South Korea is a country that is perfect to travel through with your backpack! Although Japan or China perhaps be visited more often by the large hordes of tourists; South Korea certainly has a lot of beautiful things to offer. Not only is there fantastic nature (they even have a wonder of the world), but the culture is also fascinating and unique. In this blog we list the top 10 for backpacking in South Korea!
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1. A road trip across world wonder Jeju
Rightly declared one of the seven natural wonders of the world: Jeju. The island, Jeju Do in full, has active volcanoes, waterfalls, remote bounty beaches and underground lava tunnels. An absolute highlight; We immediately rent a car to travel to all corners of the island. On to the adventure!
In our Kia Ray, a typical Asian square family car that is small on the outside but large on the inside, we take a tour along the entire coast of the island. Further down the list, Jeju comes along a few more times, but I will give you one of the most beautiful beaches: Hyeop-Jae. The sand is whiter than white and the water bluer than blue, with some volcanoes in the background. Because of these types of views, Jeju is also called the Hawaii of Asia.
2. Bukhansan and Mount Ansan: breathtaking view of metropolis Seoul
Most of the sights and the heart of Korean history, culture and tradition are located around the capital, Seoul. The town is located in a valley with a number of high mountain peaks in the area. So we can start with a look from above! If you go backpacking in South Korea, the capital Seoul is the place to be.
In the north of the city we climb the highest mountain in the area, called Bukhansan, and after a tough walk we emerge high above the clouds. This gives us a glimpse into the rugged nature in the mountains of South Korea. A day later we climb another mountain, Mount Ansan, which is closer to the center. The view we have there really exceeds every expectation. When the sun sets and the lights come on, we realize that this is one of the most beautiful views we have ever seen.
3. Haedong Yonggungsa, Busan’s temple at sea
The temple that we find at number 3 is very special, but the road to it also contributes to the status of this attraction. You walk across an abandoned train track to a remote corner of the city. Especially in the beginning, we check a few times to see if a train is not secretly arriving. You might accidentally take the wrong train tracks and get the high-speed line to Seoul tattooed on your back. No, the walk is totally relaxing and feels almost apocalyptic, so strange and deserted!
At the end of the walk is Haedong Yonggungsa, the only seaside temple in South Korea! We walk over the rocks through the colorful complex and then hear a large group of people laughing and screaming around a bridge. From there they try to aim coins into different bowls of a fountain and that turns out to be quite a sport. Like a kid at the fair, I naturally threw a large part of our daily budget off this bridge only to find out that there was no life-size teddy bear for the winner. Maybe sometime in my life the prize will be presented by Buddha in the form of very good karma, I believe in that.
4. The literal highlight of backpacking in South Korea: climbing Sunrise Peak!
At the very east side of Jeju lies perhaps the most beautiful piece of nature on the island, namely a huge bright green volcano just off the coast, which contrasts beautifully with the deep blue water of the ocean. It can be seen from a distance and we immediately stop our moving lunch box (the square Kia Ray) along the beach to take some nice pictures. Even more beautiful is of course to climb this colossus. So that’s what we’re going to do!
Among a few hundred, somewhat fanatically dressed, Korean hikers, we climb up to see the bright green crater on one side and the amazing view of Jeju on the other; thermal fleece jackets and zip-off pants are the casual-chic dress code here. There we stand, totally underdressed in normal clothers, and the view makes us quiet for a moment! What an amazing island and, if you ask me, one of the most incredible natural wonders of the world!
5. The waterfalls of Seogwipo and Jeongbang
The nature of the island of Jeju is incredibly beautiful and there you can also find the most beautiful waterfalls. The first waterfalls we visit are in the Cheongjeyeon Nature Park. The largest waterfall here is about thirty meters high and falls into a large azure bowl in a piece of rainforest, something I have rarely seen so beautiful. This is a bit like the tropical swimming pool that you pay top price for in Center Parcs during a weekend with the in-laws, but purely natural and without chlorine.
A little further on we also visit the special Jeongbang, the only waterfall in all of Asia that flows directly into the sea; a spectacular sight. Especially during sunset, young people gather here to have a party. Another reason to attend the spectacle!
6. War Memorial of Korea
Another important place that you cannot miss in Seoul is the War Memorial of Korea. It really is the most bizarre and largest museum I have ever seen. That is not really strange, because Korea has experienced a lot of war over the centuries. The only other visitors we see are hundreds of schoolchildren. Some classes consist of kids who are perhaps just three years old! Those muppets were simply placed in front of a large screen showing a massacre from the Korean War. That’s also South Korea!
7. Korean flora and fauna in Hallim Park
For number 7 we have to go to Jeju again. The most beautiful nature on the island is collected in Hallim Park, full of tropical plants and animals. The gardens are all bizarrely beautiful and colorful; Then we also dive underground for that other strange natural phenomenon on Jeju: the so-called lava tubes. Nowhere in the world can you find such an extensive network of lava caves!
You can’t easily miss them, but also check out the special ‘Easter Island-like’ images. These protectors of Jeju Island are called the Bol Hareubang. Hundreds if not thousands of these stone statues are spread across the island. They are a typical icon of Jeju Island.
8. De colorful district of Gamcheon in Busan
A must-see for Busan, but actually for the whole of South Korea: the Gamcheon district. In the last century, war refugees were sheltered here in a gray meaningless mass of concrete. Nowadays the deprived neighborhood looks very different. From 2000 onwards it was realized that much more was possible with the beautiful location in the mountains and a major art project was started here. The houses were painted in all the colors of the rainbow. And that provides amazing views from the mountains. It seems like we have ended up in Rio de Janeiro!
9. Haeundae Beach: skyscapers at the beach
Haeundae Beach is a nice starting point for a visit to the city of Busan. With a few gigantic skyscrapers in the background, you can relax on the golden sand. This is the beach you will visit when you go backpacking in South Korea. We notice that unlike the Chinese and Japanese, the Koreans are not so shy of the sun. No winter outfits, umbrella parades and liters of Sunblock Factor 687 to hide every centimeter of skin from the lightest ray of sunshine; no, Koreans actually dive into the water without a turtleneck and ski pants. I never thought that exactly THAT would look strange.
10. Shopping and street food in Seoul
The city of Seoul consists of many different neighborhoods, each with its own character. That’s why we visit a number of different neighborhoods. The most traditional district of Insadong is well worth a visit, with many small streets and vendors. For example, look for nice souvenirs here.
For real shopping, it is best to go to the Myeong Dong district. This is where the fancier shops are located and since I’m out with a woman, a visit to this district is a must! This is also where the city’s best street food stalls can be found. You should especially try a Korean dish with chili sauce, chicken and dough balls: Dak Galbi!
De top 10 in short..
By doing this top 10 you will get a good idea of Korean culture; This country has its own character, with sweet, warm people and sometimes some strange superstitions. The nature is beautiful and the history is almost too extensive to comprehend. A controversial country that, despite a lot of war, appears very positive, that is what stands out the most. You can also perfectly backpack through South Korea!
1. Jeju Island
2. Mountain hike Seoul
3. Haedong Yonggungsa
4. Sunrise Peak
5. Waterfalls of Seogwipo and Jeongbang
6. War Memorial of Korea
7. Hallim Park
8. Colored houses of Gamcheon
9. Haeundae Beach
10. Street food in Seoul
