My Solo Travel to Seoul was the BEST - My Complete Guide

This guide is part of our main page where you can compare all hostels in Seoul. Instantly find the best-rated hostels and real-time prices from Hostelworld and Booking.com. Compare prices side-by-side and save money every time. Learn how we compare prices.

Find your Perfect Hostel in Seoul

I arrived in Seoul with exactly three Korean words and one reckless craving for spicy stew.

That night I sat on a tiny plastic stool in a steaming alley, sweating, smiling, and wondering why solo travel doesn’t always feel this easy.

My hostel bunk felt like a spaceship pod, complete with USB ports and a curtain that made it feel more spacious than any hotel room - I'm probably exaggerating, but you get the point.

I later left Seoul with a full camera roll, a half-empty wallet (but you won't need to), and a heart puffed up like hotteok.

This Seoul solo travel guide packs the lessons I learned while traveling there so that you can find a fun, cheap bed, roam safely, and collect your own Seoul stories.

Top Picks: The Best Hostels in Seoul

Best for Hostel Newbies

Original Backpackers9.8

from $13.84 | More Details

Best for Female Solo Traveler

Hostel Haru8.9

from $19.66 | More Details

Best Party Hostel

Crossroad Backpackers H...9.5

from $12.63 | More Details

This is not an ad. We help you find the perfect hostel and compare prices from Hostelworld and Booking. You can save up to 23.7%

Why Seoul Is Perfect for Solo Travelers

Seoul is huge. Subway signs flash English, exits are numbered, and you'll need a phone app to translate most menus you come across.

The city also stays awake. Midnight food, 24-hour saunas, and night buses mean your day can swing from temple calm to clubbing chaos without stress.

Eating alone there also feels normal, not lonely. 

Parks have free outdoor gyms, cafés welcome laptops with open arms, and public Wi-Fi blankets most streets.

In Seoul, independence will almost never feel like isolation.

A 3-Day Itinerary on Your Own

Day 1 — Palaces and Lantern Lanes

• Morning: Beat the queues at Gyeongbokgung. Guards in rainbow silks march, drums echo, and mountains peek over palace roofs. Rent a hanbok for free entry. Swish through courtyards like historical royalty on a budget.
• Afternoon: Walk uphill to Bukchon Hanok Village. Wooden houses lean over steep lanes; every corner feels like a painting. Stop for yuzu tea in a teahouse with creaking floors. The owner may teach you the proper two-handed cup hold.
• Evening: Head to Insadong. Lanterns glow, calligraphy shops smell of ink, and street artists twist wire into your name for pocket change.
• Night: Join your hostel’s makgeolli or soju tasting. Peach, chestnut, and classic rice flavors loosen tongues and tighten friendships.

Day 2 — Markets, River Breeze, and Rooftop Beats

• Morning: Ride Line 1 to Dongmyo Flea Market. Hunt for 90s denim, cassette tapes, and army jackets older than your passport. Snack on syrup-filled hotteok so fresh it hisses. Lick fingers, keep shopping.
• Midday: Stroll into Gwangjang Market. Knife-cut noodles swim in garlic broth; mayak gimbap live up to their addictive nickname. Sit at any metal stall. Perhaps the neighboring ajumma will top up your soy sauce without asking.
• Afternoon: Subway to Yeouido Hangang Park. Rent a bike and chase river wind until skyscrapers shrink behind reed beds. Buy ramen cups at the convenience store, use the free kettle, and picnic while kites scribble the sky.
• Evening: Dock bikes and stroll to Nodeul Island. Indie bands play under fairy lights; entry is often free, applause unlimited.
• Night: Back near Hongdae, follow percussion beats to a street busker circle. Dance badly. Nobody cares. 

Day 3 — Creative Corners and Skyline Calm

• Morning: Metro to Seongsu, the “Seoul-side Brooklyn.” Order a croissant cube in a warehouse café wearing more plants than furniture. Browse pop-up art stores inside old shoe factories. Artists chat in English and accept smiles as currency.
• Late Morning: Walk to Seoul Forest. Feed tiny spotted deer (in the deer park) and join a free tai-chi class if you feel elastic.
• Afternoon: Subway to Dongdaemun Design Plaza. Snap photos against the silver curves, then dive into basement maker labs humming with 3-D printers. Lunch on a tteok-galbi burger from a food truck parked beside the LED rose garden.
• Evening: Hike Namsan via the stone wall trail. Pine needles perfume the air; Seoul Tower appears like a giant night-light. Watch sunset paint the city gold, then pink, then glittery black.
• Night: Celebrate in Itaewon. Rooftop tacos, grapefruit soju, and a speakeasy hidden behind a bookstore door finish your trilogy of days.

