Why visit South Korea?

If there is one destination that is quite shunned by Europeans, it is South Korea, more widely ignored in favor of its neighbor, Japan, which is much more popular. And it is true that I am the first, we cannot say that this country is really part of my "list" and my priorities.

Ironically, we were following this trip to South Korea while our previous trip was... to Japan! The comparison could therefore be made straight away. And it must be said, South Korea, although having similarities in terms of architecture, has its own character. Also borrowing from Chinese culture, it is both a mix and a culture in its own right, but in no way a pale copy of Japan, as we sometimes hear.

Personally, I didn't have any particular preconceptions about South Korea, but I wasn't particularly excited about the idea of ​​going there. So, it's the kind of trip that's ultimately interesting, because by leaving expecting nothing special, you have everything to discover.

Because we are not very interested in it, we mainly remember its recent history. First, with the annexation of Korea by Japan in 1910, then shortly after the Second World War, this terrible war which will see Korea remain split in two. However, it is a country with a thousand-year-old history and a kingdom which prospered on the peninsula in complete independence.

This is what I discovered when I stopped in Gyeongju, once the capital of the important kingdom of Silla, which left its mark on the kingdom a thousand years ago. Moreover, it must be admitted that our stay was clearly more focused on culture than landscape. Although we went from the north to the south of the country, from its capital Seoul (a capital that could also change place soon) to the coastal city of Busan, we were not able to admire the Korean landscapes too much.

The capital, Seoul, is interesting, which means that we spent almost half of our stay there! 4 days in total out of the 10 days spent in South Korea. There are old neighborhoods, royal palaces, temples and a rather pleasant setting, surrounded by mountains. We also came across this trendy fashion in Japan (which can also be seen in Thailand) of dressing in a traditional way on historical sites.

Although the country is not particularly big, I still recommend spending at least two weeks there. In our case, due to lack of budget we limited the time but we would have liked to include a visit to the volcanic island of Jeju, in the southwest of the country. Since the food is good there and we came back with a rather positive impression, it is not impossible that we come back to explore a little more the country called, "of the calm morning".

Here is a summary of some essential information to know before any trip to South Korea.

No. For European nationals, and for short stays, between 30 and 90 days depending on your nationality. For passport holders French, Belgian, Luxembourgish, Swiss, but also Moroccan, you can stay up to 90 days visa-free in South Korea. If you are Canadian, you will even be entitled to stay 180 days. On the other hand, you will only benefit from 30 days if you are Tunisian. For Algerians, as is often the case for you, it is necessary to apply for a visa in advance, you will find the address of the Korean embassy in Algiers here.

The requirement (valid for many countries) is to have a passport valid at least six months after the return date.

And for a stay of more than 90 days in South Korea?

For stay longer than 90 days, a visa is required and to request in advance. Depending on the approach, it is obvious that different types of visas will have to be requested. But since the blog is primarily focused on travel, in the leisure and tourism sense, I am not going to elaborate on all types of visas.

In France, you have a main embassy in Paris but also various honorary consulates in Lyon, Papeete, Marseille, Rouen whose addresses you have (as well as that of the Korean cultural center and several Korean language schools in France):

• Korean Embassy and Consulates in France

For general information, the following visas are distinguished outside of tourism:

• Student visa, with a distinction between general studies and language stays to learn the Korean language (either D-2 or D-4)
• Work visa for foreigners who want to work in South Korea. Note that with the D-2 student visa, it is also possible to work (up to 20 hours per week)
• Working holiday visa valid for young people under 30 who want to visit the country for a year while working in a company or taking training courses.

Since this latter type of visa has a direct connection with tourism, I can elaborate a little on the conditions of this particular visa.

The working holiday visa, how does it work?

This is what is more commonly called the Working Holiday Visa (the famous PVT, also called WHV for English speakers). It allows you to stay, as for other countries accepting this visa, for a maximum period ofyear. Normally it is a visa whose role is to allow you to visit a country, while being able to acquire professional experience by traveling in a foreign country.

The rules vary from country to country, but in Korea they are:

• OYou cannot accumulate more than 25 hours per week.
• There is a whole list of prohibited activities (hostess, dancer, musician, acrobat, which I think is to prevent foreigners from doing street shows legally) and professions whose professions are regulated (doctor, lawyer, teacher, pilot, etc.)
• It is possible to study Korean language with this visa, for all other studies then you need D-2 student visa instead
• Finally, there is a quota, set in Korea at 2 participants each year

Then there are the conditions specific to this type of visa, namely being at least 18 years old and less than 30 years on the date of filing of the application. You cannot make a request if you already have previously benefited from this type of visa for Korea (it is only possible to obtain a PVT for the same country once).

Among other conditions, it is obviously necessary to be residing in France at the time of request and not be accompanied by a parent during his stay.

Two other essential conditions for obtaining a visa are: take out medical insurance, valid for the duration of the stay, i.e. one year. It is also necessary own a round-trip ticket, and havea minimum deposit from € 2 on a bank account. One exception, however, if you do not plan a return flight to France (in the sense, do not want to take it on a specific date in advance), it is still possible to apply for a PVT, but you must then prove that you have the financial means for this purchase.

