South Korea

Eco-friendly travel guide to South Korea advises how to be a responsible tourist. Learn how to travel 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 South Korea, Asia.

Jeju island is a UNESCO World Heritage

Air quality: 2.5/ 5

Bus connections: 3.5 / 5

Train connections: 4 / 5

Hitchhiking: 3/ 5

National parks:4 / 5

Outdoor activities:4 / 5

Locals' English level: 3 / 5

Safety: 4 / 5

Accommodation: US$70 - $200

Budget per day: US$130 - $400

Responsible Travel

South Korea is a country located in East Asia. It constitutes the southern part of the Korean peninsula and has achieved great technological success in the past decades. After all these years, the cultural integrity of the nation is still preserved and stands on strong grounds. South Korea hosts large tourists inflow every year due to its cultural richness and the prominent biogeography of the area. If you are visiting South Korea, you must behave in a responsible and accountable manner.

You must try your level best to promote eco-tourism and behave in a culturally and socially acceptable way. You should promote the use of local transport to move in and across the country.

Try your level best to encourage the smaller business and promote local shops. You can go to various local shops located around the streets and talk to your fellow tourists and friends into visiting that place. This will boost the morale of local businessmen and promote their food, clothes and much more.

Whenever you are visiting South Korea, try to have a more sustainable approach. For example, you could book your stay in green hotels, make a proper budget plan and use more and more eco-friendly products.

Avoid the use of non-biodegradable products like Plastic bags, synthetic fabrics and many more. Also, you should try to purchase more eco products like organic foods, recyclable fabrics, etc. You should also avoid using any kind of disposable products.

Before going for a vacation, make a proper flowchart of the place, decide on your budget plan and make the list of various places you could visit on your trip to South Korea.

Air Quality and Pollution

Air Pollution has become a legitimate threat in South Korea. Several human activities and environmental factors contribute greatly to the air pollution index of South Korea. The rapid industrialization process of South Korea has brought in a larger scope of air pollution and radioactive decay. Seoul is amongst the worst air polluted cities in the world. The levels of PM10 and PM2.5 have greatly increased in the past few years. The increase in the suspended particulate matter has posed threat to normal human health and functions. For example, the increase in air pollution has lead to many health diseases like respiratory problems, low birth weight, heart diseases, etc.

Respect the Culture

South Korea has a strong cultural foundation and stands strongly on its cultural norms and ideals. The country is an important tourism hotspot owing to its rich cultural heritage and beautiful biogeography. Being a responsible tourist also stands on the fact, that one should respect other cultures and traditions. You should try to interact with locals and develop a good friendship or relation with them. You should be very careful about their culture and regional ethics. Try your best to avoid any act that would cast shame or disappointment over their culture. One must learn to value other cultures and avoid any kind of offence. Before visiting South Korea, you should gather complete information about Korean culture and ethics. You can also pay a visit to several museums or cultural heritage villages in South Korea.

Top 10 Places to Visit

South Korea is a wonderful place for travel and adventure. It is completely independent of North Korea and is home to wonderful beaches, mountains and monuments. When visiting South Korea, there are a lot of places to explore. Travelling to South Korea has always been a fun vacation. You can have a great time with your friends and family here. Some of the best places to visit in South Korea are:

Seoul: One of the major destinations in South Korea, Seoul is the largest city in South Korea. This place is known for many wonderful attractions and is an important tourist spot in South Korea. You can come across various legendary Korean temples like Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung, etc. It has beautiful public parks, museums, landmarks and other attractions. Also, Seoul is known for the best cuisine choices in East Asia.

Chuncheon: It is the capital of Gangwon Province and is a highly popular location among the tourists and locals. The place is also famous because it hosts one of the most popular Korean Soap Opera, named as Winter Sonata. Also, if you are addicted to food, this is the best place to visit. Often called as foodie’s paradise, you must try exotic food recipes and dishes here. Other major attractions in South Korea include Statue Park, Soyang Dam, etc. When you are moving across Dakgalbi Street and taste the delicious dish Dakgalbi which is basically a grilled chicken meal with a combination of vegetables and rice.

