Our South Korea 2 Week Itinerary

South Korea is not a popular tourist destination among Indians. In India, people like to go to neighbouring countries like Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia for short-haul travel; or Europe, the US, and Australia for long-haul travel. Indians generally travel to South Korea for business purposes but not for tourism.

But the landscape is gradually changing post-Covid. More people are now looking to travel to newer destinations. The lengthy and tedious process of acquiring a Schengen Visa for Europe is also pushing people to look for alternative destinations with easier visa processes.

We travelled to South Korea in March 2024 for 16 days and covered two cities – Seoul and Busan. We initially wanted to travel to Japan especially to see cherry blossoms but knowing that Japan gets crowded and expensive during this period, we decided against it. Once we got to know that South Korea also offers similar experiences like cherry blossom and animal cafes at relatively cheap prices and with relatively fewer crowds, we didn’t take much time in zeroing in on South Korea as our next travel destination. This was the start of our South Korea 2 week itinerary experience.

If you are looking to travel to South Korea for 2 weeks, you can refer to this South Korea 2 week itinerary followed by us that includes a little bit of everything and is perfect for first-time travellers. If you don’t have 2 weeks, then you can refer this South Korea 7 day itinerary article.

To help you plan your South Korea trip, here is our South Korea 2 week itinerary with the expenses breakdown.

South Korea 2 Week Itinerary: Summary

• Day 1: Flight to Seoul; Seoul sightseeing (Cafe Table A, Hongdae Shopping Street)
• Day 2: Half-day DMZ tour; Seoul sightseeing (Sunny’s Dog Cafe)
• Day 3: Full-day trip to Alpaca World, Nami Island, and Gangchon Rail Park
• Day 4: Seoul sightseeing (Coconut Cafe & Gallery, 943 King’s Cross); Bullet train to Busan
• Day 5: Full-day trip to Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival
• Day 6: Rest day (Ruined by rain)
• Day 7: Busan sightseeing (Haeundae Beach, Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, Skyline Luge, Busan X The Sky)
• Day 8: Busan sightseeing (Centum Spa Land, Museum 1, Yachtholic Yacht Cruise, Gwangalli Beach)
• Day 9: Busan sightseeing (Songdo Amnam Park, Busan Tower)
• Day 10: Bullet train to Seoul; Seoul sightseeing (Witch’s Kitchen)
• Day 11: Everland theme park
• Day 12: Seoul sightseeing (Ddong Cafe, Jogyesa Temple, Insadong, Shopping in Myeongdong, Cheonggyeon Stream)
• Day 13: Seoul sightseeing (Lotte World Adventure, Seoul Sky)
• Day 14: Seoul sightseeing (Zoolung Zoolung, Aqua Planet 63, Cherry Blossoms at Yeouido Park, Eland Cruise)
• Day 15: Seoul sightseeing (Starfield Library, Coex Aquarium, Figure Museum, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Namsan Tower)
• Day 16: Flight to Delhi

Flight

We had booked a roundtrip Air India flight for the Delhi – Seoul – Delhi route. The seats were comfortable and spacious; food was good. However, as has become a norm with Air India, the inflight entertainment system did not work at both times.

We made significant savings on flights as we used the points accumulated on the HDFC Infinia credit card. The actual cost of a roundtrip flight for an economy class seat was ₹61,000 but we only paid ₹16,800 per person.

Expense: ₹16,800 × 2 = ₹33,600

Accommodation

Our South Korea 2 week itinerary included stay in three accommodations

Airbnb in Hongdae, Seoul (3N)

We had booked a 1-bedroom apartment within walking distance from Hongik University subway station. The apartment was small and compact. We were surprised to see a kitchen, washing machine, breakfast table, sofa, and double bed fit in a small bedroom size room.

But overall stay was nice. The owner was courteous enough to accommodate our request for early check-in.

The location was perfect. Hongdae shopping street and animal cafes were within walking distance. Meet-up points for tours booked through Klook were also within walking distance.

