Gyeongbokgung Starlight Night Tour - 10/10 ⭐️🌙
Brianna Salisbury
7 months ago
This tour is made for historical K-Drama or Korean History fans
As someone who has previously lived in Korea, and has visited Gyeongbokgung multiple times, I can easily say this is by far my favorite experience.
It's something that's great for solo travellers, couples, friends or groups.
I went on my own and as someone who is a huge introvert, I loved it (there were lots of other people on their own too).
What to Expect
High Quality Food:
The food was delicious. Everything was fresh, well made and I got to try a few things I had never tried before (Omija tea) 👍
Live Performances:
We watched a few live performances during the tour. While the actors only spoke in Korean, the translation provided was easy to understand.
Live Music:
Imagine this... listening to Korean traditional musical instruments in a royal palace while you're eating delicious food.
History:
My tour was lead by someone who really, really knows the history.
On this tour you can learn about the places you're going, their significance and also interesting facts about the palace in general. One fact that surprised me was apparently only 10% of the palace has actually been reconstructed!
Small, Intimate Experience:
For each session there are a limited amount of tickets. Don't be put off by this though. Due to the limited amount of seats, it makes the whole experience feel more intimate and immersive.
Because this tour happens after visiting hours, the people in your group and the staff there are the only other people you'll see. It's hard to experience this level of serenity during the day, especially during busy periods.
🌙 My tip - Book the last session of the day and grab a lantern when they offer them.
My session started at 7:40pm, and the sun started setting as we sat down for dinner.
Walking around the palace in the dark with lanterns lighting your way is a magical experience ✨
The view of Hyangwonjeong Pavilion at night.
Visiting the King's Mothers quarters. They had lights and music playing.
The walk to dinner.
The food. The abalone (top right) was my favorite.
My Final Thoughts
- If you're planning on visiting Korea in Spring or Autumn when these tours are on, I highly recommend doing this tour. It is as good as it looks on social media (if not better!).
📍 The tour is easy to find. There are signs to guide you there.
- If you're like me and like arriving to these things extra early, there's lots to do in this area. I ended up looking around the new park in Gwanghwamun, and visiting the huge 'Kyobo Bookstore' next to exit 3 in Gwanghwamun station.
☕️ For other Aussies (or coffee lovers) who are planning on visiting Gwanghwamun during the day, FourB Gwanghwamun (cafe) does good Aussie-style coffee - long blacks, flat whites, cappuccinos.
- I'll also be reviewing the 'Changdeokgung Moonlight Tour', so if you're unsure about which tour to book (or if you need a reason to visit both), keep an eye out.
Hopefully this helps you create some unforgettable experiences in South Korea~! 🇰🇷
