A lady friend of mine intends to discover Corea for about 2 months. As she does not speak the language, I was wondering if some of you could give us advice and tips.

Travel time: July

Thank you for all insights

She is going to travel alone??

If you dont speak Korean and want to travel around the country for 2 month, you better make sure you speak the language.....
or dont go!

Basically, only staff at major hotels in the major cities such as Seoul and Pusan, as well as college students, speak some english. Even cabin crew on Korean air carriers have a difficult time with english.

The only tourist area where english is frequently spoken is Itaewon in Seoul, because of its proximity to the U.S. army base at Yongsan.

IME (as an American) Korea is far more enjoyable if you know people there who can show you around.

One could say the same thing about any foreign country, but for some reason Korea stands out from the crowd.

Other thoughts:
-August is nicer than July IMO
-She should get a condo on the beach for at least a few days
-A car would be useful outside of Seoul
-Most Korean TAs in Los Angeles will let you add on a side trip to Cheju for $100 or so; well worth it

[This message has been edited by moondog (edited Feb 01, 2004).]

Thank you all for the information. She does not speak the language, was adopted at age three and came to Europe. She was thinking of renting a motorcycle...

If you have more detailed info, just send everything you got. Thank you. You got me worried, miles4all...

As mentioned above, Korea would best be discovered in the company of at least an ethnic Korean companion. Seoul, especially, can be dreary (and frighteningly expensive) for the solo traveller, but quite fun when properly hosted.

July is monsoon season in Korea, humid and hotter than Japan's June monsoon, but not as systematically overcast. The western coast is pleasant at that time; renting a condo by the beach, which could serve as a base for day trips, is indeed a good idea.

Cheju-do, the Korean Hawaii due to its scenery and weather, is the favored honeymoon destination. Expect higher prices and more developed tourist infrastructure than on the mainland. I am not sure how much down-to-earth local culture subsists these days.


Budget-wise, there is a clear differentiation between the international class accomodations catering to most FT posters, and the omnipresent inexpensive inns and guest-houses used by the masses.


The KNTO website is a good starting point for general information and links.


In all of Asia I cannot think of a country where two-wheeled vehicles are deemed less suitable for women. Most Korean women do not know how to ride bicycles for a reason: culturally because the posture is considered undignified, more recently because bicycles and mopeds are viewed as 3rd worldish means of transportation, a no-no in image-conscious modern Korea. A foreign woman riding a motorcycle in Korea would certainly be exposing herself to potential abuse.


Other options: the extensive long-distance bus system is inexpensive, despite a middling safety record. The Korean rail pass is a steal; most Korean trains use older US-style rolling stock, with the TGV slated to start limited operations this year. Domestic flights are inexpensive.


A car would indeed be the best way to explore the countryside, but require an understanding of the Korean language and peculiar road laws (ever tried to take a left turn in Seoul? keep turning right...)

Road signs are mostly bilingual throughout the country, but spellings are not standardized, which can be confusing. Fine can be paid directly to the policeman

The 2-lane country roads meandering through the pine trees, red hills and lush rice fields in the summer are very soothing, though.


Within Seoul, forget driving. Even finding parking is a major problem. The subway is clean, inexpensive, and efficient. Busses are many, cheap, and difficult to master. The 70,000 taxis are inexpensive, if not as pristine as Japanese ones. All of this applies to Pusan, to a lesser extent.


Korea is not a particularly tourist-friendly country once outside the beaten path. In this oft-invaded country, do not expect the wide-eyed wonder a foreigner might expect in a south-east Asian village. Age, education, sedate behavior command respect, but brash/non-conventional demeanor (US military personnel is not particularly popular...) may arouse the ire of drunken local men if in the wrong place. Violent theft is not a concern.

Monahos, thank you. You are a mine of information.

I have been there once but was chauffeur driven, so I had no contacts or worries as people took very good care of me.

My friend is taking a crash course in corean and looks the part. That might be a plus for her.

A six-month crash course in Korean is a lot more than the average traveller would invest in a trip

The Korean alphabet is actually quite easy to learn. Vocabulary is more of a challenge.


If your friend looks the part, it would be wise to advertise her western background at the beginning of a conversation. Visiting/returning Korean-Americans usually elicit a measure of sympathy, especially if they try to speak Korean.

The key is not to be mistaken for an ethnic Korean illegal alien from China (there are large numbers of them doing menial jobs), or god forbid, a North Korean spy! This only applies to ethnic Chinese and Koreans, as locals can easily identify other Asians.