9-Day South Korea Itinerary: Busan, Jeju and Seoul

Singapore ✈ Busan | Busan Hotels 🏨

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Start your first day in Busan with a visit to the Haedong Yonggung Temple. The earlier you get here, the better - because it offers a stellar view of the sunrise. The temple also features a Golden Fat Buddha Statue set against the picturesque panorama of the Sirangdae seaside which this temple on the coast is famous for.

As one would expect, the journey to Haedong Yonggungsa Temple is hungry work. So grab a snack or have brunch at the street food stalls.

The Buddhist sanctuary is accessible via Bus 181 from Haeundae Station (Busan Subway Line 2).

Busan is South Korea’s movie capital with an entire street dedicated to film-related art and sculptures! Cinema Street is the perfect place to snap some pictures with vintage film posters.

Plus, Cinema Street is just a short 15-minute walk from our next destination...

No trip to Busan is complete without a stroll along its gorgeous beaches! So, take a walk along Haeundae Beach after capturing some good clicks at Cinema Street.

At dusk, you can catch live performances, fireworks and the sound of waves while munching on street snacks from Haeundae Market.

Did you know that you could catch a glimpse of Japan’s Oryukdo and Tsushima Islands from Taejongdae Resort Park?

From seascapes to rocky cliffs, the park is a water lover’s paradise.

One could head up to the Yeongdo Lighthouse for a panoramic view of the park’s spectacular scenery via the Danubi train.

There are eateries littered around the park as well. If you love seafood, head to Gamji Beach where you will find rows of seafood tents.

The most convenient way to get there is via bus from Nampo subway station (Busan Metro Line 1).

Perhaps the number one place to visit in Busan, Gamcheon Culture Village is a colourful destination with art shops, galleries, museums, cafes and artwork. One could spend anywhere from three hours to half a day at the village.

Access the village by disembarking at Toseong Station (Busan Metro Line 1) and board buses 1-1, 2 or 2-2.

A stone’s throw from Jagalchi station (Busan Metro Line 1), BIFF Square is a shopaholic and foodie’s paradise with tons of clothes, accessories, cafés and street food.

Try their Ssiat Hotteok (sweet pancake with seeds) which is often seen on Korean TV shows like Running Man.

Busan ✈ Jeju | Jeju Hotels 🏨

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Opened from 9am to 6pm every day, the Teddy Bear Museum exhibits numerous limited edition teddy bears in traditional and modern costumes. They even have larger-than-human teddy bears that are perfect for your Instagram clicks.

If you love striking funky poses, the Alive Museum is for you!

Just a short bus ride away from the Teddy Bear Museum, the 3D art gallery has optical illusion, digital and object art for the funkiest photos with kids, family and friends.

Not to be confused with the Jeju Glass Castle in Hangyeong-myeon, the Jeju Glass Museum exhibits a huge number of jaw-dropping indoor and outdoor glass sculptures.

You can make your own vases, plates and candles at prices starting from around ₩10,000 (SGD12). Make sure you arrive at least one hour before closing (9pm and 10pm from October to April and May to September, respectively).

With seven gardens to walk through, one can bask in the breathtaking flora and fauna. Most notable are the several iconic dol hareubangs distributed all over the Spirited Garden. These are statues carved from the porous volcanic rock that symbolise the protectors of Jeju Island.

Tourists can enjoy a buffet lunch after admiring the gardens. The buffet offers various Jeju specialities like Jeju bulgogi marinated pork, Jeju pork sausages, sweet and sour pork and more.

Named the “The pond of Emperor of Heaven”, Cheonjeyeon Falls consists of three waterfalls as well as a long trail of photo-taking opportunities with the waterfalls, bridge and temple.

The largest waterfall stands at 22 metres high!

No visit to Jeju Island is complete without a taste of their local delicacies.

Seogwipo Maeil Olle Market offers a myriad of foods and drinks like hallabong juice served in a dol hareubang bottle, omegi rice cake, Korean fried chicken and pork skewers.

