Seoul & Busan, South Korea Trip 2014 (Sneak Peek)

Going Korea for the second time wasn't really part of my plan but my mom and sis really love to go there and hence, they assigned me to become their personal tour guide. It was kinda last minute decision that I don't even have the time to do a well-preparation. Simply amended my itinerary which I did for the previous trip.

#1: So here we off to South Korea with Korean Air and the flight duration from Kota Kinabalu directly to Seoul only took 5 hours, comparing with AirAsia X from Kuala Lumpur which took 7 and half hours. 

Initially we plan to fly with Asiana Airlines or Cathay Pacific but Asiana Airlines was too expensive whereas Cathay Pacific required transit in Hong Kong for few hours. After comparing both fares between Cathay Pacific and Korean Air, we chosen Korean Air since we never flew before with them. It was a pleasant flight and we really enjoyed it. 

#2: Once we landed Incheon International Airport, we took commuter train to Seoul Station for the Korail exchange bound to Busan city, South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul.

#3: Sun & Fun at Hauendae Beach - the most popular and well-known beach in South Korea. But too bad the weather in Busan is so cold and windy.

#4: Exploring the colourful and cherry alleyways of Busan's Gamcheon Culture Village. It's also known as "Korea's Santorini". My most favourite attraction comparing the rest.

 #5: Another Busan famous attraction, Taejongdae Resort Park which located 20 minutes away from Busan Station. The thing must see here is the Yeongdo Lighthouse. 

 #6: The second gong or palace I visited in Seoul - Changdeokgung Palace. It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

 #7: When my mom and sis went to Everland Resort Park, I decided not to join and wandered around Seoul alone. I went to Ewha Womans University and oh man, it's so enchanted and beautiful making me wanna return back to uni life again.

#8: Since I missed out Itaewon during my maiden trip, so for this time around I must go.

 #9: Took bus alone to N Seoul Tower

 #10: A day before we left, we went Coex Aquarium. Again, another of my travel wishlist accomplished.

 #11: Can't believe I got to try free hanbok experience for the second time. Thanks to Kampungboycitygal's blog (one of my favourite blog when relating to travel)  for the sharing this.

#12: I'm not really fond of Korean cuisines but then these were the best meals I ever had in South Korea - jjim dalk, budae jjigae, Korean BBQ and dak-galbi. The one on the bottom right, dak-galbi seems halal cause I saw many Muslims were eating there.

We went South Korea seems to be pretty early for spring season but then we bumped into sakura (eventhough it was few) in Seoul. This is the third time I stumbled upon sakura or known as cherry blossom (after the first one in Japan last year and in Inle Lake, Myanmar early of this year)

Till then, hope to see you soon, South Korea. Wish I could go back for the third visit. Perhaps I should plan to go during middle of April next year for sakura. #daydreaming again

Guess I love East Asia countries so much (Hong Kong, Macau, China, South Korea, Japan & Taiwan) than South East Asia countries that I don't mind to do another repeating visits.

P/S: Might not able to blog my latest Seoul & Busan travelogue at this moment cause catching up to blog my outdated and overdue travelogues. However, if you have any enquiry regarding this trip of mine, you are welcome to leave me a message at dianateodt@gmail.com, or you can even check my first ever trip to South Korea (Seoul & Jeju Island) travelogue - Summary of 8 Days of Seoul & Jeju Island Travelogue. 

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8 Days of Seoul & Jeju Island, South Korea Itinerary (2011)

For this 8 days of Seoul & Jeju Island trip, it took me more than 4 months to come out with total of 4 pages of itinerary including the estimated budget for accommodation, meals, transportation and admission fee throughout the trip. My friends didn't assign me to in charge of handling and drafting the itinerary and programme but I just love the feelings of doing so. At that moment, I still remembered I was more motivated to search for all the information regarding Seoul & Jeju Island trip instead of focusing on my professional accounting papers where I did research until 3 o'clock in the morning.

This South Korea's pamphlet, tourist guide, tourist map were not from South Korea but were actually I brought all of them to South Korea with me. I prefer to read these instead of boring Lonely Planet. It's too dull for me. Most of these I took for free from Matta Fair which I went August last year (click here) and not forgetting, thanks to my close friend for pass the info above once he returned from his South Korea trip.

UPDATED:

As I found out my Seoul & Jeju Island's itinerary has been misused and transmitted without my permission, hence I am NO LONGER able to share my itinerary. Hope you guys will understand this. But anyway, most of information such as direction, admission, opening hours and more are being share here. If you still have any doubts and queries, you are welcome to email me. And because most of you don't have the time to read through all my blog, hence I had simplified all my South Korea travelogue for you guys in this post.

