South Korea is on everyone's radar right now, as PyeongChang gears up to host the Winter Olympics beginning on February 9. But the country's appeal extends far beyond athletic facilities—with ancient temples , tea plantations, trendy neighborhoods, and more than 3, offshore islands to explore, South Korea should be on everyone's travel bucket list.
Need more convincing? Here are the country's most beautiful sites, ready to welcome you long after the Olympians head home. Located near the city of Gyeongju, this 7th-century palace complex contains well-preserved temples, museums filled with ancient relics, and three small islands.
Its star attraction is the surrounding Wolji Pond, an artificial lake that perfectly reflects the buildings especially at night and becomes covered with lotus flowers in the summer.
Southern Cheongsando Island is known for its untouched beauty—think terraced rice paddies, panoramic ocean views, and fields of yellow rapeseed flowers.
The island is also famous for embracing the concept of slow living, hosting a "Slow Walking Festival" every year in which visitors and residents are encouraged to stroll the walking trails as slowly as possible to better soak in the scenery. Built in near Seoul's Dongdaemun Market , this Zaha Hadid-designed plaza is well worth exploring for a few hours.
