I'm doing a stopover in Seoul in mid September on my return from Bali. I'm only taking 3 days in Seoul and am interested in opinions and recommendations of must see and do sights to experience while I'm there. Also, open to any sage advice on do's and don'ts as a single woman traveler. Thanks in advance for your insights.
Posted by
Minnesota
573 posts
I spent a few days with a friend in Seoul in 2019 and had a wonderful time! (Although I was with a friend, I would have felt comfortable there on my own.) We stayed at the Metro Hotel, located in Myeongdong. We were very happy with the hotel - friendly, helpful staff and comfortable rooms. It’s located in a busy area with loads of restaurants, coffee shops (they love their coffee in Korea!), and shops. It was walking distance to some of the sights we wanted to see, and just a block or so to the subway system (easy to use to get to other sights and activities).
We hired a private guide for a one-day tour. She was excellent! It was totally worth the very reasonable cost - a private vehicle and driver (not the guide) to navigate the terrible traffic, an efficient plan to see everything we wanted to include, and a lunch at a hole-in-the-wall dumpling restaurant (only locals and us!). We also took an evening food tour that was also a lot of fun (and delicious). Unfortunately, I could not find websites for either of these companies. Maybe they didn’t survive the COVID years.
We went to the DMZ with one of the companies that offer tours. It was probably not the best tour I’ve ever had, but did the job. I believe that you need to go there with one of the approved companies. The one we used was Koridoor:
https://www.koridoor.co.kr:5033/idx.asp
I used Lonely Planet’s guide for Korea. There might be recommendations for private guides in there. I have had good luck with their recommendations in several countries. I’ve also found good ideas on TripAdvisor. Here’s a website that I found helpful for Seoul:
https://www.worldnomads.com/explore/eastern-asia/south-korea/top-things-to-see-and-do-in-seoul
I loved our short time in Seoul and would like to return someday. Have fun!
Posted by
USA
16 posts
Exciting Seoul stopover ahead! You should get a T-money card for easy travel. It's a reloadable transportation card that can also be used for small purchases. Please note that you cannot recharge this with a credit card, it must be cash. To give you a detailed idea about using it, you may find this article helpful https://inmykorea.com/t-money-card-korean-transportation-card/
As for the must-see spots, you should not miss Gyeongbokgung Palace for ancient Korean architecture, Bukchon Hanok Village to stroll traditional houses, Myeongdong for shopping, dining, and experience K-beauty, Namsan Tower for iconic panoramic views, and moreeee places to explore. I'm sure you'll love the city as much as I do.
Anyway, since you will be traveling alone, you may as well consider getting a tour guide for hassle-free travel. There are guides available in Seoul that offer customized tours. Please read the reviews to confirm if they are legit and reliable. Found this guide that you might be interested to check https://gowithguide.com/korea/seoul/guides