What to Prepare Before Your Trip to Korea

If this is your first trip to Korea, you may wonder what you need to prepare.

You may think booking your flight and hotel is enough. But as your trip gets closer, you may start to have questions.

• Will my phone work in Korea?
• How will I get internet?
• Can I use my credit card?
• How much cash should I bring?
• How will I show my hotel address when I arrive at the airport?

You do not need to prepare a lot of special things for a trip to Korea. But checking a few things before you leave can make your trip much easier.

Check Your Phone Before You Leave

Your phone will be one of the most useful things during your trip. You will use it to check maps, translate Korean, look up your hotel information, and find places to visit.

First, check if your phone can be used in Korea. You can use your regular phone plan with international roaming, or you can use an eSIM or SIM card.

If you want to use an eSIM, your phone needs to support eSIM. It also needs to be unlocked so you can use another mobile service. If you are not sure, ask your phone company before your trip.

It is also a good idea to save important information on your phone before you leave. That way, you can still check it if your internet does not work right away.

Prepare a Map App and a Translation App

As I mentioned in Can You Travel to Korea Without Speaking Korean?, map and translation apps can be very useful when you travel in Korea.

I recommend installing a Korean map app such as Naver Map or KakaoMap before your trip. You can also prepare a translation app such as Papago or Google Translate.

Try not to wait until you arrive in Korea to install these apps. You may have trouble connecting to the internet at the airport, or you may not have time to learn how the apps work.

If you have time, open your map app before your trip and search for your hotel. You can also save important places you want to visit.

You do not need to learn everything about the app. Just knowing how to search for a place and find your hotel can help a lot.

Local Tip: Install your map and translation apps before you leave home. It is much easier to try them when you are relaxed than when you are standing at the airport with your luggage.

Save Your Hotel Information

After booking your hotel, save more than just the hotel name.

I recommend keeping your hotel information in both English and Korean. This can be especially useful when you take a taxi or need to ask someone for help.

Save these details:

• Hotel name
• Hotel name in Korean
• Address in Korean
• Phone number
• Booking number

It is also a good idea to take a screenshot of the address. Then you can show it to a taxi driver or someone helping you, even if your internet is not working.

Local Tip: A Korean hotel address can be more useful than an English address when you are taking a taxi.

Prepare a Card You Can Use Overseas

Credit cards and debit cards are accepted in many places in Korea, so you usually do not need to carry a lot of cash.

Before your trip, check that your card can be used overseas. If possible, bring two cards instead of only one because a foreign card may sometimes not work.

I also recommend bringing at least one physical card. Do not depend only on Apple Pay, Google Pay, or another phone payment service.

Having a physical card with you can be very helpful if your phone runs out of battery or a payment does not work.

Prepare Some Korean Won

You can pay by card in many places in Korea, but you may still need some cash during your trip.

You may need Korean won (KRW) for some small stores, traditional markets, street food, or transportation card top-ups.

You do not need to bring a large amount of cash. You can exchange money before your trip, or get Korean won after you arrive at an exchange office or an ATM that accepts foreign cards.

Having a small amount of Korean won when you first arrive can make things easier.

Check the Entry Requirements

Before you leave, check what you need to enter Korea.

Depending on your nationality, you may need a K-ETA. You may also need to complete the e-Arrival Card.

Entry rules can change, so check the latest official information before your trip.

You may also need your accommodation address and phone number when completing the entry information. This is another reason to save your hotel information before you leave.

Save Important Travel Information

Do not assume that your internet will always work perfectly during your trip.

Save or take screenshots of important information such as:

• Flight information
• Hotel booking
• Airport transportation
• Tour bookings
• Train or other tickets
• Important QR codes

This is especially useful for information you need right after you arrive.

If you can see important information without an internet connection, you will feel much more relaxed.

Korea Is Easier When You Prepare a Little

You do not need a long list of special things for a trip to Korea.

Before you leave, check your phone and internet plan. Install a map app and a translation app. Save your hotel’s Korean address and phone number.

Also bring a physical card that works overseas, prepare some Korean won if you need cash, and check the latest entry requirements for your country.

Finally, save your important travel information on your phone so you can access it even when you do not have an internet connection.

That is enough to make your arrival in Korea much easier.

You do not have to know everything before you come.

A little preparation can help you feel much more comfortable from the moment you arrive.

Korea may be easier than you think. With a little preparation, you can start enjoying your trip as soon as you arrive.