Seoul in April — Travel Guide

By Harry Nara · Last updated September 24, 2026

#Weather in Seoul in April

Seoul in April averages 8–18°C (46–64°F) with around 7 days of rain, and crowds are very high.

April is the month Seoul is sold on. The average high passes 18°C, the city turns pink and then green in about three weeks, and the evenings get long enough for a walk by the river after dinner. Mornings are still cool, often in single figures, so a light jacket earns its place until the afternoon.

The blossom is the event, and its timing is the question. The Korea Meteorological Administration's long-run average has the Seoul observation tree opening on 8 April and in full bloom by the 10th, but in 2026 it opened on 29 March. Expect the peak somewhere between the last days of March and mid-April, and watch the forecast in the weeks before you travel.

April is also the heart of the yellow dust season. Most days are clear, but a dusty day turns the sky beige and the air gritty; check the forecast each morning.

#What to Do in Seoul in April

Yunjung-ro, the cherry avenue

The road that circles behind the National Assembly on Yeouido is lined with well over a thousand old cherry trees and is closed to traffic for the blossom festival in most years. It is the most famous blossom walk in Seoul and the most crowded. Weekday mornings are the time to go.

The palaces at blossom time

Changgyeonggung and Gyeongbokgung both have flowering trees in their gardens, and the palaces usually offer limited night openings in spring, sold online in advance. A palace courtyard at dusk with the trees lit is worth the effort of getting a ticket.

Jinhae, if you have a day to spare

The biggest cherry blossom festival in Korea is in Jinhae, a naval port on the south coast, where around 360,000 trees line the streets and the stream at Yeojwacheon. It is several hours from Seoul by train and bus, it blooms a few days earlier than Seoul, and it is very crowded; go on a weekday.

The lanterns go up

Through April, temples across the city hang the lanterns for Buddha's Birthday, and the Lotus Lantern Festival organisers plan a lantern-lighting ceremony and a traditional lantern exhibition during the month. By the end of April, Jogyesa temple in Jongno is roofed in coloured lanterns.

#Getting Around

The blossom routes are where April transport breaks down. On peak weekends, Yeouinaru and National Assembly stations, closest to the Yunjung-ro cherry avenue on Yeouido, and Jamsil station for Seokchon Lake, are crushed from late morning. Arrive early, or walk in from a station further out.

Cycling the Han riverside paths on Ttareungi, the public bikes, is at its most pleasant in April. The trees along the south bank between Yeouido and Banpo make one of the best blossom rides in the city.

#Budget & Costs

April is one of the most expensive months to stay in Seoul, especially over the peak blossom weekends. Book the room early, and book hanbok rental and palace night openings ahead.

The blossom itself is free, and a riverside picnic costs less than a restaurant lunch. What pushes an April budget up is the room, not the day.

#Food & Dining

April is the season for ssukguk, a clear soup with young mugwort, and for jjukkumi, the small octopus that is at its fattest in spring. Spring greens fill the side dishes. Strawberry season is ending, and the first Korean melons, chamoe, appear by the end of the month.

A blossom picnic is the April meal: gimbap from a convenience store or a stall at Gwangjang Market, and a mat on the grass by the river.

#Nightlife

The riverside parks fill in the evenings, and a picnic with beer by the Han after dark is the most April thing to do in Seoul.

Yeouido's blossom festival and the lit trees at Seokchon Lake draw evening crowds. Afterwards, the bars of Songnidan-gil, near Seokchon Lake, and Seongsu are close.

#Shopping

Spring collections are in the shops, and the pop-up stores for which Seongsu is known change frequently. Outdoor gear shops near the mountains are busy as the hiking season starts. Hanbok rental shops around Gyeongbokgung are fully booked on blossom weekends, so reserve ahead.

#Culture & Etiquette

On blossom weekends, the famous spots are shared by thousands of people photographing each other. Keep moving on the narrow paths, and do not climb trees or pull branches down for a picture; the park wardens will say so.

Picnics are welcome on the riverbanks. Take your rubbish home or to the bins; the parks separate recycling.

#Essential Local Phrases

#Packing List

• A light jacket, because April mornings start cold
• Layers for days that range ten degrees
• A few KF94 masks for yellow dust days
• A light waterproof for April showers
• Comfortable shoes for long blossom walks
• A picnic mat, or buy one at a riverside convenience store
• Sunglasses and sunscreen
• A power bank for a day of photographs

#Safety & Health

Dust is April's health issue. On a high reading, anyone with asthma or heart conditions should avoid hard exercise outdoors, and a KF94 mask helps.

Crowds are the other hazard. On peak weekends, the paths on Yeouido and around Seokchon Lake become very dense, so keep children close and agree a meeting point.

#Backup Plans

A dusty or rainy April day is for indoors. The National Museum of Korea, the Leeum and the underground malls at COEX all work. So does a long lunch in Gwangjang Market, which is covered.