For more complete information, I refer you to this site which details the conditions for applying for a PVT in South Korea:

• PVT South Korea: tutorial and visa conditions

Coming to South Korea

Although there are no fewer than eight international airports in Korea, including two in Seoul (the main ones, Incheon International Airport and Gimpo International Airport), it is still quite unlikely that you will arrive anywhere other than through its capital Seoul.

Flight Paris – Seoul

To make this flight, there are two direct Korean companies, Asiana Airlines, the cheapest, and the main national company, Korean Air. You will also have the possibility of traveling with Air France.

Departures are then from Paris (CDG) and take at least 10h50 for the outward journey (12h30 for the return journey). So, to recap, in direct flight, you have :

• Air France, with flights starting from €930, the French national airline is often present for direct inter-country flights
• Asiana Airlines, South Korea's second largest airline, with attractive fares starting at €864
• Korean Air, a slightly more expensive alternative, starting at €1 when I did my test

If I go into a little more detail, with Air France, you have at least 2 daily flights, connecting CDG (Paris) – ICN (Seoul – Incheon). One at 13 p.m. and another at 21 p.m.

On the tarmac at Incheon Airport upon arrival.

To find more interesting rates, you will need to have at least one stopover, bringing the average journey time to 14 hours each way. But you can then find prices below €500, not bad considering the distance (after that it depends on the season of course).

Four companies stand out for their short stopovers and attractive prices:

• Turkish Airlines, Türkiye's national airline, with a stopover in Istanbul, is the cheapest, with a fare starting at €428.
• LOT, the national airline of Poland (which I didn't know about before writing this page...), available from €462 (with a stopover in Warsaw).
• KLM, a Dutch company (and partner of Air France), which operates the route from €470 (with a stopover in Amsterdam).
• Finnair, the national airline of Finland, which offers flights (with a stopover in Helsinki) from €508 (excluding baggage).

All these companies arrive at Incheon, an island 50 km from downtown Seoul. If Gimpo Airport, much closer to the center (about 10 km) and certainly more practical, the options are then more limited. It remains possible with two Japanese companies, Japan Airlines, with a stopover in Haneda (Tokyo), and ANA, also via Haneda in Tokyo. On the other hand, the prices are similar to those direct, with €805 at best for ANA and €882 for Japan Airlines.

The options are generally more limited than for other destinations in Asia (which shows that Korea is less attractive). The only other airline that I can mention and could have competitive rates is Lufthansa. The German company can be a good option, with a price that remains below 600 €, with a stopover in Munich remaining quite short.

Getting around in Korea

The country is not very big, less than 400 km in length and less than 300 km in width, it is quite easy to travel from one city to another without spending a lot of time in transport. Especially since the country is quite dense in terms of population (516 inhabitants per km²), which means that South Korea is generally well served, whether by bus or train.

We will also test these two means of transport, with the bus for the shortest journeys and the train for the longest. The railway network in South Korea, although reduced compared to its peak in the late 80s, still totals 3 km, of which about half are electrified (378 km). The trains of Korail, the national railway company (Korean National Railroad or KNR for short) are modern, comfortable, including a version of high-speed train, the KTX.

In the city, large cities like Seoul, Busan, Daegu and Incheon will have a subway, facilitating access to the various districts. This means that overall, taking a taxi is not really essential, although they will obviously be present in the big cities. There are 70 in Seoul alone, out of a total of 000 in the whole country.

To access sites outside the city centers, you will generally have city buses allowing these trips at a lower cost. Moreover, it is not the transport that will cost you dearly in Korea, in our budget it represents 17% of the total spent during this stay, the smallest amount after the budget for visits.

Buses and taxis galore in Seoul (in addition to the subway).

Overall, here is an Android app that was very useful to me during this stay in South Korea:

• • • South Korea map offline. The map is well detailed, includes visible bus stops and metro entrances. It helped me a lot to get my bearings by combining it with the GPS.

Road transport

City buses

We didn't need to take the city buses much. It was pretty intuitive because we mostly took them in areas where we had information in both Korean and English. This won't always be the case and that's where the subway comes in handy.

In Gyeongju however, I was pleasantly surprised by some of the bus stops, which are super convenient in terms of information, with digital displays of the bus lines passing there and their position before your stop.

However, Seoul's city buses are color-coded to help you navigate:

• Blue bus : they follow all the main lines of the capital.
• Green bus: They serve secondary lines and main metro stations.
• Yellow bus : they usually do circuits around certain main neighborhoods.
• Red bus : they connect with the neighboring suburbs of Seoul.
• Bus de nuit : explicit. These are specifically nocturnal lines.

How to use the buses and how much does it cost?

Generally speaking, you should know that in Korea, we validates his ticket by entering the bus, but we must not forget to do it also when going out!

The city where we used the bus the most was in Gyeongju, knowing that several sites were far from the center, and that there is no subway, it remained practical and easy to get around, and at a lower cost above all. To go for example to the Bulguksa temple, about fifteen kilometers from the center, it comes to 2 won per person or €000.

