SOUTH KOREA

South Korea officially the Republic of Korea is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Peninsula. The name Korea is derived from Goryeo, a dynasty which ruled in the Middle Ages. It shares land borders with North Korea to the north, and oversea borders with China to the west and Japan to the east.

South Korea is a stark contrast to North Korea. South Korea is warm and welcoming, industrialization has taken place at a rapid pace but the Koreans retain their heritage and are fiercely proud of their culture. Both countries are beautiful, with mountains, lakes, and rivers; and, combined with the fact that they’re chockfull of beautiful old temples, palaces and monuments it’s hardly surprising that Korea- and more specifically South Korea- is an attractive destination for many tourists. Seoul is a city on the fast track – soaring skyscrapers abound and everyone seems to be in a rush. Further afield in contrast is the slow paced and steeped in ancient tradition with its shrines and beautiful temples.

So come and explore South Korea and be charmed by its friendly hospitable people, its sights and sounds.

Capital: Seoul

Best time to visit:

  1. The best time to visit most of Seoul is during the autumn- the air is crisp, the weather’s sunny and neither too hot or too cold, and the country’s at its most beautiful- a million shades of red and gold and brown cloak the trees, and it’s perfectly spectacular.
  2. Spring too is lovely, but the only drawback is that it’s also the most popular time for tourists to hit the country, and you may have a bad time finding reasonable accommodation.
  3. Whatever you do, don’t time your trip in summer- it’s hot, humid, overcrowded (and subsequently at it’s most expensive), and there’s a persistent danger of cyclones.

Min Days Required:4 Days

Places of Interest:

1) Seoul – Myeongdong , N- Seoul Tower, Lotte World, Namsam, COEX Mall, Namdaemun, Bukhansan,            Deoksugung, National Folk Museum of Korea, Deoksugung

2) Incheon – Muuido, Baengnyeong Island, Yeongjong Island, Manisan

3) Sokcho – Seorakshan National Park, Abai Village

4) Daejeon – Sikjangsan Mountain Forest,Mount EXPO Park,Yuseong Spa,

5) Jeju Island– Manjanggul Lava-tube, SeongsanIlchubong,Seongeup Folklore Village, Mt Halla

Climate:

  1. South Korea, thanks to its northern location, has a relatively temperate climate, with four distinct seasons. Although spring and autumn are fairly brief, pleasant, sunny weather and beautiful country scenes mark them.
  2. Summers are usually hot and humid (the temperature goes as high as 35? C) and are marked by heavy monsoon rains. July is the wettest month, with average monthly rainfall going as high as 369 mm.
  3. Winters, on the other hand, are long, dry and pretty cold- temperatures dip as low as -15? C, and are marked by cold blasts of air from Siberia

Currency: South Korean Won

Things to carry:

  1. Summers in South Korea can be hot and muggy, so cotton (or other light fabrics) are best.
  2.  Winters, on the other hand, can be very cold indeed, so you should be well equipped with woollens. Carry something warm during spring and autumn too- crisp weather can sometimes turn chilly.

How to get there:

Air

  1. South Korea, is well connected with the rest of the world. Nearly all the major International airports across the world have flights (many of them direct) linking them to Korea.
  2. South Korea has 7 International airports: Busan (Gimhae Airport), Cheongju, Daegu, Jeju, Muan, Seoul (Gimpo Airport and Incheon International Airport).