Jeonju: Jeonju is the spiritual capital of the country. It hosts beautiful and grand temples, museums and many other places. You can also visit the Jeonju Hanak Village and sot the traditional homes from the 20th century. You could also visit the grand Jeonju National Museum and also try some tasty dishes like Bibimbap, Soju, etc.

Andong: This is a beautiful village in South Korea. Andong Local Folk Village is an amazing local cultural heritage location. This village is home to wonderful alcoholic drinks mainly the Soju. You must try this drink whenever you move to South Korea. Apart from that, you shall also try amazing Jjimdak.

Busan Gamcheon Cultural Village: It is a rich cultural attraction in South Korea. The village is small, colourful and beautiful. You can spot several murals on your destination and look for different shops that sell amazing tourist souvenirs. There is a wonderful shop in this village which sells sweets made up of cotton modelled into faces.

Haedong Yonggung Temple: This temple is highly majestic and one of the main attractions of the South Korean trip. This was built around 1376 by Naong during the Goryeo Dynasty. The temple is located near the Haeundae beach and is a popular sight-seeing place. The temple features large statues and figures of animals as well as the statue of Maitreya Buddha.

Gyeongju': The amazing place which tells the lost tales of history to the public. This place features long lost temples like Bulguksa Temple built around the eighth century. You can also visit Seokguram Grotto if you want and look at the grand monument of Buddha. This is also a great spot to watch sunset or sunrise and offers some of the stunning views of the landscape. This place also houses the large Gyeongju National Museum consisting of historical treasures.

Jeju Island: Located in the Korea Strait, Jeju Island is amongst the largest islands of South Korea. It constitutes a natural world heritage site that is Jeju Island Volcano and Lava tubes. It is a popular tourist destination with a lot of tourist destinations like Hallasan Peak, Jeju Teddy Bear Museum, Jeju Maze Park and much more. Also, the island has a wonderful Ecoland Train Trip Theme Park which is very popular among the kids and teenagers.

Suwon: Suwon is located 30 kilometres away from Seoul. It consists of a Hwaseong Fortress from the eighteenth century. You can experience and explore the wonderful architecture of South Korea and enjoy yourself. You can also spot the World Cup Stadium on your way to Suwon and have an amazing time there.

Bukchon Hanok Village: They can be called as live museums since they have been preserved like the ancient times. You can relive the time as if you are living in South Korea 600 years ago. The place is a popular tourist spot among the foreign visitors and lies in close proximity to other favourite tourist attractions like Gyeongbok Palace, Changdeok Palace and Jongmyo Royal Shrine.

View of Seoul from N Tower

Explore

South Korea is a basically a southern portion of the Korean Peninsula which is situated about 1100 kilometres from the Asian Mainland. It is surrounded by the Yellow Sea on the west side, Sea of Japan to the east and East china sea and Korean strait lines the southern side. It is a gorgeous nation with many islands for your adventure travel and tourism. Everything in South Korea is worth exploring, it has beautiful forests, rivers and beaches. Mixed Manchurian forests and Southern Korea evergreen forests greatly contribute to the adventure tourism in the country. The country is full of cultural places, museums, green sites and much more.

The place greatly encourages the traditional arts, modernization as well as sports. If you are visiting South Korea you must know that you are going to encounter the world’s fine and most artistic porcelain collection. Every year thousands of tourists go crazy with the porcelain collection and Korean Art. They purchase a lot of South Korean delicacies to raise the artistic standard of their houses. The traditional architecture of South Korea promotes the concept of harmony with nature and blends in the exotics of materialistic and supernatural. Although the period of the rapid succession of architecture in South Korea also comes with destruction spells. Therefore, if you want to witness the exquisites of culture, tradition and art, South Korea might be your exploration standard. Also, you could shop some of the exotic collections of pottery and art while enjoying the amazing nightlife the country has to offer.

City Parks

South Korea is an amazing place and has wonderful parks for recreation and enjoyment. The parks are located near the town squares or nearby tourists locations. These parks are famously known for their beautiful green areas, trees, benches and much more. You can always witness people doing exercise in the morning, jogging around and walking around in the pleasant mornings. City parks are the ideal place for having a little chit chat time with your friends or families. You could stay and relax in these parks when moving around the city. The parks are highly popular among the locals as well as tourists. You could always stay there and steal a beautiful glance of the tourists.