In general, the fares are similar to the metro, around 1 won for general buses. Some cities like Daegu have an express bus service that charges 1 won, or slightly more.

On a bus in Seoul.

Long distance buses (coaches)

The bus was our choice of transportation for medium distances. The type of bus will depend on the line and the length of the journey. For medium distances, what surprised me was the condition of the buses.

So no, I reassure you right away, these were not old rotten buses like you can sometimes find elsewhere in Southeast Asia in particular, but it is not as you might expect somewhere with a country like South Korea. I expected slightly more modern buses. However, given the distances traveled, it was more than enough and we can't say that it was uncomfortable. At least, we don't find ourselves crammed with loads of extra people, chickens or others, as can be the case elsewhere in Asia (to be taken with humor, it is not a criticism as such).

After that, only our experience remains, for fairly short and secondary lines. We distinguish concretely two types of buses, the express bus (gosok bus) and intercity bus (sioe bus) in South Korea. So it was rather the latter that we took. The express buses are a priori more "elaborate", with seats including an individual screen and USB sockets to charge your electronic devices.

The difference between express and intercity buses lies in the length of the routes and the importance of the cities connected.

Express buses (gosok bus)

They generally connect two major cities, with a direct connection to their destination (stopovers in a city along the way are rather rare). There are two types of express buses, which will not have the same prices, with on the one hand the normal, cheap buses and on the other, the "luxury" buses, which correspond more to what I briefly described above. Note that night buses have higher prices than buses running during the day.

Intercity buses (sioe bus)

These are the buses that connect small and medium-sized cities. These often include one or more stops in other cities before reaching their final destination. They are cheaper but obviously take longer. Non-stop buses are called "Mujeongcha (무정차, non-stop)" or "Jikhaeng (직행, direct line)".

Bus terminal in Gyeongju.

How to use the buses and how much does it cost?

We took the bus twice. This was the case between Andong and Gyeongju, which cost us 10 won (or €800) for a 140 km journey. We took the bus again straight away to reach our last stop, Busan, located 80 km from Gyeongju. In this case, you can find buses Kobus from 5 won only.

By the way, the only site I found (in English) to book in advance is the Kobus one:

• https://www.kobus.co.kr/main.do (by default it might appear in Korean, the language menu is at the top right)

Afterwards, it is not necessary to book in advance if you are not on holiday in Korea. By coming on the same day, you should find a place, after that it is better to avoid bookings at the last minute anyway to avoid disappointment.

Taxis in South Korea

As in all countries, you will have at least in the big cities, taxis available. But to say if public transport is generally largely sufficient, we did not, from my memory, take a taxi once in Korea. Similar to what happened in Japan, buses and subways were largely sufficient to cover our travels.

How to use taxis and how much do they cost?

Taxis can be taken both at dedicated terminals, at specific spots such as at the exit of train stations or bus terminals but also simply hail them in the street. To know if they are free, the taxi sign on the roof will be lit red.

Taxis are divided into 4 types:

• Ilban regular taxi : the basic taxi, therefore the cheapest. They are orange, white or sometimes gray.
• Deluxe taxi Mobeom : these are black taxis with yellow stripes on the sides. As the name suggests, they are of a higher standard than the classic taxi and the price of the trip will therefore be higher.
• Jumbo taxi : similar to the Toyota Innova or Fortuner that you sometimes come across in Bangkok, these are larger taxis, therefore accepting more people and luggage, practical if you are with family or in a group. They are generally black in color.
• International taxi : as the name suggests, these are taxis more dedicated to travelers, with drivers who speak English, Japanese or Chinese. They are similar to the deluxe ones, black in color with an orange stripe indicating "international", they are obviously more expensive than the classic ones too.

The prices are similar to those in France, so we obviously avoid them... In Seoul, the fare starts at 3 won (that is, €2,80, more than in Paris!) then 757 won per kilometer if there is no traffic (precisely, it is 100 won every 132 m). Another example, in Busan, the pick-up is 3 won for the first two kilometers, for a rate of 300 won per kilometer thereafter (700 won every 100 m), so it is cheaper.

An orange Seoul taxi passing by the Namdaemun South Gate (real name Sungnyemun). Since we didn't take taxis in Korea, I didn't take a proper photo...

A deluxe starts the race at 5 won and then applies a charge of 000 won every 200 meters. The night, you will have the usual 20% surcharge, effective between 23 p.m. and 4 a.m.. Depending on the type of taxi, the pick-up will also be higher. Expect to pay 4 won for a departure from Seoul at night.

Good to know

While researching to write this page, I came across this information, which surprised me for this country, but cruelly recalling the trend in Thailand, it is not uncommon to see a taxi refuse passengers. Some drivers refuse for example a trip because it is too short, or conversely, because the trip does not go too far and not in the desired direction while the latter is almost finishing his work day. There may even be a refusal to stop to pick up a foreigner hailing them, due to the fear of language problems... This type of behavior is punishable by law so I don't know if it is really common or not.

