South Korea with Luxury & Style (9 Days):
Sample Itinerary Outline
ID #: DT-SK-9-6-30-10-RAIJ
DAY
1: Seoul, SOUTH KOREA
You are met on arrival and taken to your hotel. Enjoy the rest of
the day at leisure to relax or explore this fascinating city.
►Some suggested Seoul hotels (in alphabetical order): Park Hyatt Seoul (V) Seoul Grand Hyatt
►Together, we will find the best choice for you!
DAY 2: Seoul, SOUTH KOREA
This morning enjoy a full day tour of Seoul, the heart of Korea’s
culture filled with more than 600 years of history. Visit some of
the capital’s most impressive sights, starting with the extensive
Gyeongbok Palace (the Northern Palace), originally built in 1395 at
the start of the Chosun dynasty. Explore the National Folk Museum
located on the palace grounds. See the Royal Guard Changing Ceremony
in front of the Palace, and drive by the “Blue House,” the
Presidential residence noted for its decorative blue tiles. Enjoy a
traditional Korean lunch at a local restaurant before visiting the
Bukchon Hanok Village and Bukchon Cultural Center with its
traditional atmosphere, displays and cultural programs. Explore the
sites and unique architecture along Samcheongdong Street. The street
is lined with famous art galleries, the Lee Rhee-za Korean Costume
Exhibition Hall, the French Cultural Center, as well as traditional
tea houses and craft shops. Visit Seoul’s famed Namdaemun Market
with its colorful variety of Korean-made goods and souvenirs.
►For Seoul hotel suggestions, see above.
DAY 3: Seoul, SOUTH KOREA
Today is at your leisure to relax, explore more of Seoul or perhaps
do some shopping.
►For Seoul hotel suggestions, see above.
DAY 4: Daegu, SOUTH KOREA
This morning board the Korean Express Train to Daequ, then travel by
private car to explore Mt. Gaya National Park. Established in 802,
it is home to a plethora of art treasures within its more than 90
shrines, hermitages and temples. Visit Hainsa Temple, a UNESCO
Cultural Heritage site and one of Korea’s Three Jewel Temples. It
houses ‘Tripitaka Koreana’—a collection of 80,000 wooden printing
blocks dating back to 1251. This is considered the most
authoritative edition of Buddhist scripture (Dharma) in East Asia.
Drive back to Daegu and visit the medicinal Herbal Market before
arriving at your hotel.
►Suggested hotel: Daegu Grand
DAY 5: Gyeongju, SOUTH KOREA
It is a short drive to Gyeongju (Kyongju) for a full day tour of
this historic “museum without walls” city full of UNESCO World
Heritage sites. Visit Bulkuksa Temple; built in 528, it is a
monument to both the skill of its Shilla architects and the depth of
their Buddhist faith. The wooden buildings have been rebuilt, but
all the stone bridges, stairways and pagodas are original. See one
of Asia’s finest Buddhist shrines, Sugguram Grotto, where surrounded
by Bodhisattvas and guardian deities, a statue of Buddha gazes out
over the forested hills and across the East Sea to the horizon.
Continue to the Gyeongju National Museum for a display of the Shilla
Kingdom’s magnificent gold crowns, pottery, Buddhist artifacts and
stone sculptures. Explore Royal Tumuli Park, and its collection of
more than 20 royal Shilla tombs, including the famous Chonmachong
(Flying Horse Tomb) before arriving at your hotel.
►Suggested hotel: Gyeongju
Hyundai
DAY 6: Busan & Jeju, SOUTH KOREA
This morning drive south to Busan, stopping en route to visit
Tongdosa Temple, one of the largest temples in Korea, with buildings
dispersed throughout the surrounding mountainside. Continue your
drive along Haeundae Beach to reach Busan. Enjoy a tour of the city
including the vibrant Jagalchi Fish Market, and the maze-like Gukje
Market with its wide variety of cloth wares. In the afternoon, take
an hour flight south to the island of Jeju, where you are met and
taken to your hotel.
►Suggested hotel: Jeju Shilla
DAY 7: Jeju, SOUTH KOREA
This island has much to offer and explore. Today’s sightseeing
begins with Sunsan Sunrise Peak, an ancient volcanic land mass, with
a 1,970-foot wide crater that is surrounded by 99 sharp rocks
appearing like a giant crown above the cauldron. Visit the unique
Women Diver’s Museum, with exhibits on the lifestyle and traditional
homes of Jejudo’s haenyeo female divers. Next tour through the
Seongup Folk Village, to see traditional Jeju thatched houses, a
Confucian temple as well as a mill and fortress. Here you can get a
true taste of ancient Korean culture and foods. ►Suggested hotel: Jeju Shilla
DAY 8: Seoul, SOUTH KOREA
Enjoy another day exploring this unique island. Drive along the
Dragon Head coast to Mt. Sanbangsan to see its Sanbanggulsa Temple.
A 16-foot high rock cave on the cliff of the mountain, this
cave-turned temple was home to monks during the Goryeo Dynasty
(918-1392) and offers wonderful views of the coast and Marado
Island. Next, see the unusual volcanic rock formation of Jusangjeoli,
and the Cheonjeyeon Waterfall. Visit the O’Sulloc Green Tea Museum
and stroll along the Olle Walking Paths to experience the true
serenity of this region. Late this afternoon return to the Jeju
airport for your flight back to Seoul for your last night in Korea.
►For Seoul hotel suggestions, see above.
DAY 9: Seoul, SOUTH KOREA
Today you are taken to the airport for your flight home or on to
your next destination.