What you intend to see and do during your trip will determine the ideal time of year to visit Seoul. Since there are four unique seasons in South Korea, there are fresh activities and weather every month. Every season has its attractions, from browsing the Dongdaemun Night Market on a balmy spring evening to taking in the breathtaking autumn foliage at Namsan Park in October. This information will assist you in determining the best time to plan your vacation to the expert advice for a trip to seoul.
5 Must-See Attractions in Seoul
1. Early spring, when Seoul's cherry blossoms bloom, is the ideal time to visit.
In the spring, Seoul is a great destination. As long as you have a decent spring jacket, March is a terrific time to explore the city, even though the temperature can still drop a bit, especially at night. By the beginning of April, the temperature starts to pick up, with daily highs of 64°F and average lows of 55°F. Although the days will be pleasant and temperate, you should still pack a jacket for the evenings. Expect bigger people in April, when tourism peaks. This is because the city, and particularly the city parks, are painted in beautiful colors of pink as the cherry blossoms bloom, which usually begins in early April. It's worthwhile to consider scheduling your vacation to take place around the cherry blossom blooming if you're hoping to go in the spring. There are several locations across the city where one may view the lovely expert advice for a trip to seoul.
Seoul's top locations for seeing the cherry blossoms
- Yeouido Park: Known as one of the best places in the city to see cherry blossoms, Yeouido Park's annual Spring Flower Festival is a must-attend event.
- Children's Grand Park is a sizable park including a botanical garden, zoo, and amusement park. It's also a fantastic spot to watch cherry blossoms.
- Gyeongbokgung Palace: Visit Gyeongbokgung Palace to witness the cherry blossoms and one of Seoul's most famous attractions. While there, think about renting a traditional hanbok outfit to wear.
- Seoul Forest: With many of walking trails and wonderful picnic spots, Seoul Forest is dotted with cherry trees that bloom exquisitely in the spring.
- Cherry trees adorn the border of Seokchon Lake, which is a great spot for a stroll close to Lotte World.
2. The best time to visit Seoul is in late spring, when there are exciting events, delicious Korean food, and bustling night markets.
Later in the spring, several more lovely and fragrant flowers bloom all throughout the city, even after the cherry blossoms are gone. In terms of the weather, this is maybe the ideal time of year to visit Seoul. Because of the often sunny sky, comfortable temperatures, and low humidity, you can forgo layering and wear short sleeves and shorts instead. Don't forget to pack a sunhat and some sunscreen. In addition to the beautiful weather, keep in mind that Seoul is one of the world's culinary hotspots, and in late spring, pubs and restaurants all over the city open their terraces, letting you savor top-notch eating al fresco. It's also the ideal time of year to visit Seoul's various night markets and take in the many events that take place during this time of year, like the Lotus Lantern Festival, which takes place in May.
Lotus Lantern Festival in Downtown Seoul
Buddha's birthday is widely celebrated with the Lotus Lantern Festival. The celebration has a more than 1,000-year history, having started during the Silla Kingdom. Despite its religious beginnings, the Lotus Lantern Festival is now a must-see for tourists and Seoul residents of all backgrounds and faiths. The annual Lotus Lantern Parade, which begins the celebrations, features exquisite and elaborate lanterns as it makes its way past Seoul Fortress's Dongdaemun Gate and ends at Jogyesa Temple. Along with other traditional cultural events, the festival also includes a display of traditional lanterns.
3. The best time to visit Seoul is in the early summer, when you may enjoy the beach and nice weather.
Travelers are often advised to stay away from Seoul during the July–September summer monsoon season, which is marked by extremely high temperatures and excessive humidity. However, if you want to enjoy the city's restaurants and night markets in the sweltering summer heat, mid-June to early July is the ideal time to come. Also, it might help you avoid some of the throngs that arrive later in the summer. By the end of June, it may go as high as 90°F during the day and stay comfortably warm at night. Don't forget to bring sunscreen, sunglasses, sunhats, short-sleeved shirts, and shorts. In order to swim in the water, you should also pack a bathing suit. Even though landlocked Seoul itself lacks beaches, the early summer is a great time to visit one of the beaches that are reachable from the city by bus or vehicle.
