Staycation in South Korea

A staycation, where one takes a vacation near home, is perfect to minimize the vacation stress, especially the financial strain. Because summer is a peak season for travel, prices of airplane tickets and accommodations at popular destinations abroad are staggering. For the international student studying in Korea or the hagwon teacher trying to save money for student loans, or the family of four paying off their apartment loan, summer prices can be out of reach. However, that doesn’t mean one needs to forgo a vacation this summer. 

CheapAir.com’s 5th Annual Airfare Study Reveals the Best Time to Buy Airline Tickets

If you want to save money on summer flights, cheapair.com created an insightful report on the best time to get the best price for flights. They reported that booking  99 days before your summer departure (which can cause an organizational nightmare) is the best time to get tickets. 

If you’ve been living in South Korea for any amount of time, you know that travelling in the country is very affordable. The extensive train or bus system will get you to almost anywhere, and definitely to the start of your summer adventures. With a large variety of options for accommodations (hotel, motel, guesthouses, pensions, minbaks, or camping), you’ll be able to find something that fits your needs and budget. Additionally for expats in Korea, you won’t need to go through the hassle of exchanging currency, learning another language (on top of Korean), wondering what food you just ordered, putting your dog in a kennel, leaving the lights on at home, natives preying on gullible tourists at tourist traps, or missing your daily dose of kimchi.   

With 70% mountainous terrain and 12,400km of coastline, the topography that makes up the ROK (Republic of Korea) is prime for adventure and excitement. Camping, hiking, surfing, rock climbing, mountain biking, paddle boarding, it’s all here. And if you don’t know how to do any of those things, Korea has a number of guiding outfits (think iGuideKorea) that can get you on the road to a new adventure, and possibly, a new hobby that will enrich your life in the country and elsewhere. 

What about the crowds? The best tip to avoiding the crowds in South Korea is to travel during the week. Traveling during on weekdays is like being in another country compared to weekend travel. Another tip is to find a guiding company (think iGuideKorea) who knows the country well enough to find the more remote (and often more scenic) venues. The last tip is to take the path less travelled. Look on a map of South Korea and pick a spot that has no cities around it. The random islands at the bottom of Jeollanam-do province have been some of my favourite places to explore. Also, hikes into the deep valleys of the national parks like Seoraksan away from the popular tourist spots is another great way to find a little piece of Korea all to yourself. 

Download a PDF by the Korea National Park Service (KNPS) that overviews all the national parks here.

Please understand that I’m not saying South Korea is a better vacation than Bali, Okinawa, Boracay, or Bangkok. What I am saying is some times those places are better when it’s not peak vacation season. I’m also saying that for most expats, you’ve already travelled hundreds or thousands of miles to get to Korea; take the time to enjoy it. There’s lots to do. Check out iGuideKorea’s Youtube channel for our mini video guides on places to go, or email Eddy at igk@iguidekorea.com for ideas, or listen to our podcasts on surfing, mountain biking, rock climbing, and hiking for more information. 

To help you get started here's a general sample of a beach itinerary to the small beach village of Hajodae (하조대) and the beach resort Surfyy Beach. Perfect for the summer:

• Take the train/bus to Gangneung.
• From Gangneung take a bus or taxi to Hajodae. 
• Book an economical room at Olive Beach or for some thing fancier, Cotiere Pension.
• Check in and walk towards Surfyy Beach. 
• Contact Jake McFayden surf instructor and book a surfing lesson or rent a paddle board.
• Get a drink and relax at Surffy’s beach lounge chairs or hammocks.
• Go to Single Fin Ale Works Beer Garden and splurge on a good but pricey pizza and a craft brew.
• Find some more adventure and tell us about it at igk@iguidekorea.com.

For more fun at Hajodae and Surfyy Beach, check out this excellent blog post by SeoulInspired for more itineraries and suggestions. Lots of details! 

Whatever you end up doing, I truly hope you have an awesome summer vacation!