Jeju ✈ Seoul | Seoul Hotels 🏨

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A stellar destination for luxury products near City Hall Station (Seoul Subway Line 1), Lotte Department Store offers 14 stories worth of luxury goods, cosmetics and imported goods. Stores open from 10.30am onwards.

Lotte Department Store also has a food court which opens till 7pm, serving up sushi, Thai noodles and also Korean food.

Love Korean skincare? You can find some huge deals and popular Korean brands at Myeongdong Shopping Street.

The place is extremely tourist-friendly as most sales assistants can speak simple English and Mandarin.

With traditional markets and shopping centres like Lotte Young, Dongdaemun Design Plaza and apM PLACE, Dongdaemun (Seoul Subway Line 1 and Line 4) is Seoul’s fashion hub.

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South Korea’s biggest theme park has live performances, thrilling rides and even a zoo!

There are five themed zones: Zootopia, Global Fair, American Adventure, Magic Land and European Adventure. One could spend the entire day covering all the zones.

There are heart-stopping roller coasters for thrill-seekers as well as kid-friendly rides for young children.

Most visitors end their visit to Everland by catching the night parade and fireworks.

Getting to Everland could take two hours from Seoul city on the Yongin Ever Line or bus. So make sure you plan ahead to avoid snaking queues.

Nami Island became one of South Korea’s hottest tourist destinations after being used as the filming location for 2002 Korean drama series Winter Sonata. Locals and tourists flock to Nami Island for a day trip to explore Pine Tree Lane and take selfies at various spots featured in the drama.

The easiest way to access Nami Island is via the ferry. Alternatively, one could also use the Namiseom Zip Wire and zip (literally) to the island while taking in the beautiful scenery and breeze.

Nami Island has tons of activities. One could cycle around the island on rented bicycles, explore various art galleries, watch live performances and even enjoy water sports on jet skis, peanut boats, banana boats and other speed boats. You could also enjoy a hearty meal at the restaurants and cafés there.

You can alight at Gyeongbokgung station (Seoul Subway Line 3) or Gwanghwamun station (Seoul Subway Line 5) to get to Gyeongbokgung Palace.

There are several hanbok rental shops situated around the palace with a wide variety for men and women.

After renting the hanbok, you can enter the palace for free. The main highlights include historical halls like the Private Royal Library and King’s Quarters as well as Royal Guard Changing Ceremony which takes place from 10am and 2pm every day except Tuesday.

After exploring the palace, you can have lunch at small eateries near the Gwanghwamun station.

Just walking distance from Gyeongbokgung Palace, Bukchon Hanok Village is home to assorted Korean traditional houses called hanok.

The village gives visitors a glimpse into traditional Korean lifestyle with tea houses, guesthouses and restaurants.

This Deoksugung Palace was inhabited by the Korean royal family until 1910. It features a mix of traditional Korean and Western-style neoclassical architecture.

Deoksugung is also a hotspot for cherry blossom viewing in Spring!

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South Korea’s only Chinatown features an 11-metre paifang, the majestic Chinese-style architectural arch structure. Step through for loads of food, shopping and other captivating activities for a fulfilling morning at Incheon.

Some highlights include the Jjajangmyeon Museum, Sinpo market, and Samgukji Mural Street. There are also endless rows of eateries.

Wolmi Park has been used as a filming location for various variety shows like Running Man, We got Married, and Two Days and One Night.

It has various attractions like a viking ship and water boats for visitors of all ages.

Finally, end your visit by taking a relaxing walk through Songwol-dong Fairy Tale Village.

You will find wall murals and enchanting street art. It is a vibrant village of colours that one should not overlook.

South Korea has plenty of transportation options available including taxis, private car hire, subways, railway and public buses. You can find transportation cards at various convenient stores and subway stations as well.

Singapore ✈ Seoul