A beginner’s guide to Seoul’s neighbourhoods

Whether it’s history, art, food or K-pop that brings you to Seoul, these must-visit precincts will fit the bill. Writes Eloise Basuki.

A constant clash of peaceful tradition and fast-paced modern life, Seoul is a city that lures in all sorts of travellers. Become happily lost in the charming hanok (traditional wooden house) villages that throw back to Korea’s past life; stay up late cooking barbecue and slamming soju shots; take in a sprawling view atop Seoul’s surrounding mountains; or indulge in some Korean-style retail therapy.

A city with such rapid growth (Seoul’s population grew from one million in 1950 to almost 10 million today) can be a little daunting, so we’ve selected a few must-visit neighbourhoods, home to its heart and soul.

For art and culture: Insadong

Once Seoul’s largest marketplace for antiques and art, Insadong’s cobblestone roads are still home to paintbrush and calligraphy stores, handmade paper, ceramics, and clusters of diverse galleries; check out Gallery Hyundai, Korea’s oldest contemporary gallery, and Korean Crafts & Design Foundation, showing off handicrafts from the country’s master craftsmen.

It’s just a short walk to the largest of Seoul’s five palaces, Gyeongbokgung Palace, and the 600-year-old Bukchon hanok village. Hanok accommodation is possible if you want to immerse yourself in history – Rakkojae Seoul boasts recently renovated traditional rooms, with heated natural jade floors, wooden baths, and optional kimchi-making workshops.

To shop till you drop: Myeongdong

With a constant stream of K-Pop beating from every storefront, this shopping district is buzzing from morning to night with frenzied buyers stocking up on Korean cosmetics, snail creams (the slime is said to give skin a youthful glow), and both affordable and designer fashion. ALAND, a Korean clothing and lifestyle store, supplies Seoul’s hipsters with their trendiest threads while Innisfree is the all-natural beauty brand locals swear by.

Most shops are open late so, before you get consuming, jump on the cable car leaving from Myeongdong Station to leisurely ascend Namsan Mountain all the way to Namsan Seoul Tower where you can take in a panoramic 360-degree view.

For traditional food: Dongdaemun

While many beeline to Dongdaemun to see the bold curves of Zaha Hadid’s spaceship-shaped art centre, Dongdaemun Design Plaza, the area also offers some of the city’s finest local eats. Ojang-dong has three of Seoul’s oldest cold noodle (naengmeyon) shops, including Hamheung Jip, where noodles are served in an icy gochujang broth topped with a marinated skate. Kwangjang market, Korea’s first urban market, has escaped the city’s relentless development and is famous for its lively street food.

Stalls are manned by adorable Korean aunties who constantly battle to charm potential new customers; snacks of choice here include blood sausage (sundae), seaweed rolls (gimbap), and spicy rice cakes (tteokbokki).

For global gourmets: Itaewon

An expat area that’s a base for many international embassies as well as the US military, it’s no surprise that Itaewon is also the epicentre of Seoul’s international dining. Find fish and chips at New Zealand-run Mozzie, authentic NYC pizza from Gino’s, tacos and classic cocktails from speakeasy Volstead, and an all-vegan menu at Plant.

Hannam, the district’s hip neighbourhood, is worth a wander to see where the cool kids hang. Minimalist cafe Low Coffee pours fresh brews in the most Instagram-worthy locale while, over the road, Cosmic Mansion sells 100 per cent plant-based candles and room fragrances for a souvenir with style.

For youth culture: Hongdae

Adjacent to Hongik University, Hongdae is where Seoul’s 20-somethings linger. Shopping is again a drawcard here, while niche cafes stud the laneways off the main street. Caface grew its fan-base from printing customer’s faces on the foam of their lattes, and decade-old institution Yri Café (337-4, Sangsu-dong, Mapo-gu) draws crowds to its bookshelf-lined walls with readings, performances and local art.

Hongdae also offers a small dose of Hallyu, the term for the global wave of K-pop and Korean television. This K-culture is on display every night along Eoulmadang-ro, where K-pop street performers set up impromptu stages to energetically dance for the crowds.

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For night owls: Gangnam

Seoul is a 24/7 city, and Gangnam is where drinks flow until dawn. By day, this business district south of the Han River can seem a slightly soulless concrete jungle, but by night, the laneways off Gangnam-daero light up with bars, karaoke and all-night barbecue. If you’re game for a local favourite, Imo Wang Gopchang (6 Gangnam-daero 122-gil) is a local grill-your-own spot, where pig intestines, soju and beer are the main orders.

After dinner, Manekineko is a 24-hour karaoke joint with a mix of Korean and English tunes. When it’s finally time to crawl to bed, Hotel April offers some of the chicest sleeps, with high brick walls, spa rooms and terraces, or shake off modern life and find inner peace staying with Buddhist monks at Bongeunsa temple.

Travelling to Seoul? Check out:

– Seoul – World’s Most Incredible Cities

– Seoul Stopover

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.