Among other random information that I can give on taking a taxi in Korea:

• You can find out an estimate of the prices via this site: Number Taxi Fare
• When boarding, make sure the meter is reset. You can ask for a receipt when you leave.
• Few drivers will speak English, better to have a map or better, the information written in Korean (you can ask your hotel in advance if you are planning a specific route in taxi).
• Most accept card payments, obviously cash too but also the famous T Money transport card can also be used.
• Tipping is neither customary nor expected. Drivers will always give change exactly. Unless extra service is provided, a 10% tip may apply.

Finally, I will mention an app for your smartphone to book taxis. If you are familiar with Grab, in Asia there is an equivalent in South Korea, Kakao T. You can download it from the Google Store on Android here: Kakao Taxi.

To tell you, I created an account on purpose to check whether the latter was available in English (this was not the case at the beginning). Creating an account is intuitive and quick, and you just have to change the language to English in the "settings", whereas by default, the latter is necessarily in Korean.

Screenshot of Kakao T app.

Car and bike rental

Car rental is always a possibility to have complete freedom of movement. When the budget allows, it's always a way to discover a country differently, a little more intimately somewhere. In addition, you won't be confused (easy pun) since in Korea, we also drive on the right. Afterwards, I don't know how driving is there and if it's easy to find your way outside the cities since for once, I haven't tested it. But the signs in town are in any case subtitled.

Administrative level, the international driving license is necessary and can be obtained from your prefecture by making an online request (it's free). Be careful because delivery times are sometimes very long (several months), so plan ahead if you plan to drive during your stay in Korea.

To rent, you can call on classic international rental companies such as Avis, Hertz etc. which are always safe bets in the event of disputes (although, no one is perfect). You also have local partners such as Lotte Rent-a-car, a sub-branch of Hertz a priori. I also saw that there is a car sharing system, in this case, I spotted two:

• • • Green Car: www.greencar.co.kr
    • So Car: www.socar.co.kr

Both sites are in Korean, which is a shame. Green Car specializes in electric cars, and we came across one at a terminal in Seoul, which made me discover this option. If ever, there is this site indicating information in English about this mode of transport.

About the bikes for rent, it is in Gyeongju that we will have the opportunity to test. At first by chance, because it was not specially planned, but on the way to our first place of visit, we passed in front of a shop. So we said to ourselves that it could be a good idea, because we would have more time to go around the old city.

By the way, they also had scooters for rent, but as it was more expensive, we settled for bicycles, we said to ourselves that it would be more practical anyway (and in any case, I didn't have an international license).

During our visit, we paid 7 W (just over €5) by bike for the day. They have a website, but only in Korean… gjbike.co.kr

Prices for scooters.

Otherwise here is their location on Gmaps:

Finally, as in many metropolises now (even in Bangkok, that's saying something), you can find self-service bicycles like Vélib. We've seen some in Seoul, and I wouldn't be surprised if there were some in other big cities. I haven't looked at the prices, but I imagine they must be affordable.

Given the traffic we saw, it seems quite feasible to ride a bike in the city. When I saw one, it was at the exit of the subway, which can be perfectly complementary to reach a given point without having to walk (we could have done it the day we reached the river by crossing the Bango bridge from the Gangnam district, it was still a bit of a trek).

Self-service bicycles in Seoul.

Rail transport: taking the train in South Korea

The railway network is quite efficient in South Korea. Fast, modern, it is a means of transport that remains cheap considering the distances covered and the equivalence to the TGV.

There are also normal trains, but with longer journey times. In the case of the Seoul – Andong route, it took 3 hours by KTX while a normal train will take around 8 hours. The reason being that in this case, the connection is not direct. But on other routes, when the KTX will take 2 hours and something, the normal train (which is called Saemaeul), will take roughly double, around 4 hours.

You can also take the "sea train", literally the sea train, if you go to the northeast coast of the country. Indeed, along the 58 km of coast between Gangneung and Samcheok (passing through Donghae), it is possible to take a small line dedicated to tourism to enjoy the wild landscapes of this coast, with seats actually arranged on the side, to face the sea.

Train categories in Korea

There are four types of trains in Korea, depending on the number of stops and their speed:

• mugunghwa  : This is the most common type of train in Korea, and the oldest (Mugunghwa has been in service since the 1960s). These local trains make stops at smaller stations than the KTX or ITX-Saemaeul trains.
• ITX-Saemaeul : These trains run on the Gyeongbu, Honam, and Gyeongjeon lines. ITX trains replace regular Saemaeul trains, at a slightly faster speed.
• Super Rapid Train (SRT) : As the name clearly suggests, these are "super" fast trains, which operate on the Gyeongbu and Honam lines from Suseo Station in Seoul (Gangnam district). Introduced in 2016, it has a top speed similar to the KTX.
• Korean Train Express (KTX) : The aptly named Korean Express Train, the KTX, entered service in April 2004. This high-speed train was designed to reach speeds of up to approx. 305 km per hour.

