Travel guides

South Korea Travel Guides: Which One Is for You?

  • 24 October 2026
  • by Linda

After my trip, the same questions kept landing in my DMs. How long do I need? Can I drive to the south? Which metro exit for that bar? What does it all cost? So I turned eight days in South Korea into printable guides, with every answer in one place.

Every stop comes with how long to stay, how to get there from the previous one (in Seoul with the metro line, station and exit, plus the taxi fare) and the ticket price in KRW, AED, USD and EUR. Prices, links and opening rules are rechecked every month, so the file you get is never more than two months old.

There are four, built around four different trips.

2 photos

South Korea in 8 days: my full trip

The trip I actually did: a guided loop through the south west, from the Baekje royal tombs to Jeonju's hanok village, the Boseong tea fields, Suncheon and Yeosu, a morning in Busan, then Seoul's palaces, food, design and hidden bars, plus a day at the DMZ.

For you if you want to see more than Seoul and Busan, and you are wondering whether to drive, book a tour or hire a driver. The guide compares all three. 34 pages, USD 9.

See the guide

South Korea in 7 days: the essentials

The first timer's route. Three days in Seoul (palaces in hanbok, N Seoul Tower, the Secret Garden, Seoul Sky), a day at the border, a night in a hanok in Jeonju and two days in Busan, timed so your first Busan night is a Saturday, the night of the Gwangalli drone show.

For you if it is your first time in Korea and you want the classics without missing anything. 30 pages, USD 8.

See the guide

2 photos

Seoul by design: design, tech and hidden doors

Four days, one neighbourhood a day: Gentle Monster, CASETiFY and the new Musinsa megastore, Leeum, Hyundai's car library, giant screens and robots. Each day ends behind a secret door, from Le Chamber's bookshelf to Zest, number 2 in Asia's 50 Best Bars, with a verified plan B for every night.

For you if you travel for concept stores, museums and cocktails. 22 pages, USD 5.

See the guide

Seoul glow: K-beauty and spas

Three days with a time for every stop: Olive Young hauls, personal colour analysis, a ginseng facial, the barefoot forest walk at Sumsei and the 18 step Korean head spa right before your flight. Plus how skin clinics work for visitors, the 2026 tax refund rules and the Olive Young sale weeks.

For you if your suitcase is half empty on purpose. 19 pages, USD 5.

See the guide

Not sure which one?

Short on time and visiting for the first time: the essentials. Want the south too: the 8 days. Already been, or only in Seoul for a few days: pick the theme that sounds like you. And if you cannot choose, all four come together for USD 19.

See all the travel guides

The free version of my trip is still here, of course: the full South Korea itinerary, the hidden bars of Seoul and the apps, films and K-pop to know before you go.

More from South KoreaSeoul's Speakeasies: Bookshelves, Cat Statues and a Fridge Door