South Korea Travel Tips:
WHAT TO WEAR
Spring Coats: The clothes you need to bring depends on the season of your travel. With our experience, we traveled during Spring Season (April 29-May 7) hoping that we will be able to catch the cherry blossoms. But sadly, this year...they bloomed too soon than the expected time so we failed to see them. Anyway, because it was already spring season, we expected that the weather will not be as cold as winter so we brought with us normal jackets and long sleeved shirts instead of coats. Big mistake! Little did we know that the temperature drops in the evening and the wind sometimes adds more chill factor to our "used-to-tropical-weather" bodies. So if you're travelling within these dates, it's best to still bring coats.
Rubber shoes/Flats: 80% of Koreans we saw there were wearing rubber shoes. Do you know why? Because there are a lot of uphill and downhill roads and sooooo many flight of stairs. I lost count of all the stairs I stepped in. So save your feet, ditch your fashionable high heeled boots and wear your trusty rubber shoes and flats.
WHAT TO BRING
Pocket Money: From what I read over countless websites and blogs, it is best to exchange your peso (PHP) to USD while still here in Manila. I also exchanged a liitle of my PHP to Korean Won (KRW)...just enough to cover our transfers from Incheon Airport to our hotel. The rest of my USD was exchnaged at Myeongdong area as they have good rates there. South Korea is not as expensive as others might think. If you really are on a budget...meaning you staying at guesthouse/hostel (pretty popular with backpackers) and if you scored good seat sale at Cebu Pacific, 20K pesos all in (per person) will bring you a loooong way.
Discount Coupons: As I was saying a while ago, South Korea is not as expensive as you think it is. My tip is to search online for discount coupons, print them and show them to the cashier to avail the discount. Also get the free maps available on your hotel lobby as they usually have coupons inside. Thanks to that, I got to save KRW 1,000 for the airport bus ride (KRW 9,000 instead of 10,000) and in Everland, I saved
KRW 9,000 for the entrance fee (KRW 37,000 instead of 46,000) because I printed the coupon found in their website here.
WHAT TO BUY
T Money Card: This is like the reloadable MRT/LRT card here in Manila. But this is way better because you can buy/load in 7/11 stores and can use them as mode of payment in some stores as well. Plus, this card never expires so you can still use it if you return back.
Cosmetics: Etude House, Holika Holika, Nature Republic, The Face Shop, Tony Moly...and the list goes on. You can see these stores literally in every 5 steps in Myeongdong. They are much cheaper there and they give a lot of freebies as well. Even if you do not buy, just walk to their stores and look around and they will give freebies!!! Instant pasalubong for those kuripots out there hehe!
Clothes: Koreans wear fashionable clothes. Those online stores I see regularly on Instagram or Facebook came to life when I went there. If you're in your teeans to 20's, I suggest you go to Ewha Women's University for shopping as the stores outside the Uni are trendy, of good quality and at student friendly price.
Pasalubong Food: Go to Lotte Mart for your pasalubong haul of Market O brownies and Dr. You cakes. It's cheaper there and you will get 5% tax refund with KRW 30,000 purchase.
Street Food: Unlike here in Philippines, street food in Korea is safer to try. There are so many street food stalls scattered, we even get to eat tall ice cream cone on a chilly evening.
WHERE TO GO
Korea Tourist Organization: Her you can make free international calls, free wifi, free medical checkup, free brochures and maps on all places in Korea and the best part...free Hanbok experience! This is where you can get to wear traditional Korean costumes and take pictures all you want for 20 minutes.
WHAT TO BUY
T Money Card: This is like the reloadable MRT/LRT card here in Manila. But this is way better because you can buy/load in 7/11 stores and can use them as mode of payment in some stores as well. Plus, this card never expires so you can still use it if you return back.
Cosmetics: Etude House, Holika Holika, Nature Republic, The Face Shop, Tony Moly...and the list goes on. You can see these stores literally in every 5 steps in Myeongdong. They are much cheaper there and they give a lot of freebies as well. Even if you do not buy, just walk to their stores and look around and they will give freebies!!! Instant pasalubong for those kuripots out there hehe!
Clothes: Koreans wear fashionable clothes. Those online stores I see regularly on Instagram or Facebook came to life when I went there. If you're in your teeans to 20's, I suggest you go to Ewha Women's University for shopping as the stores outside the Uni are trendy, of good quality and at student friendly price.
Pasalubong Food: Go to Lotte Mart for your pasalubong haul of Market O brownies and Dr. You cakes. It's cheaper there and you will get 5% tax refund with KRW 30,000 purchase.
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| Photo courtesy of |
Street Food: Unlike here in Philippines, street food in Korea is safer to try. There are so many street food stalls scattered, we even get to eat tall ice cream cone on a chilly evening.
WHERE TO GO
Korea Tourist Organization: Her you can make free international calls, free wifi, free medical checkup, free brochures and maps on all places in Korea and the best part...free Hanbok experience! This is where you can get to wear traditional Korean costumes and take pictures all you want for 20 minutes.
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