Expense: ₹15,000 (3 nights)

Seomyeon Brown Dot Hotel in Seomyeon, Busan (6N)

Seomyeon Brown Dot Hotel is located about a kilometre away from Seomyeon subway station which is the major interchange station of Busan subway.

It is a 2-star hotel and does not offer any breakfast service. We had booked a premium double room which was big and spacious. The best part of the room was that it had a massage chair which we could use as many times as we liked. This was not only the best accommodation but also the cheapest of our South Korea 2 week trip.

Expense: ₹25,000 (6 nights)

Toyoko Inn in Gangnam, Seoul (6N)

Toyoko Inn is a Japanese chain of business hotels. It has multiple hotels all over Seoul and we stayed in the Gangnam district branch.

The room was very small. It took us some effort to arrange all our luggage and shopping bags in the room. The bathroom was also tiny.

One benefit of booking this hotel was that it included a complimentary buffet breakfast. The breakfast had very few vegetarian options but overall it was decent.

We hadn’t anticipated the high amount of time it takes on public transport to reach other parts of Seoul from Gangnam. We could have stayed in Myeongdong to save time but it would have also cost more.

Overall it was a decent stay. Having breakfast at the hotel was a big plus as we didn’t have to wander in search of vegetarian food as we did in Busan.

Expense: ₹34,000 (6 nights)

Day 1: Seoul

Our flight landed at Incheon Airport at about 10:30 AM and we reached our Airbnb room at about 1:30 PM. We got early check-in and slept for a couple of hours.

Table A Cafe

I was very excited about visiting animal cafes in Seoul where I could touch, pet, and feed animals. We started our South Korea 2 week itinerary with a visit to an animal cafe called Table A Cafe.

We got to see rodents, prairie dogs, rabbits, meerkats, raccoons etc but we were not allowed to touch them. There is also a floor where only reptiles are kept and we got to hold a snake and leopard gecko.

The other floors had lots of cats. I tried petting cats but they kept going away from me. Disappointingly, I sat on the floor and soon a cat came and sat on my lap. I petted her for a few minutes and then we left.
We had pre-booked the tickets through Creatrip as it offered KRW 3,000 or ~₹180 discount.

Expense: Ticket – ₹750 × 2 = ₹1,500

Hongdae Shopping Street

Hongdae Shopping Street is a popular fashion street in Seoul. We had not planned to buy any clothes but we wanted to explore the market, try out some street food, and just soak in the atmosphere.

Also Read: Ultimate Seoul Travel Guide For First Time Visitors

Day 2: Seoul

Half-day Tour to DMZ

DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) is a buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea and it is one of the most popular half-day tours from Seoul. We had booked this tour through Klook and we were asked to meet at 6:45 AM at Hongik Univ. station. Since it was very early, we had ready-to-eat meals for breakfast.

First, we visited Imjingkak which had a war memorial and the locomotive of the last train that crossed to North Korea before the Korean War. There was also a shop where you could buy North Korean currency but the queue was too long and we were short on time, so we skipped it.

The next attraction was Dora Observatory where we saw a North Korean village using binoculars.

The final attraction was a walk into the 3rd Infiltration Tunnel. This was one of many secret underground tunnels built by North Korea to attack South Korea. No photos were allowed inside the tunnel.

DMZ tour can be booked from here.

Expense: DMZ tour – ₹3,360 × 2 = ₹6,720

Sunny’s Dog Cafe

After some rest, we went to visit Sunny’s Dog Cafe. The cafe charges an entry fee that is good for spending two hours with furry animals. The entry fee also includes a free beverage that is not even worth mentioning.

I spent close to one hour petting a couple of dogs and rubbing their belly. The dogs were clean and looked healthy. It was a wonderful experience.

Expense: Ticket – ₹740 × 2 = ₹1,480

Day 3: Seoul

Day Tour to Alpaca World, Nami Island, and Gangchon Rail Park

This was a full-day tour and covered three attractions that are not easy to cover using public transport. We had an early morning pickup at 7 AM, so we again had ready-to-eat food for breakfast.

