מתכננים טיול לדרום קוריאה? נוסעים לטיול במזרח ומתלבטים אם לשלב יעד נוסף באווירה אחרת? דרום קוריאה היא הבחירה המושלמת! מדובר ביעד צבעוני שאין כמותו או דומה לו על כדור הארץ, בכתבה הבאה תוכלו למצוא את חמשת האטרקציות המרכזיות של העיר סיאול, בירתה של דרום קוריאה.
What You Should Know About South Korea Before Booking a Flight
Korea is a truly special destination and Koreans are very welcoming to tourists. It’s the country where we felt safest as travelers. There’s no worry about theft or extreme incidents, and not because people are especially calm, but for a completely different reason:
Korea is covered in cameras, and almost every place is filmed from every angle.
You’ll definitely see people in cafés leaving their laptops and phones on the table for a long time without any worry that someone will steal their belongings.
Planning to check out Korea’s nightlife? Note that to get into the bars and clubs Seoul has to offer, you’ll need to bring your passport. It may sound a bit strange, but trust us from experience: a photo of your passport won’t do, only the physical passport.
Korean food is very special, and we highly recommend trying the local Korean dishes.
Seoul’s Main Attractions
Gyeongbokgung palace
The palace is in central Seoul and you can get there by metro. It tells the ancient story of the Korean kingdom, right up to the moment Japan began its historic conquest of the Korean kingdom and destroyed almost all of it. Part of the palace has been restored, and the king’s and queen’s chambers are on display. The palace is magical and highly recommended, and it’s also suitable for visiting with kids. If you come at the weekend, you’ll probably see lots of Koreans strolling around the palace in traditional dress.
By the way, if you come dressed in traditional clothing (hanbok), entry to the palace is free!
All over the city you’ll find shops that rent traditional clothing by the hour.
Gwangjang Market
Without doubt an attraction you can’t miss on your visit to Seoul. This is Seoul’s main market, where you’ll find endless weird and wonderful things, and above all food stalls serving the best of the local cuisine.
The market is huge, covered and usually very busy. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience where you’ll see lots of Korean grandmothers making kimchi and handmade dumplings, and countless more stalls selling Korea’s local foods.
Nseol Tower
The tower is in central Seoul, and you can see the whole city from it. You can get there by metro and then a short walk. At the bottom a cable car will be waiting to take you up the mountain to the tower and its observation point.
It’s still a good idea to wear comfortable shoes, as there’s a short walk.
The place is perfect for anyone who wants a souvenir photo with the Seoul skyline, which might confuse you for a moment and make you think you’re in New York.
Bukchon Hanok Village
On this lovely street you’ll find old houses preserved for hundreds of years that will let you feel Korean culture to the full. The visit is short but very worthwhile. You can see and take photos with the houses that remain on the street and feel Korean yourselves for a few moments.
The street isn’t very well known, and this attraction usually doesn’t appear on online lists of recommendations for Seoul. Still, we recommend not missing it, as mentioned, it’s free and suitable for kids.
Nami Island
Nami Island is outside Seoul, and getting there is a little complicated but absolutely worth it. To get there you’ll need to take a train and then a very short taxi ride of a few minutes. When you reach the entrance to the island, you’ll have two options for getting onto it: by boat or by zip line.
The zip line takes about a minute and a half and is perfect for thrill-seekers of all kinds.
For those who are less into that, there’s a ferry that takes about 10 minutes across a stunning lake. Right after that you’ll reach the island and can explore it and see the animals that live there freely, peacefully and very happily.
Where to Stay in Seoul?
השכונה הכי מומלצת היא איטאוון (Itaewon) זה נחשב כרובע שבו יש הכי הרבה ״זרים״ ושם כולם מדברים באנגלית ולא תרגישו זרים כלל במדינה.
Recommended accommodation in Itaewon
בנוסף, בשכונה הזו תמצאו מלא מסעדות מקומיות שוות, חדרי קריוקי, חיי לילה סוערים ואפילו רובע גאה.
Korean Cosmetics
South Korea is known as one of the world’s leading cosmetics powers. Korean cosmetics are very well known, and today almost every country has stores selling products made in South Korea. In Seoul you’ll find a whole district packed with cosmetics shops selling the best, highest-quality products at a fraction of the price you’d pay at home. If cosmetics speak to you, bring a separate bag for your purchases! Trust us, you won’t be able to leave these shops without bags full of products and cosmetic innovations you didn’t know existed.
To sum up, if you want to travel in Korea, we recommend it wholeheartedly. It’s a fascinating, exciting country in so many ways, so all that’s left is to book your flight and explore it yourself!