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The “Songe coréen” tour at a glance

Songe coréen (Korean Dream) is a 10-day, 9-night Club Med Discovery tour of South Korea, in the Hidden Routes range, starting and ending in Seoul. The loop travels by train to Gyeongju, the former capital of the Silla kingdom, reaches the port of Busan, crosses the Boseong tea plantations and the Damyang bamboo forest, then heads back north via the Magoksa temple and the city of Daejeon. It ends at the Demilitarized Zone, the DMZ, north of Seoul. You stay in comfortable hotels and spend one night in a hanok, a traditional Korean house. The package includes full board with one drink per meal, the Seoul-Gyeongju train, road travel in an air-conditioned vehicle, sightseeing and, from 10 participants, a Club Med tour leader.

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What do you see from Seoul to Busan?

On the first day in Seoul, you tour the city, stroll through a hanok village and taste your way along the stalls of Gwangjang Market. Day two leads to Changdeokgung Palace and its secret garden, the Biwon, then to Insadong street and the National Museum. On day three, the train speeds to Gyeongju: Bulguksa temple, Seokguram grotto, the royal tumuli park, the Cheomseongdae observatory, and Wolji pond lit up in the evening. Day four starts at the Gyeongju museum and ends in Busan, with the observation tower, the fish market and the street food of BIFF Square.

How does the return north to Seoul and the DMZ unfold?

On day five, you visit Naganeupseong fortress, a walled village still inhabited, then the Boseong tea plantations before Gwangju. Day six crosses the Damyang bamboo forest and the gochujang village, home of the Korean chili paste, in Sunchang, all the way to Namwon and its night in a hanok. On day seven, you climb to Gongsanseong fortress, then go on to Magoksa temple for a tea moment with a monk, before Daejeon. On day eight, it is back to Seoul via Gangnam and the Lotte World Tower observatory, at 555 m. Day nine is devoted to the DMZ: Imjingak park, the Odusan observatory and the War Museum, then an evening in Myeongdong. The tour ends after breakfast on day ten.

Which moments make this Korea tour so special?

The night in the Namwon hanok takes you inside the Korean home of old, with its inner courtyards and curved tiled roofs. At Magoksa temple, tea shared with a Buddhist monk offers a calm, genuine moment, away from the crowds. The Boseong plantations roll their rows of tea bushes over the hills, and the Damyang forest lets you walk beneath the bamboo. Finally, the visit to the DMZ, the border between the two Koreas, remains a powerful day that sheds light on the peninsula's recent history.

Which hotels do you stay in during the tour?

The programme lists the Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun in Seoul, the Hilton Gyeongju, the Wyndham Grand in Busan and the BREEV Gwangju by Lotte Hotel. In Namwon, the night is spent at the Namwon Yechon, a hanok. In Daejeon, the hotel is the Interciti or the Enford, depending on the departure. Your advisor confirms the exact list when you book, as an equivalent hotel may replace the one announced.

What is included and what is paid separately?

The package includes the train from Seoul to Gyeongju, road travel in an air-conditioned vehicle and all the sightseeing in the programme. Full board runs from lunch on the first day to breakfast on day ten. Each meal comes with a soft drink or a local beer, or a glass of wine in the evening depending on the restaurant. International flights, airport transfers, additional drinks, luggage handling at the airport and in hotels, tips and insurance are paid separately. Your advisor adds them to your file as needed.

Who accompanies the group in South Korea?

From 10 participants, a Club Med tour leader stays with the group throughout the trip, assisted by a French-speaking local guide. Below that number, a French-speaking local guide accompanies the group. Departures are guaranteed from the first booking and assistance is available 24 hours a day. The guide explains Korean table manners, temple rituals and the history of each place, which makes Korea very accessible on a first trip.

Which season should you choose for South Korea?

The published programme is the winter season one, and your advisor tells you which departures are offered. Spring and fall are the mildest seasons, with cherry blossoms in April and red and golden foliage in October. Winter is cold and dry, with often clear skies and quiet sites. Summer is hot and humid, and the Boseong tea plantations are then an intense green.