Taman Haneul: This city park has breathtaking landscapes and is known for its beautiful flowers and grass. The park is an amazing recreation site with tall lush green grass. You can also ho hilltop and enjoy the stunning vistas. This park is the complete package for adventure, hiking and trekking. One of the most striking features of this park is that it is wheelchair accessible and so, it is an outstanding recreation place for the handicaps.

Yeouido Hangang Park: Yeouido Hangang Park is amazingly popular among the locals. It is spread over an extensive area and has a big swimming pool where people can hang out. The park also features many running paths and tracks where you could go jogging, walking or running. Also, the river alongside increases the scenic value of the place. You can have a family picnic here or hang out with your partner and enjoy scenic pleasure.

Nodeul Park Foundation: Nodeul is a wonderful city park in South Korea. It is a pleasure to be there and you are going to have the best experience sitting and relaxing here. Also, bringing kids to this park is absolutely safe and often recommended due to the fun-loving atmosphere around this place. The water fountains are absolutely ravishing and loved by the locals and tourists alike.

Tapgol Park: Tapgol Park is located at 97, Jongno Street in Seoul, South Korea. There is a ten storeyed stone pagoda in the park named Wongaksa Pagoda which further leads to the name of the park. The park has a strong historical record and importance which owes to the extreme popularity of the place. It is labelled as treasure no-2 of South Korea.

Yeouido Hangang Park

National Parks

South Korean Government possess a rich diversity of flora and fauna. There are beautiful national parks designated by the government for conservational and environmental purposes. These parks hold rich biogeographical importance and are known for their awesome wildlife and stunning sceneries. National parks greatly promote eco-tourism in the country and offer a rich pleasurable experience. South Korea’s national parks are extremely popular spots for tourism as well as local recreational purposes. If you pay a visit to South Korea, always remember to visit these nature reserves. There are about 22 national parks in South Korea.

Dadohaehaesang: Located in the province of Jeollanam-do, this is the largest national park in South Korea. It is amongst the four marine coastal national parks in the country. The main attractions around this park are three islands namely Hongfo, Heuksando and Baekdo. There are over 1500 plant species in this area, more than 140 bird species and 150 or more species of ocean fishes and other marine animals.

Bukhansan : The nearest national parks from Korea’s capital. The park is an outstanding location to go hiking with your friends or alone and is very popular among the tourists as well as the locals. Many temples can be spotted on the road to this park. You could also take part in certain Templestay programs which allow you to stay with monks and learn about Buddhist lifestyle and culture.

Seoraksan : This national park is the definition of beauty and pleasure. There are gorgeous mountain ranges and natural landscapes to explore while your expedition to the park. You can spot a large number of oak and pine trees in these forests. Best time to visit Seoraksan National Park in South Korea is during the fall since it has breathtaking views of fall foliage.

Hallasan National Park : Hallasan National Park is located towards the southern side of the country. Located somewhere in the Jeju island, it is the most visited and popular attraction among the tourists all year around. The national park also hosts the tallest peak Hallasan in the entire South Korea which also encapsulates a shield volcano formed millions of years ago.

Jirisan National Park : Largest terrestrial National Park in South Korea has a lot of things to see. The place is excellent to take sunrise or sunset shots year-round. On your way to the park, you will come across many temples and pagoda. Also, there are many species of Flora and Fauna in this park.

Dadohaehaesang

Beaches

South Korea is an outstanding place to fulfil a fun ocean adventure. From Sun-basking to Sun-massaging, South Korean beaches offer a lot many things. You could also enjoy a wonderful surfing experience at the beautiful and larges beaches in South Korea. Being a peninsular area, it is no doubt that you would find the most gorgeous and beautiful beaches here. Beaches in South Korea are highly commercialized with the promotion of water activities and sports.

Haeundae Beach: One beach that should always be on your list on a visit to South Korea. It is the most popular and classy beach in South Korea. Many events are held on this beach every year. This fantastic beach is also great for hosting parties and celebrating new years eve. Also, many hotels have been established around this beach for your wonderful stay. You could enjoy delicious food recipes by visiting several restaurants around it like Seorae Seafood Restaurant, Coffee Mandalay, etc.

