During my stay in South Korea, I mentally jotted down some tips I wanted to share with you. Whether you're going to travel to S. Korea soon, or just planning to visit in the future, I hope these tips will help you:
1. There's wifi everywhere in Korea -- even in the subway, so you never have to worry about contacting family and friends while you're there and not being able to post photos on Facebook and Twitter in real time (if you're that kind of person). Sometimes, though, they would ask you to register with your passport number first before you can connect to the wifi service (like at Starbucks).
Just a personal tip: When travelling, try not to focus on posting millions of photos and sharing every detail of the trip. There's time for that after your tour. Instead, try to focus on your new experiences. That's the only way you can truly immerse yourself into the new world you're seeing. And also, please leave some mystery and novelty for other interested travellers. Hihi. ;)
2. From my first tip, you can say that Koreans are very "techie". Seriously, S. Korea is 20 years ahead of all of us! When you get on the train, you'll notice that every single one of them has a Samsung Galaxy Note or an iPhone or some other touch screen device -- even the ahjummas and the ahjussis (aunts and uncles), the elderlies, and not to mention, the kids!
3. South Korea has so many train lines. It comes in all sorts of colours: yellow line, green, purple, orange, etc. It's the most convenient mode of transportation and it's not as expensive as taking cabs (although cab rides are not that expensive either). You can even get to Busan from Seoul via train, I heard. It's kinda confusing at first, but for as long as you have the route map and you are comfortable asking questions, you'll get by. Never be afraid to ask.
Note: Almost everyone in Seoul can speak English. Even though some can't speak fluently, a handful of them speaks average to very good English.
Note: Almost everyone in Seoul can speak English. Even though some can't speak fluently, a handful of them speaks average to very good English.
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| Seoul Metro Map from johomap.com |
Trains come and go every 15-30 minutes. Try avoiding rush hours if you can. (I know you know what I mean.)
4. If you're not rushing to get to somewhere, one thing I've learned is that, it's common for Koreans to queue in two lines on escalators at subway stations. You stay on the right side if you're not in a rush and just wait for the escalator to take you upstairs or downstairs (whichever way you're going). The left lane is the "passing lane". It's for people who want to get ahead and want to catch the train because they're running late for school or work. It's common courtesy to give way to those who desperately need to get ahead.
5. It's advisable to buy a transport pass if you decide to take the trains. It'll save you more time. It's like the Presto card in Canada, which you tap on and off upon entering the station or boarding the bus. Put in 10,000 won (CAD10/ Php400) right away and it will take you to many places.
6. Instead of checking in at a hotel, you can check in at guesthouses for a fraction of the price. I was originally planning to stay in the Lazybird Guesthouse. It's 15 minutes away from Incheon International Airport and they have their own shuttle service, so you don't have to worry how you'll get there. Actually, I was already booked, but cancelled my booking because my friend said she could accommodate me instead. For three days, I was only charged CAD 110 (around Php 4,500) in my credit card. Very affordable. That's the biggest room pa for single person accommodation. If you're travelling with a group, it's cheaper. There is no issue cancelling. They will give you a full refund for as long as you cancel ahead of time. I've read so many good reviews about Lazybird. The couple who own the place are very nice and accommodating according to the reviews. They're very popular, so do check them out.
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| Source: www.lazybirdguesthouse.com |
7. Aside from guesthouses, I've learned that saunas and hot springs also offer cheap accommodations to tourists and students. Yes, you read that right. Since space is a problem in Seoul, students often have a hard time finding a dorm or a room. So what they do is they stay in sauna houses. Their saunas are very clean. They have sleeping areas (separate ones for men and women, of course), and you can put all your stuff in a locker. Taking a bath is not a problem because, well, there are showers and jacuzzis everywhere. Some places also do have a salon and a spa inside. One night is around 14-15k won. Just try not to choose a room with a summer-like room temperature like I did because you'll wake up dehydrated (like tuyong kalamyas). ;P
8. If you love shopping and you have the body figure of a Korean, S. Korea is the place to go. Pack light. It's something I didn't have the luxury of doing during my travel (because I would be heading straight to the Philippines afterwards). I bought one pair of jeans (which by the way fit me perfectly like gloves) and sweaters, a few accessories, loose powder from Etude House (a very famous Korean make-up store), and some goodies for family and friends--and that's it. There's so much more one can buy in Korea, so learn from me and pack light! Haha! I don't know if you'll be, but I was surprised to see that everything is made in Korea, and not in China, which is a breather actually.
9. When it comes to places to dine, not because the restaurant looks posh, the food tastes good. I tried eating at a restaurant in a big mall with my cousin, and the food doesn't taste authentic. I only say that because I've had home-cooked food for days before we went out to eat. If you want to try authentic food, check out the small restaurants. There are so many of them. You can also try their street food! They have a wide selection of street food, and I tell you, try two to three of them and you can call it a meal. If you want to drink, you can order Soju as well -- just like how we see it on dramas!
P.S. A lot of appetizers, which are mostly vegetables, will come with your meal. Koreans are health nuts! They love everything natural and organic. Be polite enough to at least try them when served, even if you're a picky eater like me. Koreans appreciate people who eat a lot of vegetables -- or who can at least try, in my case. ;)
10. Dress comfortably. Not because Korea is fashion haven, you can go ahead and wear your most fashionable outfit with sky-high heels to match. I know, I hear yah. It's very tempting, but, trust me, it's a battle you'll never win. Haha! First of all, being effortlessly stylish is inborn to Koreans (so sila, sanay na). Secondly, I don't think you'll appreciate wearing your fashionable outfit and sky-high heels that much after running up and down the stairs to make it to your train gazillion times and then walking back and forth on different streets to look for a nice, local art gallery. I wore my ever-trusty Nike sneakers and still ended up with Salonpas plastered all over my right leg on my way to the Philippines (can you imagine?) If you still want to do it, don't tell me I didn't warn you.
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