Alpaca World

Alpaca World is a small zoo with Alpaca being the primary attraction. Alpacas are one of the cutest animals in the world. We fed them and took many photos. We also saw other animals like rabbits, owls, parrots, guinea pigs, and peacocks. I was happy just seeing and feeding Alpacas.

Nami Island

Once we left Alpaca World, it started raining and quickly the climate turned very cold. Fortunately, we had brought raincoats with us. We took a short ferry to Nami Island.

Nami Island became popular after the K-drama ‘Winter Sonata’ was shot there. There are walking paths lined with pine and maple trees but there is nothing much there to see. It was also difficult to explore the place while it was raining. We found the place highly overrated.

We had ‘Brown cheese and ice cream bread’ as lunch at Book Cafe on Nami Island. It was very heavy but incredibly delicious. Umm, I can still feel its taste thinking about it.

Gangchon Rail Park

The rain had almost stopped when we reached Gangchon Rail Park. This place offers a unique experience of riding a rail bike on an abandoned rail track.

I think the ride was about 30 minutes long and we went through many caves. Each cave was differently themed – one had loud music, one was very colourful, and one had many bubbles in it. The rail bike ride is a one-way ride and we were taken by a train back to the origin point.

It was freezing and we couldn’t feel our hands after some time. But still, it was an amazing and unique experience. You can book this tour from here.

Expense: Day tour – ₹5,200 × 2 = ₹10,400; Lunch – ₹740

Day 4: Seoul, Busan

Coconut Box Cafe & Gallery

This is one of the newer attractions in Seoul. Coconut Box Cafe has lounges in Bali-style decor. We had booked a combo ticket through Klook that was valid for two people and included a dessert and two beverages.

We rested inside a bungalow and enjoyed eating a sumptuous mango croissant and drinking coconut water. We also took many photos with beach props. There was also a ball pool in which we enjoyed throwing balls at each other.

Coconut Box Cafe & Gallery is a must-visit cafe in Seoul. It is cheap and a super fun place.

Expense: Ticket – ₹920

943 King’s Cross Cafe

943 King’s Cross Cafe is a Harry Potter themed cafe. A broom is placed outside the entrance gate for photos. The cafe has 5 floors that are open to the public. You are required to order at least a drink to explore all the floors.

We were impressed with the decor; it really gives you a feel that you are in Hogwarts. The 4th floor has cloaks of all 4 houses that you can wear and take photos. Apart from that, there are not many props with which you can take photos. Many articles mentioned that there is also a wand prop but it was not there during our visit. I wish they had more props but overall it was a nice experience.

Expense: Drinks – ₹610 × 2 = ₹1,220

Bullet Train to Busan

We boarded the KTX train (bullet train) from Seoul Station to go to Busan.

The train was on time and it took less than 3 hours to reach Busan station.

The seats were comfortable and the ride was smooth but if I have to rate my best train experience then it has to be train rides in Austria. The outside views from trains in Austria were exquisite and scenic.
The ticket cost KRW 59,800 (~₹3,600) but we had purchased a Korail Pass through Klook that allows unlimited train travel in Korea for two days.

Generally, Korail Pass does not give any monetary advantage compared to buying individual tickets if you need to only travel Seoul to Busan and back as Korail Pass costs KRW 121,000 (~₹7,260) and individual tickets cost 3,600 × 2 = ₹7,200. But we bought it at a 10% discount on Klook.

Expense: Korail Pass – ₹6,650 × 2 = ₹13,300

Shopping from Artbox

After dinner, we explored the Seomyeon market and entered the Artbox store. Artbox is a chain store in South Korea that is mostly known for stationery and office supplies but other things are also sold there. We bought some candies, a tripod, and a few hand creams.

Expense: Shopping – ₹1,450

Day 5: Busan

Day Trip to Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival

This was the most awaited day of our South Korea 2 week itinerary. We were going on a day trip to Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival to see majestic cherry blossoms.

