Feed All Your Cravings in Korea

Asia’s cultural powerhouse for the 21st century, South Korea can feel like it’s entered every facet of our lives these days, from food to entertainment to skin care… and with good reason. No matter what you’re craving, there’s a corner of South Korea bound to satisfy. Graze your way through a banquet on the streets of Seoul, shop ‘Gangnam style’ for a little luxury, immerse yourself in the history of this great nation at its palaces, pay your respects to your favourite K-Pop stars, or shut down for some R&R at a luxurious Korean spa. A small country with big dreams and the boundless energy to make them happen, Korea invites you to satisfy your every travel craving during your visit.

Discover our featured South Korea trips:

Classic Korea: Seoul, Gyeongju & Busan

Seoul K-Pop Discovery

Ultimate Korea: Seoul, Gyeongju, Busan & Jeju

Feeding with friends at the Korean table

Though South Koreans hold a wide range of perspectives on modern life and social issues, meal (dinner) times bring everyone together over some of the world's most flavourful cuisine. Korean barbecue does things a little differently to your backyard North American grill. Fresh meats are delivered to your table, ready to cook and enjoy over a communal charcoal fire. Some cuts will come richly marinaded while finer cuts have minimal seasonings, allowing their natural flavours to drive the meal. Spreading a little ssamjang sauce over the cooked meat is customary, with options to wrap it in some fresh greens, and of course, enjoy it with several side dishes, or banchan such as the famous kimchi. Bibimbap is one of the country’s staples, and a great way to enjoy a burst of diverse flavours in every bite. Any time you see ‘bap’ on a Korean menu, you’re looking at a rice dish.

Chimaek is another popular ritual in South Korea that’s as social as it is flavourful. Succulent fried chicken and beer make a perfect pairing any night of the week. For less formal meals on the go, pick up a gimbap seaweed roll (absolutely do not call it sushi), or snack on tasty hotteok pancakes if you’re craving something sweet. To really immerse yourself in Korean cuisine and learn how to bring out those intense flavours, opt for a cooking class in addition to a foodie tour with a local.

Feeding your curiosity at Korea’s historic treasures

The royal palaces of South Korea are awesome monuments to the nation’s past, particularly the Joeson dynasty, which lasted an incredible 518 years. Five are located in Seoul, including the enormous Gyeongbokgung Palace, a complex comparable to Beijing’s Forbidden City. The Changing of the Guard takes place here twice a day at 10 am and 2 pm, but you’ll want to arrive early to avoid crowds. Changdeokgung Palace is the best preserved of Seoul’s five complexes, and is famed for its secret garden at the foot of Ungbong Peak. But be sure to experience everyday life in historic Seoul as well, paying a visit to the Bukchon Hanok Village, which preserves the era through its beautiful architecture. Visitors are warmly welcomed to wear a Hanbok, as it's a meaningful way to connect with Korea’s rich heritage and history.

Want to go back even further? Don’t miss Gyeongju, the capital of the Silla Dynasty, which predates the Joeson by several centuries. Gyeongju is like an open-air museum preserving this period, with its spectacular palace and royal tomb complexes and the Gyeongju National Museum.

Feeding your style through today’s Korea

South Korea’s transformation from a farming society to one of Asia’s economic and cultural tigers is just as impressive as its history. Movies, TV series, video games, fashion, technology… and oh yeah, the music. If you have anyone under 30 in your family, there’s a good chance you’ve heard some K-pop already, but if you’ve got a fan in tow, there are countless ways to indulge that fandom in Seoul and beyond. Take a tour to some of Seoul’s most fabled K-Pop sights such as K-Star Row, or try your moves at a K-Pop dance class if you’re feeling particularly brave.

Korean rapper PSY brought the Gangnam neighbourhood to worldwide fame with his hit ‘Gangnam Style,’ and even if you find the song (and dance!) a bit silly, Gangnam’s devotion to elevated style and high fashion is no joke. If you want to level up your look, this is the neighbourhood to visit. It’s also a major centre for creativity and the latest technology. Stop by the K Museum of Contemporary Art or Samsung d’light and let your imagination run wild. Of course, a tour of Gangnam can nicely sum up the neighbourhood in limited time, particularly if you’re not a big shopper.

Relax and recharge at a Korean Spa

While South Korea is famous for its cultural and technological exports, it might surprise you to learn that it’s Asia’s capital for high-quality skin care products. This makes a visit to a Korean spa—already a tempting indulgence—a must-do while you’re in South Korea. Known locally as a jimjilbang, a communal yet gender-specific space that blends wellness, relaxation, and social connection in a uniquely Korean way. Simply check in, change, shower, and explore the tubs and saunas at your leisure until you’re ready to spend some time chilling in your robe in the relaxation area. To enhance the experience, book a therapeutic massage or full-body scrub. Word to the wise, a Korean body scrub is an intense experience guaranteed to get the blood flow going, but it will leave your skin feeling a lot smoother and cleaner. Afterwards, recover with a glass of sweet sikhye, a traditional rice drink popular at many Korean spas.

How to plan your time in South Korea

South Korea makes a fantastic destination on its own, with many nonstop flights servicing Seoul from North America, or as part of a longer Asia tour. If it’s your first visit, Seoul is undoubtedly the place to start. Three days will give you enough time to explore its most famous palaces, take in the view from the iconic N Seoul Tower, and spend some time soaking up the energy of modern-day South Korea. A trip to the enigmatic Korean Demilitarized Zone will take half a day to a full day, depending on how much you want to see. Either way, it's only accessible to do this on an organized tour, since there are restrictions on sightseers.

With more than three days up your sleeve, venture out from Seoul to Gyeongju for a history fix, or beautiful Busan for a taste of port city life. Busan is where big city excitement bumps up against some of Korea’s best beaches, while the port gifts the city a delightful layer of urban grit and creativity. You can also tell any friends who love horror films that you took the train to Busan, just to see their reaction.

Finally, Jeju Island lies just south of the Korean Peninsula and is one of the country’s most alluring natural wonders. Besides its unique oval shape, this volcanic island sustains a thriving ecosystem of diverse plants with its nutrient-rich volcanic soils. Jeju is also famed for its marine environment, where cold and warm currents bring together a wide array of fish. Scuba diving is a popular pastime here, but you can also opt for some underwater sightseeing via submarine. A popular and uniquely Jeju sight is the ‘free-diving grannies,’ local women of a certain age who comb the waters for fresh, sustainable seafood, maintaining one of Jeju’s most cherished traditions.