7 of the best things to do in Seoul on a budget

If you’re flying to Seoul soon, then you’ve come to the right place! Seoul is best known for its delicious and spicy food, laid-back and aesthetic fashion sense, and the amazing world of K-pop and K-dramas. It’s a thriving city and exploring it can be quite pricey. But, as your travel buddy, we have just the solution to that! Are you up for an adventure to Seoul’s top attractions like aquariums, theme parks, and museums without draining your wallet? 

It’s a big city that’s ready to be explored so to kickstart your upcoming trip, read on to discover seven of the best things to do in Seoul while staying on budget!

Your trip to South Korea will never be complete without spending a day at Lotte World! Lotte World is one of the country’s top theme parks packed with rides like The Conquistador which is your usual pirate ship that will swing you through thrill and suspense as it goes higher and closer to the park’s ceiling, the World Monorail which is a sky train that will take you around Lotte World, and the French Revolution that will give you a thrill that you won’t forget as the ride takes you 360 or even up to 540 degrees at full speed — all these rides can be found in the Lotte World Adventure area! They also have Bungee, Gyro Spin, Gyro Drop, VR SPace, Flume Ride, Gyro Swing, and Comet Express in the Magic Island and Lotte World Adventure areas that are worth a try too.

If you want to shop for souvenirs inside the theme park, just drop by Toy Plus, Castle Cart, Fantasy Gift Shop, or STAR SHOP Caricature. They also have a good selection of restaurants like Steff Hotdog for European hotdogs, Twosome Place for coffee and pastries, Ice Factory for refreshing popsicles, and Jumak for traditional Korean food!

Feel like you’re on top of Seoul while standing inside N Seoul Tower! This is the place to be if you want to get a good view of the entire city. You won’t just get breathtaking views of the city, but also of Namsan Hill. N Seoul Tower is known to be a great spot to take Instagram-worthy photos of Seoul, so make sure to snap those photos for added beauty to your Instagram feed! Another activity that you can’t miss during your visit to N Seoul Tower is sealing your padlock onto the padlock-covered trees where you can make a wish! This can be done alone or with your loved ones.

Welcome to the largest aquarium in Seoul! Coex Aquarium houses about 40,000 sea creatures in 183 tanks and some of them include sharks, stingrays, turtles, piranhas, octopus, eels, and jellyfish! Inside Coex Aquarium are 16 themed zones and some that you must visit are The Inca Empire, Amazonian World, Seven Seas, Ocean Kingdom, Marine Touch, and Undersea Tunnel. They also have crowd-favorite exhibits like the mermaid performance and penguin feeding. Drop by Coex Aquarium for a fun and educational experience!

Fun fact: Aside from being the largest aquarium in Seoul, Coex Aquarium also has the most number of sharks in all of South Korea!

Feel like you’re in a K-drama with this Ehwa Korean School Uniform rental experience! Walk the streets of Seoul and take as many photos as you want while wearing a traditional Korean school uniform. You can even go to nearby attractions like Lotte World and Seokchon Lake while rocking the outfit for more fun and cultural experience. Before going around Seoul, make sure to take photos in Ehwa Gyobok’s studio first!

Feeling energized and craving some thrill? Then head on over to South Korea’s largest theme park, Everland! Inside the theme park are five themed zones — Global Fair, American Adventure, Magic Land, European Adventure, and Zootopia. Some rides that you simply can’t miss are Thunder Falls, Amazon Express, Rolling X-Train, Raptor Ranger, and the iconic T-Express! If you’re a thrill-seeker, then the T-Express is one that you must take on! It’s a wooden roller coaster standing 200 feet tall from the ground and is recognized as the World’s Top 10 fastest wooden roller coaster at 104 km/h.

Once you’re all thrilled out, visit the animal safari in Everland to take a breather and spend some time with the friendliest animals like pandas, elephants, giraffes, and tigers. You won’t only watch them, you’ll also get a chance to feed them! Remember to be gentle and keep your camera flashes off.

If you know a bit about Korean history, then you probably know that they used to wear hanboks back in the olden times. Hanbok is the traditional attire of Koreans that they still wear today for Korean holidays or on special occasions. With this hanbok rental, you'll get to experience South Korea's culture and history through clothing. Choose from over 500 beautifully-made hanboks and feel free to rent accessories as well to get the full look! This hanbok rental also comes with Korean hairstyling so make sure to take as many photos as you can in the studios or while roaming around the temples.

This list won’t be complete without at least one museum. Ready to see some illusionistic and interactive art? At the Alive Museum, the art pieces will only be complete with a subject in them — you! There are several themed spots inside the museum but some spots that you can’t miss are Game Village where you can act as if your part of different games, Toy Village where you can rekindle your childhood with giant toys, and the hanok (Korean-style house) where you can experience what it’s like to live in a Korean home during the olden times. Make sure to strike your best poses because every corner inside the museum is Instagram-worthy!

Do you have what it takes to escape? The Dynamic Maze will pick your brains during your attempt to unlock their escape rooms. It’s not your typical escape room where you simply look for clues and piece it all together. Dynamic Maze’s version of an escape room will require you to shoot some guns, throw some balls, walk through tight spaces, and even climb some ropes! They’ve taken escape rooms to the next level and it takes a lot of guts, energy, and brains to get to the exit! If you think that you and your group are up for this challenge, then ready your game faces and make sure to wear something comfortable.

If you want to try some of the activities mentioned in this list but you’re on a budget, worry not! Klook offers a special Seoul Pass that will allow you to visit up to four attractions of your choice. This is your way to experience more of Seoul without breaking the bank!

1. Choose and purchase your ideal pass.

2. Activate your pass by reserving activities in your bookings.

3. Use your pass on any date at any activity included within the validity period. 

4. Check the package details for specific inclusions.

Now that you have an idea or two on how you can experience more and spend less on your next trip to Seoul, book the Seoul Pass now before flying out! Happy travels!