Family Travel: Ideal International Destinations for Both Kids and Adults – Part 3: Hello Entertainment Paradise

South Korea has become a “hot” destination in recent years for Vietnamese tourists, especially young families who love the Hallyu wave. The bustling capital of Seoul has all the elements to make a family trip complete: modern playgrounds for children, historical and cultural sites for the elderly, shopping, rich cuisine and highly developed tourism infrastructure. It only takes about 4-5 hours to fly from Vietnam to Seoul, and there are currently many direct flights every day. Korean tourist visas are also increasingly convenient; according to travel agencies, the procedure for applying for a group visa is quite “simple and quick” if you go through a reputable agency.

Seoul has a dense subway system similar to Tokyo, making it easy for families to get around. While some stations have a lot of stairs, there are always elevators or escalators to accommodate the elderly and strollers. Koreans also place great importance on family and respect for the elderly, so you will see them giving up their seats on public transport for children and the elderly. With a combination of modernity and tradition, Seoul promises to bring a colorful family vacation.

Experience for kids

Children coming to Seoul will be extremely excited by the Asian-scale entertainment areas. First of all, we must mention Everland - the largest theme park in Korea, located about 1 hour drive from Seoul. Everland has Safari World zoo, where the whole family sits on a bus to see lions, tigers, and bears in the open space - a safe experience that is close to nature. In addition, the park also has a game area from thrilling to gentle games for children, colorful parade shows. If you don't want to go far, right in the heart of Seoul is Lotte World - the world's largest indoor amusement park with an ice skating rink, magic district, and countless indoor games.

Next to Lotte World is the Lotte World Aquarium, where children can watch sharks and giant sea turtles swimming overhead through a glass tunnel. A “knowledgeable” destination for children in Seoul is the National Children's Museum located in the grounds of Gyeongbokgung Palace - where children can learn about traditional Korean culture through interactive games (trying on royal costumes, making handicrafts, etc.). In addition, families can take their children to Nami Island (~2 hours drive from Seoul) - a peaceful island with rows of straight ginkgo trees famous in the movie "Winter Sonata". Children will love riding tandem bicycles around the island, feeding ostriches and rabbits, or playing with yellow leaves and snow depending on the season. The poetic Nami landscape helps children get close to nature and also "pose" for many beautiful souvenir photos with grandparents and parents.

Experience for seniors

Seoul is a city that blends tradition and modernity, so there are plenty of things for seniors to explore .

For those who love history and culture, you cannot miss Gyeongbokgung Palace – a large royal palace in the heart of Seoul. You can watch the changing of the royal guards, visit the Palace Museum to learn more about the Joseon Dynasty. Next door is the National Folk Museum with exhibitions about ancient Korean life, very interesting for your generation to compare with Vietnamese culture.

Another relaxing experience is to wear hanbok (traditional clothing) and walk around Bukchon Hanok Village – a neighborhood of ancient tiled-roof houses nestled in the heart of the capital. Elderly people often enjoy admiring the ancient architecture and stopping by traditional teahouses in small alleys to drink a cup of hot ginseng tea.

In the afternoon, the whole family can take grandparents to a jimjilbang – a Korean-style public bathhouse. This is a unique cultural feature: everyone will wear spandex clothes and go together to the salt sauna, hot stone room… to relax the body. Grandparents will find it interesting to take a sauna while chatting with their children and grandchildren, then enjoy grilled eggs and rice milk like Koreans.

In the evening, the elderly may not like places that are too noisy, so let's go to Myeongdong night market with the whole family to enjoy street food. Myeongdong walking street is bustling at night but has good security, there are many attractive snacks that are not too spicy for the elderly and children: fried chicken skewers, cheese tokbokki rice cakes, warm red bean fish cakes... Grandparents can also buy ginseng, lingzhi mushrooms, Korean cosmetics here as gifts for friends. Korean cuisine in general suits the taste of many Vietnamese people (beef stew, mixed rice, BBQ...), and is good for health thanks to the many vegetables.

Average Cost & Helpful Tips

South Korea has an average cost of travel – quite reasonable. According to travel agencies, the price of a 5-day Seoul tour ranges from 13 million to 18 million VND/person for 5 days, but it is possible to save money in a number of ways:

You should go to Korea in the low season (like late fall or early spring).

Families can choose a 3-star hotel in the central area of Myeongdong or Hongdae for convenient travel and reasonable prices, around 1-1.2 million VND/night/room for two people.

For domestic travel, use the T-money card (a multi-purpose card for trains, buses, and taxis) to get discounts and avoid having to buy individual tickets. When visiting large parks such as Everland and Lotte World, buy tickets online in advance to receive discounts and avoid queuing – the elderly and children will not have to wait long and get tired.

Seoul has a lot of steep hills (think Bukchon Village or Itaewon Shopping Street), so if you’re traveling with an elderly person, you should prepare comfortable shoes and bring some muscle rubs if needed. However, don’t worry too much because the city has a lot of amenities to support tourists: from clean public toilets everywhere to tourist medical centers ready to help when needed.

Seoul will definitely leave warm memories for your family, just like the touching Korean movies about family love.

See more articles in the same category:

Source: https://heritagevietnamairlines.com/family-travel-ideal-international-destinations-for-children-and-adults-age-3-xin-chao-thien-duong-xin-chao-cac-oppa-han-quoc/