Seoul

Eco-friendly travel guide to Seoul advises how to be a responsible tourist. Learn how to explore the attractions in a sustainable way and how to respect the local people and culture. Make your trip green by supporting locally owned hotels, organic restaurants and other businesses. Read more on how to protect the environment by making conscientious choices and how to travel green in Seoul, South Korea.

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Skyline of Seoul

Air quality: 2.5 / 5

Exploring by foot: 4 / 5

Exploring by bicycle: 3.5 / 5

Public transportation: 4 / 5

Parks: 3.5 / 5

Outdoor activities: 3.5 / 5

Locals' English level: 2 / 5

Safety: 4 / 5

Accommodation: US$15 - $400

Budget per day: US$40 - $700

Responsible Travel

Seoul is a very well-known city located in South Korea which was also famous as Seoul Special City in the past. It is the capital of South Korea and among all the other cities, it is the largest metropolis city. When it comes to the population of the city, half of the South Korean population lives here.

As a metropolitan economy, this city ranks at 4th beating some of the major cities globally. Being a very popular and famous city, you will be able to get the best cultural and traditional experience in this city. Make sure to explore the city and keep in mind all the responsibilities of an eco-friendly traveler.

Being the capital of South Korea, you will find many branded shops, but make sure to buy products and clothes from local shops also to help out the local people and save money.
Instead of booking a cab, try to use local transportation systems that help to reduce pollution like electric cars, buses, and others. It will help you a lot to save money and explore the city comfortably.
No travel is complete without having food, it helps to get the best travel experience. While South Korean cuisines from big restaurants are needed to be on the list, make sure to try the street food of the city. That is the best way to experience the true essence of the South Korea culture.
Spend some time at the parks and green places of the city to get quality air, and get close to nature itself. You will find many gardens and parks in the city that keeps you away from all the crowds.
Choose green hotels for your stay in the city to help the environment stay pollution-free.

Air Quality and Pollution

The air quality of the Seoul city is moderate and the average Air Quality Index of the city is around 45-65. The air quality is acceptable for the locals and some travelers. However, there are some people who might have a hard time breathing comfortably in the city.

It is best to take the help of different medicines and other precautions before traveling to the city. If you have respiratory disease, asthma, and other ones, then this city might give you some complications. Make sure to carry a face mask with you to avoid interacting with polluted air.

Respect the Culture

As mentioned earlier, the city is very well known for its friendly and welcoming people which means you can have a raw cultural experience in South Korea. From foods to clothes, you will get a touch of South Korean culture and traditions in every thing. There are some of the places in the city that will give you a nice insight in the history of this city.

Make sure to enjoy the folk play, filial piety, seasonal customs, and other things that give a nice touch of culture and tradition. Make sure to visit all the different places in the city such as museums, temples, and other tourist attractions. You will find a lot of similarities in this city with the Japanese and Chinese culture. The majority of people belong to early Koran nomadic tribes.

Top 10 Places to Visit

Seoul is one of the most fascinating places where people from different parts of the world love to visit. Rather than visiting there for business purposes, they want to have a nice holiday trip over there. Therefore, if you get a chance to experience Seoul, then you have to utilize it to the fullest. But if you want to make your trip more exciting, then here are the top 10 places where you need to visit.

