South Korea

Best for: Architecture, history, treasures, crafts and heritage
Why go: From Joseon palaces to Buddhist temples, unearth South Korea’s cultural gems across an array of glorious UNESCO-listed heritage sites
Route: Gyeongju; Andong; Seoul; Suwon; Jeju Island

Gyeongju, former capital of the Silla Kingdom (57 BC–935 AD), is a charming city that retains an ancient mystique. Grassy tumuli burial mounds scatter the area, holding the remains of Silla kings, queens and their retinue. You can see 23 of these tombs at Tumuli Park on the southern edge of town, while the artefacts recovered from various archaeological digs lie in Gyeongju National Museum.

Nearby, Silla royals once cavorted in Donggung Palace beside the waters of Wolji Pond, a perfect spot to visit at sunset. You’ll also find the seventh-century Cheomseongdae, Asia’s oldest known observatory. It consists of 365 stones built atop a 12-slab base, suggesting an advanced understanding of the observable
cosmos. Collectively, all these sights form one UNESCO World Heritage site. And further south, Bulguksa Temple is worth a detour for its restored Silla-era architecture and setting.

From Gyeongju, take a bus ride north to Andong, a city known as Korea’s spiritual capital. Its reputation comes from having retained many of the Confucian traditions guarded by the yangban, the upper classes during the 500 years of Joseon dynasty rule. Away from the concrete blocks of the city, you’ll still see traditional hanok homes, with their maru wooden porches, tiled roofs and hanji sliding doors made of mulberry paper.

To find out more, stop by the Municipal Folk Museum and Andong Folk Village. However, the jewel here is the UNESCO-listed Hahoe Folk Village, west of the city, which offers a flavour of Joseon-era South Korea and is still a living, breathing community rather than a historical recreation.

Next, hop on the direct train from Gwangju to Seoul, whose metropolitan area is home to half the country’s population. For many people, explorations of South Korea begin and end here. Among the cluster of UNESCO-listed sites is Jongmyo Shrine, where you’ll find ancestral tablets detailing the feats of the 27 Joseon kings. Visit on the first Sunday in May to catch the Jongmyo jerye, a Confucian rite honouring Korea’s royal ancestors that is rendered in music and dance; this is the only time this court music is ever heard.

Of the city’s five royal palaces, north of here lies the grounds of Changdeokgung and Changgyeonggung, while further west is Gyeongbokgung. South Korea’s official list of 354 National Treasures includes structures, statues, pagodas and texts. Many are on display at Seoul’s National Museum of Korea. The grounds of Gyeongbokgung are also host to the National Palace Museum, which contains many more.

Two UNESCO-listed fortresses to the south of Seoul hint at the struggles caused by Japanese invasions in the late 16th century. Namhansanseong was built as an emergency fortress capital in the mountains south-east of Seoul for besieged Joseon monarchs, while the city of Suwon, which is linked to the Seoul area by train, is surrounded by the mighty Hwaseong Fortress, whose stone bastions and walls were built to accommodate a new capital – a move that never came to fruition.

On the volcanic outlier of Jeju Island, you’ll find a different kind of culture. The island is one giant biosphere reserve, prized for its lava tube system, but it’s the traditions found here that catch the eye. Jeju’s Haenyeo are female divers whose traditional practice of free-diving for seaweed and shellfish is recognised by UNESCO for its Intangible Cultural Heritage. Finish your journey by learning more about them at Jeju Haenyeo Museum.

Best for: Mountain trails, seasonal festivals, forest-temple stays, wildlife and coastal island parks
Why go: Thrilling hikes along well-trodden and maintained trails are the best way to experience Korea’s lively seasonal landscapes and mountain temples
Route: Jirisan; Changwon; Seoraksan NP; Bukhansan NP; Suncheon Bay Nature Reserve; Pyeongchang

Although 70% of South Korea is covered in mountains, these aren’t the ice-encrusted granite peaks of the Himalaya. Most are smothered in thick forest; indeed, some two-thirds of the country is covered in largely deciduous trees. Jirisan, at a mere 1,915m, is the mainland’s highest mountain and is characteristically lush, while South Korea’s highest point (only 32m higher) is the shield volcano of Hallasan on Jeju Island, where you can often spy wild deer grazing the sub-alpine forest leading up to its crater lake.

