South Korea travel guide

Best time to visit South Korea from the UK

Best value: Mar, Jun, Sep. Apr–May and Sep–Nov. Busiest and priciest: Apr–May, Oct–Nov.

Each bar is the average temperature in Seoul for that month, and its colour shows the season for visitors: best value (good weather, fewer crowds and lower prices), busiest and priciest, or quiet (off-peak, sometimes because the weather is poorer).

• Our pick: June and SeptemberThe warmest of the best-value months (20–21°C), with fewer crowds than peak season.
• Peak season: Apr–May, Oct–NovUsually 6–16°C. The busiest time, so book flights and rooms early and expect higher prices.
• Quiet season: Dec–Feb, Jul–AugAround -3–25°C. The cheapest and least crowded time, though often because of rain or heat.
• Warmest: August (25°C) · coolest: January (-3°C)A 28°C swing between the warmest and coolest months.

Festivals and events

• Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival Apr · Changwon
• Lotus Lantern Festival May · Seoul
• Boryeong Mud Festival Jul · Boryeong
• Busan Film Festival Oct · Busan

Festival dates move from year to year: check before you book.

Getting there from the UK

Flight time

About 11h 15m

Distance

8,875 km

Main airport

ICN

Flight times are straight-line estimates for a direct flight from Heathrow; journeys with a change take longer.

Add South Korea to your bucket list Search flights to ICN

Practical info and travel guidance

• VisaNo visa neededUp to 90 days
• HealthcareNo free healthcareYou pay for treatment, so travel insurance with medical cover is essential.
• LGBT+ travellersLegal, but attitudes can be conservativePublic affection may draw attention.
• Women travellersNo specific FCDO warningTake the usual precautions.

For British passport holders, summarised from the FCDO's advice for South Korea, checked October 2026. FCDO page last updated 14 May 2026. Rules change: read the official FCDO travel advice for South Korea before you book and again before you go.