Seoul's top beach day outings
- Eurwangni beach: This family-friendly location is close to Incheon International Airport and features white sand and shallow water.
- Naksan Beach: Covering more than a mile, this sandy beach is an excellent place to watch the dawn and engage in a range of water sports.
- Daecheon Beach: The biggest beach on the west coast of South Korea is located in the city of Boryeong, about three hours from Seoul.
- Muchangpo Tideland is a man-made beach that is perfect for sunset viewing and is located thirty minutes from Daecheon beach.
4. For breathtaking views of the fall foliage, October and November are the best times to visit Seoul.
For good reason, many people believe that autumn is the ideal season to visit Seoul. With highs of 68°F in October and 53°F in November, the days are bright but still rather warm. Early in the season, you won't really need to wrap up, but you could need a light jacket at specific periods of the day. A lightweight winter jacket will be useful as November draws to a close. The crowds have subsided, and hotel and flight prices have decreased from their summer peak. Nonetheless, you will see a lot of residents and visitors strolling through the city and the city parks while taking in the breathtaking fall leaves. Reds, yellows, and oranges abound around the city, and there are plenty of wonderful spots to take in the foliage.
Top locations to view the fall foliage
- Changdeokgung Palace: One of the most enchanted spots to witness autumn foliage is the Secret Garden of Changdeokgung Palace, where overhanging trees envelop guests and muffle outside sounds.
- Deoksugung Palace: The Stone Wall Road at Deoksugung Palace is ideal for a romantic walk and is bordered by yellow ginkgo trees.
- Namsan Park: The biggest park in Seoul, Namsan Park has a vast system of hiking paths surrounded by thick trees with lovely greenery.
- Seoul Fortress: Take the Wall Trail from Seoul Fortress and take in the fall scenery while strolling around the old city perimeter.
- Seoul Forest: One of the best places in the city to see fall foliage is Seoul Forest, which is also a fantastic location to see expert advice for a trip to seoul.
5. Winter (December to February) is the best season to visit Seoul for skiers and low-budget tourists.
For activities like sightseeing, winter is not the ideal time of year to visit Seoul since, if you are not prepared, it may get quite chilly and uncomfortable outside. But there are benefits to the cold months. You may save a lot of money on flights, lodging, and meals during this time of year because Seoul is considerably less congested. Exploring the city can be as enjoyable as any other time of year if you wear the appropriate winter clothing, which includes a thick coat, boots, a hat, a scarf, and gloves. The city also has a lot of festive decorations and celebrations throughout the holidays. Furthermore, there are several genuinely amazing ski resorts in South Korea, many of which are located in the nearby hilly regions of Seoul.
Top ski areas close to Seoul
- Jisan Forest Resort: The ideal location for a day or weekend ski trip, Jisan Forest Resort offers an excellent combination of beginner and intermediate slopes along with great services.
- Daemyung Vivaldi Park Ski Resort: Despite being 1.5 hours outside the city, Seoul residents frequently visit this well-liked location.
- Bears Town Ski Resort: A well-liked family and snowboarding destination, Bears Town Ski Resort is around 50 minutes from Seoul.
- Phoenix Snow Park: Known for its superior snow quality, Phoenix Snow Park served as one of the locations for the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.
- Star Hill Resort: This charming resort, which is a short drive outside of Seoul, features six slopes, each of which has its own expert advice for a trip to seoul.
What you intend to see and do during your trip will determine the ideal time of year to visit Seoul. Since there are four unique seasons in South Korea, there are fresh activities and weather every month. Every season has its attractions, from browsing the Dongdaemun Night Market on a balmy spring evening to taking in the breathtaking autumn foliage at Namsan Park in October. This information will assist you in determining the best time to plan your vacation to the expert advice for a trip to seoul.
