Category: tour

Are you planning a ski trip this winter? To make things easier for you, we’ve listed the opening dates of each ski resort in South Korea for the 2024-2025 ski/snow season. This should give you a good idea of when to visit and book a Korea Ski Package so you can make the most of the snow in Korea!

Rank Ski Resort Opening Date (2024-2025)

Rank	Ski Resort	Opening Date (2024-2025)
1	Yongpyong Ski Resort	29th November 2024
2	Jisan Ski Resort	4th December 2024
3	Alpensia Ski Resort	4th December 2024
4	Vivaldi Park Ski World	1st December 2024
5	High1 Ski Resort	29th November 2024

6	Konjiam Resort	3rd December 2024
7	Phoenix Snow Park	29th November 2024
8	Elysian Gangchon	6th December 2024
9	Welli Hilli Park	6th December 2024
10	Oak Valley Snow Park	14th December 2024

If you would like more information like distance, additional costs, etc., please request the product number (ex.TJ1533). We will send you the details of the trip.
Once you have decided on the schedule, book a private car with Tripjoa. We will contact you.

Thank you 🙂

Our tours in Seoul are the best way to discover our unique and interesting capital city. Seoul is littered with both tradition and culture while also being home to modern architecture and world leading technology. With countless landmarks, royal palaces, traditional markets, department stores and sights to see, there’s no wonder it’s the most popular tourist destination in South Korea. Make the most of your trip by checking out our Seoul tours.

Quite frankly the more time you have, the more adventures and experiences you will be able to enjoy. However, Seoul has been the capital of Korea for over 600 years since the Joseon dynasty, and with a drive to be a world leading futuristic country, there’s just too many things to see and do them all.

If you’re short on time, or its your first time to visit, taking a day tour in Seoul would ensure you don’t miss out on some of the top landmarks. It’s also a great way to quickly find your feet, give you a sense of direction and set you up for the rest of your stay.

But what should you look for in a Seoul tour itinerary? What are some of the main landmarks a Seoul tour package should include?

What to look for in a Seoul tour Itinerary

Here is a handy list of the top ‘must see’ places you should expect to see when taking a day trip in the world’s 3rd largest urban area and our 24 hour home town – SEOUL!

• Changdeok Palace – The “Eastern Palace” also a UNESCO World Heritage listed palace
• Gyeongbokgung Palace – The “Northern Palace” largest of the 5 and favoured by Joseon kings
• Seoul Tower (Namsan Tower) – See stunning views of the capital from up above
• Bukhansan National Park – The 836.5 m high mountain in Seoul is gorgeous all year round
• Namdaemun Market – See the Great South Gate of Seoul located at 1 of Seoul’s biggest markets
• Insadong Market – An old arts and crafts market lined with tea shops and tasty treats
• Bukchon Hanok Village – A traditional village made up of alleys and Korean Hanok houses
• Jogyesa – The chief Buddhist temple of the Jogye Order leading Seon Buddhism
• Jongmyo Shrine – the oldest and most authentic Confucian royal shrine still preserved
• Han River Cruise – An incredible tour up and down Seoul’s Han River
• Blue House – Stop by South Korea’s presidential residence named after its blue colored roof
• Dongdaemun Market – Shopping centres and traditional markets surround Seoul’s East Gate
• Cheonggyecheon – a 10.9 km long stream used as a recreation space in down-town Seoul
• Myeongdong – A busy shopping district housing international brands, department stores and Korean cosmetic shops
• Gwangjang market – One of the oldest and largest traditional markets in Seoul
• Noryangjin market – The biggest wholesale fish market in Korea

With such an array of things to do, sights and experiences to enjoy, and range of Seoul tours to choose from, it can be difficult to figure out where to start. For this reason we will introduce some of our most popular day tours to help you choose the best tour in Seoul for you.

Our top rated Seoul tour packages

Our # 1 Seoul tour

Our Seoul city tour is our number 1 tour in Seoul and second most popular of all our tours in Korea. If you are unsure which tour to choose, we would recommend starting with this one. It takes you on an adventure around the city, and explores our long history and unique culture. Plus, we’ll visit some palaces, traditional markets and stop by our president’s official residence.

Stunning views + Mountain Hiking without leaving Seoul

Being a very mountainous country, there’s no surprise that locals here love to go hiking and spend time in the mountains. If you wish to do a bit of exercise, see stunningly gorgeous views of Seoul from above, relax in a traditional sauna and feel like a local, then our Bukhansan tour will be perfect for you and your companions.