We had ready-to-eat food as breakfast as 8:30 was the pick-up time.

Our guide told us that cherry blossoms were only about 50% in full bloom and blooming was late this year because of colder-than-usual weather during that time of the year.

We were disappointed to hear this but were still in a positive mood as we were going to see cherry blossoms for the first time in our life.

You can read our detailed experience of the Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival here. We had booked this tour from Klook.

The tour included 3 stops:

Gyeonghwa Station Park

It is an old train station with cherry blossom trees all around. We walked frequently while exploring the park to take pictures with cherry blossoms.

Yeojwacheon Stream

A stream surrounded by cherry blossom trees on both sides creating a canopy of cherry blossoms. There were cafes and street food stalls on both sides of the stream. We had lunch eating street food like fried corn, tornado potato, and crepe.

Jinhae Gunhang Festival

A military port festival running alongside the Cherry Blossom Festival. The festival location was within 1 kilometre of Yeojwacheon Stream.

We were tired by the time we reached there. We explored a little bit, ate some street food, and bought some candies.

Expense: Day tour – ₹3,875 × 2 = ₹7,750

Dinner at Lotte Department Store

Lotte Department Store is a mall located next to Seomyeon Station. We headed to the Food Court thinking surely we would get vegetarian food there. But how wrong we were. So many restaurants but not one had vegetarian options.

We customized the Nasi Goreng (Fried Rice) dish at Asian Express restaurant to make it vegetarian by removing all the seafood. We also had a local Korean dish – Tteokbokki (Rice Cake dish) from another food shop. While Tteokbokki was okay-ish, Nasi Goreng was amazing.

Expense: Tteokbokki – ₹370; Nasi Goreng – ₹615

Day 6: Busan

It was raining throughout the day. We were supposed to visit Gamcheon Culture Village but dropped the plan because of unrelenting rain.

Lotte Department Store

The rain had got a bit heavier and Lotte Department Store was just behind the Subway restaurant, so we decided to explore the mall and wait for the rain to stop.

We each received a Lotte Duty Free shopping voucher worth KRW 10,000 (~₹600) from the tour operator the previous day. Luckily there was a Lotte Duty Free shop inside Lotte Department Store.

The best thing about the voucher was that it had no minimum purchase requirement. We bought Aloe vera Gel and serum for KRW 18,800 (~₹1160) after a voucher discount.

We explored all the floors of the mall and soon it was afternoon. We got a bit hungry and again the search for vegetarian food started. Unable to find any, we had to resort to non-vegetarian food. We had a chicken burger from Mos Burger restaurant and it was not that good.

The rain had got lighter but was still there. We dropped our plan to visit Gamcheon Culture Village and instead decided to go back to the hotel. On the way, we bought some bakery items from Paris Baguette bakery shop to fill our stomachs.

It was still raining at dinner time; we ate some chips and ready-to-eat snacks and went to sleep.

Expense: Shopping – ₹1,160; Burger – ₹410

Day 7: Busan

This day was the first day of city sightseeing. We had purchased the 48-hour Visit Busan Pass, which is an attraction pass that includes one-time entry to select attractions within 48 hours from activation. We bought it from Klook and received a 10% discount.

Expense: Visit Busan Pass – ₹4,810 × 2 = ₹9,620

Breakfast at Egg Drop

We had read rave reviews of Egg Drop, a chain famous for sandwiches popular among locals and tourists alike. We ordered an egg sandwich, an avocado sandwich, and hashbrowns. We waited about 30 minutes for our order during which a queue formed outside the restaurant.

The sandwiches were good but did not justify the wait. Koreans don’t mind waiting but we don’t enjoy it much.

Expense: ₹810

Haeundae Beach

Haeundae Beach is sandy and the most popular beach in Busan. Views of skyscrapers and hills can be seen, but on our visit, air pollution made views unclear. The AQI reading was 285. We stayed for about an hour before taking a taxi to the next destination.

