South Korea is a famous tourist destination, one of the most beautiful Asian countries that attracts thousands of visitors anually. That beauty is created by stunning places that no tourists can miss out when coming to this country and the unique Korean traditional culture. Visavietnamsupport would like to share with you some useful Korea travel tips that surely help you  have better travel experience in this country.

1. South Korea visa application

This is a very important step before coming to South Korea.  You can take a look at the procedures here.

2. Suitable time for traveling

- Spring (March- May): warm weather with sunny days is very suitable for traveling. This is also the time of cherry blossoms, rhododendron, apricot, and canola flowers,  and many festivals, all creating a youthful spring vibe 

- Summer ( Jun-August): it's not so hot in summer there and usually rainy towards the end of July. There are many summar festivals and stunning beaches such as Haeundae and Jeju to enjoy some sunbathing and swimming.

- Autumn (September- November: this is the time when Korea appears most stunning and beautiful with romantic scenaries and magnificient red leave trees.

- Winter (December- February): It's very cold in winter in Korea, bringing more of a cold feeling to  people who are not familiar with extreme cold weather with the temparature falling under-8 Celsius degree in the Northand 0 celsius degree in the South and together with some taste of snow. Coming to Korea during this time, visitors can watch snow fall, go skiiing or fishing on ice.... or partake in some winter festivals.

3. Transportation

Transportation to Korea

- Flying is the most common way to go to Korea. There are 7 international airports in Korea which are Kimhae (Busan), Cheongju, Daegu, Jeju, Muan, Kimpo and Incheon( Seoul). 

Incheon international aiport is 1 hour away from Seoul center. You can find international flights here while Kimhae and Jeji airports have some flights to neighbor countries such as Japan and China.

Transportation in Korea

- Bus is a common means of transportation in Korea, connecting cities and towns. It's fast, in time and quick to go by bus. High speed buses offer long distance travels but city buses can take visitors to more destinations.

- Buses are numbered according the route they travel, and major stops are written in Korean on the buses.. Bus stations are everywhere in town. City buses include: ilban (regular), chaseok (seat) and mawol buses (vans).

+ ilban (regular) buses: Visitors can easily travel inside the city by using this bus. 

+chaseok (seat) buses: only stop at major stations and take visitors to desired destinations faster than normal buses

+ mawol buses (vans): run around a certain area and only cover a small route, generally traveling down narrow streets where regular-sized buses cannot fit

Subway Systems in South Korea: available in cities like Seoul, Busan, Incheon, Daegu, Gwangji. Seoul underground system has 9 routes. Some undergrounds connect Seoul outskirts area with the satelite city Gyeonggi by connecting with city public tram system.

- Taxi: clean, safe an reasonal price. You can hail these taxis on the street or find them at taxis stands. Many areas also have call taxis that will come and pick you up when you call them, for an added charge. There are 2 types of taxi in Seoul: regular and mobeom (deluxe)

- Most major cties in Korea have train stations. rail system in South Korea are extensive and offer one of the best ways to travel throughout the city. They have  KTX, Saemaeul and Mugunghwa trains.

+ High-speed rail system operates at speeds pushing 300 km/hr. This extra convenience comes at an extra financial cost.

+ Mugunghwa train is slower, has many stops and takes more time to get the desired destination so the price is cheaper.

+ Saemaeul is another form of high speed train.

4. Korean currency

- Korean currency is Won (exchange rate 1USD ~ 1.100KRW). You can exchange currency at any currency exchange counters  available at shopping malls, markets, and airports.

- International payment cards are widely used.

5. Festivals

- Apart from tradditional festival of Eastern Asia such as Lunar New year, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival ... Korea also has a series of other festivals held all year round, such as Cherry Blossom Festival, Tulip Festival in Spring, Kim Chi Festival in Autumn, etc.

Boryeong Mud Festival: this Korean festival attracts most international visitors. During the festival, visitors can enjoy wrestling in mud, sliding and even swimming in a large mud bath. Energetic travelers can even try a sea mud training course, while those looking for something more relaxing can take a break at the mud massage area. In the evening, the beach party will be held with festive music and fireworks.

Jeju Fire Festival: held in winter, Jeju fire festival is a ritual to pray for good health and crops for next year. The festival reveals a series of traditional inheritance events where visitors can participate in folk and traditional games. You can also enjoy the fascinating nature of Jeju Island on this occasion.

