15 Things to Do in South Korea

The Joseon dynasty's main palace — grand ceremonial halls surrounded by mountain backdrop, with the daily royal guard-changing ceremony in full period costume. Ten minutes' walk uphill, Bukchon Hanok Village's curved-tile rooftops and narrow lanes lined with traditional courtyard houses feel centuries removed from the city below.

For two weeks in late March to mid-April, Korea erupts in pink — Yeouido Hangang Park, Gyeongju's historic sites and Jinhae's navy base (the most spectacular display in Asia) transform under a canopy of cherry blossoms. The Jinhae Gunhang-je Festival draws 200,000 visitors in a single week for good reason.

Korea's subtropical island — a UNESCO Triple Crown destination (World Natural Heritage, Global Geopark, Biosphere Reserve) with Hallasan volcano at its centre, lava tube caves, tangerine orchards and haenyeo (free-diving grandmother fisherwomen who have worked these waters for centuries).

The most heavily fortified border on earth — a 4km-wide strip separating South Korea from North Korea, where you can peer into the hermit kingdom through binoculars at the Joint Security Area. The absurdist theatre of two guards facing each other in eternal silence, metres apart, is an experience that lingers.

Seoul's oldest traditional market — wooden stalls serving bindaetteok (mung bean pancakes), mayak gimbap (addictive sesame rice rolls called 'narcotic' for their flavour), raw beef yukhoe and tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes). The market vendors have worked the same stalls for generations.

Korea's most dramatic mountain landscape — granite peaks, temple valleys and autumn foliage that turns the entire park into a cascade of red, orange and gold from late September. The cable car to Gwongeumseong Fortress and the hike to Ulsanbawi Rock are Korea's finest mountain experiences.

The Joseon dynasty's grand ceremonial palace with daily guard changing, combined with Bukchon's hillside of centuries-old hanok tiled houses — Seoul's most photographed neighbourhood and the city's clearest connection to its pre-industrial past. Rent a hanbok to wear while you explore; many sites offer free entry to visitors in traditional dress.

Korea's subtropical island paradise — UNESCO triple heritage, Hallasan volcano hikes, lava tube caves, diving haenyeo grandmothers and black-sand beaches. Seongsan Ilchulbong (Sunrise Peak) crater rim at dawn is the island's most spectacular viewpoint.

Myeongdong's street snack vendors, Gwangjang Market's raw beef and bindaetteok grandmothers, Noryangjin Fish Market at midnight and Dongdaemun's 24-hour food scene — Seoul runs on food, all hours, at every price point. A Michelin-starred city where the legendary meals cost ₹300.

Korea's most dramatic mountain park turns blood-red and gold in late September — cable car to Gwongeumseong Fortress, forest trails past Buddhist temples and granite peaks that could be from a classical ink painting.

The best-preserved hanok district in Korea outside Seoul — 700 traditional houses, an entire street of makgeolli (rice wine) bars and the birthplace of bibimbap. Jeonju's version, served in a stone pot with 30 toppings, is the definitive interpretation.

Zaha Hadid's 86,000 sq metre curved-steel landmark in Seoul — a 24-hour fashion and design district where the city's most innovative retail, exhibitions and night markets converge in an alien architectural form that you'll recognise immediately.

A mountain temple holding 80,000 wooden printing blocks of the entire Buddhist canon — the most significant collection in East Asian Buddhism, carved in the 13th century and perfectly preserved in natural-ventilation wooden halls.

Korea's coastal city — Haeundae Beach, the colourful Gamcheon Culture Village, Haedong Yonggungsa seaside temple and the Jagalchi fish market (largest in Korea) where you choose your seafood live and eat it 10 minutes later.

The world's most fortified border — guided tours include the Third Infiltration Tunnel (dug by North Korea), the JSA observation point and the eerie Peace Bridge. One of the most sobering and fascinating geopolitical experiences available to tourists anywhere.