How do you get to Seoul from Quebec?

You fly from Montreal to Seoul, with a connection. The tour is a loop: you arrive and leave through the same airport, which makes booking simpler. Your advisor books the flights with the tour and adds the transfers, which are paid separately. For your Canadian passport and South Korea's entry requirements, your advisor checks everything when you book.

Which Club Med resort can you combine with this tour?

Neighbouring Japan lends itself well to a follow-up. Club Med Kabira Ishigaki, on Ishigaki Island in Okinawa, offers the beach and turquoise water after ten days on the road. In winter, Club Med Tomamu Hokkaido welcomes skiers in Hokkaido. Your advisor books the flights between Seoul and the chosen resort. See all the Club Med resorts in Asia and the Indian Ocean.

Who is the Songe coréen tour for?

It is designed for travellers who already know a little of Asia, or who want to step away from the busiest destinations, and who enjoy food, temples and encounters. The pace is brisk, with plenty of road travel between regions, and it suits fit and curious people. To continue in East Asia, also look at Les voies du Tokaido in Japan and Parcours du mandarin in China.

Why book this tour with AquaTerra?

Voyages Synergia received the Club Med Excellence Award 2025, and our advisors know the Club Med Discovery tours. We help you choose the season, compare this tour with the other Club Med tours in Asia and the Indian Ocean and build flights that get you to Seoul rested.

Call 1-866-628-6241. You will reach someone who knows this tour and has time for you. We look together at what is available on your dates, we choose the right departure, and we stay on the line throughout your trip. That is the difference between booking alone in front of a screen and travelling with someone behind you.

  • Lane in a village of traditional Korean houses

    Lane in a village of traditional Korean houses

  • Painted gallery of a Korean Buddhist temple

    Painted gallery of a Korean Buddhist temple

  • Korean dishes

    Korean dishes

  • Terraced tea plantations in South Korea

    Terraced tea plantations in South Korea

  • Busy street with neon signs in Seoul

    Busy street with neon signs in Seoul

  • Wooden facade of a traditional hanok house

    Wooden facade of a traditional hanok house

  • Candles lit in a Korean temple

    Candles lit in a Korean temple

Meet our Club Med Specialists who can help you plan your trips to any of the Club Med destinations.

Voyages Synergia - 2025 Excellence Club Med Award Travel agency

All rights reserved Voyages Synergia. Images, logos and Club Med properties: © Club Med. The Club Med 2 yacht is registered in France.

Frequently Asked Questions

The tour lasts 10 days and 9 nights, looping from Seoul. It ends after breakfast on day ten. Add the flight days to and from Quebec.
A hanok is a traditional Korean house, with curved tiled roofs and rooms arranged around a courtyard. The tour includes one night in a hanok in Namwon, at the Namwon Yechon.
The visit is made with the guide, at sites set up for the public: Imjingak park, the Odusan observatory and the War Museum. It is a well-organized and very informative day on the peninsula's history.
Several dishes use gochujang, the chili paste, whose village you actually visit in Sunchang. You also find many mild dishes, grills and soups. The guide helps you choose according to your taste.
Every included meal comes with a soft drink or a local beer, and sometimes a glass of wine in the evening depending on the restaurant. Other drinks are paid on the spot.
Yes, the journey from Seoul to Gyeongju is by train, and it is included. The rest of the tour is in an air-conditioned vehicle, which allows stops in villages and plantations.
Gyeongju is the former capital of the Silla kingdom. You visit Bulguksa temple, Seokguram grotto, the royal tumuli park, the Cheomseongdae observatory and Wolji pond, lit up in the evening.
Luggage handling at the airport and in hotels is paid separately on this tour. Plan an easy-to-handle suitcase. Your advisor gives you packing tips before departure.
Yes, your advisor can add nights in Seoul before or after the tour. It is a chance to revisit a district, go shopping in Myeongdong or visit a palace at your own pace.
Group size varies from one departure to another. From 10 participants, a Club Med tour leader is present. Departures are guaranteed from the first booking.
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