how your budget might look compared to a few familiar places here in the U.S
Rentals / Hotels / B&B Lists
Finding the perfect accommodation can make or break a trip. That's why we compile so many lodging lists - to help you find reliable and affordable recommendations for AirBNBs, VRBOs, boutique hotels, and B&Bs. These lists should give you a great starting place, and hopefully make that trip even better!
AIRBNB Resources:
airbnb.com - It has become a very popular resource for travelers. We try to limit our lists to rentals in great locations, with good pricing, and great views when we find them. We use AirBNB a lot. ALWAYS double-check reviews and avoid "new" listings most of the time. Be sure to double check for air conditioning in the summer, and feel free to reach out to the owner for tips / questions!
VRBO Resources:
vrbo.com - VRBO is another great one to use. Sometimes you find rentals here you won't see on AirBNB - its always great to have more options, especially during peak seasons when rentals book up fast. Always double-check reviews and avoid "new" listings when possible. The VRBO system won't let us filter neighborhoods as well as some others, so always double check location after finding a good property.
Bed and Breakfast Resources:
Booking.com - this is often our “go-to” for this category. We find their customer reviews to be very reliable!
bedandbreakfast.guide (B&B Guide) - this one screens out the worst-reviewed places, so their lists are pretty reliable.
bnbfinder.com - this one is promising, but they don’t have near as many listings as the others here. We hope they grow!
Boutique Hotels Resources:
BoutiqueHotel.me - this one is usually our favorite. However, their list will only provide you with hotels who allow booking through booking.com - so some great hotels won’t be on their lists.
MrandMrsSmith.com - This is fantastic and inspirational resource for finding places to stay around the world. Much of their focus is on premiere hotels (and not what we would call “budget” finds), but it can be a fantastic place to search. It’s fun to just click on their “Inspiration” tab and find some new places around the world.
TheHotelGuru.com - This site also links to booking.com, and can be a complimentary resource.
GreatSmallHotels.com - Another resource the books through booking.com, this one tends to go a little more upscale, especially in large European cities.
Some More Interesting Lodging Guides:
gounusual.com - Great Resource for those trying to find unique places to stay: Castles, igloos, boats, more!
eruoglamping.com - Just what it sounds like - a resource of upscale camping places in Europe:
goglamping.net - GoGlamping / More upscale camping experiences - UK and Europe
NOTE: No matter what form of lodging you book, we recommend you always confirm your booking one last time a week to 10 days ahead of your travel.
Restaurants / Dining Lists
Choosing dining options can be confusing and intimidating. We've compiled these lists to help you start planning some memorable meals. Lists are organized by city and include some of the best and most affordable dining destinations in each city/area. Every adventure deserves some great meals!
TripAdvisor Dining Lists:
TripAdvisor.com - We recommend using TripAdvisor’s dining directories whenever you find yourself needing good food in a place with which you’re unfamiliar. They have a huge volume of reviews, great genre help, and mapping.
Michelin Guide - Dining Lists:
Michelin Guide - For respected and relevant reviews of restaurants around the world, Michelin has been the Iconic dining guide since the 1800s. If you find a 1 star near you, book it. If you find a 2 star, you’re in for a treat. If you find a 3 star - make a travel detour if you need to and get there!
Wanderlog Dining Lists:
Wanderlog.com - Wanderlog is an interesting site - compiling lots of travel planning possibilities. Their trip-planning features are worth checking out, but we’ve come to really like their restaurant lists. They’re just a little pickier than TripAdvisor, but not as exclusive as Michelin. They’re worth checking out in most towns.
When trying to get a nicer restaurant into your travel plans, we recommend making reservations at least a couple of weeks ahead of time. Some of the Michelin star restaurants might even require more advance (varies).
Things to See and Do Lists
Finding what to see and do is always a travel priority. We've compiled lists/links from the world's most credible sources to help you find the best adventures for your destination. These lists will help you find the most popular attractions (and some hidden gems) for your travel adventures.
Things to See and Do Resources:
These are a few resources we trust. They will give you some great places to start. Rank your priorities (and your travel friends' priorities), see what works for your schedule, and plan an amazing travel adventure. *Don't try to cram too much in - it's those "unplanned" moments that often product the best adventures.
FodorsTravel.com - In our experience, Fodor’s is the best overall place to start when planning a trip. Once you search and find their guide to a city - they break the guide down into Sights, Nightlife, Shopping, Performing Arts, and Sports and Acitivities. There’s not tons of inspiration here, but good, reliable information. There are ads, but they do a good job of keeping the content credible. They also have a great “Map View” feature for the different sections so you can always check to see what’s close. Their Hotels and Restaurants guides are also pretty good.
RickSteves.com - Rick Steves has been an awesome resource for budget travelers for decades, and his content just keeps getting better. His reviews are reliable, his itineraries are fantastic, and his reputation for credibility is great. We check out his information on any destination we're thinking about visiting.
AtlasObscura.com - This is our favorite guide source! We don’t know how the team at Atlas Obscura finds so many cool, interesting, and odd things to see around the world - but they do it. It’s easy to find those top few things to do in any location, but these guys go beyond - and get you some off-the-beaten path adventures.
TripAdvisor - Trip Advisor is pretty commercial in nature, but they have really high traffic - so it's easy to see what's popular pretty much anywhere in the world. That can be helpful for planning what to see, and sometimes what to avoid. It's one of our go-to resources for seeing what might be in the town ahead on a road trip.
