South Korea Explorer — Self-Launched

Land in Seoul and settle into a guesthouse or hostel in Myeongdong, Insadong or Hongdae (dorms £14–22, private rooms £35–55). Grab a T-money transit card at any convenience store and top it up — it works on the subway, buses and most taxis. Spend the afternoon at your own pace: Gyeongbokgung Palace (£2, free if you wear a hanbok), Bukchon Hanok Village lanes, or the N Seoul Tower cable car for city views. In the evening do your own 'welcome walk' along Cheonggyecheon stream and eat at a Gwangjang Market stall — mungbean pancakes and mayak gimbap run about £6–8.

🚌Incheon Airport AREX express train to Seoul Station ~£7 (or all-stop train ~£3.50); subway/metro with T-money card ~£1.20 per ride

🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Myeongdong / Insadong (dorm £14–22, private £35–55)

• →Self-guided Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bukchon Hanok Village walk
• →Cheonggyecheon stream evening stroll
• →Gwangjang Market street-food dinner

Free morning in Seoul, then take an afternoon KTX or ITX-Saemaeul train from Yongsan Station to Jeonju (roughly 1h40m–2h, £15–20). Check into a guesthouse and, if you want the full experience, book a night in a hanok guesthouse — many offer simple ondol-floor rooms from £30–45 per person. Walk the Jeonju Hanok Village on your own: Gyeonggijeon Shrine, the Jeondong Cathedral, and the paper-making and fan workshops. For dinner, order hanjeongsik — the traditional multi-course Korean table — at a local restaurant for around £15–22 per person depending on how many side dishes you choose.

🚌KTX/ITX train Yongsan–Jeonju ~£15–20; local buses and taxis in Jeonju ~£1–3 per trip

🛏Guesthouse or hanok stay in Jeonju (dorm £14–20, hanok room £30–45)

• →Self-guided Jeonju Hanok Village walk
• →Gyeonggijeon Shrine and Jeondong Cathedral
• →Traditional hanjeongsik dinner

Today is a green day. Take a bus or train from Jeonju toward Damyang (about 1.5–2h, £6–9) and walk into Juknokwon, South Korea's most famous bamboo grove — entry is about £2. From Damyang, continue by intercity bus to Boseong (roughly 1h30, £5–7) and spend the afternoon on the terraced green tea fields, ending with a green tea latte or ice cream at the field café (£3–5). In the late afternoon take a bus onward to Yeosu (around 1.5–2h, £6–9). Note that today involves several connections — check bus times the night before at the local terminal or on the Kobus app.

🚌Intercity buses Jeonju–Damyang–Boseong–Yeosu ~£17–25 total; local taxis to tea fields ~£4–6

🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel in Yeosu (dorm £16–22, private £40–60)

• →Juknokwon Bamboo Forest walk
• →Boseong Green Tea Fields terraces and tea café
• →Daehan Dawon tea plantation visit

Spend the day seeing Yeosu independently. Start at the Yeosu Cable Car across to Odongdo Island (return ticket roughly £7–9) and walk the island's coastal trail — free once you're there. In the afternoon, take a local bus or taxi to Yeosu Art Land (entry about £8–10) to wander the large-scale sculptures and interactive installations, including the seaside 'Hand of Midas' viewpoint. Finish with a walk along the Yi Sun-sin Plaza waterfront and a seafood dinner at the Yeosu Fish Market — grilled shellfish and raw fish sets run £12–18. Last night on the mainland, so repack tonight.

🚌Local buses ~£1.20 per ride; taxis across town £4–7

🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel in Yeosu (dorm £16–22, private £40–60)

• →Yeosu Cable Car to Odongdo Island
• →Yeosu Art Land sculpture park
• →Yi Sun-sin Plaza waterfront and Yeosu Fish Market dinner

In the morning fly from Yeosu to Jeju (roughly 1h; budget airlines such as Jeju Air or Asiana often price £30–50 one-way if booked a few weeks ahead). Pick up a rental car if you drive — it's the cheapest way to cover Jeju at £25–35 per day plus fuel — otherwise rely on the island's intercity bus network (a 1-day or 3-day unlimited bus pass is around £4–9). After lunch, hike Seongsan Sunrise Peak, an easy 30-minute climb to the crater rim with ocean views (entry £2). In the afternoon watch the haenyeo women divers at the Seongsan waterfront, then visit Seongeup Folk Village (free) to learn about old Jeju life.