Gyeongbokgung Palace - The royal palace that was the most important one.at the time of Joseon Dynasty. A visit to this palace will take you all the way back to 1935. Learn about the history and culture of South Korea by visiting this important landmark.
Bukchon Hanok Village - It is a traditional village in South Korea that will give you insight about the history of the South Korean society. It might not be the most popular choice amongst tourists but is definitely a hidden treasure if you are a history buff.
Changdeokgung - Without any doubt, It can be said that this is the best place where you would know the purpose of the Joseon Dynasty. It tells you how this dynasty was formed.
Gwanghwamun Square - You can call it a plaza or an open space that attracts many tourists. It is a national landmark with a statute of King Sejong in the centre. He was the king who created the Korean alphabet. Other attractions include fountains, flower beds and more sculptures.
Dongdaemun Market - One of the biggest markets where you will get the most popular textiles and many other handloom products. Buy them for once, and you will never have any feelings of disappointment or regrets.
Bongeunsa - One of the oldest Buddhist temples where you can get to discover Lord Buddha. And after worshipping him over here, you can wish for something which you have been waiting for a long time. It is said that whoever wishes here something from their true heart, it always turns into reality.
Starfield COEX Mall - If you have never visited a mall in an underground arena, then this is your opportunity. People call it an underground shopping mall where you will get to visit varieties of stores. Please make a note of this place and mark it as a very important one.
Bukhansan - This is the topmost mountain from where you can see the whole city of Seoul. You will never find it boring because some of the activities give you a lot of enjoyment. Double tick this place in your travel diaries so that you always remember it.
War Memorial of Korea - It is a palace, but many people call it a war museum. The palace makes you do a tour of the 18th century and gives you brief information about the Korean wars. After the tour, you would want to recommend it to your friends and the other persons.
Myeongdong Cathedral - This church is famous for its holy prayers and the resolution made by the father.

Gyeongbokgung Palace Royal Guard Appointment Ceremony

Explore

Now, if you want to explore the city of Seoul, then you also have to visit some of the other places. These places can be like some city parks, national parks, and museums. In this part of the article, you would get to know about them in full detail.

City Parks

Seoul Children's Grand Park - The park is perfect for children and family picnics. You will have an amazing time here especially if you have kids accompanying you. You will find children running around, playing together and whatnot.
Yeouido Park - It is the most attractive park which entices most of the people in the city. The only reason behind it is the scenic view and nature's beauty. Visit here during the afternoon time and discover nature in its various forms.

The pond in Yeouido Park

National Parks

Namsan Mountain Park - Come here for hiking, and you will get an experience that you never had before. Believe it or not, but it is the largest park that has a bigger trail. You will never have any bad feelings after having exposure to it.
Olympic Park - As the name suggests that this is the park where the Olympic games are held. Countries from different parts of the globe come here and participate in these games. You can visit here to know the games which are being played during that particular season. Take it into consideration and never forget to come here.
Hangang Park - It is made of 12 different parks and it is the perfect place to hangout especially as an environmentally friendly place. It is well kept and you will have a nice, peaceful time here.
Seoul Land - This park is widespread all over the internet and has a great presence in most of the online platforms. You can call it a place where you will get activities with different themes. The moment you miss it, then you will feel like cursing yourself throughout life.

Olympic Park in Seoul

Beaches

Unfortunately, you would not find any major beaches in the city of Seoul. But there is nothing to worry about because there is a district near the city where you will get most of them. So, in this case, some of the famous landmarks and museums can become a better alternative.

Landmarks

N Seoul Tower - The tallest tower of the city from where you can have a nice scenic view. Once you land up here, you will feel like being on top of the world. No one ignores it because it is something that you might not have experienced in your dreams. Make at least a fair attempt, and you would love it for sure.
Sungnyemun Gate - This gate is not similar to the India Gate in Delhi, but it has some significance. Build during the 14th century, and it also tells you how things use to take place in the earlier ages. Whoever comes here, they always give the right feedbacks and ratings about this place.

Sungnyemun Gate

Museums

National Museum of Korea - You will see that this museum has got four stars on most of the websites. It gives you a fair knowledge and conveys you some information about the famous Korean paintings.
Leeum Museum - Without having any further questions, we would say that this place depicts the arts of the modern ages. Once you observe them carefully, then you would want to buy them at any cost. In the beginning, you would find it boring, but later on, you will understand its value briefly.

Entrance of the National Museum of Korea

Eat

Eating and experiencing the food of the palace is another very well-known and effective way to understand the culture and lifestyle of a place. Seoul is no exception to that, you will get a wide range of foods to eat in the city from traditional to the cuisine of different countries.

Make sure to try all of the different food items available in the city that you will find in no other palace. Being the capital of South Korea, the city offers some of the oldest and traditional dishes to the tourists. You will be able to find the raw cultural food in the city from street foods to vegan local dishes.

While exploring the foods in the city, try the local food stalls and shops that offer some of the best delicacies in the country. It will help the locals to keep providing these amazing dishes to customers and help you to save money.

