In recent years, South Korea has become a very popular travel destination for families, friend groups, couples, literally everyone to fly to as a summer trip. While Korea is an amazing destination to travel to no matter your age or where you come from, the summer heat and humidity is no joke. Here is a list of essentials for when you travel to Korea over the summer and if making a packing list seems daunting:
1. Umbrella
If you are coming to Korea anytime between July and August, you will be coming during monsoon season which means rain and humidity on a whole other level. The rain is pretty spotty and will rarely show up on your weather app until maybe an hour before it starts, sometimes even less so it is always a good idea to bring your umbrella with you everytime you go out. If you don’t want to use up luggage space to pack an umbrella, you can get them upon your arrival at a convenience store or Daiso for very cheap!
2. Hand-held fan
Bringing a hand-held fan from home with me has been a life saver. On days where it is not rainy or cloudy and the sun is out, the direct sunlight mixed with the humidity can be extremely suffocating. Being able to carry a fan on you while walking around the streets of Seoul will help you cool down a little bit while you navigate your way to the next air conditioned building.
3. Breathable clothes (no denim)
I made the mistake of packing multiple pairs of jeans and denim shorts. While it is possible to wear denim and survive, life is just so much easier if I choose to wear my linen/cotton trousers or a dress/skirt instead. Even if I wear denim shorts, the waistband gets very suffocating and sweaty so it’s not very comfortable to wear for a whole day. I also find myself reaching for more flowy tops over tight or form fitting ones for the same reason – why be sweaty in a tight tank top when being sweaty in a t-shirt is so much more comfortable.
4. Clinical strength deodorant
If you are someone who gets sweaty easily, I highly recommend buying clinical strength deodorant for your trip to Korea. I sweat pretty easily and am always prone to sweat stains when I use normal deodorant at home. While it is not ESSENTIAL, I personally have not had any issues with sweat stains at all while using my newly purchased clinical strength deodorant. Plus, it is strong enough where you don’t have to reapply everyday!