The different classes

On long-distance trains, mainly KTX, Korail offers a simple choice between two classes: THE standard and first class seatsFirst class offers rows of 3 seats (2+1, like in France) and 4 seats per row for standard class.

You will find vending machines selling snacks and drinks on the trains, clean toilets and comfortable seats. Some trains (KTX-Sancheon) even have revolving seats, allowing you to face the direction of travel regardless of the direction.

To buy a train ticket

If you are already there, just go to the ticket office at the station and give your destination and the desired time if there are several choices. There are also machines for express trains running around Seoul. This is particularly the case for the train connecting Incheon airport to the city center, very convenient since it runs directly into the city.

If you want to book online, it is possible up to one month in advance, not beyond. To do this, you first have the official websites:

• • • Letskorail.com for most trains
    • etk.srail.co.kr for the SRT

Map of KTX lines in South Korea. Chugun / CC BY-SA

How much does it cost ?

For Seoul – Busan route, count no more than 2h30 to cover the 325 km and a average price of 59 won (or €44). Overall, expect to pay between €50 and €100 depending on the class and the journey.

The Korail Pass

If you plan on seeing a large part of Korea by train, it is worth getting a Korail Pass, similar to the popular JR Pass in their neighbor Japan. In Korea, they offer passes from 2 days to 5 days.

• The 2 and 4 day passes do not need to be used on consecutive days, but within a limit of 10 days.
• 3 and 5 day passes must be used consecutively.

As for the prices, it ranges from 121 won (90 €) per adult (from 13 years old) for the 2 day pass and up 210 won (155 €) for the 5 day pass. In addition to the basic profitability, the pass allows you to reserve first class seats at 50% if you wish to benefit from an upgrade.

Book with 12GB

It is normally possible to book train tickets for Korea on this site, which is efficient for Asia and which I am a partner of. Otherwise, if there is no choice, you can look on the Trip.com site which sells Korail tickets: https://www.trip.com/trains/korail/

Taking the subway in Korea

To complete the part about the rails, Korea has a subway in several big cities, very practical to visit the main sites and move from one district to another (you will tell me, that's the goal). You will have subways in Seoul, Busan, Daejeon, Daegu and Gwangju.

The most complete is of course that of the capital, Seoul. Starting with a single 8 km line in 1974, the network now has 23 lines for an impressive total of more than 1 km. Which includes, it should be noted, the metropolitan area.

To give you an idea, here is a map of the Seoul network:

Impressive isn't it?

Afterwards you have a cleaner and more practical online version to help you find your way around this site: seoulmetro.co.kr

You have applications to help you (I only give the Android links because I don't use a Mac...):

• Seoul Subway Guide and Interactive Map, great app simple to know your journeys and stops for connections. You will also have an indication of the estimated time to make the journey, the distance and the fare. All in French, offline and free.
• Busan Metro Guide and Interactive Map, same as above for Busan city.

The Seoul metro is not entirely underground since some lines are similar to the Parisian RER. You can also reach incheon airport via the latter with AREX (the express train dedicated to the airport). The journey takes 45 minutes direct and costs 10 won (€350). You can also take the "All-Stop train" version, which costs half as much but will stop at every intermediate station, not great if you're in a hurry.

There is a train every 30 to 45 minutes if direct, every 5 to 15 minutes for All-Stop. Available from 5:23 to 22:48 from Incheon Airport and from 6:10 to 22:50 from Seoul Station. The train is equipped to place your luggage in dedicated locations.

As you would expect in Korea (and Asia in general), the subway is orderly and clean. You will find the directions in Korean and also always in English. The announcements of the next stops are themselves stated in no less than 4 languages ​​(Korean, English, Chinese and Japanese).

The only downside is, the frequency of the metro which would be on average every 4 to 6 minutes except during rush hour when you will have metros every 2/3 minutes.

Le metro is cheap since a basic ticket costs 1 won and 1 won if you use T Money card mentioned above, which is barely €1.

The timetables are fairly standard for a metro, namely, the first metros start at 5:30 a.m. and the last ones run between 23:30 p.m. and midnight depending on the stop and the line.

Check the signs carefully to find the right exit, as each station often has several directions to exit.

Shipping

Korea is an archipelago and is surrounded by sea, making it natural to have a network of seaports and ferry connections.

It is possible to connect Korea with China, Japan or even Russia for international connections but I will not particularly develop this part here, you will find all the information on the tourist office website: International Ferries in Korea. Knowing that many sites concerning transport companies are mainly in Korean or Chinese but more rarely in English, it may be preferable to inquire directly on site at the port concerned.

Near SeouThere are two of them, Incheon Port, and the port Pyeongtaek further south.

If you have the small island of Ulleung, 150 km off the coast of Donghae, on the east coast, it is above all Jeju Island or Jeju-do as it is locally called. It is the best known and most popular, including by the locals themselves. Jeju being a volcanic island, Koreans readily call it Little Hawaii, even if the name may seem a bit presumptuous. However, the island still looks very beautiful, with some beautiful reliefs and wild coasts. Which is why it is listed on the UNESCO Natural Heritage.

