Korea beyond Seoul
Every region worth the trip south — coastal cities, ancient capitals and food towns most tours skip. Browse as a list or explore on the map.
Busan
Korea's coastal capital
- Haeundae Beach
- Gamcheon Culture Village
- Jagalchi Market
- Haedong Yonggungsa temple
- Gwangalli & Gwangan Bridge
Gyeongju
The museum without walls
- Bulguksa Temple
- Seokguram Grotto
- Daereungwon Royal Tombs
- Wolji Pond at night
- Cheomseongdae observatory
Jeonju
Where locals actually go
- Hanok Village
- Bibimbap birthplace
- Gyeonggijeon Shrine
- Nambu night market
- Makgeolli alleys
Yeosu
Korea's night-sea city
- Maritime cable car
- Odongdo Island
- Dolsan night view
- Hyangiram hermitage
- Fresh seafood
Gangneung
East-coast beaches & coffee
- Gyeongpo Beach
- Anmok coffee street
- Jumunjin port
- East Sea sunrise
- 2018 Olympic city
Andong
Living Confucian heritage
- Hahoe Folk Village
- Mask dance festival
- Andong jjimdak
- Byeongsan Seowon
- Woryeonggyo Bridge
Geoje
Island of cliffs & garden coves
- Oedo Botania island
- Windy Hill
- Haegeumgang sea cliffs
- Sinseondae viewpoint
- Coastal cafes & cruises
Namhae
Rice terraces & a German village
- Gacheon Darangyi rice terraces
- German Village
- Boriam sunrise
- Sangju silver-sand beach
- Coastal drive
Tongyeong
Gateway to the island sea
- Mireuksan cable car
- Dongpirang mural village
- Hallyeo island ferries
- Chungmu gimbap
- Skyline luge
Ulsan
Sunrise capes & sea cliffs
- Ganjeolgot sunrise cape
- Daewangam Park
- Taehwagang bamboo grove
- Jangsaengpo whale village
- Yeongnam Alps
Hadong
Tea country by the Seomjin
- Ssanggyesa Temple
- Green tea fields
- Hwagae blossom road
- Seomjin River
- Hwagae Market
More places to explore
Smaller towns and day-trip spots worth building into a southern or east-coast route.
Chuncheon Dakgalbi: How to Eat Korea's Best Spicy Chicken Stir-Fry
Dakgalbi was invented in Chuncheon, and a plate cooked on the original iron pans still beats every version you've had in Seoul. Here's how to order it.
Danyang: The Riverside Adventure Town Chungcheong Keeps to Itself
Danyang packs a cliffside skywalk, limestone caves, river peaks and garlic-everything food into a two-hour trip from Seoul most travelers never make.
Jeju Black Pork and Seafood: What to Actually Eat on the Island
Jeju's food is its own thing — smoky black pork, abalone porridge, and whatever the haenyeo divers pulled up that morning. Here's what to order and where.
Suwon Hwaseong: The UNESCO Fortress Day Trip Seoul Skips
Suwon's 18th-century fortress wall rings the old city for nearly six kilometers, and it's under an hour from Seoul. Here's how to walk it and what to eat.
Udo Island: Jeju's Best Day Trip, and How to Actually Do It
A short ferry off Jeju's east coast, Udo is a flat little island of black-and-white beaches, stone walls and peanut ice cream, made for a slow cycling loop.
Seongsan Ilchulbong: How to Climb Jeju's Sunrise Peak
Jeju's UNESCO-listed sunrise crater is a steep 20-minute climb for one of the best coastal views in Korea. Here's when to go and how to skip the crowds.
Damyang: A Bamboo Forest, a Tree Tunnel and Korea's Best Short-Rib
An hour from Gwangju, Damyang packs a dense bamboo forest, a famous metasequoia road and some of the country's best tteok-galbi into one easy slow-travel day.
Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival: Korea's Biggest Spring Bloom
Every spring the naval town of Jinhae disappears under hundreds of thousands of cherry trees. Here's when it peaks, the spots worth the crowds, and how to actually get in.
Mokpo: Korea's Underrated Gateway to the Southwest Islands
A working port at the end of the line, Mokpo has a long marine cable car, a hill of harbor views, colonial-era streets and the country's boldest seafood — and almost no foreign visitors.
Pohang & Homigot: Korea's Sunrise Coast and a Giant Steel Hand
A steel city with a surprising soft side: the country's most famous sunrise cape, a walkable roller-coaster sculpture and winter's oddest delicacy, all on the far east coast.
Suncheon Bay: Korea's Great Reed Wetland & Garden City
One of the world's largest coastal reed wetlands, a national garden, and a golden S-curve sunset most foreign visitors never see — all in one southern city.
Sokcho & Seoraksan: The East Coast in Two Days
A practical plan for Sokcho and Seoraksan: how to get there, the cable car and hikes, when the foliage turns, and what to eat.
Gongju & Buyeo: A Day Trip Into Korea's Baekje Kingdom
Two quiet Chungcheong towns hold the tombs, fortress and temple sites of the ancient Baekje kingdom. Here's how to see the best of both in a day.
How to Use a Korean Jjimjilbang Without Embarrassing Yourself
A first-timer's guide to Korea's 24-hour bathhouses: what to do at the door, the naked-bath etiquette nobody explains, and why locals sleep here.