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Seoul Travel & Sightseeing Guide

January 10, 2008 |

A trip to Seoul
Seoul is South Korea’s capital city, home to more than 10 million people packed into one of the world’s most densely populated urban centres. It fosters a startling blend of old and new, with structures that date back 1,000 years standing next to modern facilities like state-of-the-art science institutions and amusement parks. Unique festivals make travel more interesting all year long, with citywide events scheduled practically every month.

Flights to Seoul
Seoul’s domestic airport, Gimpo, is about 10 miles west of the city centre and used to handle international flights until 2001 when Incheon International Airport opened. This new, ultra-modern facility is a painful 45-minute drive from Seoul, though plans for high-speed rail access will render transit to and from Incheon relatively painless. Taxis are required by law to use meters, and an additional 10-15% surcharge is tacked on to late-night journeys.

The local metro system enjoys extensive coverage and serves millions of passengers every day. Above ground trains add to the extensive public transport links. Roads are well-maintained and signposted in English. Keep in mind that if you’d like to hire a taxi, you have to meet them at designated ranks across the city. If you are looking for a cheap flight to Seoul try Ebookers.

Seoul

Sightseeing in Seoul
Exploring ancient temples and marketplaces in the midst of this cosmopolitan city is one of the most enjoyable pastimes in Seoul. The Unhyoung Palace is hands-down the most carefully-preserved of all Seoul’s ancient places. The Chongymyo Shrine and the Changyong Palace are both worth visiting as well. Bongeusna Temple was begun in AD 794, though most of what stands today is dramatically younger.

Enjoying one of the city’s many parks and greenspaces is an excellent way to relax; Namsan Park—with botanical gardens, the old city walls and the Seoul Tower—is one of the best. Heading out of town, Mount Pukhansan is a remarkable granite mountain cut by lush and floral valleys. Here you’ll find the Pukhan Fortress, which is open for tours, along with a whopping 100 temples scattered throughout the hillsides.

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Fun by night – eating drinking and partying
Seoul has all of the restaurants, bars and cafés that you would expect from a city of this magnitude. International fare from all corners of the world can be found at Daehangno, where the emphasis is placed on tourism and hospitality, and the less-touristy dining area along Itaewon Street boasts just as much diversity, with more Eastern cuisine included on the menus. If you’re looking to go out in true Korean style, local grass-roots celebrations usually consist of equal parts beer and karaoke.

Itaewon street is also the cradle of Seoul’s nightlife. It’s sometimes referred to as ‘Little America’ in light of the heavy-handed motifs that are applied to many of the clubs and restaurants in this area. Several nightclubs sit at one end of Itaewon, while a range of dining and shopping venues can be found at the other.

Fun by day - shopping and activities
Surprisingly, many of the best shopping venues don’t really pick up until the sun sets. Dongdaemun is home to the oldest market in Seoul, but you won’t find much here during daylight hours. All the same, there’s plenty to do during the day. Indoor amusement parks are popular in Seoul, along with an impressive aquarium, year-round skiing slopes, cycling paths and plenty of other outdoor activities.


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