Traditional Local Restaurants

The food journey in foreign places always starts from trying out the local dishes. There are specific dishes available in the city that you will not find in any other place. So, make sure to try the traditional dishes in the city that will help you to understand the culture. Before stepping into the city, make sure to know the best traditional places to try out the best dishes in Seoul. Here are some of the places that you need to visit in the city.

Mokmyeoksanbang - This restaurant is located in the city that is well known for having the Bibimbap dish. This is a rice bowl that is decorated with eggs, meat, and other ingredients. The restaurant is also placed in the Hanok building that welcomes you with a very good atmosphere.
Tosokchon - Visit this place to try one of the most special dishes that are very well known in the locality named ginseng chicken soup. But make sure to visit the restaurant earlier to get a seat in successfully.

The line in-front of the Tosokchon

Vegetarian and Vegan

You do not have to worry if you are vegetarian in this city as there are many options available for you. From restaurants to food stalls, you will get many vegetarian dishes to try in the city.

Some of the vegetarian dishes are also very famous in the city, people who like non-veg dishes also try these vegetarian delicacies in the city. Some of the restaurants are very well known in the city that you can not afford to miss.

Lovinghut Cafe - Between watching all the famous and beautiful places, make sure to have a stoppage in this restaurant to have very popular dishes. Make sure to try the cakes and tea of this place along with organic delicious foods.
Petra Restaurant - If you want to try some old Korean dishes that are pure veg, then make sure to visit the Petra restaurant. The staff is very friendly here and many options are available that you can try to get the best experience.

Street Food

As mentioned earlier, street foods are one of the best things that you need to try in the city to get the best cultural touch. You will find street food stalls in every corner of the city. No matter which lane you visit, you will find a lot of local street foods that you need to try once in your lifetime.

Some of the South Korean street foods that you need to try in this city are Tteokbokki, Mandu, Sundae, Twigim, Beongdegi, and others. Some of the best places to try street food in Seoul city are Common Ground, Gwangjang Market, Sindang-dong, Seoul Bamdokkaebi, and others.

You will find some of the cheapest street foods in these markets. Make sure to try the foods from the local food shops to support them and help them earn some money. It will help you to get good food at a cheap price and help the local shops to keep providing good food to tourists.

Tteokbokki being served

Drink

Drinks are a very essential thing in travel as it helps to get refreshed between your travel to different places in the city. There are some of the places in the city that will provide you a wide range of drinks. From local drinks to international, you will find a lot of different drinks in here. You can try some of the local beers from the shops, soft drinks, juices, and others. Before visiting the city, you need to know what are the best places in this city that can help you to get refreshed.

Make sure to try the local drinks in the city to get the best experience and help out the local people. Many people are very much dependent on tourism and maintain their living based on it. Here are different sections given below that will give you an idea of drinks that you can get in the city.

Tap-water

One of the most common things that tourists need to know before landing in the city is water quality. Knowing the quality of tap water will help you to know if you can drink it or not. The tap water in Seoul is 100% safe to drink without any harm to your health. But most of the people in the city do not drink it without boiling. No matter how clean the water is, the locals do not recommend it to drink.

You can drink tap water without filtering but the locals will give you some side-eye. Boiling or filtering is not necessary but you can do it just like locals. In most parts of the city, you will be able to get bottled mineral water that you can buy.

If you are staying in a green hotel, you will be able to get the best drinking water. As an eco-friendly traveler try to avoid drinking packaged water. Instead, boil and filter the tap water and drink it.

Organic Cafés

Many eco-friendly travelers look for organic cafes in the city to stay fit and boost up energy. Unlike most of the foreign cities, you will be able to find many organic cafes in this place. From vegetables to meat everything is available in organic form in the markets. If you do not have any idea about where these cafes are, then you can ask the locals to get information.

Here are some of the most common and famous names of the organic cafes that you need to try in this city for getting the best experience. Most of these places provide 100% genuine organic vegetables for the customers. You will be. Ale to get a wide collection of organic foods available in the city.

