Local Living Tours & Trips in South Korea

Learn to make Korea's famous chili paste at Sunchang Gochujang Village, where master artisans show you centuries-old techniques in traditional hanok courtyards. Walk through the peaceful Juknokwon Bamboo Forest in Damyang, then have lunch with rice cooked inside bamboo stalks, a local specialty. The UNESCO-listed Haeinsa Temple houses the Tripitaka—80,000 wooden tablets of Buddhist scriptures dating to 802.

See the UNESCO-listed Andong Hahoe Folk Village where authentic Joseon-era life plays out in traditional Hanok houses—Queen Elizabeth II visited here too. Then walk through Jeonju Hanok Village with its 700 preserved homes and the historic streets of Buyeo, the ancient Baekje capital.

Learn to make kimchi in Busan with a hands-on cooking class, then stay overnight at a traditional hanok inn in Gyeongju where you'll learn about the cultural significance of hanbok dress. Meet the legendary haenyeo free divers at Seongsan Ilchulbong on Jeju Island and sample freshly caught seafood from these remarkable women whose diving techniques have been passed down through generations.

Learn about Baekje history at Buyeo's Nakhwaam Cliff Observatory and the UNESCO-listed Tomb of King Muryeong in Gongju, Korea's ancient capital. Wander through Jeonju Hanok Village's 735 preserved houses and try traditional architecture and local food firsthand. Gwangju's 18th National Cemetery marks the birthplace of South Korea's democracy movement, and you'll see Yeosu's port city culture.

Stay overnight in Daegu and see Hahoe Village, a UNESCO site with traditional thatched-roof homes and narrow alleyways showing authentic Korean life. The Yangnyeongsi Museum of Traditional Medicine has displays about centuries-old herbal healing, and Dongseong-ro's got trendy cafes and shops to browse.

Join a Seoul cooking class to learn bibimbap prep, then try handkerchief dyeing at the traditional Naganeupseong Fortress Village in Suncheon. Browse fresh catches at Busan's busy Jagalchi Fish Market and Seoul's Gwangjang Market, tour Boseong's green tea plantations with tastings, and catch the Changing of Guards.

At Andong Hahoe Village, a UNESCO site, you'll see traditional thatched-roof homes showing how people lived during the Joseon Dynasty centuries ago. Later, head to Sokcho Daepo Port's busy fish markets to try fresh catches with local fishermen, with 6 breakfasts and 5 lunches included throughout.