Short and crisp: The Best Hostels in Seoul

1. Stay Korea Homestay - best for Family-Friendly Hostel, Solo Traveller
2. Namsan Guest House - best for Family-Friendly Hostel, Solo Traveller
3. Holiday in Korea Hostel
4. Backpackers Inside Hostel - best for Solo Traveller
5. Grape Garden House - best for Family-Friendly Hostel, Solo Traveller

Stay Korea Homestay

9.0

"…It has a warm and hospitable atmosphere, thanks to the friendly owner. She speaks French because more

Namsan Guest House

8.1

"…The staff was very, very helpful. They recommended restaurants to go to, picked us up at the more

from

$10.90

Holiday in Korea Hostel

8.7

Jongno District

"…There weren't many people staying at the time I visited, so I don't know how great of a place it more

Backpackers Inside Hostel

8.8

Jongno District

"…Common Spaces Common spaces are quite small and are only in the first level of the hostel. Here more

Grape Garden House

8.0

Mapo District

"Clean and affordable, helpful staff - Very clean, bathroom located within dorm room. Helpful staff more

Hostels in Seoul

Hostels here blend capsule privacy with carnival energy. Pods have USB ports, blackout curtains, and sometimes mini fans.

Common rooms buzz with kimchi-making classes, K-pop dance nights, and rooftop BBQs. Participation is optional; good vibes are not.

Most desks sell T-money cards, rent towels cheap, and point out late-night noodle spots faster than any app.

Is Seoul Safe for Solo Travelers?

Seoul scores high in safety charts. I’ve walked home at 2 a.m. clutching convenience-store pudding as my only defense.

Still, keep cross-body bags zipped on busy subways. Use hostel lockers for passports and backup cards.

Women often choose female-only dorms; they cost a coffee more and add peace of mind. Stick to lit streets in Itaewon after bar close, and use blue-roof taxis or ride-share apps.

Scams tend to be high-pressure tea shop invites. Smile, decline, keep strolling. Tap water is safe, Wi-Fi reliable, and emergency hotlines offer English help.

How to Meet People?

Begin at hostel breakfast tables. Free toast becomes conversation butter.

Join city walking tours around Deoksugung’s stone wall; guides crack jokes and groups stick together for lunch.

Language-exchange cafés in Gangnam trade vocabulary for coffee coins. Board-game bars in Hongdae pair strangers into laughter within minutes.

Compliment someone’s phone charm on the subway. The reply might include hidden café tips and a new Instagram contact.

Best Neighborhoods to Stay Solo in Seoul

• Hongdae: Street art, thrift racks, live music. Loud, youthful, creative. Suits night owls and budget seekers. Can get very loud, frequented mostly by an early-mid 20s crowd.
• Itaewon: Global food, LGBTQ+ friendly, rooftop bars. Social vibes until sunrise. Great for extroverts and food adventurers. You won't get a 'traditional' Seoul experience here, but it's very diverse.
• Insadong: Tea houses, craft lanes, slower pace. Lanterns guide calm nights. Ideal for culture lovers. Can also get very crowded on the weekends, but in a good way.
• Seongsu: Warehouse cafés, indie fashion, riverside bike paths. Chill by night, trendy by day. Perfect for digital nomads. A bit far from the rest of the city.

Where to Eat and Drink in Seoul

Solo BBQ is real. Spots marked “혼밥 환영” welcome lone diners. Staff flip meat if you hesitate.

Gwangjang’s food alley offers ₩1,000 gimbap pieces and neighborly bench chats. Point, pay, munch.

Cafés in Yeonnam-dong mix drip coffee with comic libraries. Order a vanilla latte, borrow a manga, settle into jazz vibes.

Need cheap drinks? Buy convenience-store soju, rent a folding chair from the shop, and join locals on the Han River grass.

Still not sure? Pick my Favorite Hostel in Seoul

#1 Top Hostel in Seoul: Original Backpackers

This is the overall best rated hostel in Original Backpackers. The overall rating is 9.8. You cannot go wrong here.

It is your safest bet in case you are not sure which hostel to pick.

The price for a dorm at Original Backpackers starts from $13.84.

Check out Original Backpackers here

Final Tips and Surprises

Download KakaoMap or Naver maps (Google Maps doesn't work well because of the military) and Papago. They rescue you when street signs look like abstract art.

T-money cards work on trains, buses, taxis, and some vending machines. Reload at any kiosk, skip coin puzzles.

Unexpected joy: 24-hour jjimjilbang bathhouses. Soak, scrub, nap, snack, and emerge softer than rice cakes.

Tiny frustration: café quiet zones. Loud calls earn polite shushes. Step outside before your ringtone does the talking.

Seoul hands out surprise moments like free side dishes. Wear soft shoes, carry spare power, and let spice and smiles guide your solo adventure.

Backpacking Seoul? Here’s What You Need to Know

These are the guides I wish I had before visiting. I’ve been there, had fun, did some minor mistakes, and now I’m passing the best tips on to you. Safe travels!

Must-Read

Backpacking Seoul

All those cool and unique experiences we are looking for!

Where to Stay in Seoul as a Solo Traveler

Best Areas and how to get around

How to Pick a Hostel in Seoul

What to Expect (and what not!)

Where to stay in Seoul for First Time

My experience and what you can expect

I stayed in a Backpacker Hostel in Seoul

My experience and what you can expect

About the author: Nour De Wilde Salhab

A Lebanese-Congolese-French-Belgian girl as likely to be found climbing a volcano in Indonesia or reading a sci-fi book by the sea in the South of France. Always on the hunt for remarkable experiences. My two favorites so far: volunteering in emergency medical services in Lebanon and solo backpacking around the world. Life is enjoyable in all its facets, from its healthy extremes to its mundane slows.