South Korea Travel Forum

There does not seem to be a large selection of travel books on South Korean, as compared to Japan, China, etc. I like to get a comprehensive book to take with me while traveling. Any recommendation on a good book?

Hi,
Just like to enquire which shopping districts can i find more variety of winter wears/goggles?

Hi
I'm going on a cruise to Busan, South Korea
Can someone please tell me if there is much to do there or do we go on a trip to another place when we dock there
Are there small travel agents who arange tours etc
also any bars, Indian restaurants etc
thanks in advance

Hi, we will be on transit in Incheon in December for a full 12 hours (daytime)- wonder if there is anything to do besides wondering around in the airport. Is there a city sightseeing tour (like in Changi, Singapore) where one can get a glimpse of ?Seoul. Will the airport charge extra airport taxes if we leave the immigration and re-enter? Will appreciate any tips.

Hi,
Anyone know how i can get from High1 Resort to Mount Sorak by public transport?

Thanks.

Hi filks any tips for a good place to look for work and live in Seoul or another bustling city? I have been working as an elementary English teacher in China for way too long and need a change.
I`m male single and 3o yrs old so I need a place with nightlife and some other expats around or I`ll go nuts in a quiet town.
Any advice welcome,
Ta
Si

Hi there

I'm stopping off in Seoul for 6 days late april/early may, before heading to the United States. 1 thing i have always wanted to do is a DMZ tour.

Can someone be able to give me some website of tours that depart seoul. Or do i have to goto Panmunjom for it

DO any tour do Hotel pick up or do i have to get myself to a certain meeting point for check in

Hi everybody,
Nextmonth, I intend to go to Seoul and stay there for 3 days.May be at the mid of November. this is the first time I go to Seoul. Please tell me how about the weather? May it have snow? I haven't seen snow before!
Thanks

Hi,
I am planning a short trip to Seoul in the first week of Jan, 2010. My main interest is shopping! Could any one suggest me the appropriate area in Seoul where I should book my hotel?
Thanks in advance.
Singh

I fancy a 4-day stopover in Seoul, Korea in November. Please direct me to your tips if you have been there already.

I have posted this question (as a reply) yesterday, but I am not sure if I have done it correctly ...

http://forum.virtualtourist.com/discussion-398395-1-1-Travel-0-0-Sokcho-discussion.html

I really need advice, can someone help me on this topic
I am still confused.

My requirements :
- final destination is to visit Seoraksan for day trip.
- intended date to visit 23 Oct 2009 (Friday) OR 26 Oct 2009 (Monday)
( I am avoiding the weekends )
- I will skip the beach
- board the early morning bus (around 6.45 - 7.10am)
- board the evening bus (around 6.30pm)
- I do not mind the express bus (3.10hrs), if not then I take the 4hrs journey bus.

1. Which bus station in Seoul should I go to?
a) Dong Seoul Bus Terminal
http://www.asia-planet.net/korea/dong-seoul.htm
b) Seoul Express Bus Terminal
http://www.asia-planet.net/korea/bus.htm

2. Where do I buy the bus tickets ( to & fro )?
3. Do I have to buy in advance OR can I buy it on the actual day of departure ?
4. What does it mean by "Deluxe" and "Standard" tickets ? Does it mean it is still in the same bus but is distinguished by the comfort of the seats?
5. Which bus station, bus timing would you recommend.

I look forward for your inputs and to have a better view of the return journey.

Thank you for your help in advance!

What aprt of the island is the most interesting for landscape photography from your point of view?
Will I find "fall colors" in the second decade of october there or i will see a summer landscape still?

Any sample pics will be of help.
Thanks for all replies in advance.

Hi,

We 3 girls are planning to drive up to Mt Seorak next month to catch the autumn leaves. Is it safe to self-drive there? We are not planning to drive into Seoul as we heard of the horrendous traffic in the city. We have got experience driving in Australia, US and south France and our concern is largely the language barrier and understanding the Korean road signs.

In addition, can you recommend a stop-over between Incheon airport and Mt Seorak? We are planning on staying at Royal Tourist Sokcho and doubt we can make our way there from the airport in the mid afternoon.

Appreciate all advices!

I'm staying on Jeju for two days in October, and based on what I'm reading, it looks like I want to stay in Seogwipo. Is there transportation from Seogwipo to the Jeju Folk Village and/or the sunrise crater at Seongsan-ri? Or do all the busses originate in Jeju-si?

Also, any recommendations for a cheap and clean place to stay would be appreciated. Thanks.

I found that my Visa credit card will convert won to USD at 1,000 KRW to 1 USD. On top of this, they will charge 3% fee. The posted exchange rate is about 1218. I am losing 20% on this transaction.

My bank exchanged 1090 KRW per USD. Only losing 12%.

QUESTION: What can I expect to exchange USD for KRW in Busan or at the Seoul airport? Will I get ripped off? Where do I go? Should I just exchange all I expect to spend in the US at 1,090/USD?

