Itinerary choices: Jeonju, Hahoe, Gyeongju, Suncheon Bay Nature Reserve, Boseong...

Hi everyone,

I’m planning a 3-week solo trip to South Korea in April/May 2025. Here’s my current wishlist on the map—I need to check how realistic it is.

Questions: The DMZ: I haven’t planned to go, and I’m struggling to see the appeal. What do you think? Jeju: I’m on the fence about Jeju. It seems like the *place to be*, but I’m not sure what makes it so charming or what’s really a must-do there?

On my map, I’m hesitating about Hahoe. I’m definitely going to Jeonju because there are several sites in that area. For Hahoe, I’m unsure because I’d need to stop overnight and arrange transfers between Andong and Hahoe. Is Hahoe the same as Jeonju? (Hanok village)—if so, I’ll skip Hahoe.

Last question: In the south, there are lots of sites that interest me, but I’m wondering about transportation. Can I stay in one place for several days and do day trips to each site? Is that possible with buses?

Anyway, thanks in advance for your tips! Sabrina

I highly recommend Jeju in the spring for walks because the island gets covered in azaleas. If you're not too early and the hydrangeas are in bloom, it's magical. And there are so many beautiful landscapes to see. The food is also really good. However, plan a few days because the island is large and buses are less frequent.

Hahoe is what they call a folk village, a traditional village preserved from the Joseon era, with many thatched houses. Families still live there. Jeonju is very touristy; you need to get off the main streets. Gyeongju has much more charm—I recommend staying several days to visit the many ruins and temples. A hike on Mount Namsan in Gyeongju is also a must because of the numerous statues and bas-reliefs that reflect the state Buddhism of the Silla kingdom.

For the south, you’ll also need to allow time because traveling between distant sites is complicated.

Thanks for the feedback! 🙂

I’ll have to make some tough choices. Here’s the map of what didn’t make the cut: Hahoe is the only site I’ve spotted in that area, and I’m wondering if I’ll really make that stop—it seems pretty time-consuming. I’ll keep researching transportation for the south. Maybe that’ll help me decide.

My trip dates are April 24 to May 14. There’s a festival on May 4/5 and Buddha’s Birthday is also happening. For cherry blossoms, it’ll be a bit late, but we’ll see about the rest.

Do all these stops match what you planned to do? If so, it does seem like a lot. Oh, the lantern parade in Seoul for Buddha’s birthday is an absolute must! If it doesn’t rain...

Yes, those were the sites I’d bookmarked. So, I’ve got to make some choices. For the folk villages, I’m keeping Jeonju, even though it’s very touristy. It’s a place where I can easily explore the surrounding area. Here’s the plan: Seoul from the 24th to the 28th, Gyeongju from the 28th to May 2nd, Busan on May 2nd/3rd (take the boat to Jeju-do), Jeju for Buddha’s Birthday (I won’t be able to be in Seoul) from the 3rd to the 6th. That leaves me a week to visit sites in the south and Jeonju before heading back to Seoul for my departure. Doable?

Hello,

South Korea (CDS) may be a small country, but it’s packed with points of interest. Even if you narrow it down, it’s impossible to see everything in just one trip—unless you’re staying for a long time.

My first trip was back in 1998, and I still have wonderful memories of it. I returned in spring 2024 and spent 10 days on Jeju Island (renting a car is a must, in my opinion—an international driver’s permit is required). I used Jeju City and Seogwipo as my bases. Nicknamed the "Korean Hawaii," the island is stunning, with temples, historical sites, hikes, and beaches. The islet of Udo on the far east side is really nice. After a week in Seoul, it was a great change of pace—there’s so much to see! This getaway was perfect for reconnecting with the country, especially since it was cherry blossom season.

I went back again after mid-August and rented a car for the entire trip. This time, I focused on the east and southeast coasts. I started in Suwon, then visited Nami Island, Sokcho, and Seoraksan Park. The DMZ in Goseong was fascinating (though time was limited, and there was some paperwork to fill out). After that, I went to Gangneung, Samcheok, Andong (including the Hahoe Village), Gyeongju, Busan, Daegu, Haeinsa Temple, and finally back to Incheon. All of that in 14 nights—great timing!

