Eating Korea food with chopsticks

Culinary Korea

Trip code
CLK001

From kimchi to KBBQ, this foodie-focused itinerary is the perfect introduction for anyone desperate for a taste of Korea’s culinary culture.  

Looking for the ultimate Korean tasting menu? You’re in the right place. Whether you’re tucking into crispy fried chicken and ice-cold beer under the bright lights of Seoul’s side streets, exploring charming tea houses and clinking cups of fizzy rice wine in Jeonju, Korea's city of gastronomy, or getting stuck in with a traditional cooking class, you’ll soak up culture at the same time as piling your plate.  

Pricing

Price based on 4* accommodation
From
£3,709
pp
Price based on 5* accommodation
From
£5,780
pp
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Key facts

13 days / 12 nights
Blend history and tradition with modern ways of life – all through the lens of food – as you tour tea farms, take a KBBQ tour, stay in a hanok house, and go tangerine picking
Understand the extraordinary history and culture of Jeju Island’s haenyo female free-diving population and sample their freshest catch in a unique restaurant setting
Get a taste of adventure island life by visiting Jeju, as well as experiencing coastal Busan’s relaxed buzz
SEOULDAY 4DAY 10-11BUSANDAY 1-3, 12JEONJUDAY 7-9JEJU ISLANDDAY 5-6YEOSUSEOUL
DAY 4DAY 10-11BUSANDAY 1-3, 12JEONJUDAY 7-9JEJU ISLANDDAY 5-6YEOSUSEOUL

Transport in detail

You’ll take a combination of trains and domestic flights. There are three connections via KTX high-speed train and short flights in and out of Jeju Island.  

What's great

From freshly caught seafood to fruit farms, Korean BBQ to traditional tea, you’ll leave no stone unturned when it comes to sampling Korea’s vast cuisine

You’ll spend time in the vibrant cities but also escape to experience the more rural, mountainous side of the country

You’ll have plenty of free time to design your own food crawls – taking in the cafe culture while sipping a coffee, getting involved in the growing craft beer scene, or wandering the late-night markets.

Things to consider

Korean cuisine is very meat-heavy! Some experiences can be adjusted if you have dietary requirements – but, given this trip is so food-focused, it’s best for people who can be as flexible as possible

With quite a few stops and a domestic return flight, you’ll need to pack quite lightly – and leave room in your suitcase for souvenirs.

The experience

Day 1-3

Seoul

Seoul is starting to rival New York with its reputation as the city that never sleeps – and with so much amazing food and drink on offer, it’s easy to see why. There’s Gwangjang market, the best place to sample the best of the city’s street food, micro-breweries serving craft beer akin to Brooklyn’s backstreets in Seongsu (read our guide to the best breweries in South Korea), and a sprawling cafe culture that means you’ll never have to search hard for your next caffeine-fix.

You’ll spend three days getting under the skin of Korea’s capital, with plenty of time for the classic sights – including Gyeongbok palace, Namsan tower, Bukchon’s hanok village, and the temple of Jogyesa in Insadong.

Street food in Seoul

Highlights

Fill your belly as soon as you land by jumping straight into a feast of KBBQ and chimaek (fried chicken and beer)

Dive into the craft beer scene in Seongsu, the ‘Brooklyn of Seoul’, or duck into several of the quirky cafes spread across the city

Explore the famous sights – from the grand Gyeongbok palace to Bukchon’s traditional hanok village

Three friends enjoying Korean street food

Day 4

Jeonju

Koreans refer to Jeonju as the nation’s culinary capital for a reason – and during your day here, you’ll get to sample a whole host of it. There’s even a local saying extolling the deliciousness of Jeonju’s food scene: “eat once in Jeonju and be spoiled for life”. So, consider yourself duly warned!  

While here, you’ll get a chance to wolf down the local take on bibimbap – a rice bowl quite like no other – and work your way through expertly prepared side dishes, as well as exploring the olde-worlde cafes and restaurants that you’ll find clustered in the city’s Hanok Village, complete with charming teahouses set in traditional wooden structures.  

Korean bibimbap

Highlights

Visit Korea’s renowned city of gastronomy

Taste the famous bibimbap rice bowl – a true local speciality

Practice clinking cups and cheersing over fizzy rice wine in Makgeolli alley - geonbae!

View over rooftops of Jeonju

The finer detail

  • Breakfast every day    

  • 2 full-day experiences: Full day guided trip to Seonamsa temple with Korean wild tea experience & Naganeupseong folk village, full day tour of Busan   

  • 3 half-day experiences: Jeju tangerine picking (in autumn/winter), haenyo restaurant reservation, Busan cooking class  

  • 2 evening experiences: Korea BBQ and fried chicken food tour, Korean traditional course menu restaurant reservation  

  •  All entrance fees to sights included in guided experiences    

  • All internal transport & accommodation   

  • Private airport transfers   

  • Wi-Fi device    

  • Pre-loaded T-money transport card    

Day 1:    

 Car transfer from Incheon airport to Seoul (50 minutes)    

Day 4:    

Train transfer from Seoul to Jeonju (2 hours)   

Day 5: 
Train transfer from Jeonju to Yeosu (1 hour 20 minutes) 

Day 7:    

 Domestic flight from Yeosu to Jeju Island (50 minutes)  

Day 10:    

Domestic flight from Jeju Island to Busan (50 minutes)    

Day 12:    

High-speed train transfer from Busan to Seoul (2 hours 30 minutes)    

Day 13:    

Car transfer from hotel to Incheon airport (50 minutes)  

  • International flights 
  • Meals not mentioned 
  • Entrance fees to any sites not included in guided experiences 
  • Tips for guides & porters.