Seoul Impromptu Trip: Day 3

DAY 3...

As tired as we were the night before, we still managed to get up early and head on to our next stops. Although we started our 3rd day with packing our luggages as much as we can before going out, we were out the door by 7 am. As usual, as we exit the building going towards the subway station, the cold weather greeted us. It was the coldest walk I have ever have to endure in my life. 3 layer of clothes with a winter jacket on me didn't stand a chance! Caution: Winter mornings in Seoul were definitely colder than at night!

FIRST STOP

Our first stop - Namsan Tower. We ate our first real breakfast at Mcdonalds Chungmuro. Yum! I looove Mcdo breakfasts ❤️ Somehow the coffee, even at this famous fast food chain, was amazingly good and have that Seoul coffee aroma to it. Seoul, definitely, has the best coffee I've ever tasted.

We weren't able to take the cable car, as it doesn't agree with our budget. But if you have to spend extra, it is one of the most recommended way to go up Namsan Tower.

It was easy to go to tower by bus, we used our transpo card to go there. The downside of it though was the hike from the tower bus stop to the Namsan Tower and Park. At around 10º C it was a chilly hike! Visit the love locks and the artsy benches around, you would most definitely want to take photo ops here. Also, we were fortunate enough to go there in time for the show: Changing of Guards. (it was quite a show fore me =D)

NEXT STOP - NOT!

Myeongdong was not our target for our next stop, but the stores and the items on sale bewitched us, so shopping it is! For my buddy, it was make-up haven and according to her they were indeed on sale. Prices, as compared to ours here in Manila, were on a great bargain! And it doesn't stop there, street food were everywhere, and every cart was a must-try.

Our supposed next stop was Gyeongbokgung Palace. After hours of shopping in Myeongdong, we left for the main palace. You would know the subway stop because it is themed like that of the palace wall. This is the classiest subway station in my opinion.

had to take this picture

 

Prepare yourself for a long walk for this tour. During our tour last February 2015, we were lucky to find student tour guides for free, who would go with tourist for the palace tour. The students toured us around after the "Changing of Guards" and it was helpful to have your own "personal" tour guide. We really appreciate all the historical facts they've shared. We thought, if it wasn't for those two, we would have toured it blankly. The massive palace grounds were definitely not a walk-in-the-park, and they made it worth our while!

After the palace tour, we were off to Bukchon Hanok Village. Luckily, the students went with us to the station and informed us that the village closes at 5 pm. We left the palace at around 4 pm and the walk from Anguk Station to the village would normally be 10-15 mins, so we decided to just go back to Gangnam for some last minute shopping and then again to Myeongdong for items we were not able to buy earlier and for our "most awaited" massage. A full-body massage in Seoul is expensive, at KRW 18,000 to 20,000 (roughly Php 800), but we were willing to spend extra for this. At the end, they have this hands-free leg massager that felt amazingly good. I'm one of those who feel uncomfortable being touched by another person and often gets bruises from a massage or spa, so with this equipment it was surprisingly comfortable and nice.

Leg Massager

...DAY 4

This was our last stop for our 3rd day in Seoul. Our flight was at lunch time so 4th day was just for the airport and our way back. We left our apartment around 7 am to get to the airport at 9 am and had our brunch there before going to the gates. I would recommend to take the afternoon flight for those who can skip office or class the next day. This way you can go take a tour around the city in the morning or have a chance for a last minute "pasalubong" shopping, coz most stores open around 9 or 10 am.

 Cute did with us at the check-in counters

It was a delight to have traveled extemporaneously. Seoul is amazing! And having a travel buddy with the same adventurous spirit definitely made this trip memorable. I sure hope it's not our last ;D

If you missed any detail for this trip just follow the link below. Enjoy your future trips!

Back To >> Seoul Impromptu Trip: Day 2

 

Thank you for reading!

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If you have any queries or suggestions, feel free to leave a comment or email me at thewanderlustkitty@gmail.com

Seoul Impromptu Trip: Day 2

DAY 2

Our second day was a breeze, the tour started early. Our options were Everland, Lotte World or Nami Island, we decided to go to Everland instead. It was easier. We would only need to go to Gangnam Station, find the bus stop for Red Bus 5002, the express bus to Everland. It was cheaper as well, the bus fare was only KRW 2,100 or Php 84.00 per person per way and we used our transportation card for the subway. Travel time was approximately an hour from Gangnam Bus stop. Here's a more detailed guide on  how to go to Everland.

 Gangnam Bus Stop to Everland

Across the Bus Stop

 Snacks for the long bus ride

Upon arriving at Everland Compound, there's a shuttle that will bring everyone to the theme park gate (Tip: you may bring in water and snack inside). We were able to buy drinks at a nearby convenience store before heading to the shuttle.

 

Everland Gate

Tourists were offered discounted entrance tickets at their counters. We just presented our passport to avail of the discount. Score! (Tip: discount coupons and holiday promotions are found on their website for additional discount) Their updated rates and promotions are found here.

Seoul Impromptu Trip: Day 1

4 DAYS / 3 NIGHTS IN SEOUL

Last February, my friend and I had an impromptu trip. I was ecstatic! We chose Seoul, South Korea. Take note, this was not planned, no promo ticket nor travel fair packages, but we only spent Php 20,000 each. Okay, so that's not as cheap as others would have spent, but it's fairly doable.

Well, first thing's first, apply for a visa. You'll find my free and easy guide on how to apply for a tourist visa here. After claiming our visa from the embassy, we booked ourselves two tickets to South Korea.

OUR “PLAN”

Touring Seoul and a theme park was our target and we were very excited to experience snow for the first time. Unfortunately, the snow ended 3 days prior our arrival (aww shux!). It was just ironic being there on winter time and it wasn't snowing (Tip: It snows until 2^nd week of Feb, if you're lucky until the 3^rd week). In the end, our supposed snow adventure ended up a shopping tour, which was a win-win for us! Yay!

Free Tourist Visa to Korea

This was my first visa application, and supposedly my first entry here. But oh well, I still think it would help open up doors for aspiring travelers and k-pop fans alike. Please read on for a more detailed procedure.

FREE VISA TO KOREA*

I love to travel but so far I've only traveled to countries without the need to get a visa or pay for one. For one thing, because it's visa free, secondly, I don't want that dreaded feeling of applying for a visa and get myself rejected in the process. It may sound a bit cliched but getting rejected hurts, emotionally and financially. So when my friend invited me to visit Seoul, I panicked! All I can think of is --- this trip would require us to apply for a tourist visa. I said NO, but to my surprise she told me it's FREE! Yes, you read that right. If you are a Filipino National and wants to travel for a holiday in South Korea for less than 2 months, the visa application is free of charge.

*for single entry & less than 59-day stay

HOW?