Cafe Organic
Cafe Sun Kitchen
Plant Cafe Seoul

Breweries

Relaxing is hard when you do not have a drink in your hand. However, the situation in Seoul is not like that. You will be able to get some of the best breweries in the city. From alcohol to soft drinks, you will be able to find a wide collection of breweries. Among all the different places, make sure to visit the nightlife of this city. There are plenty of bars, pubs, and nightclubs that you can visit to get local and traditional breweries. If you want to try international alcohol or beverage, then you will also get many options in these bars.

Apart from bars, you will also get many soft drinks and specialty drinks available on the streets. As an eco-friendly traveler make sure to visit the local stores and try out local brews. It will help the locals to earn some profit and help you to get closer to the locals.

Activities

Being the capital of South Korea, you will find the city loaded with activities. First of all, make sure to visit all the famous attractions in the city. These attractions are the most popular activity among all the others for travelers. You will find these places very crowded. If you are looking for outdoor activities, then you can find many in the city.

From fishing to hiking, be ready to get the best experience of outdoor activities in this city. Options are also available that will take you far from the crowd and help you to relax. Yoga and retreats are one of the best options to get back your energy and relax between exploring the city.

So, you can choose any of these activities along with many others that are available in the city to spend the best time. Make sure to use the activities provided by locals to help them and support them for the future.

Yoga and Retreats

As mentioned above, yoga might be the best option in a city to calm your mind and keep far from all the crowds. It also helps a lot to get the energy back to help explore the rest of the city. Apart from travelers, local people in this city also do yoga very much. For both mental and physical stability, it helps them to stay active.

So, you will get to see many yoga centers and training hubs throughout the city. You can choose any of them to get your energy back at a reasonable price. Here are some of the places that you can visit. Knowing the names will also help you to save a lot of time.

AYWA Studio
Raan yoga that Seoul
Yoga wave
The Flow Room Yoga Studio

Accommodation

Accommodation is a big part of your stay in the city. When you are not roaming and exploring the city, you will need to rest in that place. So, knowing the different accommodation options before entering the city is very important. From green hotels to renting apartments, all the options are available to you that you can choose to enjoy your stay.

You need to choose the accommodation options based on the number of days you are staying in the city. Along with the accommodation options, the services also change very much. So, be very careful when choosing the accommodation option for your stay. Here are some details about the most popular accommodation options in the city that will help you to choose from.

Plaza Hotel, Seoul

Green Hotels

As an eco-friendly traveler, green hotels are the best option for you to stay in the city as long as you want without polluting it. You will get all the features that are available in normal hotels along with green benefits. The prices are not that high but the rooms of these hotels are made with all green features. Here are some green hotels in Seoul that you can choose for your stay.

InterContinental Seoul COEX - Very well known hotel in the city and known for the green measurements. You will get a very good experience of spending the holiday. They track and collect reports on utility consumption and carbon footprint to maintain it.
Grand Ambassador Seoul - This is a five-star hotel that comes with many different customizations and modern facilities. Green options are available in this hotel.
Millennium Seoul Hilton Hotel - it is the best hotel for you if you want to stay luxurious but make the environment cleaner. They reduce the energy and water and monitor them to maintain it making a caron free atmosphere in the future.

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InterContinental Seoul

Hostels and Guest Houses

As mentioned earlier, the mode of accommodation depends a lot on how many days you are staying in the city. If you are staying for more than 1.5 weeks, then hostels or guesthouses are the best options for you.

You will be able to stay in the city for a long time without spending a lot of money. You might not be able to get a lot of options and features of big hotels but they are pocket friendly. Here are some of the hostels and guest houses that you can choose to stay in Seoul.

Seoul Datbit DDP Guesthouse - Very well-known guest house in the local area. This guest house comes with streamlined rooms along with free Wi-Fi and breakfast.
Kimchee Guesthouse Hongdae - This guesthouse offers straightforward dorms, free Wi-Fi, private rooms, and a shared kitchen.
Birdsnest Hostel - You will get private rooms at a very reasonable price from this hostel. Benefits like TV lounge, communal kitchen are also available in this city.

Apartments

When you are planning to stay even more than 3-4 weeks, choosing hotels, hostels, or guest houses might be a bit high on cost. So, if you are planning a long stay, then renting apartments is the best option for you. It will help you to save a lot of money and stay comfortably. You will find a lot of apartments in the city with different price ranges.