Busan Sea Life Aquarium is near the beach but we didn’t visit it as we have already been to one in Singapore and also had plans to visit another aquarium in Seoul.

Expense: Free

Also Read: Ultimate Busan Travel Guide For First Time Visitors

Haedong Yonggungsa Temple

A beautiful Buddhist seaside temple located east of Busan. Many vantage points offered postcard-perfect views of the temple.

Expense: Free

Skyline Luge

Skyline Luge is within walking distance from Haedong Yonggungsa Temple. Visit Busan Pass included two Luge and Skyride rides. We activated our passes here and the race for time started. All planned attractions in the pass needed to be visited within 48 hours for free entry.

You can purchase Visit Busan Pass from here.

We had an incredible time riding the luge at Skyline Luge, Singapore. So, we also bought an additional 4 Luge and Skyride rides from Klook. We had great fun riding the luge on four different trails.

Expense: 2 Luge and Skyride included in Visit Busan Pass; 4 combo rides – ₹1,400 × 2 = ₹2,800

Busan X The Sky

Located in Haeundae, Busan X The Sky is an observation deck on the 100th floor of Landmark Tower. Many travel blogs mentioned that sunset was the best time to visit, so we planned accordingly. The elevator was fast but views were not clear due to pollution. We waited till night for night views but they were not spectacular either.

Expense: Included in Visit Busan Pass

Day 8: Busan

Spa Land Centum City

A relaxing visit to the spa and sauna complex, which includes traditional jjimjilbang baths (gender-segregated). You need to be fully naked before going to the baths. It was very awkward for me seeing all the men naked and walking like it was perfectly normal. I am sure Megha must have felt the same.

Once I went past this awkwardness, I tried different temperature baths. And it was so relaxing. Although I wanted to spend more time, I returned to the common area within 30 minutes, as I was unsure if Megha liked it there or not. But when I met her, she told me that she also had a good time. We could have gone back in again, but we also had to visit other attractions, so we decided against it.

Expense: Included in Visit Busan Pass

Museum 1

A contemporary art museum with multimedia installations. It was colorful but somewhat confusing and not very engaging; we left after about half an hour.

Expense: Included in Visit Busan Pass

Haeundae Beach Train (Skipped)

The Haeundae Beach Train is a popular attraction, but the wait time was over two hours, which we couldn’t spare, so we skipped it. The tickets were included in the Visit Busan Pass.

Yacht Cruise

Visit Busan Pass included a couple of Yacht cruise operators. The evening or night yacht cruise tours are the most popular, featuring fireworks, and they tend to sell out quickly.

I chose the YachtHollic operator for our cruise. I knew that booking a fireworks evening/night cruise needs advance reservation, but I forgot and only remembered a couple of days before. By then, the fireworks tour was already sold out, and we had to book a 5:30 PM tour without fireworks.

It was a small group tour with only 15-20 people and offered a very intimate setting. The weather was windy and perfect for a cruise.

We generally don’t like cruises, but this one was amazing.

Expense: Included in Visit Busan Pass

Gwangalli Beach

Gwangalli beach is known for the night-time drone light show at 8 PM and 10 PM on Saturday, which is a must-see.

We arrived at the beach around 7 PM. Fireworks were visible from one of the cruise tours, and we wished we had booked our cruise slot earlier.

The drone show was set up on the left side of the beach, so we sat close by and patiently waited for it to begin. The show was truly amazing – various figures formed by the drones in the night sky looked outstanding.

Expense: Free

Dinner at Bollywood Hukkah And Lounge

This restaurant was near Gwangalli Beach, and we ordered a Couple Set featuring two samosas, chilli potato, paneer masala, naans, and two lassis. The original set included half tandoori chicken, but since we are vegetarians, we swapped it for chilli potato.

Everything was finger-licking delicious. The portion sizes were much bigger than what is typical at other restaurants – there was so much food that we couldn’t finish everything.

