home away from home

Your oasis is a two-bedroom home in the traditional Korean style, but with updated features like a modernized bathroom and state-of-the-art kitchen. The kitchen comes stocked with pots and pans and dishes so you can stay in and cook, or make tea or coffee in the morning. There’s a beautiful courtyard in the middle of the house with a table, chairs, and hammock, filled with plants to create your own peaceful escape in the bustling city.

Drinking Culture

Drinking in Korea is huge, driven in part by the workplace custom of drinking together after work. Korean beer is uniquitous, as is the cheapest option of soju, which is sort of like a rice vodka. You can find small bottles of soju in any convenience store, or enjoy with a festive meal of Korean barbecue. You’ll find the most unique flavor in makgeolli, or a fermented rice drink that looks like milk.

Coffee Culture

Just like alcohol, Koreans love their coffee shops. You’ll see many familiar chains like Starbucks, but also many chains unique to Korea, such as Angel-in-us, Caffe Bene, A Twosome Place, and more. Standalone coffee shops are often beautifully decorated and are a wonderful way to take a break and step out of the hustle of the streets. Combination bakeries and coffee shops are also common, and reveal Koreans’ love for French baked goods with delicate tarts, pastries, and bread.

Korean Barbecue

Probably one of the more popular Korean dishes outside the country, at a Korean barbecue you can expect to be the grillmaster at your own tabletop grill. A waiter will come by and bring you pre-cut pieces of meat, but they will let you put them on the grill and cook them yourself unless you ask otherwise. You’ll also get a wide variety of pancheon, or side dishes, including kimchi and other vegetables, and rice. Some types of barbecue come with sesame leaves that you use to make small wrap. One of the most popular types is called samgyupsal, or grilled pork belly.

Street Food

Don’t forget to taste any of the amazing street food options you’ll find at street vendors all over the city. Tteokkbokki is a spicy dish of rice cakes in a red sauce that you can find with a variety of vegetables, fish cakes, or boiled eggs. Street stands have meat on a stick, gyros, and a wide variety of fried vege-

Day 1: Arrival

Take it slow today. Hang out around the hanok, eat some good food, and explore this new country.

9:30 AM Arrive in Seoul.

12:30 PM Lunch

2 PM Explore Insadong

4 PM Afternoon Tea

7 PM Dinner

Day 2: Hahoe Folk Village

Today we experience traditional Korean culture with the Hahoe Folk Village’s Joseon period-style architecture and folk traditions.

9:30 AM

5 PM

7 PM

Leave for Hahoe

Folk Village Return to Seoul Dinner

Day 3: Temple Visit

We visit a Buddhist temple in the mountains and participate in a Buddhist ceremony.

9:30 AM Leave for Temple

5 PM Return to Seoul

7 PM Dinner

Day 4: Seoul

See all that Seoul has to offer.

9:30 AM Gyeonggbokgong Palace

5 PM Gwangjang Market

7 PM National Museum of Korea

On a trip with Arrival, we want the perfect combination of unique experiences and room for spontaneity. We haven’t planned out every second so you have downtime, or you can fill your free time with whatever you like--this booklet and our app have plenty of suggestions! Most importantly, we want this trip to work for you--so if there’s an item on our itinerary that you’re not digging, we can change it! Your itinerary will be on our app during your trip, with live support from us to fine-tune your plans at any time. Also, we encourage going off the beaten path--once you’re in Seoul, your time is your own! Follow our plans or not, it’s time for your perfect vacation.

Korea has very distinct seasons, so you can choose when to go based on what experience you’d like. Winter is cold, and there you can expect snow and enjoy lots of winter sports outside Seoul, from snowboarding to ice fishing. Korea’s spring is famous for its cherry blossoms, which dot the city. The summer is hot and humid, but the fall features beeautiful foliage for the great hiking throughout the country.