We regret not having had time to go there, but it was also to avoid "flying over" this island, and its neighbor, Udo, that we gave it a miss. We can spend more time there next time 😉

Typical ferry to Jeju Island. Korea.net / Korean Culture and Information Service (Photographer name) / CC BY-SA

Most ports in southern Korea allow you to reach Jeju-do. Especially from Busan, although it starts to get a bit far since it takes 12 hours to travel. Otherwise, it takes an average of 4-5 hours to reach Jeju Island, which is more than 80 km from the coast.

The nearest port is Wando, and with the Hanil Express company you can make the journey in just 1h20, with the Blue Narae ferry otherwise in 2h30. You can book on the Directferries website.

• Direct Ferries*

The advantage of ferries is first of all to enjoy the landscape, but also their reasonable cost, roughly around €35 ​​for the Wando – Jeju connection. It is also an opportunity to see other islands along the way like Chuja, north of Jeju, located between the continent and the latter. Finally, there is the possibility of being able to take a car, practical if you are on a road trip.

There are also quite a few connections from Mokpo, on the west coast.

Ferry boarding formalities

You must be in possession of a passport in process of validation or a residence permit to travel to the islands and take the ferries. embark a vehicle, plan 1 to 2 hours of margin before departure time to ensure you are part of the trip. If you are without vehicle, 40 minutes before departure suffice.

Please note that ticketing ends 10 minutes before departure and after the ticket offices close, even passengers who have booked will find themselves unable to receive their tickets and logically cannot board the ferry.

Air transport

As mentioned above, there are 8 international airports in South Korea that can serve as a landing point in the country, in order of importance (in terms of traffic):

• • 1. Seoul (Incheon International Airport – ICN)
    2. Jeju Island (Jeju International Airport – CJU)
    3. Seoul (Gimpo International Airport – GMP)
    4. Busan (Gimhae International Airport – PUS)
    5. Daegu (Daegu International Airport – TAE)
    6. Cheongju (Cheongju International Airport – CJJ)
    7. Muan (Muan International Airport – MWX)
    8. Yangyang (Yangyang International Airport – YNY)

There are otherwise 15 public airports in South Korea, seven more than the list above, some of which are busier than so-called international airports, such as Gwanju, which, with almost two million annual passengers, far exceeds Muan Airport and its 300 passengers. This recent airport is located between Gwanju and Mokpo, a coastal city from where it is possible to take a ferry to Jeju, by the way.) We can see that almost all the airports are located on the coast, with the exception of Wonju.

Again, in order of attendance, you have these possible cities and airports in South Korea:

1. 1. 1. Gwanju (Gwanju Airport – KWJ) — main airport in the southwest of the country
      2. Yeosu (Yeosu Airport – RSU) — port city in the south of the country
      3. Ulsan (Ulsan Airport – USN) — coastal city between Gyeongju and Busan, on the east coast
      4. Gunsan (Gunsan Airport – KUV) — small airport on the west coast, also used as a base by the US Air Force
      5. Sacheon (Sacheon Airport – HIN) — in the middle of the southern coast, it also serves the city of Jinju
      6. Pohang (Pohang Airport – KPO) — main port on the east coast, north of Gyeongju
      7. Wonju (Wonju Airport – WJU) — city in the heart of northern Korea, southeast of Seoul

As such, given the transport network mentioned just before, the train and buses should be more than enough. An internal connection will only really be necessary if you are in a hurry and even then, counting the time to check in luggage etc., it is not certain that you will be a winner (not to mention the CO2 generated for the planet, since it is current…)

Where it can be useful is to reach Jeju Island. If you do for example the same itinerary as ours, extending it from Busan, rather than taking a 12 hour ferry ride, it is possible to take a Busan – Jeju flight, with Jeju Air for example, for attractive return fares starting from €34 (with cabin baggage).

I was surprised myself when I took the step of looking at the different Korean companies, to find so many of them. In addition to the two main companies of the country already mentioned, Korean Air, the national company, and Asiana Airlines, there are a whole host of smaller companies. Some are subsidiaries of these two companies, others are independent, but remain confined to specific routes.

And in order of importance, depending on the number of destinations served, we find the following companies:

• Jeju Air

It is the first and largest independent low-cost airline in Korea and based, as the name suggests, on the island of Jeju. It serves a range of destinations mainly in Northeast and Southeast Asia and some in Oceania such as Guam, Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands) or the Gold Coast in Australia.

• Air Busan

It is a low cost subsidiary of Asiana Airlines.. On the same principle as its competitor, with the difference of being based, as the name indicates, in Busan, the company serves a few cities in Korea but also quite a few cities in China, including Hong Kong and Macao, a few in Japan, South-East Asia (mainly Vietnam) and even Russia (Vladivostok).

• T'Way Air

Formerly called Hansung Airlines, it is the 3rd largest low-cost airline in the country. It serves many destinations in Korea, Japan, China and Southeast Asia including Bangkok and Phuket. It also has two routes in Russia (Vladivostok and Khabarovsk) as well as flights to Guam and Saipan.

