South Korea Tours & Holidays

Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards

From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travellers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (excluding all Polar trips and select adventure cruises).

However, we continue to strongly recommend that all Intrepid travellers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.

Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.

SOUTH KOREA

Australia: No - not required

Belgium: No - not required

Canada: No - not required

Germany: No - not required

Ireland: No - not required

Netherlands: No - not required

New Zealand: No - not required

South Africa: No - not required

Switzerland: No - not required

United Kingdom: No - not required

USA: No - not required

Your passport should be valid for a minimum period of 6 months from the date of entry into South Korea. . Most travellers do not need visas for Korea for stays of up to 30 days. You must also have an onward or return ticket.

If you are a male of Korean origin whose name appears on the Korean family register, you may be liable for military service even if you are travelling on your foreign passport.

Tipping in some establishments (particularly more traditional ones) is considered impolite, and is sometimes indicated with a 'no tipping' sign! Western-style, tourist-orientated places, however, usually welcome and receive tips. Use your discretion.

With one of the most developed internet infrastructures in the world, accessing the internet is easy in South Korea. Wi-Fi hot spots and cyber cafes are easily found in the cities, although when travelling in remote areas please be aware that internet access may be harder to find.

Travellers should be able to use their mobile phones in South Korea's cities and urban areas, as coverage is good. As in other countries, rural and mountainous areas may have less mobile phone receptivity. Ensure global roaming is activated with your service provider before leaving home.

South Korea has a combination of squat toilets and western-style flushable toilets. It's a good idea to carry your own toilet paper and hand sanitiser or soap while on holiday, as these are rarely provided in public toilets.

• Can of soft drink = 2,000 Won
• Bottle of local beer = 3,000 Won
• 
  Street food meal = 2000-4000 Won
• 
  Basic restaurant meal (soup, noodles etc.) = 6000-10,000 Won
  
• 
  Bottle of mid-range wine = 15,000 Won
  
• 
  Sit-down dinner at a nice restaurant = 20,000-40,000 Won

Tap water is considered safe to drink in many parts of South Korea unless otherwise marked. Ask your leader for guidance if you are unsure whether to drink tap water in the area you are travelling in.

Credit cards are usually accepted by hotels and large retailers. Smaller shops and restaurants may not accept credit cards, so always carry enough money to cover purchases, as paying with a credit card may not always be an option in South Korea.

ATMs are plentiful in large cities and urban centres, although not all ATMs accept foreign cards. Look for Global or Citibank ATMs, which usually accept cards from other countries.

1 Jan New Year's Day

27 Jan Seollal

28 Jan Seollal

29 Jan Seollal

1 Mar March 1st Movement / Independence Movement Day

3 May Buddha's Birthday

5 May Children's Day 

6 Jun Memorial Day

15 Aug Liberation Day

3 Oct Chuseok / Korean Thanksgiving

3 Oct National Foundation Day (Gaecheonjeol)

4 Oct Chuseok / Korean Thanksgiving

5 Oct Chuseok / Korean Thanksgiving

9 Oct Hangeul Day

25 Dec Christmas Day

*Please note these dates may vary. See the current list of public holidays in South Korea.

Absolutely. All passengers travelling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of their trip. Your travel insurance details will be recorded by your leader on the first day of the trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is very much an essential and necessary part of every journey.

For more information on insurance, please go to: Travel Insurance

Intrepid takes the health and safety of its travellers seriously and takes every measure to ensure that trips are safe, fun and enjoyable for everyone. We recommend that all travellers check with their government or national travel advisory organisation for the latest information before departure:

From Australia?

Go to: https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/

From Canada?

Go to: https://travel.gc.ca/

From the UK?

Go to: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

From New Zealand?

Go to: https://www.safetravel.govt.nz/

From the US?

Go to: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel.html

The World Health Organisation also provides useful health information.