Visiting South Korea in May

May offers some of the best all-round weather of the year: warm, sunny days without the humidity that arrives in summer, making it ideal for hiking, palace visits and exploring on foot. It's also home to one of Korea's most beautiful celebrations, Buddha's Birthday, when temples and city streets fill with thousands of glowing paper lanterns, Gyeongju's Golgulsa Temple marks the occasion beautifully if you're doing a temple stay there, and Seoul's Lotus Lantern Festival culminates in a spectacular night parade through the city centre. Near Gwangju, the Damyang Bamboo Festival celebrates the region's famous bamboo forests with kite-making, rafting and forest walks. With comfortable temperatures and a packed festival calendar, May is a firm favourite among first-time visitors.