Given the rugged terrain, Koreans take hiking seriously, joining walking clubs and heading out with all the requisite gear. The Jirisan Ridge Trail (45km) is one of the country’s classic dulle-gil (mountain trails). The ultimate example, however, is the 688km Baekdu-Daegan trail, which traverses its namesake mountain range from Samcheong (near Jirisan in the south) to the North Korean border. So sacred are these mountains, which run the length of the Korean peninsula, that pungsu-jiri, the local alternative to feng shui, holds that the nation’s energy stems from this range and radiates outwards.

South Korea during spring and autumn is a different world. Timing your visit to coincide with one of its nature-loving festivals will convince you of this. Cherry blossoms paint the forests pink, but nowhere celebrates the seasonal bounty quite like Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival in Changwon. Another spring festival worth checking out is Gangneung Danoje, usually in May; expect shamanistic dancing and light-hearted rituals.

Come autumn, the mountains turn orange and red. Like Jirisan, the valleys and peaks of Seoraksan National Park are criss-crossed with trails for every ability, including the scenic Biryongpokpo Waterfall Trail and the more challenging Ulsanbawi Rock Trail. Much simpler is the trail to Sinheungsa, one of many sansa (mountain temples) found across South Korea. These temples are ubiquitous and can be seen along many of the trails already noted. Some of the finest examples include the eighth-century Beopjusa and Haeinsa, where it’s possible to spend a few nights.

Although South Korea’s national parks are usually trickier to reach without your own transportation, good day hikes through Bukhansan National Park are accessible from Seoul. A trek up to the weathered-smooth rock formations and granite outcrops of Dobongsan is particularly rewarding, with expansive views over the sprawling capital.

Surrounded by sea on three sides, South Korea’s 2,413km of rocky coastline represents another wild frontier, characterised by traditional fishing villages where rows of squid hang on lines to dry in the sea breeze. The south coast is particularly wild, as the mainland fragments into thousands of islands. From Mokpo, it’s possible to take local ferries to Hongdo, a remote and rugged island within Dadohaehaesang National Park.

South Korea experiences the kind of long, cold, snowy winters that made it a good choice as a Winter Olympics host back in 2018, when the trails and pistes of the Taebaek Mountains, near Pyeongchang, became the focus of the world. Seonjaryeong in Gangwon-do is a particular haven for winter hiking, and you’ll find plenty of opportunities to don snowshoes and trek blanket-white trails.

Best for: K-pop, TV and movie filming locations, traditional arts and cultural festivals
Why go: Soak up Hallyu, the popular cultural phenomenon also known as the Korean Wave, at live K-pop shows and modern art collections, and embrace Korean traditions at annual festivals
Route: Seoul; Yongin; Chuncheon; Busan; Yeosu

Much of South Korea’s traditional culture was forcibly wiped out during Japanese colonisation, surviving only in remote villages and temples ensconced in the mountains. Today, those customs are embraced with a national fervour, particularly at modern annual festivals such as Seoul Lantern Festival in winter, as well as lunar calendar celebrations such as Chuseok, the mid-autumn harvest festival that involves ancestral memorial services and rituals, which you can witness at Seoul’s National Folk Museum of Korea.

A good place to catch traditional dance and music performances around Seoul are at folk villages such as Namsangol Hanok Village on the lower slopes of Namsan, which is topped by a landmark tower. In the capital, performances of gugak (traditional Korean music) and various national dances are held throughout the year at Seoul Arts Center complex, which includes the National Gugak Center and Seoul Calligraphy Museum. You can still find stores selling seoye (Korean calligraphy) supplies alongside handmade hanji paper amid the teahouses and restaurants of the city’s Insadong neighbourhood.

Next, visit Gangnam, the upscale district that inspired a different kind of dance (invented by superstar Psy), which opened the door for K-pop to gain greater global recognition. Major K-pop concerts often take place at Seoul’s KSPO Dome and Gocheok Sky Dome, as well as the Inspire Arena in Incheon.