🚌Flight Yeosu–Jeju ~£30–50; Jeju intercity bus ~£1.20–2 per ride or unlimited day pass ~£4

🛏Guesthouse or pension near Seongsan / Jeju City (dorm £16–22, private £40–65)

• →Seongsan Sunrise Peak crater hike
• →Haenyeo women divers demonstration
• →Seongeup Folk Village
• →Jeju intercity bus or rental car day

Explore Jeju's botanical and coastal side. In the morning head to Hallim Park on the west coast — themed gardens, lava caves and a small folk village in one site, entry about £8–10. In the afternoon drive or bus round to Yongmeori Coast near Sanbangsan, where you can walk along the layered volcanic rock and the 'dragon's head' cliff formation (entry £3). Stop at Sanbangsan Temple and, weather permitting, take a short boat trip past the sea stacks offshore. Evening back in Seogwipo or Jeju City for black pork belly BBQ — about £12–16 per person including side dishes.

🚌Jeju intercity buses ~£1.20–2 per ride; rental car day ~£25–35 if self-driving

🛏Guesthouse or pension in Seogwipo / Jeju City (dorm £16–22, private £40–65)

• →Hallim Park botanical gardens and lava caves
• →Yongmeori Coast volcanic rock walk
• →Sanbangsan Temple
• →Black pork belly BBQ dinner

A flexible day to fill however you like. Popular self-bookable options: Manjanggul lava tube (one of the world's longest, entry £4), Cheonjiyeon and Jeongbang waterfalls near Seogwipo (£2–4 each), Jusangjeolli hexagonal cliff columns, and one of the east-coast beaches like Hamdeok or Hyeopjae for a swim. If you'd rather do a structured day, a full-day Jeju island bus tour or a half-day Olle Trail guided hike can be booked via GetYourGuide or Klook for £25–45. Keep an eye on the clock — you'll fly back to Seoul tomorrow.

🚌Jeju intercity buses ~£1.20–2 per ride; local taxis £5–10 for short hops

🛏Guesthouse or pension in Jeju City (dorm £16–22, private £40–65)

• →Manjanggul lava tube
• →Cheonjiyeon and Jeongbang waterfalls
• →Jusangjeolli cliff columns
• →Optional GetYourGuide/Klook Jeju day tour

Morning flight from Jeju to Seoul Gimpo (roughly 1h10m, £30–50 if booked early). Check back into your Seoul guesthouse, then spend the afternoon on whatever you missed: the National Museum of Korea (free), Itaewon and the Leeum Museum, the Hongdae street-music scene, or a Namsan hike up to the tower. In the evening, mark your last night with Korean fried chicken and beer in Euljiro, or a norebang (karaoke room) session — around £12–18 for food and a couple of drinks.

🚌Flight Jeju–Seoul Gimpo ~£30–50; AREX/metro from Gimpo ~£1.50–3

🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Seoul (dorm £14–22, private £35–55)

• →National Museum of Korea
• →Hongdae or Itaewon neighbourhood wander
• →Namsan hike or N Seoul Tower
• →Korean fried chicken and norebang evening

Final morning to pick up any last souvenirs — Insadong for crafts, Namdaemun for cheap everything — before taking the AREX train or airport bus back to Incheon. If your flight is later in the day, a DMZ half-day tour can be booked through GetYourGuide or Klook for £35–55; note it needs advance booking and a passport.

🚌AREX express train to Incheon ~£7 or all-stop train ~£3.50; airport limousine bus ~£8

🛏—

• →Last-minute souvenir shopping in Insadong or Namdaemun
• →Optional DMZ half-day tour (advance booking)