Tourist Attractions in South Korea

Smoking has recently been officially banned from most public places and private offices as well, but many restaurants still allow smoking inside. I agree that annoyance and visibility have greatly improved since, but still be aware that you might find yourself dining in a gas chamber. Koreans are heavy smokers and they can practice it thoughout the entire meal and, of course, well before and after.
Ash trays are generally equipped with a paper napkin and a small amount of water to allow the cigarette butts to be properly estinguished. If not, the patrons will add napkins and water by themselves.

No one warned me about the touts and darned if I didn't get hit by one as soon as I got off the plane. Since my son was not able to meet me at the airport, he had given me very precise directions on how to catch a bus to his location. Unfortunately, he forgot to mention the touts and since it was my first time traveling by myself in a foreign country, I guess they spotted me as a target pretty easily.

Anyway, after I changed my money and was looking for the bus stop to Jeonju, a taxi driver asked me if I needed a ride. He spoke English, and I told him no, I was taking the bus to Jeonju. He got this sorrowful look on his face and told me the last bus to Jeonju left at 8:30 (it was 9:00 pm). I was shocked, but he said he could take me to Seoul, where I could get a hotel. I told him no and I went and called my son immediately (which was an adventure in itself - but another story).

Well of course, he told me right away it's just a ploy to get an unsuspecting tourist into his taxi to charge an outrageoous price to take them to Seoul. He assured me that if I went outside to the bus kiosk, my bus would be there and it was - although I ran into other problems, I had no more problems with the "touts."

Although people will try their best to help you out and many approach you out of the blue while sitting in the subway or standing on a crossing, the fact that Koreans have a big lack of knowledge in any kind of foreign language might definitely cause a problem to you.
No English menus (even at many McDonald's, Burger King, etc.), no English signboards (except of course for the subway and designated tourist hot-spots), no English-speaking taxi-drivers (translation-service via intercom required)... it makes life slightly complicated, especially if you are looking for some less touristic and more Korean-style locations.

Unique Suggestions: Go to one of the many Tourist Information booths and get a good map and ask as many questions as possible.
The ladies at the TIs are usually very friendly and will mark you specific locations directly on the map.
If you like to go to somewhere specific, let them write down the address in Korean, so you simply need to show the taxi driver where you wanna go to.
Beware, however, that the taxi drivers usually know the various districts (GUs and DONGs) but are usually unable to find specific addresses (mainly due to the very confusing street system of Korea, which only postmen tend to understand). In this case, it might be best to let them drive you close to the spot you wanna go to and ask your way through.

Fun Alternatives: a) Be adventurous and explore the places on foot and, in case of restaurants, just try to point on something that looks delicious to you.

b) Learn the Hangeul - the Korean alphabet. It's less difficult than it looks like but will help you a great deal.

I was walking with my mom and aunt in the morning (around 6am, day break around 4+ during spring time) and saw this fruit stalls, we thought of buying some strawberries but the man indicate either not selling or asked us to be away. I only recalled what the local tour guide (he is a chinese) told us, if the customer of the day is women, they'll normally treat it as bad luck, some of them will eventually use salt as a means to kill germs !!!!! Bloody hell, they treated woman like a germ when all we want is to buy some stuff from them. They call this business?

Unique Suggestions: Damn, bloody Korean Man......

Fun Alternatives: Bring salt along with your trip, ladies. Do it before they do !

Enjoy, if you like millions of little children running around, construction everywhere and a palace that was completely destroyed and restored in the early 90's..There is little charm left in this site..it's so sad..

Unique Suggestions: There is no good time to go, all the travel tips for this palace are under the "Must See Activities" and the only thing that people state is to avoid on the weekends, which is totally untrue, I went on a Tuesday and unless its "Every School in the World Visits" day, it's gonna be packed no matter what..and don't get a guide, you can pick up this little hand held thingy (technical term) that will give you a recorded tour (comes in 4 different languages, english included).. and avoid the big groups

Fun Alternatives: After seeing the newly restored palace (technical term for, none of this is real) and the POOR POOR men at the front gate with bad polyester guard uniforms and BEARDS and MUSTACHES GLUED to thier faces (I wanted to take a picture to show reference but I felt I would be taking the last of these poor saps dignity) ..I suggest walking about 15 towards the Gyeongbokgung subway stop and keep going in the same direction to Sajik park, it's a park, but it's serene and beautiful and what an attraction should be..REAL

EVerland is ENORMOUS. This Amiusement park, Theme Park, Water Park, Resort. Is a real getaway. Situated about 11/2 hours from Seoul.

Festival World, The Amusement/Theme Park has five different worlds: the Global Fair featuring famous world buildings constructed in the historical style of each country; American Adventure Land; Magic Land; European Adventure Land with charming European gardens and a sledge field ; and finally Equatorial Adventure, featuring an Equatorial Zoo and animals.

Carribean Bay Waterpark. This is a HUGE water park that is tackily decorated with Spanish style buildings, coconut trees, tropical plants and spectacular remains of the legend of Caribbean pirate ship wrecks, but is full of COOL stuff including a wave pool and a Surfing Pool.

Stay for the weekend in the Hotel or in Cabins. Everland Lodging Reservation Center: 82-031-320-8841

Unique Suggestions: Some of my faves......

The Crazy Limo: Round and round and round in a 360-degree rotation. Sickeningly fun.

Suspended Coaster: Hair-curling experience under the rails! 80 degrees of rotation!! Imagine rushing up a 1,013 mountain ridge at 85kph, Now do it......

Amazon Express : Here you’ll encounter animals and natives as you shot down the rapids of this 580-meter jungle valley.

X-Drop: 3-2-1 and you're in a Rocket. Thi sis fast and freaky, and just when you feel like you are gonna die, they kill you. Its cool.

Surf Ride at Carribean Bay: It’s so real! A true surfing experience, as you carve the crests of waves and battle the endless flow of water!

Fun Alternatives: Try Seoul Land in Seoul Grand Park, and Hour North. just as good. But it lacks the Good Waterpark.

its a rather small town , that drew me in with the idea of a majestic waterfall...it was more like a little sprinkler....the hike was unfullfilling, and there was nothing to do in town after,,,It could have been i went on a weekday...just my opinion

This is why I don't like travelling in tour group. This is (and I believe it will be) the last time I travel in a tour group. One of the standard must see point is these kind of theme park, where only kids under 12 would be interested. WTF is that they include this in an adults tour? I have no idea at all!!!