Here is my complete itinerary throughout the 8 days in Seoul & Jeju Island of South Korea:

Day 1 (8 September 2011)

First Footsteps In Seoul 

T-Money card - 2,500 won deposit and it's non-refundable. You can purchase at any convenience stores; such as 7-Eleven, Family Mart or any subway stations. This card is very useful especially for the travellers and foreigners to pay transportation fares on public buses and subways around Seoul and Gyeonggi area and helps to prevent from all the long queue and hassle.

Accommodation in Seoul: Namsan Guest House 

Out from the airport, heading to the gate 5B to wait for the airport limousine bus to arrive. The bus number we're taking is 6015 and we'll get off at the last station, Sejong. Namsan Guest House is divided into 3 different guest houses -1,2 and 3 and we prefer to stay in Namsan 2 and 3. This guesthouse is highly recommended especially for its excellent and great location.

Day 2 (9 September 2011) 

MyeongDong, Seoul's Shopping Haven

How to get to Myeong-Dong: Subway line 4, Myeong-Dong Station, Exit 8

Dongdaemun, 24 Hours Shopping of Seoul 

How to get to Dongdaemun: Subway Line 1 or 4, Dongdaemun Station 

Namdaemun, My Favourite Souvenirs Market

How to get to Naedaemun: Hoehyeon Station, Subway Line 4 – Exit 5, 6 or 7 (You can get off either one of these exit to the market)

Cheonggyecheon Stream

How to get to Cheonggyecheon Stream: It is just located at the center of Dongdaemun area, therefore take subway Line 1 or 4 to Dongdaemun Station and exit 1. 

Day 3 (10 September 2011)

How To Get To Everland Resort?

Overview of Everland Resort & 5 Different Theme Areas


Gangnam Station, The Stopby Station


Day 4 (11 September 2011)

Nami Island, The Winter Sonata Island

How To Get To Nami Island (By Subway & Cabs)
Start from Myeongdong Station, Subway Line 4 and we have to interchange the following stations:

1. Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station, Subway Line 4
2. Gunja Station, Subway Line 5
3. Sangbong Station, Subway Line 7
4. Gapyeong Station, Subway Line Gyeongchun.
5. Upon arrive at Gapyeong Station, can opt either to take bus or taxi. But the local recommended taxi cause it cost less than 3,000 won for a trip. You can walk if you want but I warn you, it is so far away.

The admission fee for Nami Island is 8,000 won which included 5,000 won for entrance fee and 3,000 won for round trip ferry. 

MyeongDong After Dark


Day 5 (12 September 2011)

Gyeongbokgung Palace

How to get to Gyeongbokgung Palace: Gyeongbokgung Station, Subway Line 3 - Exit 5

Admission Fee: 3,000 won per person but because the time we visited here, it was Thanksgiving day in South Korea and it's free admission. This is where my friends and I got to experience wearing hanbok for free.

 
Insadong Street

How to get to Insadong Street:  
1. Anguk Station, Subway Line 3 - Exit 6; or
2. Jonggak Station, Subway Line 1 - Exit 3; or  
3. Jongno 3 (sam)-ga Station, Subway Line 1,3 or 5 - Exit 1

Lotte World

How To Get To The Lotte World: Jamsil Station on Line 2 or 8 - Exit 3

Day 6 (13 September 2011)

Arrived Jeju Island

All flights to Jeju Island depart from Gimpo International Airport. Because our flight was in early morning and the train and subway hadn't operated yet, we had to take the shuttle service from our guest house that costs 30,000 won for a trip and it can fits up to 4 pax and the journey took less than half an hour.

List of Airlines To Jeju Island From Seoul 

We flew with Air Busan and Eastar Jet for our trip to Jeju Island. If you want to know more information about airlines to Jeju Island from Seoul, you can check out here. 

Accommodation in Jeju: Jeju Hiking Inn 

How To Get To Jeju Hiking Inn: Take limousine bus from Jeju International Airport (Line 600) and get off at Seogwipo Bus Stop which located opposite of Sunbeach Hotel. Walk ahead in the direction of Cheonjiyeon Falls and it's on the right hand-side. The journey from airport by bus took 1 hour and 10 minutes and the fare is 5,000 won. Not recommended to stay in this inn.

Cheonjiyeon Falls, The God's Pond

Situated just 10-15 minutes away from our lodging in Jeju Island. The admission fee for Cheonjiyeon Falls is 2,000 won for adult and 1,000 won for children. If for group of 10 or more, you might get discount.

Teddy Bear Museum

Admission fee for adult is 7,000 won whereas for children, senior and disabled person is 5,000 won per person. We took taxi ride that cost us more than 10,000 won (approx. RM30) from our lodging cause there's no any sign of the bus coming.