Expense: ₹2,600

Day 9: Busan

We were halfway through our South Korea 2 week itinerary and this was our last full day in Busan.

Songdo Amnam Park

This park can be reached via the Busan Air Cruise cable car, where we upgraded to the Crystal Cruise (cabin with transparent floor) for better views. The cable car ride gave us magnificent panoramic views of the sea and uninhabited islands.

Once at the top, we took a scenic walking trail that rewarded us with stunning sea vistas. There were other walking trails also which we didn’t explore. We also visited Songdo Yonggung Suspension Bridge, which provided great bird’s-eye views of rocky cliffs and ocean.

Expense: Cable car ticket included in Visit Busan Pass; INR 600 paid for upgrade

Busan Tower

Located in Yongdusan Park, the Busan Tower offers 360-degree views of the cityscape and Port of Busan. It is small from inside and created in a circular fashion which reminded us of the Petrin Tower in Prague.

The weather was clear, and we enjoyed the breathtaking sights from the observation deck. The sight of few cherry blossom trees in bloom in Yongdusan Park made it even more memorable.

Expense: Included in Visit Busan Pass

Klook.com

Day 10: Busan, Seoul

Bullet Train to Seoul

Time to say goodbye to Busan. We went to Busan Station to take a bullet train back to Seoul. The next train was full, so we bought tickets for the following train, departing in about 1.5 hours. We reached Seoul Station by 4 PM and took a taxi to our hotel, Toyoko Inn.

Expense: Bullet train included in Korail Pass

Witch’s Kitchen

A Halloween-themed restaurant chain; we went to their Gangnam branch within walking distance from the hotel. We ordered hibiscus (red) and blue drinks served in drip bottles resembling hospital IV bags. We also had aglio olio pasta which was tasty. There were many monster masks, costumes, and props to try.

Expense: ₹1,640

Shopping at Olive Young (Myeongdong branch)

Olive Young is South Korea’s biggest health and beauty chain. We went to the largest branch in Myeongdong. We went about a couple of hours before closing time and it was very crowded. Megha had prepared a list beforehand and shopped eagerly. She bought sunscreen, toner, facewash and many other items.

Expense: ₹12,100

Day 11: Seoul

Everland

Everland is South Korea’s biggest theme park, about 35 kilometres from Seoul. We took bus #5002A from outside our hotel in Gangnam. It was a budget and convenient option as the bus terminated at Everland.

Everland also has a zoo with a famous white panda. Zoo attractions like Panda World, Lost Valley, and Safari World require booking time slots using Everland app. The booking opens at specific times during the day. We booked time slots for Panda World and Lost Valley but still waited about 30 minutes for each.

We enjoyed rides like Amazon Express (water ride), 4D Space Adventure, Shooting Ghost, and Bumper Car, but waiting in queues was frustrating—even on a Tuesday. Can’t imagine crowd scene on weekends.

Overall it was a boring day spent mostly in queues. The afternoon parade was also unimpressive. Considering it was outside Seoul and we planned to visit another theme park (Lotte World), we could have skipped Everland. But if you want to visit Everland, you can buy the ticket from here.

Locals call Everland the Disneyland of South Korea. Although we haven’t been to Disneyland yet, having visited Universal Studios in Singapore and I can confidently say Everland is no match.

Expense: ₹2,650 × 2 = ₹5,300

Day 12: Seoul

Jogyesa Temple

Jogyesa Temple is a Buddhist temple in the Insadong region of Seoul. It is not grand or architecturally unique. We visited it as it was within walking distance from Insadong market. We spent about 30 minutes there.

Expense: Free

Ddong Cafe

Ddong Cafe is one of the quirkiest cafes in Seoul, where you drink coffee from toilet-shaped cups and eat ice cream from urinal shaped plate. We ordered waffle ice cream and a rose latte. Overall, it was a fun visit.

Expense: ₹1,010

Souvenir Shopping from Insadong Market

While Hongdae is famous for fashion and Myeongdong for beauty products, Insadong is known for souvenirs. We spent an hour exploring shops and buying souvenirs and gifts.

