South Korea:Nami Island, DMZ, Saunas

[Seoultrip]

We are in Seoul this week. Can anyone please advise about this:

DMZ tour: is this worthy? DH is quite interested. I am concerned is too long day and too hot. Teens are happy to do own thing.

Nami Island: I am interested on this; but is it too hot? Too long?

Saunas: any recommendations? Do you go naked?

Anything we shouldn’t miss while we are here

i think if you are brave, naked is the thing to do

Thank you. Teens wanted to do it but the fact is naked put them off. I may go in my own.

pretty sure you dont have to be naked
my dd went twice
the first time she was not naked

Thank you. Can your daughter recommend one?

i will ask her

Thank you ❤️

I also want to go to a food market but not sure which one. Wish we will be here a bit longer; only booked 6 nights as part of our trip to Australia to see DH family

Nami Island is nice apparently

Even getting a haircut is a kinda popular thing to do in korea lol cos it's good and affordable. Myeongdong is heaven for shopping!!

food markets like gwangjang, namdaemun, or myeongdong are well worth the visit for street food. May find hotteok there

re the korean saunas ! You go into gender separated bit first then can hang out with mixed gender in a room after

the han river is famous and u can cycle along it.. people say that instam ramen tastes better sitting on the river so its a popoular thing to do

messages for @Seoultrip courtesy of dd

DMZ tour is interesting and worth it I think. I went with my dd (slightly older than teen) and she really enjoyed it

Are your teens girls or boys?

Thank you. This us helpful

also there are attractions on the way to Nami Island, Garden of morning calm

Thank you

We have enjoyed two DMZ tours (but have yet to be able to visit Panmunjom 🙄due to Covid and AWOL Americans...) so would recommend them. There is a reasonable amount of time in an AC coach/the observation points/ tunnels etc depnding on which tour you buy. If DH is interested I would also recommend the National War Memorial of Korea - it is more akin to the Imperial war Museum rather than 'just a memorial'. We also find the National Museum of Korea a beutifully curated collection. Both free.

We've not made it to Nami yet so can't advise.

Sauna (or jjimjilnang) have both clothed and naked areas. I did a quick search and found Korean Spa Guide: How to Visit a Jjimjilbang Like a Local (2026) offers an explaination. However, we have not been to a jjimjilbang yet either.

I know it is touristy now, but I would recommend Gwangjang market for food. It's easy to sit on a bench eat something, then move down a few stalls and try something else. Its got a bustly indoor feel that Namdaemun market doesnt have, and Myeongdong is more touristy and overpriced. Visit Cheeongyycheon while you are in the area.

Recommend korean BBQ as a must do. Remeber Korean meals are generrally served to th centre of the table and shared, rather than ordered individually.

Have been twice to the DMZ and it’s very interesting. Tours do get booked up quite quickly.

DMZ visit is interesting but you have to be prepared to wait around for your bus' slot. You get taken to a park while your guide gets allocated a timeslot. We were there for a couple of hours. The view of North Korea was very memorable and i would recommend crossing the river on the cable car if you do have time on your hands at the start of the trip. There is a former American army camp and museum to visit.

Second the suggestion of Cheonggyecheon stream. It’s a lovely green lung amidst all the concrete and somehow atmospheric.
Maybe a walk around the postwar and 1970s neighbourhoods. Redevelopment is all the rage in Seoul and we enjoyed wandering around some of the older neighbourhoods a few years ago, a couple of which have now been completely demolished.
Bukchong village is an area with beautiful old Hanok houses but it is very popular and the alleys are very crowded.
As pp have said, the museums are outstanding.

I really wanted to go to the War and Women's Rights museum but we ran out of time. The Seodaemun prison museum is interesting.

Thank you all. That is very helpful

We went to the Korean museum, walked through the stream and went to one of the markets yesterday. It was a lovely day