You are looking for hostels in South Korea? Good news, you have come to the right place.
On this page we list every single city with hostels and other budget accommodations. Hostelz.com helps you to find your South Korea hostel and compare its prices on the major booking sites such as Hostelworld, Hostelsclub and Booking.com. So you can sleep on a budget and save money while backpacking South Korea.
We list every single hostel in South Korea and the world. In total, we have 25 cities in South Korea for you. Please note that not all cities actually have a hostel to stay in. Below you can filter for cities with hostels and with no hostels-type accommodation, but guesthouses and budget hotels. This will help your planning.
Alright, you are more the visual type? Planning your trip with a map is always handy.
Therefore, this map shows you all cities with hostels in South Korea. It will help you to plan your trip. Just zoom in the map and click your destination for more details. Just so you know: If we do not have a hostel in a city, it is likely that there is no hostel in that city.
South Korea is a country in eastern Asia. It is on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula and shares a border North Korea. This border is one of the most heavily militarised borders in the world and also a border between two vastly different countries. South Korea is one of the most urban countries in the world while North Korea is a communist country that the world knows very little about.
The capital of South Korea is Seoul; other large cities include Incheon, Busan, Daegu, and Daejeon. Seoul is in the northwest part of the country and together with Incheon and Gyeonggi it makes up the world’s sixteenth largest city. The Korean Peninsula is surrounded by the Yellow Sea, Sea of Japan (you may see it called the East Sea too), and the East China Sea. It’s landscape is mostly mountainous, ranging from high mountains in the east to gently rolling hills in the west and a fertile region in the southeast. You’ll be able to get from the city to the mountains in no time at all; this is thanks to the extensive rail and bus network across the country.
The largest airport in the country is Seoul Incheon, in the north and that is where most flights from the US, Europe, and Australia fly into. If you’re arriving from Asia, you may find that you can fly into Busan for cheaper.
South Korea is a highly populated, heavily touristed country. You can find hostel accommodation in most large cities, generally near the train station. Hostels in South Korea are similar to backpacker hostels you see in Europe or Australia. Expect shared rooms and facilities with a common room and kitchen. Most staff at hostels speak English - especially in the major cities, and the Korean characters for “hostel” are “호스텔” which is pronounced the same as in English. In general, most Koreans speak English and are incredibly friendly and helpful; they’ll be able to give you directions or at least point you in the right direction!
The earliest known archaeological evidence for the inhabitation of Korea dates to 8000 BCE. In the 1st century BCE, the Three Kingdoms flourished and it is from one of those, the Goguryeo, that we get the name Korea. In the 7th century AD, Korea was unified under the Shilla (or Silla) Kingdom and underwent a radical cultural transformation. It was during this millennium of peace that saw the invention of Hangul, the Korean alphabet, and numerous heritage sites that are now among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Changdeok Palace, Haeinsa, where the woodcut Buddhist canon is stored, and many more. There are over 12 World Heritage Sites and 19 Intangible Cultural Heritages of Humanity. Division came once again after World War II, when Korea was annexed into Japan, and again in 1950 when North Korea invaded. Today, South Korea is one of the world’s most developed countries, has some of the highest education rates, healthcare, employment rates, and is also ranked as one of the safest countries in the world. It is home to some of the world’s top companies, in technology, health, business, and automotive sectors.
Dont miss: K-pop music at the dance clubs, Korean street food, seafood, and soju, an alcoholic beverage.
Handwritten by local expert for South Korea hostels Jakob Lombardi
There is a lot of travel planning to do. So let us help you once again by putting together the frequently asked questions:
There is several hostel booking sites, such as Hostelworld.com, Hostelsclub.com and Booking.com. While every platform has its pros and cons, there is a universal truth you as a traveler should be aware of: Not a single booking site can always offer the best prices.
This is where Hostelz.com comes in. You can compare all major booking portals with one click.
For you as a traveler, Hostelz.com is the best booking site to actually save money.
Prices always vary, depending on various factors. Weekends tend to be more expensive, same goes for special holidays. Please also take into account local vaction time.
You can search for exacty hostel prices in South Korea here on Hostelz.com. Pick your destination and pick a date. The system will track down the prices to give an idea of what budget and prices you can expect.
If you want to stay at the best hostels, it is a good idea to have your hostel booked around 1 month before you travel. For the regular hostels, booking one week before should be okay. Yet again, this always depends.
We dedicated a full article to the topic of when to book hostels.
Generally speaking, hostels are as safe as you make them. We highly recommend always to bring your own padlock, using the lockers and taking care of your belongings. Make sure you pick a safe hostel, offering lockers and a safe location. Please always pay attention to the reviews; they can give you a great insight on what to expect and safety tips.
There is a few basics you should always pack when staying in hostels.
There is more actually. We wrote a complete guide with more details. Read our full hostel packing list.