Day 7 (14 September 2011)

We hired a local driver around Jeju Island which he charged us for 120,000 won for 9 hours drive. We also need to pay for his lunch as well.

Seopjikoji & Seongsan Ilchulbong

The admission fee for Seongsan Ilchulbong is 2,000 won for the adult where as for children and youth is 1,000 won.

Seongeup Folk Village & Yongduam


Jeju Love Land

The admission fee for Jeju Love Land is 9,000 won and this park is strictly for adult from 18 years old and above to enter.

Day 8 (15 September 2011)
- Last Day In South Korea & See You Someday

Extra Features

• 2011 Seoul & Jeju Island, South Korea (Sneak Peek)
• It's My Haul From South Korea 
• Travel Expenses

UPDATED:
If you plan to hire a local tour guide/driver in Jeju Island, here is the detail and contact: 

Mr Won - Email: maarooii@yahoo.co.kr

He charged 120,000 won for 9 hours drive and this included petrol and parking fee. 

Before I completely ended my South Korea posts, hereby I would like to thanks to Tommy Ooi (a luxe traveller which I met online) for the advise given and he even willing to share his whole South Korea's itinerary with me and Siti Nurbaya for helping me and answering all my doubts and enquiries towards my South Korea trip. Thanks so much to both of you. Not forgetting to Biqque for your informative South Korea posts which I did referred to when preparing the above itinerary. So, that's conclude the end of my South Korea travelogue. An-nyoung-hee-ga-seyo!!!

NOTE: I have tons of travelogue in pending status - Singapore, Jakarta & Bandung, Phuket, Brunei, Philippines, Ho Chi Minh, Bali, Hong Kong & Macau and the latest one Melbourne, Australia. Deng!

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Last Day in South Korea & See You Someday!

Finally, my South Korea travelogue comes to its end. I guess everyone has the same feelings as mine when the vacation comes to the end, it's hard to accept that cause we have to go back to the reality. Until now, while blogging about this South Korea travelogue, I am freaking miss South Korean so much and plan to re-visit there again. But wondering when will I have this chance? Waiting for the cheap airfare if possible!

Well, on the final day in South Korea, we had to take flight back to Seoul from Jeju Island in order to catch our flight back to Malaysia at night.

Yummy breakfast that I bought from Family Mart - Corn Mayo Sandwich and Starbucks Chocolate Mocha. 

We took the earliest flight at 8.45am so that we could spend few hours in Seoul for our last minute shopping and also to have final gathering with our Korean friend, Kyung Hee before bidding goodbye to South Korea.

For the flight back to Seoul from Jeju Island, I had booked Eastar Jet that cost 40,100 won per person (approx. RM115). Wanna book air ticket return ticket from Jeju Island to Seoul by yourself, you can do so and here is my sharing on the list of airlines flying in and out between Seoul and Jeju Island (click here).

With RM115, I got to get my favourite seat - the window seat and we were given a refreshment drink for an hour flight. Eastar Jet's cabin is so colourful with the blue sky poster on the top which looks so real.

Once we reached upon Gimpo International Airport, we planned to go N Seoul Tower for final visit but unfortunately when we arrived there, we found a bit confusing regarding the direction to there. Therefore, we changed our destination to Insadong Street cause two of my friend guys would like to buy handbags for their mother and sisters. Oh! Don't you think both of them so lovely?

I missed out this Ssamziegel building during my maiden visit which tucked in the middle of Insadong Street. Ssamziegel is a four-storey complex clustered with boutiques, art shops and restaurants. At here, I noticed that almost the whole building is filled with unique sculptures, murals and creative arts.

Our final pitstop will be non other than MyeongDong to have our final shopping. The other reason we went back were also to take our huge and heavy luggage bags which we left inside the guest house that we stayed previously in Seoul - Namsan Guest House.

After bought lots of accessories which are so dirt cheap, killed my time by having sweet time with ice-cream in Cold Stone Creamery while the rest of my friends keep shopping and shopping for the remaining few hours left.

Before officially saying goodbye to South Korea, we met up with Kyung Hee and she brought us to this local restaurant that serve this awesomely delicious Budae Jjigae. It is a thick soup that mixed with modern ingredients such as instant ramen noodles, sliced sausages, canned ham, spam, sliced of American cheese, garlic, onion, kimchi together with traditional spicy soup flavoured with red chilli paste.