Learn to make 1 of the world’s top 5 healthiest foods

Korean’s absolutely adore Kimchi and it’s hard not to notice! In Korea almost every meal is accompanied by this favourite side dish. It’s ingrained in the culture and used as an ingredient in many local dishes. Our Kimchi making class in Seoul will not only teach you how to make one of the world’s top 5 healthiest dishes, but will also introduce you to a few local customs. Plus you’ll get to wear a Hanbok, learn greeting etiquette and play some folk games!

Enjoy the longest running show in Korean theater history

If you enjoy watching live performances, then you’ll absolutely love our Nanta Show tour. This award winning show is also the longest running show in Korean history, and is our most popular theater tour. Suitable for all ages, and languages this light-hearted, high energy show is guaranteed to please!

Find your sense of direction while enjoying a morning tour in Seoul

Our Rise and Shine morning tour is a traditional half day Gyeongbok Palace tour. It’s the perfect tour in Seoul for those who are looking for some help to get going and set up the rest of their day. Those with young children who get restless easily may also prefer this option. At the end of the tour we can drop you off at either City Hall or in Itaewon, both being central locations allowing you to easily continue on with the rest of your day.

Marvel at the beauty of traditional Korean architecture

Wonder what Korean style houses looked like back in the old days? Our Bukchon Hanok Village tour takes you through the alleys and into some of these traditional style buildings. This particular village was once a home to the aristocrats of Seoul long ago. This morning day trip in Seoul is ideal for those who appreciate traditional architecture as it also includes a stop at Changdeokgung.

Feel like a king or queen and enjoy a speechless theater performance

If you want to feel like a king or queen, wonder around 2 of the grand palaces, and finish the day by watching a show at the theater, then we have the perfect option for you! Our Seoul palace tour follows the exact same course as our Seoul city tour, but also includes a Nanta ticket and theater drop-off at the end of the day. Thus offering the best value for money!

Soothe aching muscles and cleanse your skin at a traditional bathhouse in Seoul

Looking to take the morning off? Want to take some time to rest and recuperate before the rest of your vacation? Then perhaps a traditional Korean cleansing experience at a local bathhouse in Seoul is what you are after. Our Korean Sauna tour is just that. Enjoy the steam rooms, soak your muscles in warm water and then get ready for a traditional Korean skin cleansing experience. Ideal for adults.

If you would like more information like distance, additional costs, etc., please request the product number (ex.TJ1533). We will send you the details of the trip.
Once you have decided on the schedule, book a private car with Tripjoa. We will contact you.

Thank you 🙂

Our DMZ tour from Seoul offers a truly unique and unforgettable Korean experience. Glimpse into North Korea from across the most heavily fortified border in the world! But be sure to be on your best behaviour, as this is a politically sensitive and military-controlled area. This tour is not to be missed!

A Brief History and Introduction to the DMZ

Korea is a divided nation. Since 1953 a 4 km wide stretch of no man’s land, known as the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), has separated South and North Korea. This buffer zone has become the most heavily fortified and guarded border in the world.

Experts believe somewhere between 1.8 – 2.2 million landmines have been planted here, roughly 1 to 1.2 million by the US and South Korea, and another 800,000 to 1 million by North Korea.

The DMZ was established as a result of the Korean Armistice Agreement between North Korea, China and the United Nations Command (UNC). This “ceasefire” agreement has effectively put the Korean War on hold. The DMZ now reaches 250 km long by 4 km wide, roughly dividing the Korean Peninsula in half.

Inside the DMZ is an area where both nations can meet for negotiations. Today it’s known as the Joint Security Area (JSA), while the original village was called Panmunjom and was located 800 metres further North. However, regarding tours of the DMZ, the JSA and Panmunjom can be considered the same place.

The DMZ today is it safe?

Considering its history and that the DMZ (especially the JSA) has suffered various incidents with both military and civilian casualties, you might be wondering if it’s safe to take your family on a DMZ tour.

Well, you’ll be glad to know that it has become safe for travellers these days. In fact, our DMZ tours from Seoul are one of our most popular day tours.

In addition, since October 2018, both sides have removed all firearms from the Joint Security Area, cut personnel stationed there to 35 on each side, removed 11 guard posts along the demarcation line and removed some landmines.

NO forced shopping stops on our DMZ tours

Our tours are unique in that we offer high-quality DMZ tours from Seoul with No shopping stops along the way. VIP Travel is currently the only tour operator offering this. Therefore, book your DMZ tour with us to make the most of your time during this truly unique Korean experience.