Expense: ~₹2,700

Beauty Products Shopping in Myeongdong

Megha couldn’t buy everything at Olive Young and so we revisited Myeongdong to explore other stores. She bought a bag full of Korean beauty and skincare products. These products are often 2x expensive in India, so Myeongdong shopping street is a must-visit for such products.

Expense: ~₹8,000

Late Lunch at Vegan Kitchen

After shopping, we tried a vegan Korean restaurant nearby. We ordered dumplings and kimchi fried rice, both delightful.

Expense: ₹1,140

Shopping at Daiso

Daiso, a Japanese retail chain offering affordable daily products, has its biggest store in South Korea at Myeongdong. We explored 12 floors and bought kitchen items, soft toys, and daily-use products. Some were available for as low as KRW 1,000 (~₹60).

Expense: ~₹3,000

Cheonggyecheon Stream

We took a taxi to Cheonggye Plaza, the starting point of Cheonggyecheon Stream. We sat near the stream and enjoyed an amazing display of light and water.

Expense: Free

Day 13: Seoul

Lotte World

Lotte World is an indoor theme park in Seoul. Unlike Everland which sits on the outskirts of Seoul, Lotte World is located right in the city centre. The indoor section features family, simulation, water, and other fun rides, while the outdoor section offers adventure rides

As we were on final few days of our South Korea 2 week itinerary, we activated our 72-hour Discover Seoul Passes with entry to Lotte World. We focused only on indoor rides and spent around 5 hours enjoying many different attractions.

Discover Seoul Pass can be purchased from here.

The highlight of our day was the spectacular afternoon parade. The music was fantastic, and the character’s dance was delightful. Overall, we had a wonderful time at Lotte’s World.

Expense: Entry ticket included in Discover Seoul Pass

Klook.com

Seoul Sky

Located next to Lotte World, Seoul Sky is an observation deck on Korea’s tallest and world’s 5^th tallest building. We took the elevator to the 117th floor, and the views of Seoul and its surroundings were breathtaking. There was also a small outdoor area for panoramic views.

Expense: Entry ticket – ₹1,080 x 2 = ₹2,160

Day 14: Seoul

Zoolung Zoolung

Zoolung Zoolung is an indoor zoo where you can see birds and animals up close and feed them. I especially enjoyed when Finch and Toco Toucan birds ate food while sitting on my hand.

Expense: Entry ticket included in Discover Seoul Pass; Animal food – ₹690

Aqua Planet 63

Aqua Planet 63 has an aquarium, art gallery, and observation deck. We were primarily interested in the aquarium because it was the first in Seoul to hold a mermaid show. The mermaid shows were held hourly, and we timed our visit right before the show.

Seeing women dressed as mermaids dancing alongside fish was mesmerizing. The choreography was amazing, and it was a 15-minute show unlike anything we had seen before. It is a bummer that Aqua Planet 63 is now permanently closed.

We quickly passed through the aquarium sections and checked out the art gallery and observation deck, but these were average in comparison.

Expense: Entry ticket included in Discover Seoul Pass

More Cherry Blossoms

Being near Yeouido Park, one of the top places in Seoul for cherry blossoms, we took numerous photos with the blossoms in the background.

Eland Cruise

Since we were in Yeouido Park, we thought of doing a cruise from Eland Cruise company as the cruise terminal is located there. The cruise ticket was free with the Discover Seoul Pass.

Having had enough short cruises before, we knew they can get boring. The views become repetitive, and there is not much to do inside. Had the cruise not included in the pass, we would have skipped it.

Expense: Entry ticket included in Discover Seoul Pass

Day 15: Seoul

Statue of Gangnam Style

We took a bus from our hotel to the Statue of Gangnam Style, depicting overlapping fists dedicated to South Korean popular music of the early 2010s. It’s a short photo spot just outside Coex Mall.