Here’s the breakdown: Incheon Airport / 1 night Suwon / 1 night Seoraksan Park / 2 nights (via Nami Island on the way) Gangneung / 1 night Andong / 2 nights Gyeongju / 2 nights Busan / 3 nights Daegu / 1 night Incheon / 1 night (via Haeinsa Temple)

I’m heading back in September and will focus on the west and southwest coasts, again with a rental car. Here’s the plan this time:

Incheon Airport / 1 night Daecheon / 1 night Buyeo / 1 night Jeonju / 2 nights Gwangju / 1 night Mokpo / 4 nights Suncheon / 1 night Yeosu / 1 night Namhae / 1 night Tongyeong / 1 night Jirisan Park or nearby / 1 night Gongju / 1 night Incheon / 1 night

This should give you an idea of the sites to see and the timing. As I often say, unfortunately, "Choosing means giving something up :("

All in all, these three trips have given me a pretty good overview of the country. But I’ll definitely be going back—you can easily improvise once you’re there, and there are plenty of spots not listed in guidebooks that must be amazing!

Hello! We’re planning a 3-week trip to South Korea in August. I see you’ve been there during that time—what’s the weather like? Can you do short hikes and beach trips? Which area would you recommend?

I’ve looked online for traveler accounts in August but haven’t found any. Websites say it’s hot and humid, but that’s fine for us since we’re used to traveling in Asia during this season.

Thanks so much for your feedback!

Hi there,

Yeah, it's hot and humid. The issue is that it's getting harder and harder to predict the weather in South Korea because it's a country heavily affected by climate change. Summer is monsoon season. It can rain a lot, sometimes causing floods. Jeju and the southern coast can be hit by typhoons.

What do you want to see in Korea? Big cities? More countryside? For beaches, there are some really beautiful ones on the east and southeast coasts and on Jeju. For hiking, there’s plenty everywhere, even in Seoul with some great viewpoints.

Hi there, thanks so much for your quick reply! I’m just starting to plan the trip (I know, it’s late...). We’d love to see cities but also nature, with short hikes and some peace and quiet. I’ve heard Busan and Gyeongju are must-sees. One thing’s for sure: we won’t be renting a car. With the monsoon, are hikes still doable? Is there a region (or regions) that might have better weather?

Yes, Gyeongju is amazing! And there are some great hikes on Mount Namsan (yes, same name as in Seoul). Not far from Gyeongju, you’ve got the beaches in Pohang. For Busan, make sure to plan several days if you’re without a car—the city is really spread out.

As for hikes during the monsoon, unfortunately, it’s impossible to predict. The rains started early this year, so maybe it’ll be over soon.

Thanks so much for your feedback! It’s a bit of a relief to know we’ll be able to enjoy some beaches and nature. I’ll try to plan our trip this weekend!

Don’t hesitate—I live in Korea part of the year.

Hello,

In August, it was hot—even really hot—especially in Hahoe with high humidity. There was half a day of rain, but it didn’t bother me since I was in a car. Even though the weather changes, June and July are much more humid.

For hiking, Seoraksan Park in the northeast and Hallasan on Jeju Island are must-sees. On Jeju, I recommend renting a car (an international driver’s permit is required, and the processing time in France is often very long) to be independent and save time. Otherwise, you can hike almost anywhere, and there are other parks like Maisan and Jirisan in the southwest, where I’m heading in September.

For the "beaches" part, I’ll be passing through the west coast in September, so I won’t talk about them yet.

Haeundae in Busan is well-known—long and wide with a great evening atmosphere. Just be aware that swimming is prohibited before sunrise and after sunset. So even in the evening when it’s hot, it’s pool time at the hotel, not the beach.





Songjeong Beach, near Haeundae, is also nice;



On the east coast, there are quite a few, like in Gangneung;





Take inspiration from what I noted in post 6 here for itinerary ideas, but adapt it using trains and buses. This site is useful for that:

Rome2Rio: discover how to get anywhere in the world

The most urgent thing is to book your flights if you haven’t already. For accommodations, no worries unless you want to stay inside the parks, where options are limited. For Seoraksan, you can stay in Sokcho, right next door—a town that has some nice surprises in store.

Hi there,

I just found this, which might help you out:

Hello,

Thanks so much for all your tips! We bought our tickets this weekend and are going to start planning our itinerary 😊 We won’t be renting a car, so we’ll do our best to manage without one.

Hi there,

Go for the trains—they’re spotless and always on time. Buses work well too, but there’s always the risk of traffic jams, especially around Seoul and Busan.