Seoul and ?
 

we are planning on visiting our son in Seoul and have a 10 day period. We would like to spend 3 days in Seoul (he only has the weekend off work) and then visit another city in or outside of Korea. We are seeking suggestions on a companion city that makes sense logistically. This is our first trip to Asia so I don't really have a handle on what is a good match. Thanks for any help.

why not go to japan? you can take a ferry/boat, or fly. if you have ua miles, its 10k one way to narita.

I visited a relative based in Seoul a few years ago and combined it with Beijing and Shanghai..both are short flights from Seoul. (I took the train between the two)

Both of these Chinese cities are very easy to get around on your own. Of the two, Beijing would probably have more appeal for a first-time visitor, since there are more traditional "sights."

http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...g-shanghai.cfm

If you want to stay in Korea, you could try Gyeongju - see http://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com/...oric-gyeongju/ - or perhaps Jejudo, the island off the south coast. Otherwise I'd also suggest Taiwan.

Stay in Korea or jump on a plane to Komatsu, Japan and visit Kanazawa and the surrounding area.

Or jump obn a plane to Toyama, Japan and visit Kanazawa!

Korea Tourism offers free bus rides to some tourist cities outside of Seoul--Gyeongju (ancient capital), Busan (port city), Seoraksan (national park), and other sites. Google their website and sign up with your passport info.

We took a free bus ride to Gyeongju last year, and it was good. Not too many people knew about this free service, and our big comfortable tourist bus was pretty much empty.

I think for first timers to Asia, Korea is a great introduction. It's easy to get around, clean (you can eat raw veggies in restaurants) and very cheap, compared to Japan or even China now! Admission to national parks and historical monuments only cost around $3 vs $15 to $45 in China.

Accomodations are clean and inexpensive. We did a templestay in Heinsa, a Unesco world heritage site, for only $30 per person including 3 temple meals--very delicious and healthy. The dorm room was spacious and clean and new, and we had it all to ourselves. It was magical to stay in the evening when the temple nestles in the mountain was empty of tourists and you hear the sound of temple gong and drums mixed with monks' chantings reverberating in the enclosing mountain. It was a highlight of our trip!