Most Famous Must-See Tourist Attractions in South Korea

 South Korea Travel Guide to Top Tourist Attractions

South Korea offers tourists everything they can dream of in a single destination. The country has both a long and intriguing history, a beautiful culture, incredible food, hospitable people, and a superb tourism infrastructure such as the new lightning-fast rail system.

It's also a nation of contrasts, with top tourist attractions that range from the finest national parks, oldest mountaintop Buddhist temples, ancient enchanting palaces to the super-modern skyscrapers such as Lotte World Tower.

South Korea has an unusually unique attraction that no self-respecting tourist will want to dare miss: a no-man's land forming a rather high-tension military border where two nations technically yet at war. 

Discover the best places to tour with my South Korea travel guide to find the top tourist attractions in South Korea.

1) Changdeokgung Palace.  Of the five great palaces erected in the fifteenth century near Seoul via the Joseon Dynasty, this palace was the obvious favorite royal residence. Here, the king and his regal family resided daily.

The palace isn't only one single building, but a complex of structures, of which each serve a specific and different purpose. For example, some for dining, some for-meeting guests, some as libraries, and some for accommodations.

Be sure to tour through the massive 78-acre palace garden, lying just behind the palace. It's bursting with fabulous green spaces, lovely pathways, pagodas, lakes, and streams.

2) Busan.  Did you realize that you could head to South Korea and find great beaches? As the country's largest city, Busan's coast is filled with gorgeous beaches as well as resorts. There's much history and culture here, too.

Make it a priority to stop by the Beomeos Temple and the interesting hillside village called Gamecheon, which has a European style, sitting on the cliffs over the sea as if a Korean type of Santorini.

If you love seafood, visit Jagalchi Market, South Korea's biggest commercial seafood market. But only one section of the marketplace is currently open to the public, and there are several modest restaurants which will actually prepare your purchase, letting tourists to enjoy eating it right here.

South Korea's KTX extremely quick train will transport you to Busan from Seoul, taking a bit over two hours.

3) N Seoul Tower.  If visiting Seoul, you should definitely climb up in the iconic observation tower. It's positioned nearly on a mountaintop, and the structure's towering height itself takes you almost five-hundred meters into the sky with the city below appearing somewhat smaller.

But allow time for exploring the nearby mountain area. The tower is close to the peak of Mount Namsan, and the whole area happens to be Namsan Park that the city runs. Plus, you can explore hiking trails that extends for miles, and only a few minutes from downtown Seoul.

There's also a cable vehicle that transports visitors from Seoul to the base area of the tower. Here, you could then hike. After enjoying the beautiful panoramas from the tower and the cable car's ride, leave time to check out the Namsan Hanok village. These preserved historical villages that are scattered across Korea and Seoul, are actual re-constructions representing ancient Korean neighborhoods. The village also includes 5 restored hanoks (traditional Korean houses).

4) The DMZ.  Standing for demilitarized zone, DMZ is basically a no-man's spot bordering between two countries: North and South Korea. Although heavily mined and guarded fiercely, the odd area can still be visited, but permitted only with an authorized, guided tour. The whole area is approximately four kilometers wide, formally regarded as Joint Security Area, or just JSA.

A DMZ tour beginning from the capital, provides round-trip transportation. Official DMZ tours also allow you to visit the 3rd Tunnel, which the North dug to help make an invasion to the South easier, and the Dora Observatory, which permits you to gaze across DMZ into North Korea.

5) National Museum of Korea.  Acting like a global capital, Seoul is home to many museums, including the largest, the National Museum of Korea, and in comparison, to New York's Met, it's a place which truly cannot be explored in only one visit. The mega collection ambitiously combines archaeology, art, and history, displayed in order to tell the historical account of Korean Culture as well as the story of its people.

It's also a superb attraction to visit if you happen to be running on a tight time frame in Seoul. The collection can only be described as beyond vast, for it supposed to go as far back as more than a million years. It's truly fascinating, particularly for children and families as there is such a broad range of neat objects, from stone Age tools to Korean modern artwork.

