We got promo tickets for this trip last September 2015 but weren't able to meticulously plan for it because we just started processing our Korean visa requirements the same week we had to fly there. Not exactly a great move but to our defense, our passports got held up somewhere else in another embassy. We didn't want to do any planning until we were sure we could fly!
We booked our Air BnB rooms on the day same day we left, and surprisingly, we still managed to find a lot of great places at really affordable prices. We flew in via Busan (Gimhae Airport), stayed there for 2 nights, took the express train going to Seoul where we stayed for a few more nights. We flew back to Manila via the Incheon Airport in Seoul.
Gamcheon Culture Village in Busan
Spicy street food for the cold weather- tteokbokki, gyoza, gimbap
In Busan, we visited the Gamcheon Art Village, BIFF Square, and the Jagalchi Fish Market. No theme parks because it really isn't our thing, and due to time constraints we didn't go to the DMZ as well.
Before sharing with you our itinerary and budget sheet, here's a little travel primer so you know what to expect when planning a trip to Korea.
BUSAN:
Visa requirement:
Yes, for Philippine passport holders. The Korean embassy is located at 122 Upper McKinley Road, McKinley Town Center, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.
Colorful declarations of love
Nami Island, as romantic in real life as it is on K dramas
Sun setting over the N Seoul Tower
Before sharing with you our itinerary and budget sheet, here's a little travel primer so you know what to expect when planning a trip to Korea.
Links to other parts of this series:
BUSAN:
SEOUL:
Yes, for Philippine passport holders. The Korean embassy is located at 122 Upper McKinley Road, McKinley Town Center, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.
Visa processing takes 3-4 working days for frequent travellers or those with visits to the OECD member countries for the past 5 years, and 5 days for first time applicants. For those in the provinces, personal appearance is not required but make sure that all requirements are current and complete. We processed our visas with the help of a travel agent since we live in Iloilo City.
Download the visa application form here: http://www.mofa.go.kr/english/visa/images/res/visakorean.pdf
And prepare the following documents found here:
http://embassy_philippines.mofa.go.kr/english/as/embassy_philippines/visa/requirement/
Currency: Korean Won (KRW).
KRW 1 = PHP 0.04. Sounds confusing? For the mathematically challenged like me, an easy benchmark for this is that KRW 10,000 is roughly equal to PHP 400. This helped a lot, because I didnt have to whip out my calculator before deciding if something was too expensive.
Flight duration: (Philippines to South Korea): average of 3 hours and 45 minutes
Time difference: South Korea is one hour ahead of Philippine time
Weather:
Korea has four distinct seasons:
Winter:
November to March- Ok to visit if you enjoy really cold weather and snow. January is considered the coldest month, so arm yourself with clothes, coats and warm accessories such as scarves, beanies, gloves and ear muffs.
We stayed from March 18-23, the skies were sunny and spring was already starting but the winds were still quite chilly, and temperatures tend to drop during late afternoons and evenings. Temps ranged from 2 deg C to 19 deg C. I brought light spring coats, thermals and sweaters that are easy to layer depending on the temperature.
Spring:
April to May- still fairly cold with sunny skies. This is the best time to visit if you want to see the cherry blossoms in full bloom.
Summer:
June to August- Summers are hot and humid; it is also the start of monsoon season so heavy rains are expected in between.
Autumn:
September to November- also said to be a very good time to visit Korea, as the fall season carries with it beautiful weather and spectacular foliage. Several festivals are also held during this period
Outlet Type:
Type F power plugs and sockets are used.
Connectivity:
There was no need to buy a local sim card as there are a lot of open wifi connections both in Busan and Seoul, and almost all hostels/hotels provide wifi access as well. In Seoul, our Air BnB host provided us with a wifi egg (portable router) for free which we took with us when we went out so we had unlimited internet access. Useful for those times we needed to consult google!
