#SeoulSistersI have been dreaming to visit South Korea ever since I got hooked up with KDrama in 2003 and not long after, I was into Korean Pop (aka KPOP), too! Of course, I had to drag my sister with my Korean obsession. Later on, it’s not just the drama and music but the food, cosmetics and the country itself. There were many attempts to go to South Korea during my college years and unfortunately, I was not allowed by my parents. I promised myself that I will go to Korea with my sister when I’m already working. Fast forward to 2016, I surprised my sister with a trip to South Korea with me during her debut. It was our first time to go on a trip with just the two of us and we had so much fun. South Korea is such a beautiful place and once you leave it, your heart will yearn to visit again. It's very tourist friendly and even though most of the Koreans do not speak English, they are very accommodating. The city is clean and there are a lot of places that you can go to. I know travelling on a budget is very challenging but it's possible. I always travel on a budget but it doesn't stop me from having fun and exploring corner by corner. From our experience, I made a list of travel "tipid tips" for those who would want to visit South Korea. AirfareCebu Pacific and Air Asia offer the cheapest airfare to Incheon; you just have to patiently wait for promo fares. I have read a lot of travel blogs about South Korea and they all suggested to visit during the Autumn season. Luckily, it was a perfect time for us since my sister is still a student and I’m working so the long holiday (Oct 29 – Nov 3) worked for the both of us. I booked our MNL – ICN flight on January 2016 with Cebu Pacific promo fare, I paid PHP 5,178 for two with 20 kilos baggage allowance. It took me some time to find another promo fare for the ICN – MNL fare since it’s a peak season due to the long holiday. I found a promo fare in Air Asia for ICN – MNL flight on August 2016, I paid KRW 271,000 or around PHP 11,471 with 25 kilos baggage. Over all, I spent PHP 16,649 for the two of us with just PHP 8,325 round-trip ticket each. For me, it’s already a good deal though my friends said that you can find tickets even lower than that. AutumnI know that autumn has the perfect weather (or so they say until global warming. Hahaha!) Weeks before we leave for SK, I constantly check the weather forecast online and it says 16-19c so my sister and I were pretty confident to bring casual autumn look – knitted top, shorts, sweaters, stockings and scarves. We arrived late night and we were welcomed by a really really cold weather; we thought “Oh, the temp drops at night so it’s just normal” but when we woke up the weather is still the same. The usual day temperature is 2 – 5c and at night it’s usually -1 – 0 c. It was soooo cold!!! They say this temperature is already for the winter season. Good thing we had enough clothes to do layering and bundle up with our scarves and gloves. AccommodationIf you’re travelling on a budget instead of hotels, Korea has a lot of budget hostels and Airbnb to choose from. Make sure that the place you would like to stay in has a nearby train or bus station. You can find as much as PHP 1,500 per night for private rooms and even less for dorm type rooms. My sister and I stayed in Itaewon area, it is said to be the “global village” since there a lot of foreigners and expats in the area and it is also known for its night life. We love the area since the train station is just a 5-min walk and there are a lot of restaurants and convenience stores in the area. PS. The outlets in Korea have two round holes, make sure you have an adapter or you can borrow from your hostel. MoneyThe currency in South Korea is won (KRW). I suggest that you bring dollars instead of peso because the US dollar has a higher value in exchange for Won. I bought peso while my sister had dollars, we basically had the same money value but she got a better deal and a higher won. Going AroundI’ve always love efficient and convenient train system of other countries and for me, South Korea has the best train system in Asia. You can literally visit the whole of Seoul, Incheon and nearby cities by just using train.
