South Korea itinerary 8 days — What to do & how to spend 8 days in Korea perfectly?

The tour will allow you to have your own lunch at an affordable price of around 8.000 won/meal. Then visit Songdo Skywalk – the longest walking bridge overlooking the sea in Korea. There are sections of the bridge made of glass that will stun you.

The last place is Gamcheon Culture Village. This is also a place you cannot miss when coming to Busan. Gamcheon Culture Village is a village of North Korean refugees during the Korean War, because Busan was so crowded that these people were taken to the mountains to live, but they still built terraced houses and became a beautiful culture place like today. Follow the direction of the fish swimming on the wall if you do not want to get lost.

Evening: Sashimi dinner at Jagalchi Market fish market.

6PM: Discover the Jagalchi Market – the most famous fish market in the world. Around 8pm, the fish market is closed, some fresh seafood stalls will close, but the upstairs dining area is still open to welcome diners. If you want to visit the fish market, please come before 8pm and order a Sashimi meal with price from 15.000 won/part, depending on the type of fish you order.

8 days itinerary in Korea — Day 5: SEA LIFE Busan Aquarium

9AM – Busan is a port city, so the sea is one of the unique beautiful features of this city, exploring SEA LIFE in Busan is also a way for you to better understand the most vivid marine life ever. The first time I saw every flock of jellyfish swimming around was extremely beautiful, and for the first time I saw how seahorses swimming, or other beautiful creatures in the deep blue ocean could be viewed in Busan SEA LIFE. To get here, you can take the train to Haewoondae Station, exit at gates 2 or 3 and go straight to the coast. Busan SEA LIFE tickets can be purchased in advance here to save more than $9 than buy directly.

I will have a separate article talk about choosing which plane to travel from Busan to Jeju and from Jeju back to Seoul on the South Korea 8 days itinerary later. Now you should know that on the afternoon of the 5th day, we will fly from Busan to Jeju at 3:30pm, arrive at Jeju Airport at 4:30pm. Then heading to the hotel to send luggage, you can go to the sea to watch the sunset between 6pm and 6:30pm in Tapdong Street in downtown of Jeju.

Catch the sunset in Jeju

In the afternoon after flying to Jeju, you should choose a hotel in Jeju-si area to easily move to and from the airport. I book hotel near the airport only cost about 5.000 won to convenient traveling from the airport to the hotel, very close. Then walk towards Tapdong Street to watch the sunset over the sea in Jeju.

South Korea itinerary 8 days — Day 6: Exploring Jeju’s East Coast

Jeju is famous for its haenyeo culture (Women Diver), here men are the numberone in the family, have to not doing any work. The economy in the family is focused on the woman. They have to cooked, raised the children, diving to catch fish in the sea are all done by women. These women are called Women Divers, if you want to take a closer look, you can explore the eastern part of Jeju Island to see firsthand what Women Diver is like.

The itinerary to explore the east coast of Jeju Island you can book via Klook, I will summarize the schedule so you can go on your own or decide to book a 1-day tour to visit the eastern part.

The first is the starting show, you will experience a round on horseback. This is an animal you can see everywhere on Jeju Island from the old days. It’s a gift that the Korean king loved when he got it from Jeju Island. In general, this activity allows you to stay awake, sit on horseback for 10 minutes.

Then, you will be taken to Seongeup Folk Village. It is said to be a village but it is actually includes some old houses that still retains the architecture of the Jeju people from the old days. You will understand what is the house gate culture in Jeju and then everywhere you go, the gate is only made up of 3 horizontal bars. The stone walls erected around the houses from volcanic lava rock are characteristic of the construction here.

The eastern part of Jeju Island is indispensable the Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak, also known as Sunrise Peak. This is a must-see attraction, definitely a must visit when visiting Jeju. You will be amazed at the green pastures, the romantic path stretching to the top of the mountain is also filled with green or yellow when autumn come.