• Jin Air

Formerly Air Korea, it is a low-cost subsidiary of Korean Air.. It serves several major cities in Korea as well as international destinations, Japan, China and also Southeast Asia (including a connection to Bangkok) and as far as Hawaii.

• Eastar Jet

Based at Seoul's Gimpo Airport, this is another low-cost airline serving similar destinations to those mentioned above. It should be noted that this airline flies to Bangkok.

• Air Seoul

Another subsidiary of the Asiana company. It only leaves from Seoul or Jeju airports and serves a few destinations in Japan, China and a variety of destinations in Southeast Asia. I can mention Vietnam with Da Nang, Hanoi or Nha Trang but also Boracay in the Philippines, Siem Reap in Cambodia or Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia (on Borneo).

• Fly Gangwon

Small regional airline operating from Yangyang, a coastal city in the northeast of the country, with flights to Seoul (Gimpo) and Jeju.

• Hi Air

The latest addition to the list, it is a small regional airline based in Ulsan and serving only Seoul and Yeosu with its two ATR-72 aircraft.

With 17 million annual visitors, South Korea has no reason to be ashamed of its "performance", even if it is far from the 30 million tourists in 2019 in Japan and the 40 million in Thailand. Afterwards, South Korea depends mainly on regional tourism, with Chinese tourists at the top of the list (as everywhere) then the Japanese, accounting for more than half of the tourists. Moreover, Europeans are surprisingly absent from the ranking of the 12 nationalities mainly visiting South Korea (Thailand being 6 with half a million curious visitors).

As for hotels, there is a wide range, from guesthouses, hostels for small budgets to more classic hotels.

There are also unique accommodations in Korea, the Jjimjilbangs. Similar to the Onsens of Japan, Jjimjilbangs are Korean saunas. You're going to tell me what does this have to do with sleeping? It is actually a place dedicated to relaxation in general, and this can include a night there. The advantage being that it is normally inexpensive (less than €10). If you want to know more about these saunas, open 24/24, you have the good article on Korean Dream.

If you ever have to stay for a longer period, you could try a Goshiwon, a sort of mini studio with a price proportional to the size, limited.

Below I have listed the best hotels we tested during our stay in South Korea:

Do I need travel insurance?

Same remark as for other countries. Korea remains a generally safe country despite its belligerent neighbor, but 0 risk in general does not exist. As a result, travel insurance is always a plus to cover hospitalization costs and health expenses that can quickly become high without a proper assistance contract.

Health insurance will be particularly useful if you are going to Asia for several months, because in the event of a problem, basic credit card insurance only covers 3 months and often with limited conditions.

The maximum amount for healthcare costs covered by traditional credit cards may prove insufficient (around €10 compared to €000 for dedicated travel insurance) and these basic insurance policies generally do not cover civil liability.

I advise you ACS Travel & Expatriation Insurance Solutions.

I would like to point out that if you subscribe to the insurance via the link, I would receive a small commission. This is a simple way to help keep the site running, as insurance is preferable anyway and will therefore be beneficial to both you and me.

What vaccines and what do I need to know for my health?

This section is similar to the one on Japan, South Korea does not pose any particular hygiene concerns and encounters fewer mosquito-related diseases, so there is no compulsory vaccination as such.

As always, be up to date with your standard vaccinations (DTP for adults, MMR for children). Afterwards, it is mainly depending on the conditions of your trip that certain vaccinations could be recommended.

Recommended vaccines:

• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Typhoid fever
• Japanese encephalitis (especially if staying in rural areas)

Although malaria treatment is not necessary in South Korea, there is one area that is listed as at risk. This is the northern part of the country, specifically rural areas in the northern part of Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces (including the infamous DMZ).

Another notable concern that can be encountered in South Korea is air pollution. Not due to the country itself but rather to the wind bringing back fine particles from its neighbor, China. This is particularly the case in spring, with the phenomenon known as "yellow winds". This is a phenomenon combining dust and polluted particles, which are loaded from the Gobi Desert and fly over Korea at this time of year, which can cause respiratory problems.

To find out about air quality, here is a site, which works for the whole world:

• Air Quality Index

Hygiene in South Korea

Hygiene conditions are good in Korea and should therefore not pose any particular problems from this point of view. LThe conditions are similar to Europe. Everything is well washed, packaged, it is unlikely that you will experience stomach problems in Korea (even if the risk 0 does not exist once again). The general hygiene rules therefore remain in force!

• Wash your hands frequently before each meal (possibly with an antimicrobial solution since it is used without water).
• Meat and fish/shellfish must be thoroughly cooked before consumption.

For your safety

Apart from possible tensions at the border, which I would like to point out is that South Korea is "technically" still in a state of war with its northern neighbour, there are few problems with regard to the safety of travellers. It is also unlikely that you will encounter theft, assault or even scams.

Risk areas

However, several risks can be distinguished in South Korea:

• Typhoons. South Korea, like its neighbor Japan, is at risk of typhoons from July to September. The risk is higher in the south of the country than in the capital, Seoul, which will only experience heavy rain and a few good gusts. But the risk elsewhere is also linked to the essentially mountainous aspect of the country. Heavy rainfall can then cause landslides, mudslides or flash floods.
• The seismic risk. Although it is much less exposed than its neighbor, South Korea can still experience medium-sized tremors. This is particularly the case towards the southeast coast, towards Ulsan.

