The main advantages of visiting the South Korea are represented by the numerous mineral and hot springs, large, long and clean sandy beaches, amazingly beautiful historical monuments, dedicated to the ancient dynasties and perfect ski-resorts with all the conditions both for professionals and for beginners.
South Korea may be truly considered a proud owner of a really huge number of various sightseeings. For those travelers that are used to more conservative kind of entertainment South Korea offers luxurious beaches of Jeju Island, perfect conditions for skiing of South Korean Alps, including the popular among the foreign travelers Phoenix Park and other ski resorts, gorgeous architecture of the country, represented by the numerous ancient monasteries, unique pagodas and many other things.
But in the case if you are looking for something really unique and unusual, South Korea may offer you such things as the huge gold-covered skyscraper, two-headed turtle, bull fights, about 50 sorts of mandarins, elderly pearl divers and any other extraordinary things that you may even imagine.
The capital of South Korea is the city of Seoul, but the other large local cities are Taegu, Inch’on, Jeju Island and the city of Pusan.
General information Area:
98,480 sq km (38,023 sq mi)
Government:
Semi-presidential republic
Languages:
The official language of Korea is Korean which is related to Japanese and Mongolian. Although it differs grammatically from Chinese and does not use tones, a large number of Chinese cognates exist in Korean. A phonetic writing system ("hangul") was invented in the 15th century by King Sejong to provide a writing system for commoners who could not read classical Chinese. Modern Korean uses hangul almost exclusively with Chinese characters in limited use for word clarification. Approximately 1,300 Chinese characters are used in modern Korean.
Various dialects are spoken in different parts of the country, though standard Korean, which is based on the Seoul dialect, is understood and spoken by almost everyone.
All Koreans who have attended elementary school have taken English lessons as part of their education, and the English level of the country is being improved by government policy and investments. However, due to lack of practice (as well as fear of mispronunciation), many Koreans have little more than a very basic grasp of English phrases in actual conversation. A common experience for Western travelers in South Korea is to be approached by children interested in practicing their English skills. They will often take a picture of you, as proof they really talked to you.
Also Chinese and Japanese are widely taught at secondary schools.
Religions:
Half of the population actively practices religion. Among this group, Christianity (49%) and Buddhism (47%) comprise Korea's two dominant religions. Though only 3% identified themselves as Confucianists, Korean society remains highly imbued with Confucian values and beliefs. The remaining 1% of the population practice Shamanism (traditional spirit worship) and Chondogyo ("Heavenly Way"), a traditional religion.
Electricity:
220V / 60Hz (Western European plug)
Tips:
Tipping is not necessary anywhere in Korea and could be considered offensive if you try to do so, except for bellboys in high-end hotels. Tipping is not the norm. An exception to this are bars which have large crowds of Westerners, and you can expect tipping culture to be exactly like westernized countries. Maids in hotels appreciate 1000-2000KRW tips as well, and you will often find additional towels, soaps, and things of that nature should you leave one.
Visas:
The nationals of 109 countries and territories will receive a visa on arrival valid for 30 to 180 days. Rules for visiting only Jeju Island are even more lenient, allowing in everybody except citizens of less than a dozen countries. Don't overstay, even by a single day — this incurs heavy fines and possible jail time, and you'll probably be banned from re-entering.
Airports:
Incheon International Airport (ICN ), situated not far from the capital Seoul, is the main hub for international flights to and from South Korea. This is also arguably the best run and best designed airport in the world - a pleasure to use, although if you arrive late watch out for pushy taxi drivers lying about the hotel buses and trying to get you to pay 3x the normal fare.
Other international airports are: Busan's (Pusan's) Gimhae International Airport (PUS ), Jeju International Airport (CJU ), Gimpo International Airport (GMP ).
Have you always wanted to visit this country but didn't know where to start?