Seobin: Peanut Island houses one of the great beaches in South Korea. This white sand beach is perfect for relaxing around while eating your delicious peanut-flavoured icecream. This beach is amongst the best coral beaches in South Korea with stunningly gorgeous turquoise water. You can take a Songdo Cable Car or enjoy thrilling adventures of Songdo Skywalk.

Hajodae: Hajodae has been nicknamed as Surfy Beach. It offers excellent surfing opportunities here and is full of adventure and thrill. Have you ever climbed a lighthouse? If not, Hajodae lighthouse is worth climbing to admire the breathtaking view of the beach and other locations. There are two zones of the beach divided into Swimmers and surfers zone. The Suites Hotel Naksan is the best place to stay if you want to enjoy the pleasures of the beach and nearby tourists attractions without travelling much.

Eurwangni Beach: This beach is just a few minutes from Incheon Airport. The shimmering white sand steals complete beach beauty. This beach is a highly crowded year-round and is a great astronomical observation area. It is a perfect location to enjoy with your family and friends.

Haeundae Beach

Landmarks

South Korea has a rich cultural heritage hosting some of the grandest and beautiful landmarks in the nation. Many landmarks in South Korea are worth your visit. These places hold a popular tourist fan base and offer a lot of information about Korean culture or history.

Gyeongbokgung Palace: Gyeongbokgung Palace is considered amongst the most beautiful palaces out of the five majestic palaces. It is largest among the five palaces in South Korea and was built around 1395. It is popularly known as Northern Palace idealistically due to its location. This palace had also been destroyed by fire during the Imjin War that lasted from 1592 to 1598.

The best-preserved areas from this palace include the grand Gyeongbokgung Pavillion and the pond around Hayangwonjeong.

DMZ: Korean Demilitarized Zone is the junction between the border of South and North Korea. The demarcation line dates back to the World War Second. This is a ceasefire line with heavily armed areas on both sides of the border. You can visit this through the magnificent third tunnel that allows you to walk North Korea underground.

N-Seoul Tower: One of the famous landmarks in Seoul, it sits at the top of the city. The tower lights up when it is dark producing vibrant and magnificent light patterns. From the top of this tower, you could spot about 360-degree panoramic views across the whole of Seoul. The tower constitutes of interactive art exhibitions, restaurants and observatory on the inside.

Incheon Tri-bowl: This is the must-visit landmark in South Korea. It is actually a multi-complex cultural and art centre. It is surrounded by a beautiful pool which makes sit appear as if it is floating on water. The ceilings and walls are equipped with thousands of LED lights to create a wide array of patterns.

Gyeongbokgung Palace

Museums

South Korea is the country enriched with cultural and artistic traditions, remarkable history and technological advancements. The museums in South Korea depict different areas of interests for everyone. Therefore no worries if you are a technology enthusiast or a historian, South Korean Museums are there with all the information you need. Some of the top museums in South Korea are:

The National Museum of Korea: It is amongst the grandest and most impressive museums of South Korea. Located in Seoul, it has about 2,20,000 cultural artefacts. You can always find exhibitions related to calligraphy, painting, sculpture, crafts and much more. Also, do not forget to traverse the pagoda-dotted path that directs you to streams and waterfalls.

National Maritime Museum: This museum is located in the largest port city Busan if South Korea. The museum highlights the delicacies from the sea and ocean world. Other than that, the museum houses a grand library, a vast aquarium and a beautiful performance stage. There is also a 4-D theatre showing programs for all the age groups and on various themes.

The War Memorial of Korea: Established in the honour patriot martyrs, the museum greatly scores in its moral education venue. There are about 33,000 war-related artefacts with almost six indoor halls. You can also witness the mega-outdoor exhibition showcasing large weaponry. You can wander through the replicas created of post-war villages via the Wartime Life Room and look at the annihilated Seoul.

Daegu Yangnyeongsi: This interactive museum gives a lot of insight into the history of oriental medicine. Look at the acupuncture section of the museum or soothe your feet into the medicinal herbs created football. You can learn about various concepts such as sasangchejil, eumyangohaeng, etc.