And haenyeo culture

Next you will meet directly with women called haenyeo (Women Diver). Women who are about 50 years old but still young in the age of a Women Diver. By the age of 70 they will become the healthiest of the age of a Women Diver in Jeju. Today, you rarely see a Women Diver on the island, the old haenyeo now only wear Women Diver uniform to serve tourists.

At the end of the day, you will discover Manjang Cave – along with Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak are two of the three UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Jeju. Manjang Cave is a cave formed by volcanic eruptions in the past. This cave is preserved as it is to serve visitors to visit, so it limits the light and the road is quite rough due to the volcanic flow and erosion.

8 days itinerary in Korea — Day 7: Explore the Western Jeju Island

On Jeju Island, there are 3 main parts exploited to serve tourists, the Eastern, Western and Southern parts. The daily Bus Tour to visit through these 3 parts will have the following schedule:

• Monday, Wednesday, Friday: West tour.
• Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday: East Tour (Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak)
• Sunday: South Tour (Mount Hallasan – Eoseungsaenak Trekking)

Therefore, depending on the time you visit Jeju for 2 days, you can visit 2 main parts of the island (East and West side), if you have more time, you can explore fully 3 parts. But if you only make plan for 2 days like me, then I will show you the way to visit the West and a part of the South after the west tour. So, just 2 days, you basically explore most of Jeju Island.

Similar to the East tour, the schedule to explore the west of Jeju Island you can book via Klook. I will also summarize some main places for you to self-traveling or book a tour to save time and effort.

8 days itinerary in Korea — Day 7: Explore western Jeju Island

Also starting in the morning, you will get a breath of fresh air to the west of Jeju Island at Hyeopjae & Geumneung Beach. This is a popular beach that tourists can visit at any time on the western side of Jeju Island.

Next the journey will take you to explore Hallim park located not far from Hyupjae & Gumneung Beach. Halim Park’s campus is nearly 100 thousand square meters. There are many areas to enjoy the scenery such as Palm Tree Road, Jeju Stone and Bonsai Garden, Water Garden, Subtropical Botanic Garden … Inside the park there are 3 caves also formed from volcanic eruptions in past.

One of the places that you should visit in the west is: Suweolbong. This is a place with cliffs and it is said to grow precious trees to help the Noko and Suweol brothers cure their mothers. The cliffs are natural landscape of Jeju Island because the mountains were formed actually depend on erupting volcanoes from ancient times. Here also is the famous setting of the movie Descendants of the Sun.

The Western side tour will take you to many places with beautiful scenery. The end of the journey you can choose one of two places to visit, that are: Teddy Bear Museum or Cheonjeyeon Waterfall. I recommend you going to Cheonjeyeon Waterfall, because it is quite beautiful and impressive.

And a southern part of Jeju Island

Important note: From here you should not follow the tour to return the hotel, but stop here to continue exploring some tourist places in the southern part of Jeju Island by taxi, quite cheap and worth visit. From Cheonjeyeon Waterfall, you can take a taxi to Jusangjeolli Cliff for only 4.000 won. Then take a taxi from Jusangjeolli Cliff to Yakcheonsa Temple, which is only about 5.000 won. At this time is about 6pm, it is getting dark, you can take the bus number 600 to the airport and from the airport station you can catch the bus to your hotel in Jeju-si.

South Korea 8 days itinerary — Day 8: Back to Seoul

You can catch an early flight from Jeju to Seoul in the morning. Note that when flying internationally from Vietnam airports to Seoul, landing at Incheon International Airport. And flying domestic from other cities to Seoul, then landing at Gimpo airport. If you fly from Jeju to Seoul, you will arrive at Gimpo, so when buying a plane ticket from Jeju to Seoul, you must choose the airport as Gimpo to get cheap. And if you choose the airport is Incheon, the price is extremely expensive because it has to fly from Jeju to another country, then from another country to Incheon. Haha. I will review this later.

