Cherry blossoms, kimchi, and photo booths
My road trip in South Korea
Reading time: 4 min
Cherry blossoms, kimchi, and photo booths
My road trip in South Korea
Reading time: 4 min
Cherry blossoms, kimchi, and photo booths
My road trip in South Korea
Reading time: 4 min
Cherry blossoms, kimchi, and photo booths: my road trip in South Korea
Last year, I travelled through South Korea in April, from Seoul to Busan, passing through major cities, traditional villages and endless reed fields.
It is hard to sum up the entire journey in just a few paragraphs, as every single moment felt like a discovery, from simply ordering a bowl of kimchi jjigae to sharing warm conversations through translation apps in the middle of the countryside. Rather than describing the full itinerary, I chose to highlight one memorable moment from each stop and share it with you.
Jeonju
After the buzz of Seoul and a rather busy drive, Jeonju felt like a breath of fresh air. Yes, it is touristy, but undeniably charming. Jeonju brings together everything I imagined South Korea to be: cosy tea houses (do try the sweet potato milkshakes), photo booths filled with quirky costumes and souvenir shops ranging from handcrafted to delightfully kitsch. All of this is set within a hanok village seamlessly blended into a more modern urban landscape.
The cherry blossom on the cake was a walk through Wansan Chilbong Garden. Even though cherry blossom season was almost over, I still caught the last petals, and more importantly, the azaleas in full bloom, in shades of pink, red and white.
One last tip: instead of staying in a hotel, choose a beautiful hanok for a peaceful night in a traditional house near Cheongyeollu, and do not miss the bibimbap.
Suncheon Bay
Once in the south, the weather was not exactly on my side. I had to choose between visiting the national garden or the nature reserve with its vast reed fields. I opted for the latter. Wooden walkways wind their way through the reeds, observation towers allow you to spot local flora and fauna, and a short hike takes you up to the Yongsan Observatory with sweeping views over the bay.
At sunset, the landscape slowly changes colour and becomes simply magical. There are so few visitors that you almost feel alone among the reeds. Without a doubt, the most photogenic stop of my trip.
Due to the weather, I only stayed one day, but ideally you should allow at least two days to explore the different gardens, or even more if you plan to venture out to Nagan Eupseong Folk Village or Yeosu.
Busan
Busan cannot be summed up in one place or one feeling. Each neighbourhood has its own atmosphere. My advice: stay at least four nights, two around BIFF Square and two near Haeundae Beach, to truly experience the city by day and by night.
There are so many things I loved about Busan that it is hard to list them all. I usually kept mornings for the very popular sites such as Gamcheon Village and saved my afternoons for wandering through lesser known areas like Songdo Sky Park. In Haeundae, I visited the temple and the Sky Capsules early in the day, then enjoyed the beach and shopping later on.
And if shopping is your thing, head to Bupyeong Market and its covered stalls before making your way to the brightly lit streets of BIFF Square. A bonus for shop lovers: stores stay open until 10 pm and are often surrounded by tempting street food stands.
Seoul
I could write pages about temple visits, hanok neighbourhoods and secret gardens, or describe the changing of the guard, trendy districts and the best places for Korean barbecue. Instead, I want to tell you about the very last neighbourhood I explored almost by chance, one you will rarely find in guidebooks.
I am talking about Seongsu, in the eastern part of the capital. Here you will find Seoul Forest Park with its deer, lovely tea houses tucked away in the streets of Seoulsup and probably the only bakery serving a kouign amann as good as the ones in Brittany.
Mornings in Seongsu are calm and relaxed, while in the evening locals fill the streets in search of a good restaurant, especially around the Seoul Brewery area. During my time there, I wandered from Under Stand Avenue to the quirky Common Ground shopping complex, before stumbling upon a public pop up event and ending up at a mini fairground, surrounded by locals drinking soju from frog shaped bottles.
As you can see, South Korea is not just a trip. It is an emotional and immersive adventure where encounters with locals come naturally, and shared experiences shape the journey. Food plays a central role too, with restaurants open late into the night, countless street food stalls and cosy tea houses. You will often spot Koreans walking around with a cup in hand, and even cup holders at the entrance of shops. One last piece of advice before you go? Experience the destination now, before it becomes too popular.
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