South Korea

South Korea is where tradition and trend collide, and Seoul is the perfect place to see both. In the morning you can wear a hanbok and walk through Gyeongbokgung Palace in time for the changing of the guard; by evening you can be shopping in Myeongdong, eating at Gwangjang Market or watching the city light up from N Seoul Tower. The hanok lanes of Bukchon, the street art of Ihwa and the shopping streets of Hongdae and Gangnam show the many sides of a city that runs on K-pop, K-drama and excellent food.

Basing yourself in Seoul makes day trips easy. Nami Island, made famous by the drama Winter Sonata, has tree-lined paths that are stunning in autumn, and nearby Petite France and the Garden of Morning Calm in Gapyeong add colour. Everland in Yongin is Korea's biggest theme park and a favourite with families. A guided tour to the Demilitarized Zone on the border with North Korea, including the Third Tunnel and Dora Observatory, is a sobering look at the divided peninsula.

For Indian travellers, Korea is safe, efficient and increasingly popular. A tourist visa is required, the subway is easy with a T-money card, and halal and vegetarian options are growing in Seoul, with Indian restaurants in Itaewon. Spring cherry blossom in April and the autumn foliage of October and November are the most beautiful seasons. Six or seven nights is enough to see the palaces, markets and day-trip highlights without feeling rushed, and Seoul's late-night cafés, cosmetics shops and street food stalls keep evenings lively.