All of them offer different features like an air conditioner, TV, refrigerator, and others. You need to choose one depending on your needs and choices. Use online services to choose and book them before stepping into the city. It will save you time searching and help you to start exploring right after reaching.

Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing has become one of the popular accommodation options in the world. Many travelers take the help of Couchsurfing to stay in the city and explore them. It is a group or community of travelers who offer other travelers to stay in their house instead of hotels and others.

It helps travelers to explore the city like a local and get all the help from the host person like brushing up language, knowing the best place to eat, and others. If you are searching for Couchsurfing in Seoul, then you have to find a host using online websites and services. Once you get a host, you can contact them and fix your stay. The easiest way to stay in a city and witness the everyday life of locals from up-close.

Camping

If you are an adventure lover or like to stay close to mature, then camping is the best accommodation option for you. You will be able to make your stay under the open sky surrounded by forest and lush green. Compared to all the other accommodation options, this is one of the different ones that takes you very close to nature. You will be able to get many campsites in the area that offer different features along with an online booking option.

So, make sure to book the camp before visiting the city. It will help you to successfully get a camping spot without complication most of the spots get booked very fast due to the high number of tourists. Here are some of the popular camps that you need to visit in Seoul to get the best camping experience.

Jungnang Campground - This camping site is known to be very luxurious and offers more than 47 sites. All of these campsites provide electricity, shoes, outdoor tables, a lush green lawn, and other unexpected features. You will be able to get the experience of camping along with luxurious features to enjoy the stay.
Nanji Campground - This place is known to be the largest in the whole Seoul town that comes with 165 campsites and capable of having up to 2000 people. You will be able to enjoy the natural beauty and have a barbeque party at night. From electric to other features, everything is available in this place.

How to Get There

Before planning your trip and what to buy there, you need to decide and know how to get to the city. Many different options are available that you can use to get to the Seoul city. The best way to travel to the city depends on your location or starting point.

If you are traveling from foreign countries, then the best way to reach Seoul might be by air. But if you are traveling from another city in North Korea, then you will have many different options available that you can take. All of the options come with different benefits and disadvantages that you need to know before choosing one.

Also, the charge or fare of these transportation services varies a lot. Here are some of the most popular options given below with details that will help you to choose one for your trip.

Air

As mentioned above, the air is the most convenient way to travel to Seoul city. One of the best things about this transportation service is that it takes very little time to reach the destination compared to other modes of transportations. But the fare of flight is also very high compared to trains or buses.

If you want to travel by air, then you will need to book the flight far before the date of departure. It will help you to confirm a seat for your trip along with the price will be a lot less in advance bookings. The estimated time to reach Seoul depends on your starting point.

You will land at the nearest airport in Seoul named Incheon International Airport that is very well connected with foreign countries. So, no matter where you are, you will be able to get a flight to this airport easily. There is also another airport that is closer to Seoul named Gimpo International Airport.

Incheon International

Bus

Buses might be a bad option to choose if you are coming from different countries. It will take a lot of time to reach the destination from different countries. But if you love road trips and witness the natural beauty on the way, then you can choose this option. Having a trip to Seoul on a bus is the best idea to get there if you are traveling from a city in South Korea.

You will reach your destination very fast at a very reasonable price. The buses are very frequent in this city and you will be able to find many bus terminals and hubs scattered throughout the city.

There are a total of 5 major intercity bus terminals in the city such as Central City Terminal, Dong Seoul Bus Terminal, Seoul Express Bus Terminal, Gangnam Terminal, Gyeongbu - Yeongdong Terminal. The bus is a very common and well-used transportation that will help you to get to the city smoothly

Buses in Seoul

Train

Another interesting way to travel to the city is by train. Although most people choose flights to reach the city from outer countries, there are many people who like to travel on a train and look at all the beautiful scenery on the way. You will be able to get the best and memorable experience by traveling using a train.

The only disadvantage of a train is, you will need a lot of time to reach your destination, maybe more than 3 days. Make sure to book the train ticket a lot before the date of the starting journey to confirm your seats and avoid being on the waiting list. However, if you are traveling from a city of South Korea, then you can use the KTX, which is known to be a very high-speed train.