Booking Restrictions for tours of the DMZ

Due to this being a military-controlled area run by the United Nations Command (UNC), there are some restrictions we have to abide by:

DMZ tour

Our DMZ Half Day tour offers very few restrictions and can be booked the day before. All visitors are required to bring either their passport , military ID or Alien Registration Card (local residents). Soldiers will check your identification document at the Unification Bridge and before entering.

Children are also welcome when accompanied by an appropriate parent or guardian as there are no age restrictions in place for this tour.

• Can be booked on relatively short notice.
• Bring your passports (military ID and ARC card also accepted) on the day!
• No age restrictions! Children accompanied by parents are welcome.

JSA / Panmunjeom Tours

The JSA / Panmunjom, on the other hand, have very tight security restrictions for those who wish to visit. We, therefore, require all guests to book a minimum of 72 hours in advance of their preferred tour date, although we recommend booking as far in advance as possible!

We will also require a full-colour copy of your passport photo page. This is necessary, so we can send it to the UNC to register your visit. Note you will still be required to bring your passport on the day for further ID checks during the tour.

There is also a minimum age restriction for children; children should be at least 12 years old, with no exceptions to this rule.

Our final word of note is that there are limited spaces available. The UNC caps the number of visitors who can visit Panmunjeom per day. Once this limit is reached, booking will no longer be possible. Please feel free to reach out to us regarding your preferred dates to see if there is availability before booking.

• Need to book a minimum of 72 hours in advance.
• Recommended to book as far in advance as possible.
• Passport colour copy required during booking for UNC registration.
• Bring your passport on the day!
• Age restriction: Minimum 12 Years old (No exceptions).
• The UNC limits the number of visitors per day.

DMZ tour Schedule

Tours of the DMZ are possible every day except for Mondays, National Holidays and military training days. We run 2 Half Day DMZ tours daily, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

JSA / Panmunjeom tours run a similar schedule, except they are also unavailable on Sundays and are more affected by military training and political events. Both our Panmunjeom tour and DMZ JSA tour visit Panmunjom (Joint Security Area).

• DMZ tours: Unavailable on Mondays, National Holidays and some military training days.
• JSA / Panmunjeom tours: Unavailable on Sundays, Mondays, National Holidays, military training days and during some political events.

Panmunjom Dress Code

Tours that visit the Panmunjom / JSA have a strict dress code. This is partly because it has been known for North Korean soldiers to take photos of poorly dressed tourists to be used in propaganda efforts.

Visitors are therefore asked to be respectful and abide by the following rules as they will be enforced on the day:

• No sleeveless shirts.
• No t-shirts without a collar.
• No short pants or skirts.
• No sandals.
• No military-looking clothing.
• No clothing showing flags or name of nationality.

So what are you waiting for? Book your DMZ trip now to avoid disappointment!

If you would like more information like distance, additional costs, etc., please request the product number (ex.TJ1533). We will send you the details of the trip.
Once you have decided on the schedule, book a private car with Tripjoa. We will contact you.

Thank you 🙂

Our Nami Island tours are one of the most popular 1-day activities for those visiting Seoul, and for good reason! This Instagram shooting hot spot provides an absolutely gorgeous scenery in every season! Combined with either another activity or visit to a different local attraction, a day tour to Nami Island is guaranteed to be a memorable experience!

Namiseom vs Namisom vs Naminara – What’s the difference?

An often confusing point for first time visitors to Seoul are the different names given to this famous island. But don’t be confused because it’s quite simple really. Namiseom and Namisom are just different phonetic spellings of the Korean name for the island (남이섬). While Nami Island is the English translation and most commonly used term.

Naminara Republic, or Naminara for short on the other hand is a cultural tourism brand. Pretending to be its own country and used to declare its cultural independence from the Republic of Korea. Their official stance is that “Naminara celebrates the imagination and shares its beautiful fairy tales and songs with guests from all over the world”.

So regardless of which name you go by, for all intents and purposes you’ll still be taking a tour to Nami Island.

Where is Nami Island?

Nami Island is located in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province. So where is that exactly? Well its 63 kilometers from Seoul. It takes roughly about an hour to get there from Seoul’s suburbs by car, or about 90 minutes from downtown Seoul.

The island itself was formed in the middle of the North Han River. It’s the same river you will see flowing through the center of Seoul, just much further upstream.

Nami Island tour from Seoul – Course and Itinerary

We offer 4 different Nami Island tours from Seoul. Each one offers a similar course and itinerary, but with 1 key difference. It is combined with another local activity or must see hot spot located nearby.