National Palace Museum of Korea: Get a deeper understanding about the famous Joseon Dynasty. You can explore many things about this longest-ruling dynasty here in this museum. The museum’s extensive collection has about more than 40,000 artefacts. It gives a detailed view of Joseon's lifestyle and technological development during that period. You could also gather insight into the cultural aspects during that time and enjoy yourself.

National Palace Museum of Korea

Eat

Korean cuisine has evolved through different ranges of political and social change. Every province has some uniqueness and variability in their ingredients and dishes. Korea is known for its unique culture of etiquette that regulates the meal of royals as well as ordinary Korean families. The base of Korean cuisines involves a combination of rice, noodles, vegetables, tofu, fish and meat. Kimchi is a delicious spicy vegetable dish is one of the best known Korean dishes. You should also never forget to try Bulgogi in South Korea. The grilled marinated beef is all set to bring taste and spice in your vacation. Many soups are also considered as an important part of Korean cuisine. Some popular soups like guk involve the use of meats, shellfish, vegetable, etc. You could also find common seasoning agents like sesame oil, doenjang, soy sauce, etc on a variety of mouth-watering Korean dishes. You ought to try the variety here, many dishes like Banchan, Tteokbokki, Gimbap are tourist favourites and highly recommended by the locals. You can visit nearby restaurants from your accommodation and taste these delicious dishes. Many cafes and street food shops are also highly popular due to their appealing dishes and affordable prices.

Drink

Who says, Irish and Russian are suckers for drinks or alcohol? Koreans always top the chart when it comes to their drinking habits, capacity and nightlife. They are believed to drink about 13.7 shots of liquid per week compared to other heavily drinking population in different countries. Drinking culture in Korea is greatly developed with about more than a thousand varieties of alcoholic drinks. Most alcoholic drinks in Korea are made from rice and yeast. There is a significant addition of flowers, fruits and herbs in the winemaking process. Some of the popular wines in South Korea are Takju, Soju, Cheongju and Gwasil-ju. Soju is the national drink of Korea which is actually a distilled liquid and completely clear and transparent. It usually consists of a 20-24% of alcohol composition and if you are a drink lover, you got to try this Korean delicacy. Yakju has a unique flavour and is brewed with flowers and leaves. Both these ingredients give out a distinctive flavour and make this dish worth a try. The flowers used to brew wines are mainly chrysanthemum, acacia, honeysuckle, roses, etc. All the drinks in Korea are amazingly popular and you must try them.

Tap-water

Tap water in South Korea is very safe to drink and has a negligible concentration of contaminants in it. There is no need to be concerned about drinking tap water in South Korea. You can drink it whenever you want without any second thoughts. But, when it comes to the locals, the scenario is pretty different. Usually, more than half per cent of the population in South Korea does not drink tap water. All the locals tend to drink water from the filtered or mineral water bottles or after boiling the tap water at home. This might seem confusing or suspicious but it sounds like a more desirable option which further reduces the chances of contamination. Even you can consume tap water, the way you want. Just get it boiled before drinking and always check the water quality standards of the area you are living in. Other than that, buying mineral water bottles is a more safer and favourable approach than drinking tap water especially if you are utterly health conscious.

Activities

South Korea is a wonderful location, full of beautiful lakes, rivers, beaches and forests. There are the number of activities you could perform while your visit or vacation in South Korea. For instance, you could go camping in and around the Mixed Manchurian forests. Also, going for sightseeing is an amazing option to choose from various other wonderful activities. Imagine, sitting with your family relaxed on a beach and enjoying the view. You could also enjoy the spectacular sunsets by watching them with your girlfriends or wife. Other than that, snorkelling and boating are both excellent choices to enjoy your fun adventure in South Korea. Many tourists and locals go hiking and trekking around the beautiful national parks. You could also witness a beautiful camping experience with your group, leading to an amazing adventurous experience full of thrill and excitement.