Some of the nearest railway stations in Seoul are Seoul Station, Yongsan Station, and others. These high-speed trains take less time to reach the destination and take less time than many other modes of transportation.

Seoul Metro

Hitchhiking

Hitchhiking has become one of the best ways to reach destinations. It helps to save money, know the people and their culture, get easily to the destination, and others. There are many places in the city that are perfect for hitchhiking. The concept is to take several lifts from local people to reach their destination. However, it is not that easy as it sounds, you will need to know the maps and roads to be successful.

It might take a whole day to get a lift or you might not be able to get a lift if you do not know where to try. Highways are the best way to do hitchhiking and get help from others. As the South Korean people in this city are very kind and friendly, you will face no problem getting a lift from them.

Others

There are many other options available for hitchhiking that you can choose to reach the Seoul city from different places both in other countries and in the country. There are many other countries that are well connected with Seoul by roadway. You can take a car or bike to reach Seoul city by road to have a very unique experience.

You will be able to get a very good time on the road trip. Although it will take a lot of time to reach the city using the roadway, you will be able to watch all the different places on your way and feel the different cultures.

Some of the best roads and expressways that you can use to reach the city are Gosok Doro, Gook Do, Gyeongbu Expressway, and others. Make sure to take some extra time on your hand as some of the routes might be filled with traffic.

Moving Around

Moving around is the best way to explore this beautiful city by going to different popular tourist attractions. Different options are available for tourists to travel to the city and enjoy the culture, traditions, markets, and others. You need to choose which is the best way to travel to the city before moving in. Some of them take less time while others help you to know the details of the city very well.

You might be able to get to the famous attractions very fast but you will miss all the little details of the local lifestyle on the way. So, which is the best way to explore the city depends on how much time you have. Here are some of the most common ways to move around the city that are given with details that will help you.

Walk

Walking is one of the best ways of exploring the city and getting to different places. There are some places in the city that are only accessible to pedestrians. You will be able to get into the markets and take shortcuts by walking. While it takes a lot of time to reach your destination compared to other modes of transportations, walking is the best way to get close to the locals and their lifestyle.

You will be able to see many cultural and traditional things up close in different places while walking. In many parts of the city, you will be able to walk without any complications as there are separate ways made for the people to walk safely at the side of the road.

Make sure to carry water, an umbrella, a road map, and some medicines while walking. Take some time on your hand before going out walking as it can take a lot more time to cover all the areas.

Bicycle

Another very good mode of transportation is using a bicycle to roam around the city and explore all the different things. You will be able to get a bicycle on rent from many different services at a cheap cost. There are many hotels that provide bicycles free of cost to customers. The best thing about exploring the city on a bicycle is that you do not have to worry about traffic.

Also, cycling is a great exercise that helps to improve health conditions. Nothing is better than having exercise and roaming the city at once with the help of a bicycle. There are many places where there is a separate lane for the cycles and you do not have to stand in the traffic. As an eco-friendly traveler, you can use cycles to explore the city and help the environment of this city to stay clean.

Bicycle riders in Yeouido park, Seoul

Electronic Vehicles

If you want to move to your destinations faster than other modes of transportations, then electronic vehicles are the best option for you. You can book a cab with a driver or rent a car and drive on your own with online services. As they are fully electronic, it makes the environment cleaner and reduces air pollution. If you are driving on big roads, then it is the best mode of transportation that will help you to move faster.

But there are many famous places which are located on small roads. These cars struggle on small roads because of low space and a lot of traffic. You will end up being slower than the people who are walking on small roads. So, make sure to take some on your hand before going out in a cab and be patient.

Public Bus

This might be the most convenient way of moving through different places with cheap fare. You will be able to get many buses around this place as the city is very well known for being the capital of South Korea. Buses are very frequent in this city and you will be able to get one from almost all corners. Bus stations and bus terminals are scattered throughout the city.

The best thing about the local bus is that the fare is very low and they are well connected with all the famous attractions. You will be able to cover all the famous attractions of the city with just one bus as they are included in the stoppage. When it comes to comfort, you will be able to travel very comfortably throughout the city but just like cars, you have to wait for the traffic.

