South Korea

As Won is used as legal tender in South Korea but almost throughout the country, US dollar is widely accepted, though other major currency like yen or pound sterling are also accepted and exchanged in the larger cities. Credit cards are widely accepted at hotels and shops in the big cities except in the countryside. ATMs will allow you to withdraw cash, but not all will accept international cards, so look for the ones with international logos of Plus or Cirrus as these machines will allow the transaction. One should get the T-Money Card which can be used to pay the fares for buses, taxi, trains and metro as well. These cards are available at a very reasonable cost at any subway station booth, bus kiosks and even in the departmental stores displaying the logo of the T-Money Card. ATMs with a Global sign work with internationally issued cards; very few are open 24 hours.

Foreign currency can be exchangedÊwith won at banks, money changers and currency counters at hotels. It is advisable only to get the currency exchanged at authorised money changers as theyre the most reliable and will give you the best rates. You are not required to carry won beforehand, you can get it converted into South Korean Won on arriving at the airport or in the hotels as well.

The reason why nightlife is so unique in South Korea is that the Koreans love to drink. Soju is heavily consumed during parties, social gatherings, and night clubs. The minimum age for entering the clubs is 18, and there is a maximum age of 35. If you are going out clubbing with a large group of people, then it's worth getting a table with bottle service. There are many clubs in the capital city which attracts the best DJs in the world and thus is one of the main attractions. Clubs like Octagon, Answer, Syndrome, Bass, and Mass are considered to be the best place to enjoynightlifeÊin Seoul.

South Korea is known for its cosmetics, and there are many places in the city to buy them at great prices. Myeongdong is considered as the center for shopping in Korea. You will find all the international brands such as Zara, H&M, UNIQLO, etc. with retail outlets also all the Korean brands are present here making everything available under one roof. Many stores in Myeongdong offer discounts for travellers to Korea. It is the place to shop for cosmetics and skincare. If you want to check out the wholesale market, then Dongdaemun is the place to be. Dongdaemun is cheap and dedicated to Korean fashion. Itaewon is famous for their custom tailored suits. Street shopping is excellent too, and there is a whole underground market for super high-quality fake bags. For Traditional craft and souvenirs, you can check out the market pace in Samcheongdong.

Celebrations run all around the year. Gimje Horizon Festival is the national festival of South Korea and is celebrated during autumn. Walk the beautifully manicured festival grounds and visit exhibits and dont forget to be a part of the rice wine competition is a highlight of the event. Another festival that is being celebrated with great pomp and show is Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival to celebrate a historic battle. Andong Maskdance Festival is a high-energy festival from late September to early October features hip-hop acts, masked dancing groups, and fantastic local food.

It is believed that Korea came into being in 2333 B.C when the state of Ancient Choson was founded. Further, the land was invaded by Chinese troops, Choson Dynasty and Japanese as well. After World War 2, Korea was divided into two parts, one communist northern half, and anAmerican occupied southern half; it still stands divided at the 38th parallel. The Korean war broke when theNorthh Korean Communist army crossed the parallel and invaded noncommunist southKorea. US Army joined and fought on behalf of South Korea. The Korean War was relatively short but exceptionally bloody. Nearly 5 million people died.

The quality of medical care in South Korea is high. You will need a doctor's prescription to buy the medications. No special vaccination is required before visiting Korea, but you should consider vaccination against hepatitis A and B. Most of the people here don't drink tap water, but it is not harmful either to do so in certain cases. Korea's tap water is purer than that of the USA. Bottled water is served free in most of the restaurants and water vending machines with free purified hot, and cold water is easily available. The city is clean, and the amount of pollution is relatively low, but it becomes dusty during spring season due to westerly winds, special care must be taken as it might cause respiratory illness. Korea has many cleanÊand well-signed public toilets.

When entering a Korean home, you must remove your shoes. To do any less is a sign of great disrespect. The Koreans eat rice with almost every meal. As Korea is mountainous, it should come as no surprise that hiking is the national pastime. Koreans have strict drinking etiquette: never pour your own drink, and when pouring for someone older than you, put one hand on your heart or on your pouring arm as a sign of respect.

Finding English-speaking people in South Korea is a difficult task, therefore, it can be useful to write down your destination or a nearby landmark in hangeul on a piece of paper. Drivers routinely jump red lights late at night, so take extra care on pedestrian crossings even if they are protected by light. Carry a stash of toilet tissue with you as many a case the public toilets run out of tissues.

Korean culture is somewhat similar to that of Chinese, yet it is different in many ways. The art and architecture in South Korea have been inspired by the religions that are being followed like Shamanism, Buddhism and largely by Confucianism. You may find paintings around the city influenced by Buddhist teachings, temples murals, carved Buddhas, elegant Buddhist temples and all are signs of a culture shaped by faith. The once-dominant Confucian culture with its emphasis on respect for ancestors, age, and seniority still continues to influence Korean family, work, and social life. Buddhism and Christianity are the main religions followed in South Korea today, with Buddhism having a following of about 51% of the population. Hanbok is considered as the traditional dress of Korea, and on occasions like a family meeting, holiday or weddings, it is consideredÊauspicious to be dressed in it. As far as language is concerned people here speak only Korean and you may find difficult to communicate as hardly anyone speaks or understands English.

Korean food consists of two main parts rice and hot peppery flavours. A wide variety of fresh vegetables is consumed by the Koreans along with meat, fish or eggs and flavoured with a variety of herbs and spices. The most common ones are ginger, garlic, soybean sauce, and onions. Meals traditionally consist of soup, rice and side dishes of meats (or fish or poultry), along with vegetables, including kimchi (the national dish). Koreans usually eat their rice with a spoon, and they never raise the rice bowl off of the table towards their mouths. Korea is a drinking culture, and their national booze is soju, a clear, vodka-like drink.

South Korea can be roughly divided into four regions
Eastern Region - High Mountain regions and low coastal plains
Western Region - There are about 3000 islands that lie off the in the region, among which Jeju Island is the largest. River basins and hills are 
Southwestern Region - This region has beautiful coastal plains and mountains
Southeastern Region -  This region is dominated by the river bank of the Nakdong River.