Accommodation

Travelling is accompanied by a lot of other factors. One must have proper travel and stay plan when visiting South Korea. Being well prepared in advanced before your travel journey begins, is a pretty good idea. You could make a big proper list of places you have to visit, your budget plan and the pre-requisites for accommodation. One has to choose from Wide range of accommodation options available while their stay including hotels, apartments, hostels, guesthouses, etc. Choosing an accommodation requires proper planning and strategy. For example, if you are going for a vacation in South Korea you should choose a place which is near to tourist attractions and is not somewhere remotely located. While, if you are visiting the place only for some work schedule, getting proper accommodation nearest to your work location might be the right thing to do. Other than that, if you are solo travelling in search of solitude and peace, why not prefer a remote area with beautiful scenery to please you all day. You should also keep tabs on the place and its reputation among the tourists and locals.

Green Hotels

South Korea is in a rapidly developing stage and has experienced a spike in renewable energy and environmentally friendly approach and living. The establishment of world-class hotels that have no negative impact on the environment and promotes positive living has been in force since the past few years. These green hotels highly focus on the use of clean and renewable energy resources by reducing the use and consumption of eco-hazardous fuels in some hotel operations. They aim at supporting eco-tourism and eco-living by giving access to organic foods, switching towards non-smoking rooms and much more. These hotels are not only beneficial for the environment but they also promote healthy client and employee relationship. This level is achieved by providing training to the hotel staff about the sustainable use of energy resources and environmentally friendly living. In return, their growth-output ratio is significantly increased.

Hostels and Guest Houses

Hostels come with more restrictions and monotony which makes it a less preferable option. Apart from that one has to follow the same routine and eat the pre-decided menu. But, for moderate or low budget trips nothing can prove to be more perfect. You are provided with excellent safety measures, along with the facility to avail meals. You can also rent a bicycle if you want and ferry yourself around the city. Hostels and guesthouses are an amazing choice of accommodation if you are going on a trip with your friends. You could have all the guesthouse for you and your friends and enjoy your time there. Usually, when you are going to visit the remote area or go to a secluded place, you could choose guesthouses as your ideal stay. You can consult any of the locals and talk them into renting you their guest house for a day or so. In South Korea, almost all the families or locals have beautifully designed and built guesthouses. They are always ready to help and assist the tourists with anything they want.

Apartments

Privacy and independent will are the two important human needs fulfilled by staying in the apartments. Rather than living in a hotel room or spending your night or day in the hostels or shared rooms, everyone prefers distance, privacy and space. In case, you don’t have some serious budget constraints, choosing an apartment for yourself is a very wise decision. Also, if you are travelling with your family and have to stay for a long period in a foreign country, buying or renting yourself an apartment is a very ideal option. You could rent an apartment if you are staying on temporary buses and likely to move without going to the same place twice. Whereas, if you have to pay repeated visits to the same place and you have a long extended visa, buying an apartment would be the right thing to do. Many apartment buildings are located in close proximity to nearby attractions and have a busy transportation network. They could also rent many electrical and manual appliances like microwave, gas stove, toaster, etc.

Couchsurfing

Locals in South Korea are very pleasant to meet and are highly likeable. The individuals have great admiration towards other cultures and always offer their support and help. You could always have wonderful communication with them and talk about almost every topic. Some locals are highly benevolent that they could easily offer you to stay with them and know everyone around more closely. But, Couchsurfing comes with a set of give and take along with compromises. You have to adjust in the place anyhow and also abide by the rules of the owners. While it may sound a more bossy and vigilant form of accommodation, still it has many benefits. You could anytime interact with the locals. Take part in their family processions and have a pleasant exchange of information between each other. Everything points towards a deeper understanding along with the profound respects for each other’s culture and traditions. This way you learn how to adjust, interact and behave in a socially forward way. If possible, you could always enjoy a good friendship with the people in the family you are staying with. This way you will have less to spend but more to learn, accept and celebrate.

Camping

Looking for an adventure has always been an exciting part of a travel journey. Who doesn’t want to go camping and enjoy the bonfire there? South Korea has beautiful beaches and stunning parks or forests that can steal your breath away. You can go camping with your friends or other locals and have a great time. Also, do not worry if you are a solo traveller and have no one to go camping too. You can just contact any of the camping agencies in South Korea and join them for a wonderful camping expedition. You could go camping with different groups composed of locals and tourists and make up excellent friends with them. But before camping, it would be better if you had complete knowledge of the camping sites, type of material you should carry with you and always a pre-verified list of Do’s and Don’ts to keep you on the track.