You have to download the SUBWAY KOREA app. It is very very useful! Also, buythe T-MONEY which you can use for bus, trains and convenient stores. You have to pay for the card at around KRW 2,500-4,000 (depends on the design) and you can reload it at convenient stores and train stations. Around KRW 20,000 – 30,000 load would be enough for 5 days. You can also refund the remaining amount in the T-MONEY before your leave. FoodHere is the ultimate Korean food list that you have to try:
KOREAN FOOD TENTS
ItineraryMy sister and I leave around 9 am and go back around 10 pm. We basically go home to sleep and take a bath (hahaha) why spend time in bed when you can explore the beauty of Seoul. We were supposed to go to Busan for an overnight trip but few weeks before we left, there was a tsunami in Busan so we decided to just stay in Seoul. Here is our itinerary during our stay in Seoul: Our second day was a cultural day, we decided to go to tourist-y palaces. It took us back to Joseon Dynasty and we felt like we were in a historical Kdrama. What I love about the palaces are the details, the hand painted walls and ceilings. You'll really appreciate the old Seoul. Our day 2 ended at Myeongdong, which is literally a cosmetics shopping street! There are a lot of stores to choose from but my sister and I shopped at Innisfree, a cosmetic brand that uses Jeju minerals on their products. Also, they already offer tax refund upon payment with minimum purchase of KRW 30,000 and you can even get bigger discount if you use your credit card. There are a lot of 1+1 items so you make sure you check everything! The stores also give freebies upon purchase from the store - from face masks, serums and creams. In the middle of the street, there are also vendors that vary from street food, bags, hats and even Korean clothes! After spending so much money with cosmetics and skin care (HUHUHU), we went to the cat cafe. My sister loves cats and of course, we would not leave Seoul without going to a cat cafe. We enjoyed trying to talk to the cats who were ignoring us the whole time! Hahaha. After that, we went back to Itaewon which was bustling because of the early Halloween parties. My sister and I allotted one day for "KPOP Day". We went to Gangnam District that houses three entertainment companies - JYP, FNC and SM. When we got out of the train station, there were only few people walking and obviously, we looked out-of-place in the area; people were dressed impeccably. I realized how shopaholic Koreans are because of the designer shops and not just stores but buildings! We had our picture taken in front of the buildings but sadly, we didn't get to see any KPop artist :( YG Building is on a different location, it's a bit far but really worth it! I can't believe that I was in front of it! There were also Japanese fans who were waiting outside the building. Our next stop was Hongdae! It's one of my favorite places in Seoul. I love the vibe of the area - young and lively. You'll enjoy shopping here for trendy Korean clothes - very cheap but good quality. Lastly, of course I wouldn't leave South Korea without going to the famous Han River to watch the rainbow fountain show at Banpo Bridge. Nami Island is on our top places to go in SKorea. There won't be any Korean tourist feels if you did not go in Nami Island. Namiseom Island is beautiful!! The color of the whole island was gold, red and yellow because of Autumn. It was so refreshing to take a break from the city. It is also famous for the KDrama - Winter Sonata (I didn't watch the drama. Haha) You need to have your picture taken at the famous spot where the trees lined up so perfectly! After that, we had dinner at Viva Pollo, restaurant owned by EXO Chanyeol's mother. They serve Italian food and it's yummy! and oh, every corner of the restaurant is covered with Chanyeol - fan letters, artworks and just about anything that you could think of. Haha! The reason why we went here was to deliver a letter from my friend, Guila, who looooves Chanyeol. My sister said, "I have never seen so many Chanyeol in my life." HAHAHA! After that, we went in Dongdaemun area, we strolled around the Design Plaza and Cheonggyecheon Stream (KDrama feels!) and saw the Dongdaemun Gate. For our last whole day in Seoul, we spent the morning at N Seoul Tower / Namsan Tower! It is the highest point in Seoul; also famous for the love locks. We rode the cable car going up, hoping to catch a glimpse of the "Gu Jun-Pyo <3 Jan-di" in the cable car. Hahaha! Sadly, it wasn't there and I was too nervous to even go around the cable car (helloo! heights huhu). Our afternoon was spent looking for pasalubong for our loved ones, we first went to Nandeamun Market which offers wholesale for items (like Divisoria) and then, back to my favorite Hongdae. It drizzled a bit so it was sooo cold. #SEOULneverletmegoI would love to list the reasons why I love South Korea but we won't have enough time for it. Hehe. Going to Seoul was a dream come true for me and my sister, I wouldn't have it any other way. I love the the quiet walks around Seoul, taking everything in at the same time. I love people watching - Koreans are really into couple things. If you think we are cheesy, wait 'til you walk around Seoul and see couples with matching items - shoes, clothes, caps and jackets. Koreans have healthy lifestyle, they love herbal, organic food and since meat is very expensive to them, they eat a lot of veggies. Also, Koreans really dress up well, I have not seen any shabby looking person during my stay in Seoul. And their skin, oh my gosh, why don't they have pores?! Their love for coffee, tea and pastries are reflected with the number of local cafes they have. I can count in my fingers the number of international coffee shops that they have (Starbucks, CBTL, UCC, etc.) and international fast food (McDo, KFC, etc.), they really prefer local cafes and local restaurants. Over all, I realized how patriotic and nationalistic Koreans are, I admire their love for their own products and their country - they take so much pride with what they have. As much as I love South Korea, it showed me that I should love my own country even more. There are so many more places to explore in Seoul and South Korea like Busan and Daegu. I promise to come back soon and experience more of South Korea. xoxo, M
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She wonders and wandersMonica writes about her life, what she eats, what she reads and where she goes. This space is where her thoughts, experiences, memories and feelings turn into words. She's glad that she can share with you. Archives
August 2021
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