After arriving at Gimpo Airport, you can use the shuttle bus from Gimpo Airport to the hotel in Seoul to be able to send luggage quickly. Going out on the 8th day in Korea. I was experienced this service, extremely like it, going out of the airport gate will have someone holding your nameplate waiting. I booked a 4-seater car but can actually seat 5 people. It turns out that one person only costs about $10 to move from the airport to the hotel in Seoul as a VIP person.

On the 8th day in Korea, I chose 2 places to visit, namely Ewha Womans University, and Dongdaemun Design Plaza, also known as DDP. I chose these two places because I have not visited them before and the two locations have in common feature, that is the super beautiful architecture.

Experience sauna in Seoul

Then go to the Korean sauna (Jjimjilbang) at the public sauna Dragon Hill Spa & Sport. This is the favorite activity of all Koreans for relaxing on weekends. Ending the 8 days itinerary in Korea, visit most famous destinations in Korea: Seoul, Busan, Jeju by coming out of the sauna spa will make you feel comfortable and excited. Pre-book your Korean public sauna tickets at Dragon Hill Spa & Sport here.

At night, you can go to shopping at Myeong-dong Street comfortably. Sleep for a while and will return to Vietnam in the next morning. You can choose the option of traveling by private car like getting from Gimpo airport to Seoul, book the service here to take the initiative in getting to the airport on time for check-in to avoid missing flight.

South Korea itinerary 8 days — Summary of the 8 days in South Korea with self-sufficient traveling

Transport

• Ho Chi Minh City – Seoul – Ho Chi Minh: Vietjet Air
• Seoul – Busan: KORAIL train (KTX train)
• Busan – Jeju: Jeju Air
• Jeju – Seoul: Asiana Airline.

Korean self-sufficient travel schedule

• Day 1, 2: Seoul
• Day 3, 4: Busan
• Day 5, 6, 7: Jeju
• Day 8: Seoul

Hotel

• Seoul: Myeong-dong Guesthouse (Myeong-dong area). (You can check rates, reviews and book on Agoda.com or Booking.com).
• Busan: MU Hotel (Nampo-dong area). (You can check rates, reviews and book on Agoda.com or Booking.com).
• Jeju: Champion Hotel (Jeju-si area). (You can check rates, reviews and book on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in and from Seoul you can refer to

• Private Incheon International Airport Transfers (ICN) for Seoul
• Private Incheon Airport Transfers (ICN) for Seoul
• Incheon International Airport (ICN) Limousine Bus Transfers for Seoul (Gangnam District)
• Klook Exclusive Seoul 5 Day Pass
• Discover Seoul Pass (BTS Edition Available)
• [SALE] Instant Ticket! Korea Rail Pass (KR PASS) 2/3/4/5 Days to travel around the cities in Korea
• Private Incheon Airport (ICN) and Gimpo Airport (GMP) Transfers for Seoul by S.A Tour
• Everland Private Car Charter with Admission Ticket by Wondertrip
• KAL Limousine Bus Ticket for Seoul
• [Limited Offer] AREX Incheon Airport Express Train One Way Ticket in Seoul
• Bukchon Oneday Hanbok Rental Experience (4/24 Hrs)
• Nami Island, Petite France, Garden of Morning Calm, and Gangchon Rail Bike Day Tour from Seoul
• Seoul City Sightseeing Bus (Downtown Palace Namsan Course/Seoul Panorama Course)
• [Limited Offer] Incheon International Airport (ICN) Luggage Services (Between Airport and Hotel) by Safex
• 4G Prepaid SIM Card (SK Airports Pick Up) for South Korea
• [Sale] Hanbok Experience (Hanboknam Gyeongbokgung Store) with Korean Hairstyling
• [SALE] South Korea 4G Pocket WiFi (KR Airports Pick Up) from KT Olleh
• 4G WiFi (MY Airport Pick Up) for South Korea (Unlimited Data)
• 4G Portable WiFi for South Korea from Uroaming (Unlimited Data)

More Korea travel guide? Read the fullest guide: Seoul blog, Busan blog and Jeju blog.