5 Must-See Attractions in Seoul
1. Early spring, when Seoul's cherry blossoms bloom, is the ideal time to visit.
In the spring, Seoul is a great destination. As long as you have a decent spring jacket, March is a terrific time to explore the city, even though the temperature can still drop a bit, especially at night. By the beginning of April, the temperature starts to pick up, with daily highs of 64°F and average lows of 55°F. Although the days will be pleasant and temperate, you should still pack a jacket for the evenings. Expect bigger people in April, when tourism peaks. This is because the city, and particularly the city parks, are painted in beautiful colors of pink as the cherry blossoms bloom, which usually begins in early April. It's worthwhile to consider scheduling your vacation to take place around the cherry blossom blooming if you're hoping to go in the spring. There are several locations across the city where one may view the lovely expert advice for a trip to seoul.
Seoul's top locations for seeing the cherry blossoms
2. The best time to visit Seoul is in late spring, when there are exciting events, delicious Korean food, and bustling night markets.
Later in the spring, several more lovely and fragrant flowers bloom all throughout the city, even after the cherry blossoms are gone. In terms of the weather, this is maybe the ideal time of year to visit Seoul. Because of the often sunny sky, comfortable temperatures, and low humidity, you can forgo layering and wear short sleeves and shorts instead. Don't forget to pack a sunhat and some sunscreen. In addition to the beautiful weather, keep in mind that Seoul is one of the world's culinary hotspots, and in late spring, pubs and restaurants all over the city open their terraces, letting you savor top-notch eating al fresco. It's also the ideal time of year to visit Seoul's various night markets and take in the many events that take place during this time of year, like the Lotus Lantern Festival, which takes place in May.
Lotus Lantern Festival in Downtown Seoul
Buddha's birthday is widely celebrated with the Lotus Lantern Festival. The celebration has a more than 1,000-year history, having started during the Silla Kingdom. Despite its religious beginnings, the Lotus Lantern Festival is now a must-see for tourists and Seoul residents of all backgrounds and faiths. The annual Lotus Lantern Parade, which begins the celebrations, features exquisite and elaborate lanterns as it makes its way past Seoul Fortress's Dongdaemun Gate and ends at Jogyesa Temple. Along with other traditional cultural events, the festival also includes a display of traditional lanterns.
3. The best time to visit Seoul is in the early summer, when you may enjoy the beach and nice weather.
Travelers are often advised to stay away from Seoul during the July–September summer monsoon season, which is marked by extremely high temperatures and excessive humidity. However, if you want to enjoy the city's restaurants and night markets in the sweltering summer heat, mid-June to early July is the ideal time to come. Also, it might help you avoid some of the throngs that arrive later in the summer. By the end of June, it may go as high as 90°F during the day and stay comfortably warm at night. Don't forget to bring sunscreen, sunglasses, sunhats, short-sleeved shirts, and shorts. In order to swim in the water, you should also pack a bathing suit. Even though landlocked Seoul itself lacks beaches, the early summer is a great time to visit one of the beaches that are reachable from the city by bus or vehicle.
Seoul's top beach day outings
4. For breathtaking views of the fall foliage, October and November are the best times to visit Seoul.
For good reason, many people believe that autumn is the ideal season to visit Seoul. With highs of 68°F in October and 53°F in November, the days are bright but still rather warm. Early in the season, you won't really need to wrap up, but you could need a light jacket at specific periods of the day. A lightweight winter jacket will be useful as November draws to a close. The crowds have subsided, and hotel and flight prices have decreased from their summer peak. Nonetheless, you will see a lot of residents and visitors strolling through the city and the city parks while taking in the breathtaking fall leaves. Reds, yellows, and oranges abound around the city, and there are plenty of wonderful spots to take in the foliage.
Top locations to view the fall foliage
5. Winter (December to February) is the best season to visit Seoul for skiers and low-budget tourists.
For activities like sightseeing, winter is not the ideal time of year to visit Seoul since, if you are not prepared, it may get quite chilly and uncomfortable outside. But there are benefits to the cold months. You may save a lot of money on flights, lodging, and meals during this time of year because Seoul is considerably less congested. Exploring the city can be as enjoyable as any other time of year if you wear the appropriate winter clothing, which includes a thick coat, boots, a hat, a scarf, and gloves. The city also has a lot of festive decorations and celebrations throughout the holidays. Furthermore, there are several genuinely amazing ski resorts in South Korea, many of which are located in the nearby hilly regions of Seoul.
Top ski areas close to Seoul