Bad weather in Busan.

Emergency numbers –

• Police: 112
• Firefighters / Ambulance: 119

To deal with possible communication problems, the Korean authorities (more precisely the National Emergency Management Agency or NEMA) have set up an application called " Emergency Ready app » available in English on Android and the Apple Store. It is used to stay informed about safety risks and facilitate communication with emergency and rescue services. The app also contains information such as teaching users how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

In addition to this, you have a single telephone number (1588-5644) for a volunteer service who can act as interpreters for all procedures.

Finally, proof is that South Korea attaches importance to its tourism since, just like Thailand, it has set up a tourist police.

• South Korea Tourist Police Website

Hospital in Seoul with French-speaking practitioner

• Dr. Jin-Ju OK
  Seoul St. Mary's Hospital (Seocho-gu)
  International Medical Center:
  Tel: (02) 2258-5745 or 2258-5746

French Embassy in South Korea :

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs website on South Korea

Here is a map to locate and summarize all the destinations and places of interest in South Korea:

Currency in Korea:  the South Korean won, which is transcribed like this ￦ has been in use since 1962. The latter had briefly been replaced between 1953 and 1962 by the hwan, following significant inflation, not stemmed by the change of currency. The term Won, is similar to the Chinese Yuan or the Japanese Yen, originally written with the same character which simply means "round".

The banknotes and coins currently in circulation in South Korea are as follows:

• notes: 1, 000, 5 and 000 ￦
• coins: 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 and 500 ￦

The division of notes and coins is similar to that of Japan despite a ratio of 10 (1 ￦ = 10 ￥). By rounding, tell yourself that a 1 ￦ coin corresponds to 1/1250th of a euro… Suffice to say that similarly in Japan, it is difficult to know what to do with the small change that accumulates… The values ​​of the other coins range up to a little less than €0,4 for the 500 ￦ coin.

It is easy to understand why the value of the notes issued by the Bank of Korea climbs to 50 ￦, which are ultimately not even worth €40 (€37 in 2020). It's not easy with this report to simplify the mental calculation and find your way around the amounts displayed. But to get as close as possible, you must first not "take into account" the three zeros. To get closer to the value in euros, subtract 25 % to this figure. This remains quite easy since it corresponds to 1/4 less of your starting value.

An example, you see something at 75 ￦ (yes, that seems like a lot, huh!), so that makes 75-25%, or 75-75/4 (or 18,75) = €56,25.

Overall, hotels are quite expensive, as in North Asia and similar to Japan although proportionally lower. Below, I summarize the price range found in South Korea:

SOME POINTS OF REFERENCE:

• • • For guesthouses, in dormitories, expect to pay around 9 to 000 ￦ (15-000 €) if you are alone.
    • For hotels with single rooms and private bathrooms, expect to pay at least 30-000 ￦ (60-000 €)
    • For a more cosy range, it varies greatly, since it goes from 60 to 000 ￦ (120-000 €)
    • To have a luxury hotel, it goes up to 150-000 ￦ (250-000 €)

Korean food has the merit of being rather cheap, even if I criticize it for sometimes not being filling enough (but it depends on the dishes and restaurants obviously). For a more substantial meal, we quickly arrive at prices similar to those in Europe.

SOME POINTS OF REFERENCE:

• • • A bottle of water (0.5 litre) costs on average 800 ￦ (0,6 €)
    • A basic meal costs on average 8 ￦ (€000) per person
    • For a slightly more elaborate meal, expect to pay 20-25 ￦ (000-15 €) per person.
    • Coffee: 4 ￦ (3 €)
    • A 0,5 litre local beer – 4 ￦ (€000)

Transportation is definitely cheap compared to neighboring Japan. At least locally, city buses, subways, and even taxis are surprisingly cheap in Korea.

The most expensive thing was the train ride back from Busan to Seoul, the longest distance covered in one go. Using the famous Korean fast train, the KTX, the prices are immediately higher than by bus, even if it remains reasonable given the service and the time spent. What we didn't have to do, but also turns out to be quite expensive, is to rent a car, which here, oddly enough, is more expensive than in Japan, from the test I did out of curiosity.

SOME POINTS OF REFERENCE:

• • • Car rental: expect 70 ￦ / day (000 €)
    • Gasoline: around 1 ￦ / liter (€550)
    • Bus: for intermediate journeys, expect to pay 10 ￦ (000 €) per person
    • For city buses and metro (local routes), on average 1 ￦ per trip (300 €)
    • Taxi: depending on distance, 7 to 700 ￦ (12 to 000 € for around 6 to 8 km)
    • Train journey, example Busan – Seoul, 56 ￦ (000 €) per person
    • Korail Pass: 121 to 000 ￦ (210 to 000 €) for 89 to 155 days

Any opinions, suggestions? Leave me a comment!