bathhouse · 3 hours to overnight

Jjimjilbang Day

Korea’s 24-hour bathhouse-and-sauna complexes: gender-separated bathing floors plus shared uniform-clad lounge floors with themed sauna rooms, snack halls, and sleeping areas. Entry costs less than lunch.

What it costs

Seoul $8–17 entry (12–24 hours); scrubs and massages extra
Korean spas in the US $40–70 entry

What to expect

Shoes into one locker, clothes into another; you bathe nude on your gender’s floor, then wear the provided uniform on the common floors. Rotate through kiln saunas (salt, charcoal, ice rooms), rest on heated floors, eat sikhye and baked eggs, repeat. Overnighting is normal and costs a fraction of a hotel.

Etiquette & modesty

Wash thoroughly before pools. Nudity in bathing areas is required, uniforms elsewhere. The sheep-ear towel fold is optional but charming. Quiet in rest zones. Tattoo tolerance is broader than Japan but check large-piece policies at traditional venues.

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