Travel Tips In South Korea – Korea is a great place to visit and can be a bit intimidating if you don’t speak the language. South Korea has tons of things to do, tons of food to try, and tons of friendly people. Most Koreans in Seoul know English, but are embarrassed to speak it. If you’re traveling to Seoul for the first time, these Seoul travel tips will help you navigate around Seoul, what to buy, and where to go.
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Travel Tips In South Korea
Seoul can be quite a city for newcomers. It is incredibly busy with millions of residents and tourists filling the city. It’s important to learn how to get around, so I’ve put together these comprehensive Seoul travel tips.
Seoul On A Budget
Korea’s currency is called the won. About 1,000 won is about one dollar. You should check the exchange rate daily. Most banks in Korea will exchange currency for free.
Credit and debit cards are frequently used in South Korea. Most Korean stores accept any form of credit card, so this is a safe bet if you’re hesitant to carry large amounts of cash while traveling.
However, if you’re at an outdoor market or clothing markets like Dongdaemun Market, you’ll need to bring cash. This is more common for shop owners who want to buy clothes for their market stalls. I usually bring my credit card with me when I travel. In particular, if there is a problem with the card, I can report the item to our credit card. Second, depending on the bank you use, there are no exchange rates, which can be expensive with a debit card.
This Seoul travel tip is essential. Korea has a no-nonsense culture where tipping is considered rude. However, there are a few foreign restaurants and bars that accept tips. The price listed includes tax and everything, so don’t expect to pay more than what’s on your receipt or label.
My 10 Travel Tips For Seoul, South Korea
The language spoken in Seoul is Korean. Most Koreans have been taught to speak English since elementary school, but many are afraid to speak or may have forgotten the skills because they often don’t need to speak.
Don’t be afraid to travel around Seoul, because there are now many useful apps that can help you translate if you have a problem. In addition, there are Latte, Coffee, etc. in Korean. There are many words in the English language such as
If you’re looking for some apps to use for translating, I recommend Papago or Google Translate.
Knowing a little basic Korean goes a long way, and all the travel tips Seoul has to offer are essential. Just saying hello and thank you are great ways to show respect to the culture.
Travel To South Korea: All You Need To Know
My Seoul travel tips for the best time to visit Seoul are Spring, March-May or Fall, September-November. The weather is milder and more suitable for travel. It gets hotter and hotter in summer. There is also a strong monsoon season, with rain and humidity.
Winter months are a good time to travel, as long as you don’t mind the freezing temperatures. However, you may travel during spring when it is very dusty and you may need to bring a mask. Not a big deal if you’re only in Korea temporarily, but good to have on hand if you’re long-term. You can easily buy them at any convenience store in Korea.
Korea has very few national holidays throughout the year. You may have to run because some are closed for vacation. My travel tips for traveling in Seoul are to avoid certain holidays such as Seollal, Chuseok, Christmas and New Year.
Koreans dress a bit differently than in the US. So if you’re wearing it casually, it’s fine, but you might look a little off.
Get The Most Out Of Your Visit To South Korea With These Travel Tips
My Seoul travel tips are to stay in Myeongdong or Hongdae within Seoul. You want to be centrally located and close to places where you can get entertainment and delicious food. Hongdae has direct subway access to the international airport, so I recommend this place. Read more about popular neighborhoods in Seoul. Read my detailed post on where to stay in Seoul.
Korea has probably one of the most advanced ways of traveling. You don’t have to have a car when you’re in Korea. Renting a car would be a waste of money and not really experiencing the culture of being in Korea. For someone new to public transportation in Korea, it can be overwhelming. These are my favorite Seoul travel tips to help you get around the city.
The best place to pick up a T-Money card is at the airport. I recommend that you buy one of the convenience stores at the airport / B1 (07:00-22:00) / Incheon International Airport Passenger Terminal 1 (07:00-21:30) / Gimpo Airport International Travel Center (07:00- 21:30)
You can reload your T-Money card at your local convenience store or any subway station. There are recharging points at every metro station. You place the card in the appropriate location and choose how much you want to load onto the card. These machines are also available in English, so don’t worry if you don’t know Korean.
Absolutely Necessary Seoul Travel Tips For First Timers
Taxis are plentiful throughout Korea. However, public transportation is plentiful in Korea, so taxis are not often used by many. Metros and buses are cheap ways to get anywhere. Driving a taxi can be intimidating as most taxi drivers do not speak English.
The best way to get an Uber like service is to download the Kakao Taxi app. You can change the payment to pay in person using the app. The Cocoa Taxi app only accepts Korean bank cards, so it’s best to switch to paying in person. The app will include the taxi number and you will know which taxi to take when it arrives. Read more about the program below.
One of my favorite ways to travel in Seoul is to take public transportation, especially the subway. The subway in Korea is very developed. There are about 19 different lines and counting. The subway is written in both English and Korean, making it very useful for those traveling in Korea. If you don’t speak the language, don’t worry because it’s very helpful and most people in Seoul speak English.
The best way to learn about the Metro system is to download the Kakao Metro app. You can read it in Korean and English. This app has many features. You can choose the nearest location and find the stop on the destination map and the app will find the fastest and cheapest route for you.
Insider’s Guide: Essential Seoul Travel Tips You Need To Know
The Cocoa Metro app will break where you need to drop to move to the next line. It will also give you prices and how long it will take to get to your destination. This app does not require Wi-Fi or phone service to use, but you will need Wi-Fi to download it, so I recommend downloading it before you go to Korea.
The Kakao Metro app is the best to use as it also has a timetable and lets you know when the metros are scheduled to arrive.
The Seoul Bus phone app will help you figure out where to go, but I think you’ll need Wi-Fi or service though. So make sure you know your way in advance or try going to a coffee shop to use it. Buses can definitely be confusing, so sometimes a taxi is the better way to go.
These are more expensive for longer hauls, but cheaper by plane. About 50USD/$50,000 each way or 100USD/$100,000 from Busan to Seoul will win. It is actually a very comfortable and convenient way to travel. There is Wi-Fi on the train, so it would be handy if you have work to do, but you’ll need local internet/cell phone service to access it or pay to use it.
Solo Travel South Korea: Tips For First Time Travelers
This is the best way to travel to Jeju Island (제주도). There are regular flights from Gimpo Airport to Jeju Island. It is the most popular place among tourists.
To be honest, there will be quite a few of these
