Beauty & Wellness in South Korea - 9 Days

Day 1: Arrive in Seoul, Tea Therapy & Ginseng Spa Experience

Welcome to South Korea! You'll land in the capital of Seoul, where a private driver will be waiting to take you to your hotel. Seoul is a glittering megalopolis with almost 10 million people who call it home. Kick off your Korean wellness journey by experiencing the healing properties of tea at Tea Therapy Haengrang. Choose from a variety of options, curated to what ails you, sipping while your feet are immersed in a relaxing foot bath. The atmosphere is further elevated by striking architecture as the ceremony is held in the former residence of President Yun Posun.

Continue your day of tea-themed treatments at SPA 1899 Donginbi, where you'll indulge in the red ginseng spa experience. This method heals and rejuvenates by using highly concentrated red ginseng, which is said to promote anti-aging and an array of other benefits. You'll end the day relaxed and refreshed, ready to return to your hotel for the evening to rest up for tomorrow's adventures.

Day 2: Guided Hanbok Tour of Seoul, Singing Bowl Workshop

Learn more about Korean heritage by donning traditional clothing, known as hanbok, as you explore Seoul's cultural treasures with your guide. Change into your attire for the day before taking a tour of the Gyeongbokgung palace. Built in 1395, this is the birthplace of the Korean alphabet and was the home of Korea's royal family for hundreds of years. A professional photographer will be there to capture the day as you wander the striking palace grounds and gardens. Don't miss the chance to watch the changing of the guard in front of the colorful Gwanghwamun Gate. 

Keep exploring your heart out at the Bukchon Hanok Village. Some of the city's oldest homes are hidden here, and residents still occupy these traditional houses. You've probably worked up an appetite at this point, and your next stop is Gwangjang Market. Munch on specialties like bindaetteok, crispy bean sprout pancakes, or traditional dishes like kimbap and tteokkbokki. You'll walk off your meal at Namsan Park, the tallest point in the city. This is just a glimpse at how well Seoul mixes nature with urban sprawl. For 360-degree views, climb to the top of N Seoul Tower. Round out the day with a singing bowl workshop where the healing melodies will help guide a peaceful meditation. 

Day 3: Visit Seoul K-Medi Center, Transfer to Asan, Hot Springs at Paradise Spa Dogo

Seoul's K-Medi Center is your first stop of the day. Devoted to Korea's long history of herbal medicine, the building sits on the site of the largest medicinal herb market in Korea. You'll make your way to the Yangnyeongsi Market on the second floor to tour the Oriental Medicine Museum, which houses artifacts and relics of traditional medicine. Next, you'll head to the third floor for the Bojewon Oriental Medicine Experience, including a heated eye mask and massage mat before nourishing your body from the inside out at the Yakseon Food Experience Center, learning how to use herbal remedies in cooking. 

This afternoon, your private driver will be waiting to take you 1.5 hours south to Asan. Known for its hot springs, including the oldest in the entire country, and spas, this is the perfect place to keep up the good work in terms of your wellness. Start your days of soaking at Paradise Spa Dogo. Visitors will find both open-air and indoor baths, including herb and flower baths, along with various saunas. Other features of the spa include a lazy river, a wave pool, and the bade pool, an aqua therapy center that's modeled after Germany's renowned Bade Haus. 

Day 4: Soak at the Onyang Hot Spring Lake, Transfer to Busan

Continue soaking away your worries at Asan's oldest hot spring this morning. The Onyang hot springs flow throughout the city, with a few hotels and spas harnessing their healing waters. In use for over 600 years, even the great Joseon kings came here to relax and rejuvenate in the healing waters. Millions of visitors, including locals, flock to the hot springs throughout the year, seeking out their mineral benefits, including high alkalinity. Head for Onyang Hot Spring Land to harness their wellness properties yourself through hinoki open-air baths, dry and wet saunas, and other facilities. 

If you've had your fill of thermal baths, you can also visit the Hyeonchungsa Shrine. This religious site is devoted to the famed war hero General Lee Sun-Sin. It holds several of his personal items, including a diary and sword, all of which are considered Korean national treasures. Later in the afternoon, you'll continue your journey southeast by hopping on the train to Korea's second-largest city, Busan. The journey takes a total of two hours as the countryside slips outside your window. 

