South Korea’s most populous province, Gyeonggi-do has Seoul situated at its very heart. It’s home to some of the country’s most impressive cultural heritage sites, as well as family-friendly theme parks and the Korean Demilitarized Zone.

Things to do

Spend a day exploring the 17th-century Hwaseong Fortress, where UNESCO World Heritage-listed brick walls feature holes just big enough to fire guns and arrows. It experienced numerous attacks as the official fortress of Suwon-Si, with its impressive Hwahongmun pavilion and seven-arch-style Samun gate still visible today.

If you’re interested in the local culture, visit the Korean Folk Village where replica streets are lined with traditional houses, workshops and a Confucian academy. Attend one of the cultural classes or traditional dance performances, with horseback martial arts and Korean wedding ceremonies also taking place.

Experience the Korean Demilitarized Zone on a guided tour of Panmunjom, which is outside the jurisdiction of both North and South Korea. Visit the North Korea Peace Museum where the Korean War Armistice Agreement was signed in 1953, as well as the Bridge of No Return where prisoner exchanges were conducted at the end of the Korean War.

Travelling with kids? Head to South Korea’s largest amusement park at the Everland Resort and its themed water park of Caribbean Bay. Get your adrenalin pumping on the vintage wooden roller coaster of the T-Express and witness the giant pandas of Zootopia that were gifted to South Korea from China.

Getting around

Gyeonggi-do is home to South Korea’s largest international airport at Incheon, as well as the smaller Gimpo International Airport. The Seoul subway system connects towns and cities across the province, with commuter buses running from the centre of Seoul into the surrounding suburbs.