Regions

Cities

Getting There and Moving Around

South Korea has a very extensive network of transportation and a very well developed communication system. It has several transport routes and modes like railways, buses, highways and ferry services. Infrastructural investments have greatly increased over the years. South Korea has greatly invested in the setting up of railway lanes, bus stand, highways, trains, etc. The modern infrastructure plan connects the major cities of South Korea like Seoul and Busan. Thus, it is very easy to move around and get to the country through nearby regions via different transportation modes.

Air

Air transport to South Korea is also highly developed. Long after the Korean Air replaced the Korean National Airlines, it has been handled privately since. Other important airlines in South Korea include Asiana Airlines, Air Busan, Easter Jet and Jeju Air, etc. The air travel is quite affordable in South Korea and is considered one of the busiest passenger air corridors in the country. The largest international airport is Incheon International Airport. Similarly, Gimpo International Airport serves to major routes in and around Seoul, Gimpo, Busan, etc. South Korea has about 103 airports and the flights takeover to and from other countries like Bangkok, Singapore, Japan and Los Angeles.

File:Gimpo International Airport (1).jp

Gimpo International Airport

Bus

Talking about Road Transportation in South Korea, well it has been developed pretty well. It constitutes of several governments and private constructed roads or expressways. The major privately owned routes are named as Seoul-Ring expressway, Seoul-Chuncheon expressway, Daegu-Busan expressway, etc. The country comprises of an extensive road transportation network with a large number of bus routes. There are several different categories of buses namely regional buses, intercity buses, airport buses, etc. Usually, city buses are further divided into gosok buses and sieou buses. Josok Buses actually travel faster and over the longer routes. While sieou buses tend to travel slower and traverses short routes. Also, an International Incheon airport expressway well connects the airport from other parts of the city or country. Many buses operate between the route way that connects the airport to the different parts of the country.

A bus in Seoul

Train

Korea Railway Network Authority manages the major railway network lines and helps them make the best of their public transportation. Actually, trains serve as a more affordable and environmentally friendly mode of transportation. The largest railway operator in South Korea is Korail which further plans to expand its service area and reach. Other common railways operators in South Korea are ITX-Saemaeul, Mugunghwa-ho, etc. The important train services are the Korea Train Express, Nuriro Train Services, etc. Nuriro services traverse the area around Seoul Metropolitan, Seoul Subway, etc. kTX is amongst the first high-speed train services in South Korea. Also, the country stands as the third country in the world that operates a commercial maglev train network.

Hitchhiking

Locals in South Korea are very interactive and amiable. You can easily get lifts from the people travelling in their private vehicles to the same route you are traversing. Hitchhiking might be an amazing way of travel since it gives you company on your journey and lets you interact with other people. But, sometimes you cannot regard it as a safe method of travel and also an uncertain way of travelling owing the fact that you will get lifts or not. One should also make sure they leave a good impression so that the people can easily give you a lift and feel comfortable around you. In your journey, you could make excellent friends and get a closer understanding of any location by knowing from the personal experience of a person. Try to interact more with other person and increase your familiarity with the place and people. Also be careful about your luggage, money and be cautious of the people who you are taking the lift from at the same time.

Others

There are many other modes of transportation in South Korea. You could either book a taxi, use water transport or teams and subways. South Korea has a well-developed subway system in some of its major cities namely Seoul, Incheon, Busan, Daegu, Gwanju, Daejon. The oldest subway system in South Korea is Seoul Subway System established in 1974. Other than that you could also book a cab or taxi. Cabs can be the more private and comfortable mode of travel but they tend to be more expensive and less eco-friendly. Therefore, it is better if you prefer using public transport for getting around and into South Korea and its interconnected cities.