Head south to Yongin, a satellite city of Seoul whose Korean Folk Village has appeared in many local TV dramas. Throughout the year at folk villages and palaces across South Korea, you’ll see people dressed in traditional hanbok (Korean clothing), typically a two-part ensemble decorated with elaborate patterns. In fact, don hanbok to visit Gyeongbokgung or Changdeokgung palaces and you’ll be allowed to enter for free. This style of dress has even become well known globally, thanks to the meteoric rise of K-dramas.

Known as Hallyu (aka the Korean Wave), Korea’s prodigious output of Western-influenced K-pop and K-dramas over the past decades has placed it in the global cultural zeitgeist. This phenomenon began in the early 2000s with series such as Winter Sonata (2002), filmed on Nami Island, near Chuncheon, which gained widespread popularity across Asia. Filming locations have put many areas on the tourism map, particularly in Busan, South Korea’s second city.

Thanks to its beach lifestyle, Busan is decidedly laid-back compared to Seoul, with trendy restaurants and a lively nightlife scene. This is especially true of the white sands of Haeundae Beach, which have featured in everything from The King: Eternal Monarch to Hollywood’s Black Panther.

Around three hours east of Busan, Yeosu is the latest city to attract visitors on K-drama pilgrimages. Top cultural attractions include Arte Museum Yeosu, the street art of Angel Mural Village and Admiral Yi Sun-Shin Square. At the latter, you’ll find a statue of the Korean seafaring hero, subject of numerous period dramas, including The Admiral: Roaring Currents, plus a replica of one of his revered turtle ships (Joseon-era battleships).

Best for: Science and history museums, historic gardens and palaces, food festivals and the DMZ
Why go: Experience South Korea’s natural and cultural riches away from the main tourist trail, including secluded chapters of Korean history, a science-centric city and beautiful nature, as well as a hands-on kimchi-making festival
Route: Gwangju; Jeonju; Daejeon; Daegu; Yanggu

Joseon kings and queens loom large in the South Korean imagination. And while most visitors speed between Seoul, Gyeongju and Busan on the high-speed rails, some of the country’s most cultured and picturesque cities are overlooked entirely.

Gwangju is the perfect example, home to a National Museum that depicts a crucial piece of South Korea’s past in its collection of Joseon dynasty scroll paintings and Neolithic relics. For fans of kimchi, be sure to stop by in early autumn for the annual Kimchi Festival, where you’ll find plenty of cookery classes and the opportunity to try just about every conceivable variety of South Korea’s favourite dish.

Next, grab a bus north to Jeonju, a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, where Korean cultural tradition still looms large. See how traditional Korean paper is made at the Hanji Museum, then explore crafts such as woodworking and ceramics at the Korea Traditional Culture Center. Balance this out with more modern examples of local creativity at the Factory of Contemporary Arts.

Next, hop on a train to Daejeon to discover Korea’s own Silicon Valley. Daejeon is a city that once thrived thanks to its rail connections in the early years; now it’s known as the ‘Science City’, with sights including the National Science Museum and the imaginative structures at Daejeon Expo Science Park. Daejeon Museum of Art is also one of the country’s best contemporary art museums, and features Nam June Paik’s modern take on a ‘turtle ship’ (a type of warship built during the Joseon era), constructed entirely from video screens.

From Daejeon, cross-country trains run east to Daegu, which is South Korea’s fourth-largest city (after Seoul, Busan and Incheon). Nowhere else in the country better exhibits the Korean dichotomy between traditional rural values and 21st-century urbanity. On the one hand you have Yakjeon Alley and the Museum of Oriental Medicine, which both explore traditional medicine in a medley of pungent ingredients; on the other hand you have some of Korea’s most raucous nightlife around Seomun Shijang, a traditional street market.

Finish in Yanggu, which is best reached from Seoul and is one of the finest places to see the autumn leaves in South Korea. It is also only a few kilometres south of the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) that separates North Korea, and this remote and mountainous spot was the site of some of the Korean War’s most brutal battles. This history can now be explored on eye-opening tours and treks.