Has anyplace been on a run of late like South Korea?
The nation is on the lips of vacationers around the globe, thanks to its cutting-edge know-how, world-class delicacies, chart-topping pop bands and among the most enjoyable motion pictures and TV collection being made anyplace.
Add to all this centuries of custom and copious pure blessings, all in a rustic scarcely bigger than Eire, and also you’ve bought one of many planet’s nice journey locations.
Secure, pleasant and possessing excellent infrastructure, South Korea is a very straightforward – not to point out rewarding – place to discover. Learn on for suggestions to make your go to even simpler.
1. Full your pre-trip registration three days before your flight
Most vacationers – together with residents of the US, Australia and the UK – can go to South Korea visa-free for up to 90 days (up to six months for Canadians). You’ll nonetheless want to apply for a Korea Digital Journey Authorization on the Ok-ETA web site, nonetheless, at the least 72 hours before departure. It’s a easy course of, and your Ok-ETA is legitimate for 2 years from the date of approval.
2. Time your go to with the bushes
We suggest planning your go to to South Korea for spring or fall, when the peninsula will get its most temperate climate. Bonus factors if you happen to can time it to coincide with one of many nation’s two durations of arboreal magic. Korea’s cherry blossoms begin blooming in mid-March on Jeju-do Island, off the south coast, and usually seem in Seoul in early April. In late October and early November, the leaves of Korea’s many historic ginkgo bushes flip into good golden torches, giving Seoul and different cities a very regal search for a number of weeks.
3. Thoughts these two main holidays
The 2 durations that may trigger vacationers actual issues are the multi-day Lunar New Yr and Chuseok (fall harvest) holidays. On these two events yearly, Koreans hit the street en masse, making reserving a bus or practice ticket almost inconceivable. The dates change every year, so make certain to examine when these are before making journey plans.
If you happen to can’t keep away from a vacation, base your self in Seoul or Busan for its length. Loads of companies keep open, and the cities might be surprisingly peaceable with everybody out of city.
4. Benefit from Korea’s world-class public transportation
Korea’s subways, trains and buses are clear, handy and environment friendly. It could actually typically look like a brand new station is added to the Seoul metro each month, and the rail and intercity bus networks will take you to each nook of the nation. Public transportation is reasonable: bus and subway fares in Seoul begin at simply ₩1250. In all of South Korea, Jeju-do is the one place the place renting a automotive would possibly make sense, and even there it’s most likely not crucial.
With plentiful English data and smart design, public transportation in Korea makes getting from right here to there a breeze. To get transferring, begin by selecting up a T-money transit card at a comfort retailer or from a merchandising machine in any subway station. Separate kiosks can be utilized to load cash onto your card. Faucet your card each if you board and get off the subway or bus. Fares are calculated by distance, so if you happen to neglect to faucet when disembarking, you’ll be charged extra and gained’t have the ability to switch without spending a dime. You may as well use T-money playing cards in most taxis.
When touring longer distances, it’s easy sufficient to simply purchase intercity bus or practice tickets at stations. For the high-speed KTX practice and among the extra widespread routes and instances – departing Seoul on Saturday morning, for instance – it’s a good suggestion to buy prematurely. Bus tickets are usually available for buy from machines and counters in bus stations. Purchase practice tickets on the web site of KORAIL, the nationwide operator.
5. Keep linked with these important apps
Wi-fi is so prevalent in Korean cities that you are able to do with no native SIM card, however if you happen to determine that you really want one simply in case, or if you happen to plan to head to rural areas, the simplest place to decide one up is at one of many many telecom roaming facilities at Incheon Airport upon arrival. You may as well lease a telephone if you happen to didn’t carry your personal.
Useful apps to obtain embrace Naver Map (iOS and Android), which works higher than Google Maps in South Korea; MangoPlate (iOS and Android) for locating eating places and cafes; Subway Korea for navigating cities’ metro methods; and Kakao T (iOS and Android), which is like Uber however for taxis.
6. Get out of city
There are two Koreas. We don’t imply North and South, however moderately Seoul and every little thing else – or, a bit extra broadly, city Korea and rural Korea. The nation has a repute for being a hyper-paced, extremely wired pop-culture dynamo, however its hinterlands current a a lot totally different image, and also you’d be lacking out huge time if you happen to skip them.
The Korean countryside is gorgeous, mountains and rivers make for lovely vistas, and life is lived in a different way right here than within the cities. The inhabitants is older – most individuals below 40 have decamped to the cities – and the tempo is slower. A minimum of as soon as in your journey, get out of the cities and immerse your self on this extra conventional aspect of Korea.
7. Be taught your ga, na, da, ra, ma, bas
Fundamental English is broadly understood in Korea by people below 50, and signage is nearly at all times in each Korean and English. But it’s nonetheless (and respectful) concept to study a little bit of the language.
Past memorizing just a few important Korean phrases and phrases, studying hangul, the Korean alphabet, is like gaining entry to a secret bonus stage of Korean journey. If you happen to can sound out the letters, you’ll discover that you simply already know what things like 카페 모카 (ka-pe mo-ka), 비빔밥 (bibimbap) and 사우나 (sa-oo-na) are.
Hangul is straightforward to study. King Sejong the Nice, who oversaw its creation within the 15th century, declared {that a} sensible man might decide it up before midday and even an fool might study it in 10 days. Let’s Be taught Hangul teaches the Korean alphabet in an interactive, easy-to-follow method.
