Seoul
A tour of South Korea will be woefully incomplete if its capital city of Seoul is given a miss. Shining skyscrapers and bright neon lights along with other amenities that a metropolis can provide help Seoul match the finest metropolises like Tokyo or Osaka. But what allow Seoul to steal a march over other cities is its ability to achieve a harmonious co-existence of the ancient and the modern. Koreans value their past and do not believe in rebuilding on the ruins of history. Ample proof of this can be found in the city itself. Tucked away in a corner of this throbbing city, one can find ancient well preserved relics of yesteryears.

Seoul's undulating landscape offers many hills that are peaceful green refuges in this bustling city where street hawkers and markets with tempting sounds and smells exist alongside the high facades of the modern city. You must see Kyongbok Palace, Changdok Palace and its secret garden, the National Museum and the Folk Museum, as well as the Folkloric Village, one hour from Seoul where the country's traditions and various types of homes are displayed.

Songnisan National Park
Dotted with intricately-shaped lakes, this park includes the temple of Beopjusa and its 33 meter-tall bronze Buddha.

Andong
This has traditionally been the town of the aristocrats and the old culture is valued here. Andong Folk Village and Folk Museum showcases the relics of Korean culture. Restaurants here serve traditional food. To the north of Andong is Dosan Seowon, the famous Confucian institute. To the west is the Hahoe Maeul Folk Village. The Mask Dance Festival is held here every autumn and if you are around do not miss it for any thing in the world.

Busan
Waterways have been the lifeline of civilization and Busan, the port city and the second largest metropolis is absolutely indispensable to the Koreans. A bird.s eye view of the city can be had from the Busan Tower in Yongdusan Park. The U.N. Cemetery is one place that attracts a lot of tourists. It is here that the fallen U.N. soldiers of the Korean War are buried, some thousands of miles away from their homeland. Geumgand Park is also a tourist attraction. The city is also a departure point for another tourist hot spot, the Jeju Island.

Jeju Island
Jeju, though only 100km off the mainland, seems to be a completely different world altogether. It has got fantastic infrastructure in terms of accommodation and other tourist facilities. It is a honeymooner.s delight. Beautiful yellow flowers brighten the landscape and golden beaches are alluring indeed. Coastal waterfalls plunging straight into the sea, hot spring, fishing and scuba diving have become synonymous with Jeju. Folkcraft and National Museum as well as Jeju Folk Village Museum are worth a visit. The island also has the tallest mountain of the country, Mt. Hallasan. Do not miss the impressive Crater Lake here.
Haeinsa
A ninth century Buddhist temple considered to be the holiest Korean shrine lies amidst the eerie Gayasan National Park. The entire Buddhist scriptures are printed on 81000 wooden blocks but this is out of reach of the visitors who can only have a glimpse of it through the slatted window. It has also a good hiking trail.

Panmunjiom
Come here to visit the Demilitarized Zone. Walk into the Third Tunnel of Aggression and stand on the Freedom Pavilion. From here the North Korean soldiers can be seen peering back through binoculars. A meal in the soldiers. mess hall or a drink in the officers. club can really be an experience that you will not forget in a hurry. Troops here are always on high alert and confrontations here are both common and lethal.

Gyeongu
Once the capital of the Silla kingdom, the city has about 20 huge burial tombs. The beautiful temple of Bulguksa is just outside the town. Seokguram Grotto has exquisite stone image of Buddha. Hiring a boat to see the underwater tomb of King Munmu, who wanted to become a dragon to protect his subjects from invasions.