Best time to visit South Korea

Timing is simple in South Korea: almost every destination here peaks in October or May, so one set of dates works for the whole country.

Averaged across every destination listed, South Korea is at its best in October, scoring 88 out of 100, with May close behind at 82. January is the weakest month nationally at 34. The window is narrow: only 2 months come within eight points of the best, so an itinerary covering several of these places should be built around that rather than around any one city's own peak.

South Korea is climatically consistent — only 2 °C separates its warmest destination from its coolest across the year. Rainfall is broadly similar throughout, from 99 wet days a year in Daegu to 105 in Gwangju.