Wanderlog.com - Wanderlog is an interesting site - compiling lots of travel planning possibilities. Their trip-planning features are worth checking out, and we really like their “THINGS TO DO” lists. They’re pretty much ranked from most popular to least - so its a great place to figure out a priority list of things to see.
GetYourGuide.com - We really like this one! Get your guide is becoming a great source for planning as well as inspiration for travel adventures. Even if you aren’t looking for things to do on your trip, it’s a good place to get new trip ideas and browse exciting things to do. They have some "decent" pricing on local activities - worth considering for booking.
Nomadicmatt.com - Matt travels as much as any blogger / content creator we follow. He's a good writer, a good planner, and delivers entertaining content. We certainly recommend you check out his travel guides. If he's been somewhere, he shares great stuff!
OTHERS WORTH CHECKING OUT:
The Crazy Tourist - This is a travel resource that covers destinations all over the world. Just type the name of a country or city in their search section, and they have good
CultureTrip.com - This one is pretty commercial (lots of ads), but its also pretty reliable. They’ve been a travel industry leader for a long time, so there are enough reviews on things to know if you’re making good decisions. We always check out the Culture Trip guide for any location we’re planning on visiting.
Itineraries to Get You Started
Building an itinerary for your travel adventure can be a daunting task. Here are a few resources to help you get started without all the "noise" associated with online research. These are sample itineraries from travel pros who are credible, reliable, and know the places they're writing about. Itineraries are made to be broken, but hopefully these will start you out on the right path.
If you're planning a trip to South Korea, there's so much to see and do that it can be overwhelming to know where to start. To help you plan your itinerary, here's a comprehensive checklist of must-see destinations and off-the-beaten-path gems to explore. Below our checklist, you'll find several sample itineraries we recommend.
DON’T MISS:
- Visit Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul, the largest and most iconic palace in South Korea
- Take a stroll through the charming and colorful Bukchon Hanok Village, a traditional Korean village in the heart of the city
- Explore Jeju Island, a popular vacation spot known for its stunning natural beauty, volcanic landscapes, and beaches
- Experience the bustling energy of the famous Myeong-dong shopping district in Seoul, which offers a wide range of shops, street food, and entertainment
- Discover the vibrant nightlife and trendy neighborhoods of Seoul, such as Hongdae and Gangnam
IF YOU HAVE MORE TIME:
- Visit the historic city of Gyeongju, a UNESCO World Heritage site and former capital of the ancient Silla dynasty
- Go hiking in Seoraksan National Park, one of Korea's most famous and picturesque national parks
- Learn about Korean culture and history at the National Museum of Korea in Seoul
- Take a day trip to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea to learn about the history and ongoing tensions between the two countries
- Try traditional Korean dishes such as kimchi, bulgogi, bibimbap, and Korean fried chicken
OFF THE BEATEN PATH
- Visit the ancient fortress of Hwaseong in Suwon, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage site
- Explore the island of Ulleungdo, a remote and rugged island that offers stunning scenery, hiking trails, and fresh seafood
- Visit the city of Busan, which is known for its beaches, seafood markets, and the colorful Gamcheon Culture Village
- Experience traditional Korean tea culture at one of the many tea houses in Jeonju
- Learn about traditional Korean farming practices and try your hand at making traditional crafts at a rural farm stay (called "homestay" in Korean) in the countryside.
ITINERARIES FOR SOUTH KOREA:
Itineraries can be tough to build, but the process can also be really fun to research. We read hundreds of these a month - and are always looking for better ones for our resource guides. Here are a few we found that might be helpful to get you started. Some of these are from favorite sources, and few we just found for this country. Start planning that adventure!
Suggested Itineraries for South Korea / 1 week, 2 weeks, families / Frommers
7 Days Itinerary to South Korea for First Timers / Blog Tiket
The Most Amazing Backpacking South Korea Itinerary / Untold Wanderlust
A Two-Week Itinerary for First-Time Visitors to South Korea
Epic 7 Day Korea Itinerary for First-Timers / Wapiti
Seoul Itinerary / The Broke Backpacker
The Perfect Japan Itinerary: 10-14 Days / Savored Journeys
3 Incredible Japan Itineraries / Travel + Leisure
60 Itineraries for Japan: 5 Days to 16 Days / kimkim
MORE RESOURCES:
South Korea Travel Guide / Nomadic Matt
A Culinary Guide to Seoul / National Geographic
Photo Spots in South Korea / Location Scout
88 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in South Korea
A Guide to Outdoor Adventures Across Korea / Culture Trip
Top 10 Destinations in South Korea / Trip Savvy
Korea With Kids Itinerary: The Ultimate Guide
Off The Beaten Path: Underrated Cities in South Korea
Best 10 Hiking Trails in South Korea / AllTrails
Best Hikes in South Korea: 8 Stunning Trails / Atlas & Boots
Korean Food Guide: 15 Tasteful Dishes / Travel Triangle
12 Famous Korean Festivals / Travel Triangle
*photos from pixabay.com, pexels.com, unsplash.com and Darrell Potts
EMAIL Us - We Want to Hear From You!
We believe that the best travel advice comes from those who have experienced it firsthand. That's why we're inviting our members to share their travel tips, and recommendations with us. Whether it's a hidden gem of a restaurant, a must-see attraction, or an off-the-beaten-path adventure, we want to hear about it. Your contributions are helping us build a new database of "Member Suggestions." Email us when you get a chance - links, maps, and reviews all help! Email us at [email protected]
These resource pages have been fun to work on! We hope they keep getting better. Are we missing something? Are we missing one of your favorite travel resources? Please email me - I'd love to learn anything that can help make travel adventures even better! Darrell Potts.
