Top 6 Places to Visit in South Korea for the First Time

South Korea is a country which is located in the south of the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. It is a world-famous holiday destination. This country is surrounded by the sea on three sides, so it has not only beautiful seascapes but also abundant marine resources. In addition, its unique national culture and historical heritage make it famous all over the world. K-pop culture sweeping the world has made South Korea a concentration of modern trend culture. At the same time, this trend has also driven the vigorous development of South Korea's tourism industry. We especially select the 6 most amazing places for you to visit on your first South Korea trip, let's check them out now!

Myeong Dong, located in the central district of Seoul, is one of the most Korean shopping streets. Tourists who love shopping cannot miss this street. There is a wide variety of goods, including food, cosmetics, clothing, luxury goods and so on. The famous Lotte Department Store is also here, which has authentic Korean cuisine and many other delicacies from all over the world. Myeong Dong is also a good place to buy Korean cosmetics. With its unique style and low price, South Korean cosmetics attract many people who love beauty makeup. There are the most brands and the most variety of cosmetics sales in the market. Myeong Dong's fried chicken is also a tourist feature. A street dedicated to fried chicken is located here, and many South Korean TV dramas are filmed here. In addition, there are also many food shops endorsed by Korean stars. If you are lucky, you may run into your favorite stars. This street is located in the center of Seoul, so the transportation and accommodation are very convenient. The subway can go directly here, and there are many hotels around, so tourists do not have to worry about how to get there and where to live. You need to pay attention that the consumption level of Myeong Dong is higher than other places, so tourists need to prepare enough won for emergencies.

Myeong DongMyeong Dong

Hanok Village is located in Seoul and is famous for its intact traditional Korean house architecture. This village is one of the most densely populated places in South Korea with representative traditional Korean houses, and there are many historical sites, documents and cultural heritages preserved in South Korea around here. The existing Korean houses in the village show the structure and decoration of houses with Korean characteristics to visitors. The ancient Korean people used natural wood as the construction material and built strong houses through ingenious methods, which showed the people of the world their great wisdom in building. In addition, visitors can visit museums of Korean traditional culture, such as the Gahoe Museum and the Embroidery Museum to learn about traditional Korean culture and to rent Korean costumes with national characteristics. There are special people to help tourists dress and braid hair, so which lets tourists feel this country’s most traditional and authentic culture. In the evening, you can go to visit the Southern Night Market next to Hanok Village. There are many interesting shops and authentic Korean food as well. After a day of sightseeing, if you feel tired, you can take a break here to experience the real Korean night market culture.

Gyeongju is one of the major tourist cities in South Korea. In ancient times, it was the capital of the Silla Dynasty, which ruled the Korean Peninsula for the longest time. Many historical sites such as temples and Buddha statues of historical value are still preserved in this city. Built in 530 AD, Bulguksa Temple is a scenic spot that should not be missed when visiting Gyeongju. It was once burned down and later has been continuously restored so that people can see the temple today. Because of the exquisite construction technology of the Buddhist temple, it is also one of the most exquisite Buddhist temples in South Korea, which has been worshiped and prayed for by the Korean people since ancient times. In addition, Seokguram Grotto is also one of the famous attractions. It was built in the 8th century AD and a memorial Buddha statue is worshipped here. Together with the Bulguksa Temple, Seokguram Grotto constitutes a significant religious building community. As representatives of the architecture of ancient Korean Buddhist culture in its heyday, they were both inscribed on the UN World Heritage List in December 1995. They are precious treasures in the corridor of Korean history and culture, and I believe visitors who come here will be impressed.

Buddhist Temple in GyeongjuBuddhist Temple in Gyeongju

Jeju Island is South Korea's largest island located in the southwest sea. The weather is mild all year round, so it is called the "Hawaii of Korea". This island is surrounded by the sea and many other small islands. It is rich in sea resources, so tourists who like to go fishing and taste fresh seafood may wish to visit here. Jeju Island also has South Korea's famous Halla mountain. Mount Halla is located in the Halla National Park, which was designated as a World Natural Heritage Site in 2007. The park is rich in natural resources and has beautiful natural scenery. With an elevation of 1,950 meters, it is one of the three most famous mountains in South Korea. The most special thing is that on the top of this mountain, there is a pool formed by a volcanic eruption, surrounded by various kinds of volcanoes. From the top of it, you can see all the beautiful scenery of Jeju Island. There are also many folk villages, museums, theme parks and traditional markets, which offer the freshest seafood and most authentic cuisine. The consumption level of the whole island is not very high, tourists can be assured to buy the items they like. All in all, whether it is a family outing or a couple's honeymoon, this place is a very good choice.

Jeju IslandJeju Island

Located in the city of Busan, Haeundae is one of South Korea's most popular tourist attractions and the location of the movie Haeundae. The bathing beach is the most representative tourist feature of Haeundae. It has a large number of bathing beaches, the most famous of which is Haeundae Bathing Beach, which is also one of the most representative beaches in South Korea. Summer is a great time to visit the beach, so we recommend that visitors go to the beach during this season. Every summer, the sunny beach and the colorful parasols along the coast will create a unique landscape. Visitors to the beach can not only enjoy the fun of seaside activities but also go to the local snack street to taste the authentic seafood food in Korea. There are also many high-end restaurants in Haeundae, which can meet the different consumption needs of customers. After dinner, visitors can walk along the beach to Winter Cypress Island, which is planted with many cypress and pine trees. It is ideal for families to take a stroll, relax and enjoy the natural scenery by the sea. But tourists should note that the sun is strong in summer, so they are advised to wear sunscreen to avoid sunburn. In addition, people should pay more attention to safety at the beach, preventing accidental drowning and attacks by marine creatures such as jellyfish.

Ganju Cultural Village is a small village near the sea in Busan, South Korea. The village is built on a hillside, and one of the highlights of the tour is the view of the colorful houses that are arranged in a cascade from top to bottom. Each house has a different color, and the walls have different painted patterns. The Kanju Cultural Village is known as the Santorini of Korea because of its beautiful scenery of houses with different colors. We recommend that visitors buy a map of this village, otherwise they may get lost in the complex narrow paths and alleyways. There will be different tour routes on the map, which will mark the scenic spots, rest stops and restaurants of the village so that visitors can choose where to go according to their needs. Along the way, visitors will see many animated figures and artistic statues. The artists who created these statues made the village very interesting with their fantastic ideas. There are also many art galleries, cafes and art shops. During the tour, you can buy the goods you like as a gift to your relatives and friends. It should be noted that Ganzhou Cultural Village is really inhabited by local residents. Therefore, tourists should respect the local living habits and do not make loud noises or throw food waste into the living area of residents during their tour to avoid disturbing the normal life of local residents.

Ganzhou Cultural VillageGanzhou Cultural Village

South Korea is a famous tourist country and one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia. Under the trend of modernization, it still maintains many folk cultural heritages and historical sites such as ancient cities, ancient temples, ancient houses and so on. At the same time, South Korea has a lot of fashion, beauty, and star resources and gives full play to the advantages of its traditional culture. This is a country with history and modernity, tradition and openness, so whether it is a family trip or honeymoon, South Korea is a very good place to travel.

If you're preparing your first trip to South Korea and want to explore its unique charm with your own eyes, please don't hesitate to contact us, and one of our travel experts will create a tailor-made itinerary based on your preferences and needs within 24hrs.

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