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South Korea

From Seoul nights to temple mornings – say annyeong to adventure

K culture, history and everyone’s favourite street food

Since Psy bounced onto our screens with Gangnam Style, the world’s been hooked on Korean culture. From K-dramas and K-pop to K-beauty and street eats, we’re officially obsessed. But a trip to South Korea offers all of that plus centuries of rich tradition and deep history – it’s the best of both worlds.

Wander the buzzing streets of Seoul, where high-tech towers hide hanok villages and secret teahouses. Shop everything from designer labels to quirky underground finds. Head south to Busan for sun-soaked beaches, street markets and seaside museums. Or hop on a slow train through the countryside and discover peaceful temples, UNESCO-listed villages and fields of cherry blossoms in spring.

And then there’s the food. From sizzling bulgogi and pillowy mandu dumplings to sweet-hot tteokbokki and crispy Korean fried chicken, good food – and good times – are never far away.

Chat to our South Korea travel specialists and plan your perfect K-adventure today.

Flight time

The flight from Auckland to South Korea takes roughly 12 hours nonstop. It's not short but once you get your K-culture fix you'll forget all about it.

Best time to go

The best time to visit South Korea is from March to May, when mild weather, cherry blossoms, and colourful festivals fill the Land. September to November is also pretty great.

Time difference

South Korea is 3-4 hours behind New Zealand depending on Daylight Saving here. You won't take long to adjust.

Blossoms in South Korea. Image Credit: Getty

A temple in South Korea. Image Credit: Getty

A stadium is lit up at night in South Korea. Image Credit: Getty

Meet our Asia specialists

Jo Coolen

House of Travel Kapiti Coast

For a long time, I've told people I have the best job in the world and I still stand by that.

What could be better than turning peoples dreams into reality? I never know what the day will bring and isn't variety the spice of life?

My travel journey started a bit later in my life, so I haven't been everywhere YET, but I am having a damn good crack at it, gathering local knowledge along the way.