Sustainable Shopping

Sustainable Shopping stresses the need for social, environmental and health benefits of the products. Sustainable living is an ideal way to support the environment as well as responsible tourism. This process involves buying and using products that promote environment stability and sustainable use. For example, you could buy more organic products like organic food, clothes, etc. It is more important to encourage sustainable shopping since it has the least negative effects on the body as well as the environment. One could also purchase eco products or go for eco-shopping. Other than that. Buying recyclable fabrics is an excellent clothing option that would certainly benefit environmental health and your appeal. Therefore it also minimizes the pollution in the area and gives long-lasting solutions. Apart from that, sustainable shopping also works upon increasing employment opportunities and favours a more friendly and interactive relation between clients and shopkeeper.

Recycling

Recycling is one of the top ways to manage the waste generated by Korean households and industries. Recycling of plastic wastes, glasses and papers allow reducing the wastage at large scale. One of the most striking parts for waste management is that South Korea recycles about 95% of the food waste in the country. Ministry of Environment sets up the basic recycling rules. South Korea is strictly working in developing a sustainable society with low chances of waste accumulation. It is also better if you don’t use plastic bags or polythene when you get there and being a tourist it's your responsibility to not litter around. Other than that you should always remember the nearby recycling agencies or stores where you could voluntarily give up the waste for recycling. About 82% of the waste generated in South Korea is recycled via many private and government recycling agencies like:

Hilliard Corporation

Ametek Process Instruments

Granutech-Saturn Systems

Flottweg SE

Endress Hauser AG

Waste

Waste Management System in South Korea is very well developed and offers excellent waste treatment services. In South Korea, the municipal waste is normally divided into four parts namely recycling, landfill, composting and incineration. There are two main methods of waste management preferred in South Korea are waste reduction and waste diversion landfills. Every resident in the country has different sized waste bags that can be categorized into domestic waste, business waste, food waste, public purposes and construction debris. Also, residents have to pay different fees for the bags according to the size and regions. The garbage disposal rules are extremely strict in South Korea enlisting a fine of about $1000 for violating the garbage disposal rules. So, if you are visiting South Korea or staying there for some time you must know all about the waste disposal rules.

Work and Study Abroad

South Korea is a beautiful and ideal place to work and study abroad. The destination is highly recommended for students and skilled workers mainly due to excellent local population and good academic standards. South Korea is at a rapid growth phase and there are many skills required for different job opportunities there. One can get a work or study visa for them and try their best to intermingle in the culture of South Korea and have an amazing career opportunity. Also, the requirement and language proficiency in English has become extremely in demand in South Korea that offers great work and study abroad opportunities. The place is amazing to work and everyone around is highly comfortable in interacting with each other. Also, South Korea holds an important place in the trade market and is highly famous for immigrants inflow.

Exchange Student

The East Asian nation is an amazing place full of beautiful sceneries and high educational standards. South Korea is a multifaceted country which is highly known for the strong military foregrounds, extreme technological advancements and high academic security. Many international students come to South Korea for their advanced studies and courses. The educational environment is very competitive and the quality standards are highly peaked. Many students opt for exchange programs provided by the top universities and colleges in South Korea. Students can also enjoy their time there enjoying the K-pop culture. The music preferred by people here is pretty exciting and wonderful.

Seoul National University

Korea University

Yonsei University

Kyung Hee University

Au Pair

Au Pairing is amongst the most popular forms of cultural exchange. AU Pairing is one of the best ways to lend your services in return for enjoying your time in the other country. You could also work for a family in South Korea and assist them in their daily chores or various activities. For instance, you could work as a nanny or house assistant. Also, many people like to work as a home tutor for a family having kids. You could teach them any of the languages or assist them in their household chores. Either way working as an assistant could also be great work job out there. Another one aspects of the Au pairing is that the employer or a family in South Korea could sponsor you and assist you with your financial residential stuff in the country in return for your services. South Korea has a long list of beautiful tourist sites and attractions like beautiful lakes, pleasant beaches and stunning public parks.

Volunteering

Volunteering allows you to extend your services without bothering for anything in return. Volunteering helps you to do some social work and promote the welfare of society. Volunteering is an excellent way to utilize your skills and heart at helping other people, kids and elderly population. You can volunteer for teaching or some sort of science projects and contribute your skillset and knowledge. Also, volunteering for the same care and awareness camps in South Korea would allow you to contribute to society and enjoy yourself.