Useful Apps:
If there is only enough space for one extra app on your phone/tab, make it the Subway Korea app. A must-download lifesaver! I don't know how we could have survived without it. Sure, the printed MRT map is OK but the Seoul subway network is so expansive (just imagine HK or SG subway system then multiply it by 10), it's difficult to locate the name of a certain station unless you are very familiar with the subway lines. With Subway Korea, you just click on your departing station, then search for the station you are supposed to arrive at, and voila! The app provides you with a route that will get you there the fastest, and with the least transfers.
Other Guides:
We took printed tourist booklets from airports and from various tourist information centers located in the city. I also did some research on www.seoulistic.com for Korea travel tips from a local.
Transportation Card:
Get a T-money or CashBee card (KRW 2,000) to make train and bus rides a breeze. This does away with the hassle of having to purchase single journey tickets each time you take a ride. You can also use these cards to pay for transactions at convenience stores and at major retailers.
Download the visa application form here: http://www.mofa.go.kr/english/visa/images/res/visakorean.pdf
And prepare the following documents found here:
http://embassy_philippines.mofa.go.kr/english/as/embassy_philippines/visa/requirement/
Currency: Korean Won (KRW).
KRW 1 = PHP 0.04. Sounds confusing? For the mathematically challenged like me, an easy benchmark for this is that KRW 10,000 is roughly equal to PHP 400. This helped a lot, because I didnt have to whip out my calculator before deciding if something was too expensive.
Flight duration: (Philippines to South Korea): average of 3 hours and 45 minutes
Time difference: South Korea is one hour ahead of Philippine time
Weather:
Korea has four distinct seasons:
Winter:
November to March- Ok to visit if you enjoy really cold weather and snow. January is considered the coldest month, so arm yourself with clothes, coats and warm accessories such as scarves, beanies, gloves and ear muffs.
We stayed from March 18-23, the skies were sunny and spring was already starting but the winds were still quite chilly, and temperatures tend to drop during late afternoons and evenings. Temps ranged from 2 deg C to 19 deg C. I brought light spring coats, thermals and sweaters that are easy to layer depending on the temperature.
Spring:
April to May- still fairly cold with sunny skies. This is the best time to visit if you want to see the cherry blossoms in full bloom.
Summer:
June to August- Summers are hot and humid; it is also the start of monsoon season so heavy rains are expected in between.
Autumn:
September to November- also said to be a very good time to visit Korea, as the fall season carries with it beautiful weather and spectacular foliage. Several festivals are also held during this period
Signs of spring! :)
Type F power plugs and sockets are used.
Connectivity:
There was no need to buy a local sim card as there are a lot of open wifi connections both in Busan and Seoul, and almost all hostels/hotels provide wifi access as well. In Seoul, our Air BnB host provided us with a wifi egg (portable router) for free which we took with us when we went out so we had unlimited internet access. Useful for those times we needed to consult google!
Useful Apps:
If there is only enough space for one extra app on your phone/tab, make it the Subway Korea app. A must-download lifesaver! I don't know how we could have survived without it. Sure, the printed MRT map is OK but the Seoul subway network is so expansive (just imagine HK or SG subway system then multiply it by 10), it's difficult to locate the name of a certain station unless you are very familiar with the subway lines. With Subway Korea, you just click on your departing station, then search for the station you are supposed to arrive at, and voila! The app provides you with a route that will get you there the fastest, and with the least transfers.
Other Guides:
We took printed tourist booklets from airports and from various tourist information centers located in the city. I also did some research on www.seoulistic.com for Korea travel tips from a local.
Transportation Card:
Get a T-money or CashBee card (KRW 2,000) to make train and bus rides a breeze. This does away with the hassle of having to purchase single journey tickets each time you take a ride. You can also use these cards to pay for transactions at convenience stores and at major retailers.
This is it for the first part, I hope this was helpful :) Itinerary and budget will be shared in the next posts.
What is your number one bucket list thing to do in Korea? Share with me on the comments below!
