Rankings of Nationwide Travel Destinations in Korea for September 2026 | Top 30 Recommended Popular Travel Destinations

Gyeongju — 1st in the nation · Interest 35,100 — Flipped the summer leaderboard and took the number one spot in the series for the first time.

Gyeongju, which had remained in fifth place until August, rose to first place nationwide with an interest rating of 35,100. It increased by 9,780 in just one month, recording the only growth in the tens of thousands among the 162 destinations; this result is attributed to the fact that it rose alone while most seaside travel destinations saw double-digit declines. Since this year's Chuseok falls on Friday, September 25, the holiday spans four days from Thursday to Sunday, and KTX seats on routes to Busan and Gyeongju sell out quickly as soon as reservations begin.

The key to an autumn trip to Gyeongju is walking. The Eastern Historic Sites Zone, stretching from Cheomseongdae to Gyerim and Woljeonggyo, is a section where pink muhly and yellow cosmos bloom together starting in late September. As the days begin to shorten, visiting late in the afternoon allows you to see both the sunset and the night lights at the same time. The most straightforward route is to have dinner on Hwangnidan-gil and then head over to Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond. However, since the Silla Cultural Festival is scheduled from October 9 to 11, visiting on a weekday immediately following the holiday is better if you prefer a quiet Gyeongju.

Gongju — Ranked 9th nationwide · Interest 17,000 I climbed 6 steps to warm up for the Geumgang Night Market and the Baekje Cultural Festival.

Gongju rose from 15th to 9th place as interest increased by 3,090. In terms of absolute growth, this is the second largest increase after Gyeongju. The Gongju Sanseong Market Night Market, marking its 10th anniversary this year, opened on September 4 and will run every Friday and Saturday from 5 PM to 10 PM until mid-October. It bears the subtitle "1926 Gongju Romantic Banquet" to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the "Gongju City Map" published in 1926. It will be closed on September 25 and 26 due to the Chuseok holiday.

In the Jemincheon area, night parades, flea markets, and small-scale busking take place, allowing you to fill an evening on foot. Furthermore, with the 72nd Baekje Cultural Festival scheduled to be held from October 3 to 11 at Geumgang Singwan Park, Gongsanseong Fortress, and the royal city center, inquiries for accommodations tend to surge starting in September. Late September also marks the beginning of the Jeongan chestnut harvest, making it an ideal time to enjoy seasonal delicacies such as chestnut makgeolli and chestnut bread.

Andong — Ranked 20th nationwide · Interest 8,770 — The Talchum Festival opens on the first day of the Chuseok holiday.

Andong rose from 25th to 20th place with an increase in interest of 580, even in the month following the end of the peak season. This is largely due to the 2026 Andong International Mask Dance Festival, which opened on September 24, the first day of the Chuseok holiday, and continues for over ten days until October 4. This year's theme is 'Memories of Masks, Dance for All,' featuring mask dance performances from various countries and a night parade in addition to traditional Korean mask dance.

With the event venues spread across Andong Station, Talchum Park, the Old Downtown, and Hahoe Village, it is tight to visit everything in a single day. It is more efficient to book accommodation in the Old Downtown and combine a day trip to Hahoe Village and Byeongsan Seowon with an evening performance at Talchum Park to shorten the travel time. As a city with a high density of local delicacies, including Andong Jjimdak, Heotjesatbap, and Andong Soju, it is not too burdensome to add a day to your holiday journey home.

Iksan — Ranked 33rd nationwide · Interest 5,160 — Free nighttime horror festival held at a prison set

Iksan jumped 22 places from 55th to 33rd as interest increased by 54.01 TP3T. The backdrop is the 5th Iksan Horror Hologram Festival, a night festival that combines holograms and media facades on a filming set built to resemble a real prison. This year's theme is 'Location X: Forbidden Live Broadcast,' and over 38,000 people visited last year. However, since it is not held for the entire 11 days but is divided into two sections running for only 7 days—from September 10 to 13 and from 18 to 20—you should avoid the period between the 14th and 17th.

Operating hours are from 6 PM to 10 PM, and admission is free. On-site coupons are distributed first to those who register in advance, so it is recommended to apply on the official website before visiting. Since the festival starts in the evening, a natural itinerary would be to visit Mireuksa Temple Site, the National Iksan Museum, and the Iksan Gemstone Museum during the day, and then head to the set in the evening. You can use the festival shuttle bus after arriving at Iksan KTX Station.

Seocheon — Ranked 73rd nationwide · Interest 1,890 — Gizzard shad and blue crabs at Hongwon Port are in season.

Seocheon rose 19 places from 92nd to 73rd as interest increased by 41.01 TP3T. This is due to the 24th Seocheon Hongwon Port Wild Gizzard Shad and Blue Crab Festival, which runs until September 6. At Hongwon Port, a representative fishing port on the West Coast, visitors can taste or purchase wild gizzard shad, plump seasonal blue crabs, and large shrimp at fish market prices. Admission is free, but there is an additional fee of 15,000 won per person for the bare-handed gizzard shad catching experience.

Even after the festival ends, the Hongwon Port fish market remains bustling throughout September as gizzard shad and blue crabs are in season. The Seocheon National Heritage Night Tour takes place on September 11th and 12th, and the purple clusters at Songnim Forest Bathing Area, following the Janghang Liriope Flower Festival in late August, remain until early September. If you combine this with the Janghang Skywalk and the National Institute of Ecology, it makes for a perfectly feasible one-night West Coast itinerary.