It my first time having this and for your information, I'm not really into Korean foods but this one is really taste good! It's ramen and it's spicy. It also mixed with most of my favourite ingredients. That's why I love this meal so much but I spotted this meal in KK lately, it is so damn expensive. Kyung Hee brought us to two local restaurants and all the foods she introduced are simply delicious. The first meal she introduced was Seoung Kee was taste so good too - click here for more.

The ladies!

4 years ago, we met Kyung Hee (middle one) for first time during our Europe trip and travelled around Europe together for 20 days and 3 years later, we met in South Korea. Recently, I received a good news from my friend told me that Kyung Hee is pregnant. Might going to South Korea again to visit her and also to see her baby soon.

After spending 8 days in South Korea, my friends and I didn't feel wanna go back home but like I said before, we have to face the reality. Goodbye South Korea and I pray hardly that I will see you soon! One thing that I proud of myself was I brought only 1 luggage bag to South Korea, and also only 1 luggage bag back to Malaysia. Wanna see my travel haul from there? Stay tune for the upcoming post.

So, that's the end of my travel adventures and experiences across Seoul and Jeju Island for 8 days together with my perfect travelmates. I really having a great time with them. Hopefully we could travel together again next year, my friend!

NOTE: Another scheduled post I prepared earlier cause I on vacation for a week.

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Airlines To Jeju Island From Seoul

If you like to go Jeju Island by your own just like what my friends and I did, you can do so by taking domestic flights from Seoul to Jeju Island. There are other alternatives way by either taking train or ferry but mostly not recommended for doing so. You will be surprised that taking round-trip flight would be much more cheaper than taking train or ferry.

Basically, there is vast majority of domestic flights from Seoul to Jeju Island which you can choose from but you may encounter problem in some of the online booking especially in language barrier and some only accept Korean Credit Card for online payment. Therefore, it will be an advantages for those who know Korean language or have any Korean friends. But afraid not, cause even myself managed to get through all these hassle and booked myself without knowing any Korean language or getting help from my Korean friends.

Jeju Island - you must go at least once.

Here is the list of airlines flying out from Seoul city to Jeju Island:

1. Korean Air - http://www.koreanair.com/

There are like more than 20 flights fly in and out from Seoul city to Jeju Island everyday and you might able find your own preferred and suitable departure time. Website is available in English language too. However, the airfare is quite pricey and not suitable for those who are on shoe-string budget. 

2. Asiana Airlines - http://flyasiana.com/gateway/gateway_en.html

Website is available in English language. However, just like Korean Air, the airfare also could be pricey. Mainly because both of them are considering the largest airlines in South Korea and comes with all frills.

Like I did mentioned above, you still can travel to Jeju Island with a cheap and affordable thrill by considering the smaller and low-cost airlines. Just like AirAsia, although these airlines listed below come with no frills but sometimes they offer an absolute great deals where you might manage to purchase return ticket for less than RM200 (including taxes), especially if you search for a few months in advanced and have a sufficient research.

3. Jeju Air - http://www.jejuair.net/

Offers a very cheap airfare but no English language available on the website.

4. T'Way Air - http://www.twayair.com/

Just like Jeju Air too, you might need someone who know Korean language to assist you in booking the ticket.

5. Jin Air - http://www.jinair.com/

This subsidiary of Korean Air also doesn't comes with English language in its official website too.

6. Eastar Jet - http://www.eastarjet.com/book/index.htm

Thanks to Tommy Ooi (a luxe traveller I met through online) for recommended this airline to me and yes, I managed to buy my flight for approximately RM100 per pax. Got no problem with the online booking as English language is available and it accepts international credit card too. If you book in advanced, you might get as low as 19,900 won (approx. RM60).

7. Air Busan -http://en.airbusan.com/
A subsidiary of Asiana Airlines, you may try to book air ticket to Jeju Island from this airline as well. Just like Eastar Jet, no worries of the language barrier and also the credit card payment. You can also choose your own preferred seat for free. Depart either from Seoul - Gimpo International Airport or Busan - Gimhae International Airport.

Tips:

1. Before booking online, some of the above airlines require to register as a member first. 
2. Flight to Jeju Island from Seoul city is depart from Gimpo International Airport, not Incheon International Airport. So, remember to inform your taxi driver which airport are you heading to if you want to fly to Jeju Island.

See, it is actually so easy to plan a trip to a country eventhough our language is different from them and it's definitely not a big deal as long as you got the heart and soul and also not forgetting to spend a lil bit of your time to plan a trip. Seriously, I managed to book a return ticket for my friends and I from Seoul to Jeju Island without any help from travel agent or even from my Korean friend.

So, my upcoming post will share about "Island of the Gods", the Jeju Island since I almost done with my trip around Seoul city. Hope this post is helpful for those who want to plan a trip to Jeju Island from Seoul.

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