Tram, Train and Subway

If you do not like to wait in traffic while exploring the city, then the best option for you to move around the city trains. High-speed trains are very popular in this city which helps you to move places to places very fast. You will be able to stop at all the famous points at a reasonable price and there is no traffic or signals that will interrupt you.

Being the capital of South Korea, you will be able to get more than one railway station in the range of this city. Trains are quite frequent, you do not have to wait much for one to arrive. Taking trains will help you to get the best experience of traveling the city very comfortably without any interruptions. There are many subways available in the city but they are not well connected to famous points.

Sustainable Shopping

Many travelers choose sustainable shopping instead of fresh ones to help the environment and nature. As an eco-friendly traveler, it is your responsibility to use items like second-hand products, eco fashion, and others that will both save your money and help to lower the waste production. Sustainable shopping is a great way to get some of the best products at a cheap price.

The local people of Seoul are adopting sustainable shopping very well and tourists will not face any difficulty finding these stores. There are many different markets where you can visit to have all of these items. Here are some of the details about those markets given below that will help you to know more.

Food Markets

Without visiting the food market, you will not be able to get the best experience in the city. If you are a food lover, then you will feel like you are in heaven. There are many different food markets where you can visit and do your shipping. You will get some of the local and unique food that is not available in other places.

Make sure to have some local street foods from the small stalls in these food markets. Being the capital of South Korea, you will find many food markets in the city that contain many shops and are known to be one of the big ones in the country. Here are some of the food markets that you need to visit in Seoul.

Gwangjang Market
Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market
Namdaemun Market
Myeongdong Night Market
Tongin Traditional Market

Gwangjang Market

Flea Markets

For many travelers, the flea market is the best place to spend their money and take some of the best things home at a cheap price. There are many old flea markets in the city that are popular in the nearby cities. From night markets to day ones, every type of market is available in this capital city.

Exploring the flea markets will help you very much to know about the life of local people. Buying items from these flea stores will help the local people very much to continue their work. Many people are dependent on tourism and you can support them.

If you want to get an electrifying and dynamic experience with almost everything available, then you need to visit the flea markets of this city. If you are not sure which ones are the best for you, then here are some of them given below.

Hwanghak-Dong Flea Market
Itaewon Antique Furniture Street
Seoul Folk Flea Market
Seocho Flea Market

Right outside the Seoul Folk Flea Market

Second Hand Stores

Second-hand markets are now evolving all around the world. You will find most of the stores very crowded and filled with quality items. Seoul is no different and second-hand markets have grown very well in the last few years. The local people have started to shop for these second-hand products along with the tourists, which made these markets very crowded.

Although most of the shops are scattered throughout the city, you will find most of them in the night or day markets. From used clothes to antiques, everything available on resells on these markets. Collectables items are available at a very low price including vintage and old items. Here are some of the best second-hand shops to visit in the city.

Beautiful Store Yeongdeungpo - One of the best second-hand stores in the city that offers used clothes, goods, misc, kitchen essentials, books, home appliances, playing equipment, and others.

The Salvation Army Thrift Store - Located at the Buka Hyun-dong, this is one of the famous second-hand shops in the best shops in the country. You will get high-quality second-hand goods that look like fresh ones.

GOVERNMENT - This is a second-hand clothes store that holds old to the new and trendy collection of clothes for both males and females. You will be able to get some unique fashions here including the fashion of North Korea and others.

Eco-Fashion

Eco-fashion is one of the best ways that you can use to contribute towards nature. As an eco-friendly tourist, you will be able to get the best fashion collection that produces zero pollution and helps the environment to stay clean. Most of these fashions are made with eco-friendly materials and herbal ingredients.

Local people have started to adopt these fashions which tested in getting many branded and non-branded eco-fashion stores in the area. Many shops have developed over the years to provide the best eco-fashion to customers.

However, you will need to know which are the best places to go for having a great shopping experience in this city. So, here are some of the places that you can visit to get the best eco fashion collection.

Ader Error
Beaker
Vin Prime Seolleung

Recycling

In the past, Seoul and the whole of South Korea used to be not that good in recycling. They used to recycle only 2% of food waste and were not focused that much on recycling. However, things have changed dramatically in the last few years, and the country has changed the gears to an extreme level. Now, they are recycling more than 95% of the total food waste to keep the environment as clean as they can.

