I just came back from a maiden 6D5N budget Seoul trip.
It has been an eye-opener and awesome experience.
As shared in earlier blog post, this was a last minute impromptu trip booked merely 3 weeks in advance with minimal planning.
Here is an overview of the itinerary.
Day 1: Dongdaemun (hotel neighbourhood) - Dongmyo flea market, Dongdaemun Gate, Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Cheonggyecheon.
Day 2: N Seoul Tower, Namsangol Hanok Village, Myeongdong
Day 3: Gangnam, Coex Mall Starfield Library, Underground Goto Mall, Banpo Hangang Park
Day 4: Insadong, Tapgol Park, Annyeong Insadong Mall, Ssamzigil Mall
Day 5: Olympic Park, Yeouido Hangang Park
Day 6: Travel to Incheon Airport for noon flight
Due to shortage of time, there are many places of interest that we did not manage to cover - Hongdae, palaces, Buchon Hanok Village, National Museum, Seoul City Wall Trail, Lotte World, other parks and so on.
Let me briefly share on some takeaways from this trip.
1. Cash is still King
Although most shops and restaurants in Seoul accept credit cards or multi-currency debit cards in general, most did not reject cash even for shops with automated ordering kiosks. There is always a way for manual order to accept cash. Top up of Tmoney card at the kiosks in subway stations is via cash only. In Seoul, I believe the more Korean Won we bring will only allow us to get all the items we like and food we crave for. Cash is still King!
2. Transport is robust but complex
The subway system in Seoul is much more complicated and complex than Singapore's. There are 23 lines, each with different colours- navy blue, light blue, purple and so on. Usually, from point A to point B, there are more than 3 routes and we need to find the most efficient route by using apps such as Kakao map or Seoul subway map. Fewer stops do not mean shortest path.
One downside to the efficient subway system is the fleet of stairs one need to climb or long distance to walk to reach a particular subway exit or make train transfers. Some of the subway stations were built decades ago and were not equipped with lifts.
3. Language is not a barrier with the help of technology
Google translator app or other translator apps can take in text, voice inputs, images and translate Korea words into English on the fly. Hence language barrier can be overcame. Although not fool proof, such translator apps help us greatly to understanding food menus in Korean words and assist us to communicate with Koreans who could not understand English.
4. Great food at great prices
The food in Seoul is great and awesome at affordable prices but not cheap compared to Singapore. From ginseng chicken soup, fried chicken, fast food burgers, ramen, fried rice to gimbap, all are delicious and nice. However, there are no hawkers nor coffeeshops like in Singapore offering S$3.50 noodles or caifan. The average baseline prices for food in Seoul for e.g. a bowl of plain noodles is at least 6,000 won or S$6.20. That is why we need to budget more for food when in Seoul and be prepared to eat what we like or crave for without bothering about prices.
5. A City Rich with Culture and Vibes
There are 12 main Riverside Hangang Parks, 5 Royal Palaces and not to mention the numerous mountains, hills, smaller parks spread across the city and a few nearby islands.
The city is immersed in nature and is a shopping paradise for cosmetics, cultural items, branded and stylish clothes.
In many ways similar to Singapore, there is a good mixture of tradition with modernity, ancient but futuristic, cheap and expensive.
4 comments:
Great sharing! Hope I can visit Korea next year too
Thanks for reading. Sure you can too, Newbie Investor!
Thanks bro. How much did both of you spend ?
Flight for 2 pax: $558
Hotel for 5 nights: $316
Transport: $58
Food: $190
Shopping: $190
Around $1.3k all-in for this budget Seoul trip
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