Day 5: Visit Haedong Yonggungsa & Haeundae Beach, Hot Springs at Centum City

Swap wellness treatments for cultural experiences today with a visit to Haedong Yonggungsa. This Buddhist temple clings to the rocky coastline, aptly honoring a sea goddess. The temple was rebuilt following the Imjin War with Japan, but the area has been a religious site for hundreds of years. Hop back in your private car to head south to Dongbaekseom. Once an island, sedimentation has caused it to form back into a peninsula, and its now a scenic protected park. The colorful Haeundae Sky Capsule will help you reach the beach, weaving along the coast by tiny, colorful tram.   

Hop off your charming method of transportation at the famous Haeundae Beach. You'll have plenty of time to stroll along its promenade or in the soft, white sand with views of the shining city skyline. Your adventures this morning will be well rewarded with another hot spring experience in the afternoon. Housed inside the largest shopping mall in the world, Centum City, Spa Land offers sodium bicarbonate-infused water to soak in and other state-of-the-art wellness experiences. Sign up for a Finnish sauna, relax in the negative-ion-rich charcoal room, or head for a calcium chloride bath.

Day 6: Gamcheon Culture Village, BIFF Square & Jagalchi Market, Transfer to Geoje

If you've seen pictures of Busan, you've probably seen images of a rainbow of homes, tucked on a mountain hillside. This is the Gamcheon Culture Village, and you'll be heading there today. Situated on the outskirts of Busan, you'll stroll around the neighborhood, admiring the kaleidoscope of buildings and the beautiful street art while navigating the layered streets and staircases sprinkled around town. Be sure to grab a piping hot ssiat hotteok, a fried Korean doughnut stuffed with nuts and honey, to further sweeten the experience. 

Keep your culinary adventures going later on at BIFF Square in central Busan. Known for street food, you'll find specialties like fried mandu dumplings and towering ice cream cones. Foodies will also love visiting the Jagalchi Fish Market, which is up next. Keep weaving your way through the crowds of locals, all here to do their weekly grocery shopping. This is the largest seafood market in South Korea, and you'll see everything from lobster to octopus and eels. End the day with a private transfer to Geoje, a small island just an hour down the coast that's reached by a bridge from the mainland.

Day 7: Wellness Program at Hanwha Resort

Rise and shine early in Geoje this morning. It's time to dive back into your Korean health journey today, and there's no better place to do it than at the Hanwha Resort Geoje Belvedere. Renowned for being one of the most prestigious wellness institutes in South Korea, the resort sits on a secluded stretch of coast. Start your experience by scheduling a consultation with a Wellness Concierge who will help you decide which treatments to choose from and target your health needs. 

Stop by the Mindful Studio for yoga classes and meditation sessions, or make a beeline straight for the spa. If you'd like to squeeze in a workout, the fitness center provides a great place to do so, or you can simply get in your steps by strolling along the private beach. End the day by taking a dip in the rooftop infinity pool, which offers sprawling views of the pristine forest and sea stretching to the horizon. Several on-site dining options include a casual Italian restaurant and local fare at the gourmet buffet, which features dishes from famous local restaurants in the area.

Day 8: Cicada Castle & Haegeumgang Island Excursion

While you might be tempted to continue your wellness journey at the Hanwha Resort today, you can also use hop on an excursion to Cicada Castle and Haegeumgang. Known in Korean as Maemiseong, Cicada Castle might look like an ancient structure but is actually a modern creation. Built by a local man in the early 2000s, the castle was constructed to protect crops and other vegetation from typhoons like Typhoon Maemi, which hit the island in 2003, wreaking havoc. Have fun exploring the castle and looking out at the sea from its precipice.

In the afternoon, you'll hop on a ferry from Dojango Wharf to reach the island of Oedo. You'll pass by the rocky pinnacles of Haegeumgang, reaching out of the depths of the sea. A huge portion of this small island makes up Oedo Botania, a mammoth garden complex that overlooks the ocean. Walk among the lush flower gardens, topiaries, and up to the European-style columns. Make your way back to the resort this evening for one last spa treatment or dip in the pool.

Day 9: Transfer to Busan, Depart

Your private driver will be waiting to take you to the airport in Busan this morning. Sit back and enjoy the views along the one-hour transfer before waving goodbye to the "Land of Morning Calm." Safe travels!

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