Chuseok Festival - Korean Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the biggest and most important holidays for the Korean. This  is the time for family reunion no matter how far away the members are from each other, they will try to come back home for family gathering wherethey can sit down, talk and enjoy the fruits of the only harvest in the year.

6. Korean cuisine

Korean can not start their meals without Kimchi, a side disk made from fermented cabbage. Korean cusine is a mixture of salt, spice, sweet tastes and have a balance of nutrients with protein, carbs,

 and fiber from vegetables, and very little fat.

- Besides, there are some typical dishes that you should definitely try such as Korean popular  mixed rice, Tteokbokki rice cakes, BBQ kebabs, Korean noodles and Especially street food in traditional markets and famous streets in Korea. There are also many other delicious delicacies  such as: Dakkalbi, Jokbal, Bossam, Budae Jigae, ...

7. Shopping

Korea is a fashion and cosmetics haven. Coming to Korea, it is a must to visit Dongdaemun Market a haven of clothes. Here you can enjoy shopping all kinds of clothes, accessories with a variety of designs that everybody loves.

- Korean cosmetics is no strange to many young people since Korea is very famous for cheaper cosmetic brands that can offer the saeme quality compared to European cosmetics. In big streets such as Hongdae, Myeongdong, Dongdaemun, ... famous cosmetic shops are in close proximity with a variety of brands.

- In addition, you definitely should buy some Korean ginseng and Ganoderma because this country is famous for its high- quality gingseng that benefits health and these items are very suitable to buy as gifts for parents and relatives.

8. Tourist attractions

- Seoul Tower: Also known as Namsan Tower, is one of the best places in Seoul to have a view of the entire city. Seoul Tower attracts visitors to come for restaurants, shops, museums. Another highlight of this tower is that at the foot of the tower is the Padlock of love, where thousands of locks are hung to symbolize love. Whether you want to leave a locktat this place or not, you should drop by to take some photos of this stunning area.

- Jeju Island: this is definitely the most familiar tourist destination just after Seoul. Jeju is also known as  Hawaii of Korea. Jeju conquers the hearts of visitors with its beautiful scenery, from the Hallasan shield volcano, Manjanggul lava cave, Sangumburi crater, to impressive beaches and waterfalls.

- Bukchon Hanok Village: Bukchon Hanok Village is the village with the most beautiful vintage houses in Korea. Coming here, you will experience a peaceful, nostalgic atmosphere in the heart of the bustling city

- Gyeongbokgung Palace: Gyeongbokgung is the largest palace in Korea with rich history and unique Korean architecture. Located in the heart of Seoul, Gyeongbokgung is a famous tourist attraction.

- Nami Island bears the name of the famous South Korean general, this is an extremely beautiful artificial island in southern Korea. Nami Island is known through some stunning scenes in  "Winter Sonata" that took Asia by storm. With its romantic nature beauty and atmosphere, Nami island has attracted a lot of tourists from all over the world.

Exchange counters are available at shopping malls, markets, and airports.

- Busan is the largest port city in Korea with beautiful long beaches, rivers, natural scenery, hillside houses,  peaceful nightlife and friendly fisherman.

- Gangnam is a large city towards the south of Seoul, and is home to massive entertainment and shopping complex and the richest people of South Korea. Not only famous for its lavishness and flashiness, Gangnam also has a number of other places to visit such as the kimchi culinary museum, where documents, images related to historical development of this Korean specialty are preserved.

9. Notes

- South Korean people tend to avoid number 4 because in Korean, the pronunciation of number 4 rymthes the word "dead", so in the elevator, instead of using Floor 4, they use the letter F (four).

- According to the code of conduct, when pouring wine, do not let the bottle mouth touch the mouth of the glass because that action is meant for the dead.

- Do not use your left hand in communication, which is considered an insult to others. Use two hands to receive or give something to others, especially the elderly people.

- Korean women do not like to talk about their plastic surgery experience even though plastic surgery is quite popular in Korea as Korean Confucianism notes that natural beauty is better than artificial beauty.

- Do not stick chopsticks straight up on a rice bowl because it resembles a incense bowl at a funeral

We hope that those tips will be helpful to you before your trip to Korea. 

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