8. Roll with the nudges
Koreans dwell life in a rush, they usually accomplish that in a densely populated nation, so that you shouldn’t count on the identical sense of private area or public courtesies you discover in your house nation. Koreans gained’t maintain doorways open for you or apologize in the event that they stumble upon you when strolling. When getting on or off the subway, they seemingly gained’t say, “Excuse me” – they’ll simply nudge you apart. They’re not being impolite, although.
While you dwell in a metropolis as crowded as Seoul, it’s simply not sensible to apologize each time you knock shoulders with somebody – you’d be apologizing continuously. This may be maddening to outsiders, however simply settle for it and roll with the nudges.
9. Be prepared to get private
The standard greeting here’s a fast bow – nothing dramatic, only a head nod deep sufficient to your gaze to meet the ground – however you’ll typically be supplied a handshake as a substitute. In case you are, count on extra of a mild clasp than the outdated squeeze-and-pump.
You’ll seemingly be requested questions extra private than you’re accustomed to by somebody you simply met. On the high of this checklist is your age. This information level is important to Koreans, because it informs how they speak to each other: how formal their verb endings must be and whether or not to use honorifics. Inquiries about marital standing, occupation and your opinion of Korea are additionally frequent. Reply politely, and be at liberty to return the query.
10. Put on what you want, however don’t pack something too risqué
As a traveler, you’ll be able to be at liberty to costume for the climate and luxury. Koreans are fairly relaxed about apparel, even when they’re extra modest than you would possibly count on. If visiting a temple, whereas shorts are tremendous, tank tops and miniskirts will not be. Each women and men ceaselessly put on t-shirts on the seaside (although it’s greatest to go away the Speedo or thong at residence). Korean ladies nearly by no means put on low-cut tops, and feminine vacationers might discover that doing so brings unwelcome appears. Tattoos at the moment are frequent amongst younger individuals, but even nonetheless some bathhouses will deny entry if you happen to present any ink.
11. Eat with others and don’t be afraid to shout for service
Consuming is a communal exercise in Korea, and plenty of eating places, particularly barbecue joints, don’t provide single servings. So if you happen to’re touring solo, you would possibly both have to drag somebody out of your hostel together with you (not a troublesome promote) or loosen your belt and order pork stomach for 2 (poor factor).
At eating places, servers gained’t come investigate cross-check you, and most locations have name buttons on every desk. Give it a push, and somebody will likely be proper over. In any other case, to seize the waitstaff’s consideration, increase your hand and shout, “Yogiyo!” (“Over right here!”) Water is often self-service, and infrequently aspect dishes are, too. In case your server doesn’t set a bottle of water in your desk, go searching for a water dispenser and stacks of metallic cups. On the finish of your meal, take the examine to the entrance counter to pay. There’s no tipping.
12. Is North Korea a priority?
Regardless of worldwide headlines, South Koreans don’t fear about an assault from North Korea – and neither must you. Army clashes are very uncommon, and hazard to civilians is rarer nonetheless. A guided tour to the DMZ could be a fascinating and actually find-it-nowhere-else expertise. From afar, North Korea can appear nearly comical in its eccentricities, however if you’re taking a look at South Korean troopers taking a look at North Korean troopers taking a look at you, the geopolitical stakes hit totally different. Plus, many excursions provide what could also be your solely probability to truly step foot on the planet’s most secretive nation.
13. Monitor the air high quality
Even in post-pandemic instances, it’s a good suggestion to at all times carry a masks, as air high quality can sometimes drop to fairly nasty ranges. That is very true in spring, when mud blown off the deserts of Mongolia and northern China combines with native air pollution to create unhealthy air. Obtain an app like IQAir Air Visible (for iOS or Android) to maintain observe of present circumstances and the upcoming forecast throughout the nation.
14. You might need to be versatile about your weight-reduction plan
You probably have meals allergic reactions or a selected weight-reduction plan, you could have a tough time discovering locations to eat or getting clear details about components. Vegetarianism and veganism are slowly gaining recognition in Korea, however not many eating places cater to these diets. Even dishes that you simply would possibly suppose are vegetarian are sometimes made with anchovy broth or fermented shrimp.
15. Acknowledge that LGBTQI+ acceptance nonetheless has a good distance to go
Whereas attitudes are slowly altering, Korea stays a conservative society in lots of respects, and anti-LGBTQI+ prejudice is frequent. Even so, LGBTQI+ vacationers are extra seemingly to be on the receiving finish of curious – if misinformed – questions than any form of open hostility. Public shows of affection are usually frowned upon (although this goes for straight {couples}, too).
Seoul has small homosexual districts in Itaweon and Jongno-3-ga, whereas the Hongdae-Sinchon-Ewha college hall is one other place the place LGBTQI+ Koreans really feel snug being themselves.
16. Use frequent sense and maintain these numbers helpful, simply in case
Theft and violent crime are uncommon in South Korea. Scams and pickpockets focusing on vacationers are nearly nonexistent, and Koreans usually exit of their method to be hospitable to guests. Nonetheless – as anybody ought to anyplace – do train fundamental warning and customary sense. South Korea has strict drug legal guidelines, and don’t even suppose about attempting to sneak previous them. Nightlife usually revolves round heavy consuming, so know your restrict to keep away from placing your self in a sketchy scenario.
If you happen to do have an emergency, name 112 to attain the police, 119 for emergency companies or 1330 to attain the Korea Journey Hotline, the place an operator will join you to the suitable service and function an interpreter. That quantity will also be used to attain the Korea Vacationer Police.