Seoul - Air and 4 nights hotel from $1,349 per person double occupancy

Includes:

• Roundtrip air from San Francisco on Singapore Airlines, midweek, coach class
•  4 nights at a 3 star hotel in central Seoul with breakfast daily
• Half day city tour of Seoul
• Half day tour of DMZ Zone with lunch

ITINERARY:                                 

Day 1 : SEOUL
On arrival, transfer to hotel by boarding the airport bus directly outside the arrival doors at the airport                                                                         

Day 2 : SEOUL  (Breakfast)
 Breakfast at the hotel.
Half day Seoul city tour(Hotel-Gyeongbok Palace & National Folk Museum(Deoksu Palace on Tuesday)-Amethyst Shop-Drop off at Itaewon shopping district)
Afternoon on your own.
(Note -Gyeongbok Palace & National Folk Museum : Closed on Mondays)

Day 3 : SEOUL/DMZ/SEOUL (Breakfast, lunch)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Half day tour to DMZ Zone facing North Korea.  Drive up to the border of North Korea 62 km northwest of Seoul. You will visit the 3rd Infiltration Tunnel which the North Koreans built to invade the south.  This is an underground tunnel with hardhats and good walking shoes suggested.  From the Dora Observatory you can see North Korea and its flag. A visit to the Dorasan Train Station which South Korea built in the hope of one day reuniting the 2 Koreas.
Lunch at local restaurant Amethyst shop (or Ginseng shop) -Drop off at Itaewon shopping district)
(DMZ : Closed on Mondays)

Day 4 : SEOUL(Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Day free to explore city on your own.  Visit the crafts markets, art galleries, ceramists, handicraft stores, or relax at a tea shop at Insadong, a delightful walking street which is especially lively on the week-ends when you can see parades, processions, candy makers, musicians and vendors.  Strongly recommended.

Day 5 : SEOUL(Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel
Transfer to airport using the convenient and inexpensive airport bus.

Optional add-ons in Seoul:

• TAEKWONDO  demonstration and participation
• CHONGDONG Theatre – traditional Korean performances include dance, court music, folk songs.  Evenings except Mondays.

Optional extensions beyond Seoul:

• GYEONGJU  by Express train

A UNESCO World Heritage area, the entire city is a living history containing the remnants of the Silla Kingdom  (57BC-935AD), and interesting Buddhist relics.  Visit the Royal Silla Tombs, Anapji Pond used by the Royal family, Gyeongju National Museum with its 23 ton bell cast in AD 771.  Visit Seokguram Grotto, a famous Buddhist shrine.  The most famous is the Bulguksa Temple built by a Silla King.

• BUSAN  -  The port city of Korea, see the Busan Tower and observatory, Jagalchi Fish market, Taejongdae Park.

ADD-ON AIRFARES FROM MOST US CITIES AVAILABLE.

HISTORIC AND DELIGHTFUL

Day 1
Depart the US from the hometown. Fly Singapore Airlines from
San Francisco to Seoul. Lose a day on the international dateline.

Day 2
Evening arrival transfer to Koreana Hotel or similar in the heart of Seoul.

Day 3
Breakfast at the hotel.
Morning city tour including Gyeongbok Palace and National Folk Museum, Namdaenum Market, and Myeongdong downtown. (B)
Optional- Afternoon Tae Kwon Do demonstration or evening traditional dance performance can be arranged.

Day 4
Breakfast at the hotel.
Half day tour of DMZ Zone facing North Korea. Drive up to the Border of North Korea, 62 km northwest of Seoul. Panmunjeom lies in the buffer zone between North and South Korea. This is the security area where meetings between the 2 sides are held. The buffer zone is 150 miles long dividing the peninsula in half. You will visit the 3rd infiltration Tunnel, which the North Koreans built to invade the south. This is an underground tunnel with hardhats and good walking shoes suggested. From the Dora observatory, you can North Korea and its flag. A visit to the Dorasan Train Station, which South Korea built in the hope that one day it will connect the 2 Koreas. Lunch at a local restaurant. (B,L)

Day 5
Breakfast at the hotel.
Free day to explore Insadong on your own. Visit its crafts markets, art galleries, ceramists, handicraft stores, or relax at a traditional tea shop. Insadong is especially lively on the week-ends when you may see parades, processions, candy makers, musicians and vendors. It is the place to be. (B)

Day 6 - GYEONGJU
Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to Seoul train station with your guide. Take the KTX bullet train to Dongdaegu (about 1 hr 40 mins). Upon arrival, transfer to Samaeul Express train to Gyeongju (about 1 hour and 10 mins). As the capital of the Silla Kingdom (57BC-935AD) , the entire city is a living history museum containing the Remnants of the Silla Kingdom as well as relics pertaining to Buddhism.
Afternoon tour of Gyeongju tour includes visit to Tumuli Park, a collection of Royal Silla tombs. Anapji Pond, a relaxation area used by the royal family. Gyeongju National Museum with its 23 ton bell cast in AD771 and its thousands of priceless treasures.
Accomodations at Hotel Commodore Chosun or similar. (B)

Day 7 - GYEONGJU - BUSAN
Breakfast at the hotel.
Visit to Seokguram Grotto, one of Asia’s finest Buddhist shrines, surrounded by Bodhisattva, disciples, devas and guardian kings.
Bulguksa Temple, built by a Silla King is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site along with with the grottos.
Afternoon transfer to Busan, Korea’s principal port city, and the 2nd Largest city in the country. Visit Haeundae beach, Nurumaru APEC House, located on Dongbaekseom Island and is known for Its beautiful landscape. (B)

Day 8 - BUSAN - SEOUL
Breakfast at the hotel.
Morning city tour including Busan Tower with a spectacular view of the city from the observatory, located in Yongdusan Park. See the fishermen bringing in their catch, and buyers haggling at the Jagalchi Fish market. TaeJongdae Park known for its scenic forested landscape and cliffs overlooking the sea.
Evening flight back to Seoul. Arrival transfer to your hotel. (B)

Day 9 - SEOUL
Breakfast at the hotel.
Day at leisure.
Mid-afternoon transfer to airport for your flight home.