Can anyone say BEST food in Asia?!? That's what I felt by the time we were done with our very short four day trip last September to Seoul, South Korea. It was our first time to Korea, and this is one place that we will go back to before we leave this region, or rather, I won't leave this region without going back there!
We ate everything from street-side BBQ, hole-in-the-wall mom and pop run restaurants, to Lonely Planet Guide Book or TripAdvisor recommended restaurants -- all were delicious! In general, every place was fairly clean, and we didn't feel like we needed to worry about where we were eating. Obviously you would need to actually like Korean food and have a certain level of tolerance for spiciness, but if you do...this place is a food lovers heaven!
We stayed in two different areas of Seoul. The first was in a traditional Hanok guesthouse in Jongno-gu. The guesthouse is run by an elderly couple, and communal breakfast is part of the experience. Of course, so was sleeping on a very thin foam mattress (imagine about 1.5 inches thick) placed on top of the concrete floor. Let's just say that I'm glad we only booked one night, and the other three nights in a regular hotel. This area was close to one of the main attractions in Seoul - Gyeongbokgung Palace.
The second area that we stayed in was Insa-dong. At the end of 2011, we had traveled to Bali and met a couple who were expats in Seoul. They are now living back in the states, but when I asked them where we should stay they didn't hesitate to say Insa-dong. So glad we stayed there! Insa-dong is a pedestrian area that is full of shopping, restaurants, and alleyways full of culture! The location is also very central to another popular sight - the Bukchon Hanok Village - an area where traditionally restored Hanok homes are located.
To see our full photo album from our trip click here, and to see some of Nate's photography (not in this album) click here!
September ended up being a perfect time of year to visit - not too hot, not too cold. Easy to get around, and very affordable, we can't wait to go back!
~ Trisha and Nate