What photo takes you right back to South Korea?

Us hiking the Geumjeong Fortress walls in Busan

Summarise South Korea in three words.

• Kimchi – 3 times a day is the minimum ration!
• Mountains – make up about 70% of the country so it’s no wonder South Koreans are such avid hikers
• Smartphones – they’re ubiquitous. Lots of people watching videos or messaging while on their commute leads to some frustrating travel for those of us who aren’t dumbwalking

You really know you’re in South Korea when…

… everyone is wearing some kind of hiking apparel. It’s like the whole country is ready for adventure!

Where do they get all this gear from? In the towns and cities we visited, every main high street consisted of hiking shops, cosmetic shops with shouting clapping staff outside trying to outdo each other, or multi-storey chain coffee shops.

What one item should you definitely pack when going to South Korea?

A small towel. It’s a humid, hot country and you’ll definitely need it to wipe your brow on the mountain hikes.