On both of my visits to South Korea, one of the highlights was spending a night in a traditional Korean bathhouse. Known as jimjilbang (찜질방), these are extremely popular with people of all ages and they represent an important aspect of Korean culture. Unlike spas back home in the States where you’re totally secluded, a visit to a jimjilbang is very much a social experience. Friends, colleagues, couples, and families all flock to them to escape the stress of daily life and the hustle and bustle of the big city. No matter what day of the week, you’re sure to find people in the jimjilbang kicking back and enjoying a bit of R&R.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E0qo_lM8Uo

Watch some goofy foreigners be awkward during their first jimjilbang visit.

Inside these massive complexes, you’ll find a variety of hot tubs, saunas, and spa treatments. There are both co-ed and gender separated areas which are clearly marked, so you don’t have a good excuse if you “accidentally” end up in the ladies room, dudes . When you’re using the tubs, showers, and saunas in the locker rooms the dress code is simple – your birthday suit is all you need. If bathing in the buff next to a few complete strangers weirds you out a bit, simply change into the pajamas provided to you at check-in and head to the communal area. In addition to various hot and cold rooms, you’ll also find restaurants, bars, TV and karaoke rooms, and sometimes a swimming pool. Don’t worry about carrying around a soggy pile of cash, either – use the electronic wristband when you buy something and pay at check-out.

Since you’re visiting a Korean bathhouse, you might as well do as the locals do. Start out your visit by eating a baked egg (구운계란). Wash it all down with a glass of sikhye (식혜), a traditional sweet rice drink. You can also try your hand at forming the “sheep’s head” (양머리) – an interesting way to wear your towel.

Learn how to make your towel into a “sheep’s head.”

Not only are they great for relaxing, but they also help you save money on accommodation. Most jimjilbang are always open and grant you a 12-hour stay. Showing up in the evening ensures that you don’t need to drop any extra won on a hotel room, so long as you’re alright with the shared sleeping surface. If you’re a light sleeper like me, be sure to pack some ear plugs – there’s a lot of snoring going on in the guys’ room.

On both of my visits to Seoul, I spent a night in the Dragon Hill Spa to relax and save cash on a hotel. Entrance is only 10,000 won during the day and goes up to 12,000 at night. Whenever you go, that’s only about $10 for half a day. You can go for a swim, hang out in the communal rooms, grab a bite to eat and a beer, and then head into the locker room for some serious relaxation. I also tried a body scrub, which I’ll admit was a bit weird for my first time. Something about a grown Korean man scrubbing my naked body from head to toe was a little odd, but hey, when in Rome, right? All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed both of my visits to the jimjilbang and would highly recommend trying it out if you travel to Korea. If you’re American, you could always just head to LA’s Koreatown like Conan O’Brien once did.

Conan has quite the interesting trip…