Expense: Free

Coex Aquarium

We visited Coex Aquarium since its entry ticket was included in the Discover Seoul Pass. It was a better aquarium and had more marine life than Aqua Planet 63.

While exploring various sections, we learned that Coex Aquarium also had a mermaid show that was just about to begin. The mermaid show was average and not as impressive as the one at Aqua Planet 63.

However, since Aqua Planet 63 is now permanently closed, we would recommend catching the mermaid show in Coex Aquarium. If we hadn’t already seen the show at Aqua Planet 63 a day earlier, we probably would have enjoyed it more at Coex Aquarium

Expense: Entry ticket included in Discover Seoul Pass

Starfield Library

Located inside Coex Mall, this huge public library has become popular on social media for its stunning design and massive bookshelf displays.

Expense: Free

Figure Museum

This museum displays action figures from comics, Star Wars, and manga. Most figures are behind glass, some are in the open. I thought the museum was interesting, but we spent only about half an hour exploring three floors. Also, photos were difficult to take due to glass reflections.

Expense: Entry ticket included in Discover Seoul Pass

Lunch at Kantipur Restaurant

This Indian restaurant was near the Figure Museum where we ordered paneer butter masala, naan, and mango lassi. The food was reasonably priced and delicious.

Expense: ₹1,570

Gyeongbokgung Palace

Gyeonbokgung Palace is the most popular palace in Seoul. We could have visited while we were in Myeongdong, but we wanted to visit it wearing Hanbok (Korean traditional dress) like nearly every other tourist.The cost for hanbok rental was included in the Discover Seoul Pass.

As soon as we exited Gyeonbokgung station, we saw many hanbok rental shops and rented from one. We also got a locker to store our belongings.

We didn’t even have to use Naver Map for directions to the palace, we just followed the crowd of Hanbok wearers. It felt as if we were attending a festival.

Visitors are only allowed to walk the palace grounds; entry inside is not permitted. The interiors can only be seen through the windows.

But people do not visit Gyeongbokgung Palace for its interior. everyone comes to take beautiful pictures in Hanbok with the palace as the backdrop. We did the same, and it was by far the most touristy thing we have done so far.

Expense: Hanbok rental and entry ticket included in Discover Seoul Pass

Namsan Tower

The last attraction of our South Korea 2 week itinerary. We hoped to see sunset views but faced a huge crowd and long queues for both the entrance and the elevator—waiting over 3 hours for just 5 minutes of views. The crowd was poorly managed and visiting here was by far our most frustrating travel experience.

Had we known beforehand that Namsan Tower gets crowded in the evening, we would have either visited it first thing in the morning or skipped it.

Expense: Entry ticket included in Discover Seoul Pass

Day 16: Farewell and Departure

With heavy hearts and a treasure trove of memories from Seoul, it was time to leave South Korea and end our South Korea 2 week itinerary.

We checked out early and headed to Seoul station. We then took a non-stop AREX train to reach the airport. There were still a couple of hours left for the Discover Seoul Pass to expire and we were able to make final redemption in the AREX train ticket.

Expense: AREX train ticket included in Discover Seoul Pass

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South Korea 2 Week Itinerary: Expense Breakdown

Expense	Cost (₹)
Delhi – Seoul – Delhi Air India flight x2	~33,600
15-night accommodation	~74,000
Korail Pass x2	~13,300
Local bus and metro travel (T-Money card recharge x2)	~5,800
Taxi travel	~6,700
Activities (x2)	~59,500
Food	~47,500
Shopping	~36,700
Misc.	~3,600
Visa x2	~8,600
Travel Insurance	~1,000
Local Sim Card	~1,300
Gifts and Souvenirs	~4,600
Total	~2,96,000

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Reflecting on our South Korea 2 week itinerary, this trip was filled with authentic experiences, scenic beauty, and delicious food — all balanced with the right amount of relaxation and exploration.
Our journey finally ended with a comfortable flight back to Delhi, carrying along the unforgettable moments from our 16-day South Korea adventure.

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