Cycling in South Korea

Cycle paths in South Korea are generally excellent with a fantastic route from Seoul to Busan. Whilst you may come across the odd hole on for example some of the bridge paths covered with a random cone in the middle of the path to prevent accidents.. the general condition is outstanding with all paths linking up and allowing you to avoid most busy main roads. And with minimal pot holes, regular clean public toilets and water fountains – it really puts the UK to shame!

‘As a kid I had a dream – I wanted to own my own bicycle. When I got a bike I must have been the happiest boy in Liverpool, maybe the world. I lived for that bike. Most kids left their bike in the backyard at night. Not me. I insisted on taking mine indoors and the first night I even kept it in my bed. ‘

– John Lennon

I travelled in October when it’s not supposed to rain.. we had some heavy rain on a few days, some lovely sunny weather too – some hot some less so depending on location the day! Great timing for seeing the Autum leaves! I used a hybrid bike and it was fine for the terrain. I went with Saddle Skeddadle a cycling travel company based in the UK. They use a local partner called Max Adventures which provided our bikes, moved our bags, guided us, kept us safe and most importantly offered us snacks and water refills at every stop!

I’d thoroughly recommend South Korea as a travel destination. It has some interesting places to visit, some great scenery, fascinating history and some delicious food. Some food I was less enamoured with.. a lot of it can be very bland or very spicy with not much in between! But I had some amazing seafood, delicious soups and stews and some exquisute gyozas!

We also stopped at some wonderful coffee shops along the way, a traditional paper making company, a traditional cultural village and many other great places. We also managed to hit the local apple festival in Mungyeong Saejae! A few of the towns we stopped in were spa towns providing soft water in the hotels to make your skin and hair feel amazing. As well as an opportunity to visit the traditonal Onsen with the locals – definitely an experience!

One thing to be aware of in the hotels is the size of the bath towel – more like a hand towel! Except in the larger Western chains. I stayed in a combination of local and Western hotels, and one traditional Ryoken with the mattress on the floor in a beautiful old traditional house.

Shopping in Seoul is brilliant for their fashion forward modern look with shapes driven in part by the popularity of K-Pop. Korean beauty is also very sought after, get your fix of collagen masks, snail cream and other beauty products in Myeongdong. If you take your passport you can claim the tax back from larger purchases. There are mulitple kiosks in the airport to ensure this is easy to do. Busan also has some great shopping districts though Seoul is bigger with more choice. Some of the smaller towns we stayed in offer some great local souvenirs and gifts.

Local beer is readily available in most bars and restaurants. As is Soju, the Korea’s national and most popular drink. Its a clear, distilled spirit usually made from rice, wheat or barley. It’s similar to vodka though about half the strength and is usally consumed neat. Wine however, my favourite, is a bit more difficult to come by. I tended to get my wine fix from the 7/11 or whichever local convenience stores were near my hotels / restaurants such as GS45 or CU. I usually found a reasonable selection of South American reds!

A popular pastime is dressing up with your friends in a Photo Booth! Much like you get at many weddings or events with a selection of funny glasses, hats and props! We used one in a museum but saw plenty around some of the towns we visited near the shops and restaurants where people go as an evening activity.

My route is drawn out on the below map. Stops were Seoul, Yangpyeong, Angsung, Suanbo, Mungyeong Saejae, Andong, Cheongsong, Pohang, Gyeongju, Busan.

Some of my highlight images below.

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