South Korea Travel丨First Time to South Korea, Seoul + Incheon, an Absolutely Amazing Itinerary!

The first trip to South Korea was really super smooth. I did some homework in advance about visas, transportation, translation apps, etc. As long as you prepare well in advance, there will basically be no problems! You can search for many guides online, and they are quite reliable. Also, you need to prepare Korean won cash, a Visa card, and a T-money card in advance. For data, you can decide based on your situation—either get a roaming package or buy a SIM card.

Now let me share my itinerary directly!

As soon as I arrived in Korea, I headed straight to Myeongdong in Seoul! This is a must-visit spot in Seoul, right? We booked a hotel in Myeongdong, and after settling in, we went downstairs to eat and shop. Myeongdong is basically full of night market stalls and many BBQ restaurants, so you don't need to worry about finding food! There are also many specialty stores for local cosmetics and skincare. If you love Korean makeup, you can check them out! We visited 3CE and Banila Co., both very girly, with pink stores that look super cute. Also, the popular Korean beauty store Olive Young in Myeongdong is the largest one, with plenty of things to buy.

Next, we arranged a visit to Gyeongbokgung, another must-see attraction in Korea! We went there to take photos in Hanbok! You have to get a Hanbok photoshoot when you're in Korea. There are many Hanbok rental shops near Gyeongbokgung, and many of them speak Chinese, so the whole process was smooth and barrier-free. But after getting ready to go to Gyeongbokgung, we found out it was closed that day—sobbed! However, we still got beautiful photos, so it wasn't a wasted trip!

In the afternoon, we planned to go to Itaewon! I had been captivated by this place from watching Korean dramas, so I had to check it out! We mostly took the subway for our itinerary in Seoul—super convenient! Just use the Seoul Subway app and the Seoul Chinese Map app! It's very easy to check routes and stations. Itaewon is divided into different streets and directions, so you can look up the specific places you want to go in advance. It's bigger than you imagine, and your legs can really get tired! As a Chongqing girl, I didn't wear out my legs in Chongqing, but I did in Itaewon!

When we finally reached the area in Itaewon where you can see the sunset, we randomly picked a high-rise café. The view was quite nice, although there was some obstruction in front and the clouds were thick that day, which blocked the sunset. But the main idea was "since we're here anyway." If the weather had been good, it should have looked amazing!

Since it was my first trip to Korea, I planned a relaxed itinerary, so I arranged part of it near the airport. I had done my research beforehand. As a fan of Korean dramas and variety shows, I had already been drawn to Paradise City. The Korean variety show "Single's Inferno" was filmed there, and many movies, TV shows, and celebrities have stayed there. Recently, I heard that Lim YoonA's new drama was also filmed there, so I had to follow the trend!

This is a resort, very large, meaning it has many facilities, especially with an incredible artistic atmosphere! There are not only many art installations but also art exhibitions. Over 3,000 artworks are scattered around, and the guest rooms are also full of artistic ambiance.

So no matter where you take photos, it feels like you're in a palace. It's much larger than what you see in TV shows, and there are many places worth exploring, allowing me to end the trip in a luxurious and unique way.

I really want to recommend Cimer! It combines swimming, jjimjilbang (Korean sauna), leisure, and relaxation in one place. Once you go in, you could stay there all day. The first floor has a water plaza, mainly an indoor pool with a pool party concept. Every casual photo looks high-end, and I love the overall design and color scheme! The cave spa and illusion spa are super beautiful and relaxing.

On the second floor, the jjimjilbang has many different rooms, such as the cypress room, ice bath room, amethyst room, and salt bath room—each with its own characteristics, easily satisfying all hot-and-cold needs. Of course, dining and leisure facilities are also fully available! I absolutely love this area.

The third floor has two infinity pools. When the weather is good, you can enjoy the most beautiful sunset, and even get a photo with airplanes!

Of course, the dining options here include Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and Italian restaurants. For lunch, we chose a Japanese restaurant called RAKU. The dishes were very varied and to our taste. Items like Magnolia charcoal grilled hamburger steak, fried scallop mince, spicy fried chicken legs, and sushi platter were all great. I also really liked that their tea was matcha-flavored, and the matcha red bean ice cream was super delicious, hehe!

The buffet breakfast was also quite rich, with many food options to choose from.

Oh, and besides the pools at Cimer, the hotel also has very large indoor and outdoor pools, as well as recreational spaces like Safari Park and Kids Zone. It really feels like you could spend two days in the hotel! It's also suitable for couples, families, and groups.

Since it was my first trip to Korea, I planned a travel route that included both the must-visit places in Seoul and Paradise City, which I really wanted to visit. Transportation was super convenient. After visiting Seoul, you can arrange 1-2 days at Paradise City to relax, enjoy the artistic atmosphere, and also unwind at Cimer.

📍 186, Yeongjonghaeannam-ro 321beon-gil, Jung-gu, Incheon, South Korea

Overall, this trip to Korea was quite rich, especially choosing Paradise City, which was the wisest decision. The experience at the hotel was incredibly diverse—truly a worthwhile trip!

Travel Log Directory: 1. Myeongdong 2. Gyeongbokgung 3. Itaewon 4. Incheon Paradise City