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Most Famous Must-See Tourist Attractions in Indonesia

 Indonesia Travel Guide to Top Tourist Attractions

As a collection of islands, the Indonesian archipelago conceals countless precious treasures in its vast diversity of landscapes, cultures, and cities. With almost 13,500 islands as if strung together by a thread, the country offers an exciting adventure for everybody, from diving in mostly untouched waters of varying lovely shades of blue and green colors, hiking near rumbling volcanoes to exploring ancient temples yet standing tall and proudly. Visitors are guaranteed to find countless top tourist attractions in Indonesia.

You could roam the lively streets of Jakarta, the country's political, cultural, and economic heart, or step way back in time by visiting the distant villages of Tana Toraja, confront the volatile Anak Krakatu, or explore the Bali's Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary.

Whatever you decide, the adventure is certain to be one overflowing with appreciation and admiration for a country rich in natural beauty and history. Find the top tourist attractions in Indonesia with my Indonesia travel guide.

1) Beaches in Bali.  Undeniably Indonesia's wildly popular vacation site, Bali provides a decent number of cultural traditions and landmarks which guarantees a fun visit here. Without doubt, for a lot of people, Bali is the ultimate spot for beautiful beaches. If you're looking for a beach vacation, you should consider any of Bali's top luxury beach resorts so you can then soak up the sun. 

Any tourist traveling thus far, will have blue water and warm sand on their mind, and Bali never disappoint. Kuta is a fine beach, plus it's excellent choice for those who want to combine surfing, socializing, and sun all in one trip here. On account of its raging popularity, you'll have no scarcity of restaurants and activities to do while here.

If you're interested in something less crowded and quieter, Nusa Dua is yet a beauty and lures less visitors. But Sanur is the beach to go for a bit more culture and exciting water sports.

2) Borobudur.  This very old temple is both famously and culturally important landmark in the country. Built in the eighth century, Borobudur was constructed in the form of a conventional Buddhist mandala. It's not only a top UNESCO World Heritage site but also regarded as one of the world's greatest Buddhist sites.

Though forgotten for seemingly ages, with the firm belief that a lot of the population relocated to eastern Java because of volcanic eruptions, the massive temple was rediscovered in the eighteenth hundreds and, now, is a major draw in Java.

Come by at dawn to enjoy a climb up the temple with a torch-light and for the incredible experience of seeing the complex get bathed in sunlight. Borobudur sits close to Yogyakarta, an aged Javanese city famous for its rich historical and cultural contributions.

3) Orangutans of Borneo.  A trip to Indonesia can't be complete if you fail to see some orangutans, and Borneo is a fine place to appreciate these amazing and endangered animals. Despite orangutans yet live in the wilderness, many sanctuaries are actively rescuing and protecting them as new land development continues to encroach on their natural environment. 

Located in Kalimantan, Borneo, Tarjung Puting National Park today is home to the world's largest orangutan population, including reptiles, birds, and other primates.

If you can't go to Borneo, you could always see them at the Bohorok Orangutan Centre, located in Bukit Lawang, now a tourism village that lies in the Sumatran jungle.

4) Sacred Monkey Forest.  As Bali's cultural heart, Ubud is home to the Sacred Monkey Forest, a peaceful area where you could feel the island's ancient majesty all around you as if the ghosts of the long dead from ancient times are there observing you.

Here, at the Hindu temple, you probably will see several long-tailed macaques, which is a type of monkey typically found throughout Southeast Asia. The temple itself in addition makes a great visit since Balinese Hinduism unites aspects of many various religions, making it both unique and distinct among other kinds of Hinduism practiced these days.

The forest lies close to Pad Angtegal, a little village which has been luring artists of all types for several years, and the artistry, the temple, and breathtaking natural scenery make a visit to the village and forest a must-do in the island.

5) Pura Tanah Lot.  As an extremely popular temple in Bali, Pura Tanah Lot was constructed on a rock formation and in the sea. Since the original formation started deteriorating at some point, a part of the rock consequently is today artificial. Yet, it lures visitors in masses, especially during the dusk.

The temple site sits on the south coast of a nearby Beraban village, and you could stroll out at low tide to the temple. When the sun sets, consider browsing through Tanah Lot marketplace in order to buy unique Balinese souvenirs.

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