Being so close to Chuncheon, your experience wouldn’t be complete without indulging in a delicious Dak Galbi (chicken stir fry). This is because Chuncheon is the origin and home town of this iconic dish. So that’s exactly what’s on the lunch menu – a mouth watering traditional Chuncheon dak-galbi.

Our itinerary therefore looks like this:

1. Complimentary Seoul hotel pick-up
2. Transportation from and to Seoul
3. Ferry to Nami Island (included) / Zipline to Nami Island (optional additional charge)
4. Explore the island
5. Tasty dak-galbi lunch in Chuncheon
6. A second stop at either – Gardend of Morning Calm / Petite France / Rail Biking / Strawberry Farm / Elysian Gangchon Resort (Pick 1)
7. Quick stop at the Korean Amethyst or Ginseng Center
8. Seoul Hotel Drop-off

Which tour should you choose?

As described above each tour to Nami Island is combined with a second location or activity located nearby. We find this is the perfect balance to make the most of your day trip, while still having enough time to enjoy each stop without having to rush.

Here is a quick overview of each Nami Island tour package:

• Our Nami Island and Garden of Morning Calm tour is perfect for families with young children, and those who want to explore nature and take lots of great photos.
• Choosing our Nami Island and Rail Bike tour is a lovely way to get some exercise while pedaling through the gorgeous Korean landscape.
• For foodies our Nami Island Strawberry Picking tour is the ultimate choice when visiting Korea between December and June!
• While our Nami Island Winter tour is best for those who just want to maximise their time playing in the snow.

Still not sure what to choose? Then we would recommend our Nami Island and Garden of Morning Calm tour. This is our most popular option.

Adrenaline junkies can take the Zipline from Gapyeong Wharf

Are you an adrenaline junky? Would you prefer a heart pumping entrance to Nami Island rather than a relaxing ferry ride? Then you can consider taking the zipline to Nami Island! Although more popular with our younger audiences, those who are still young at heart are welcome too.

Beware though that the zipline to Nami Island from Gapyeong Wharf starts from an 80m high tower and is 940m long. So if heights aren’t your thing, then its probably best to stick with us on the ferry. While the zipline will offer you an additional thrill as you speed across to Nami Island overhead, just be aware there will also be an additional fee on the day. For those that are interested, simply let your tour guide know on arrival at Gapyeong Wharf.

Stunning in every season

Nami Island is great regardless of the season. Which is the best season really comes down to a matter of preference, and is a much debated subject.

Spring (March – May) offers fantastic temperatures, beautiful cherry blossoms and delightful smells. Summer (June – August) gives the opportunity to make the most of the Water Garden Swimming Pool and bright green leaves. Autumn (September – November) is full of bright yellow, red and golden brown leaves, perfect temperatures and clear views. Winter (December – February), often popular with kids and lovers of snow provides ideal conditions for building snowmen, sipping on warm cocoa and catching a glimpse of the bare trees covered in heavy snow.

Top Spots to See on the Island

During your day trip, one of our kind tour guides will give you a quick overview of the island, and point you in the direction of some of the main spots. Be sure to ask anything you’d like to know. From directions to recommending a good cup of tea or cocoa they’ll be happy to help.

To get you started here a some of the top spots you might want to check out:

• Ginkgo Tree Lane – Glows a gorgeous yellow in Autumn
• Gongsaengwon Garden – See the famous “Winter Sonata” statue of the 2 main characters
• Water Garden Swimming Pool – Perfect in Summer
• Baekpungmilwon Maple Garden – Expect some reds from September to November
• Jeonggwan Baekryeonji Pond – like looking into glass
• Nami Island Sky bike – A bit of above the ground fun for everyone
• Zipline to Nami Island – A must for thrill seekers
• Maple Lane & Namipungwon Maple Garden – Take a stroll along the lane of true love
• Metasequoia Lane – Filming location for many of the romantic scenes from Winter Sonata
• Eco Farm Yeonryeonji Pond – Try to spot ostriches, squirrels, ducks geese and many birds
• Central Train Station – Take a train around the island
• Hut Bridge – Walk over a section of the Han River
• Rent a bike from the Bike Center – Pedal around the island. It’s the most efficient way!
• Elysian Waterfall – Because every paradise needs one
• Plus many more…

If you would like more information like distance, additional costs, etc., please request the product number (ex.TJ1533). We will send you the details of the trip.
Once you have decided on the schedule, book a private car with Tripjoa. We will contact you.

Thank you 🙂