When you are traveling to Seoul city, you will be able to see high tech orange color machines that are installed on the side of the roads. These machines are installed for the people to dump their food waste which will be recycled instantly. Being the capital city of South Korea, you will find more than 6000 automatic recycling bins installed around the whole city.

Apart from these, most of the steps they have taken to minimize the wastes, technology plays a huge role in it. The government and many private companies have come forward to help with the issue and started many different initiatives that helped the city very much. The government of this city has made a partnership with many companies to build a robust recycling infrastructure.

Waste

As mentioned above, the waste management and recycling management was not that good in this city in the past. However, things have changed very much since they focused on it. The city has developed different things and started many initiatives to minimize waste production. They have installed many different waste bins that people can use to dump the food wastes to recycle them.

Seoul city has more than 6000 bins installed all over the city to maintain the waste and reduce the waste of the city to make the environment better. Mostly the waste is divided into different things such as landfills, composting, recycling, and incineration. Seoul is one of the best cities in the country that has climbed the position of being the best in waste management.

They have successfully recycled and used the waste to make the environment better. The waste of this city has decreased very much and local people have played a major role in it by taking the responsibility to place the waste in specific bins and maintain the rule of waste management.

Work and Study Abroad

Seoul receives a very high crowd of tourists every year but all of them do not come to see the tourist attractions in the city. Many people from foreign countries visit Seoul to pursue their higher studies. Seoul is very well known for having high-level education and offers many high courses that attract students from different countries.

You can find many foreign students in this city who are living and continuing their studies. Compared to other places, the cost of the study is also lower that helps the students to learn at a reasonable price. You will be able to get the best study and jobs in the city if you know what are the places to look for it.

When it comes to jobs, take the help of online services to get a list of available jobs in the city. From part-time jobs to full-time ones, you will get all types of jobs available in the city. Also, students who want to earn some money while studying in the city will get many different opportunities.

They can find exchange students, au pair, and other options to study and earn pocket money. Here are the different sections and details about them given below that will help you to know and decide.

Exchange Student

The exchange student is one of the trending concepts that earned a lot of popularity in a short time. It helps the students from another country to get into a foreign university and continue their studies. Many universities and colleges in Seoul city have this facility available and they are well connected or partners with other universities in different countries.

However, you will need to be nominated by the home institution for an exchange student to get this opportunity. Also, you have to pay the tuition fee in the home university to successfully enter it. Once you are in, you will be able to study at a university that has a partnership with your home institution.

So, this option might not be available for you if you are not nominated. Every year a high number of students come from different countries using this method to study in Seoul. Being the capital city of South Korea, most of the best universities and colleges of the whole country are situated in this city.

Au Pair

Au Pair is one of the best ways of getting your study done in a foreign city while earning money. It helps the students or foreigners to explore the city and help out local people. You will be shocked to know how many people in this city are in desperate need of Au Pairs.

This is a give-and-take process where you will be taking care of a child or old person for a limited time in exchange for shelter, food, and some money. Taking care of the baby or old people might not be easy because of the busy schedule of the family members.

So, they look out for the Au Pair service to get the best service and focus on work. Most people who visit the city for a long time take the help of this service to stay and explore the city. Also, many foreigners take the help of this service after stepping into the city as an initial stage of earning money until they get a good full-time job.

Volunteering

As an eco-friendly traveler, it is your duty to contribute towards the city and help to keep it clean. Nothing is more appropriate and helpful than choosing the volunteering option. It will help you to contribute towards society and the city by choosing this option. If you are traveling for a long time and want to get close to local people, then volunteering is the best way for you.

During volunteering, you will be able to come close to the local people and know their lifestyle up close. The interaction with both locals and foreigners will increase a lot which will help you to know them and brush up your language skills.

Although most people choose to keep the tourist attraction clean, there are many other options available that give you the opportunity to grab which is preferable for you. Some of the most famous volunteering opportunities in Seoul city are given below that will help you to get an idea about what to expect.

People for Successful Corean Reunification
Helping Others Prosper through English
Korean International Volunteers
Nabiya Cat Shelter
Angel House Orphanage