Help!

Hi, I'll be going to Seoul in mid Oct and is thinking of taking the Hangang River Cruise on one of the night. However, after searching the internet, I found the official page: http://www.cn-hangangland.co.kr, but unfortunately, its in Korean. Can someone tell me where I can check the ferry departing schedule? Tks in advance! ^_^

I want to travel from China to Incheon International Airport in order to fly to the United States, do I need a Visa?

Is it difficult to travel to Korea if I can not speak the language? I want to visit Seoul and Jeonju. In case I can not find my way, what will I do? Is there any body who I can ask who can speak english? Or can I call a tourist assistance?

Please advice me of what to do?

Thanks!

xanthia

Hi...

I plan to visit South Korea but have not decide which place next year. I am a budget traveller and prefer to go on my own rather than book the standard tour package.

I can't undertand Korean language. Is it a big problem to travel on my own (free & easy)? Is there English wording on the signboards i.e road signboard/train station/airport/?

How much it cost a meal? cost to buy a train ticket? cost to buy a bottle of mineral water? Just want to know to plan my budget...

Thank you.

Hi

My friend is currently in South Korea teaching English and I want to go out and visit him in Mid-November. Please can you advise what the weather is like at this time?

Also, I really want to visit Jeju island - is it worthwhile at this time of year?

Any tips for my visit would be welcome

Thanks

Good afternoon,

Where is the place in Seoul to have Hong Kong/South China authentic tasting dim sum?

Is there a Chinese grocery market in Seoul? Where is it?

Regards

Stef ; )

Good afternoon from sunny Seoul ...

I have been shopping a bicycle over the last 2 week-ends. I'm looking for a mountain/multi-sport bicycle for woman (IMPORTANT: frame of 12.5 or 13 inches which is known as 2 XS (xtra small).

While I visited several shops which are showing an interesting range, it appears that they never hold the smaller model of their adult bicycle lines. The salesman are furthermore explaining that we/they can order the smaller version but in order to do so, we have first to buy the bike ... with no chance to see/try it before completing the purchase. Given that some of the bike I'm interested in cost up-to 2M Won ... I find it to be a tricky business to invest so much money without trying the bicycle first.

Anyone would know where I should go to see a showroom where they would hold smaller version of their adult line of mountain bikes? Anyone one would know a bicycle shop that would be able to order a model which no upfront payment so that we can see/try thebike before completing a purchase?

I'm particularly interested in the following models from Giant

In both cases, these models are showing as available on the South Korea market on the Giant Korean web site:

- Ricon W with a frame of 12.5 inches;
- Arete 2 with a frame of 13 inches;

I'm open to other brand as well including local ones.

Any help would be appreciated.

Stef ; )

Anyone stayed at the Seoul Guest House at 135-1 Gyedong Jongro-gu? Any feedback would be much appreciated.

We will arrive at Seoul Airport about 19:00 and want to get to Busan that night. We plan on staying at the Commodore Hotel in Busan. Is it faster to fly and take a cab from the Busan Airport to the hotel or take a train from Seoul to Busan and a cab from the station? After a long day of travel, the cost is not a factor.

Hi we will be travelling to Seoul, Jeju and Busan in mid October and looking for hotels to choose from

for Seoul we are thinking of Ibis Myeong Dong. Besides this hotel is there any other one. We would prefer one that limousine bus stops at. We were looking at Sejong, but it is expensive.

For Jeju, we are looking at Sunbeach hotel or Ocean Grand. ANy comments or any other additional recommendations.

For Busan, probably Tohokyu hotel? Any other hotels to recommend.

In addition, thinking of taking a side trip to Seoraksan and staying for one or 2 nights. Any hotels there to recomemnd?

Sorry...I am posting again!

I am visiting Jeju for the first time, and I want to take a visit to a waterfall there. However, I would like to know more about your favorite waterfalls and the trek/terrain that is around them, and also if they are anywhere near the Shilla Jeju.

Thanks everyone for your help!

Hello!

Quick question to see about the accessibility of a few areas in Seoul. I will be traveling again to Seoul soon and have never had to think about these issues for myself, so I can't really remember! I will be with one older individual with limited mobility (distance-wise due to bad knees), and another younger individual who is post-polio and has leg braces/limited mobility on inclines and stairs (but otherwise healthy & strong). Thanks for your help!!

1) Namsan Tower. I've been there once....but, can't remember :( Once you take the cable car/taxi, I know there is a steep-ish hill. Can anyone be more specific about the incline and its distance? Any handrails or wall to either side?

2) DMZ/Panmunjom Tour. Never been here. I've heard the 3rd Infiltration Tunnel is quite a walk, but can someone give more info on the rest of the tour? I need to know about inclines, stairs, and distance.

3) Subway entrance/exits. A flight or so of stairs in and out isn't too much of a problem provided my party can use the handrails...all the ajummas with their stuff sometimes get in the way! Are there any actual elevators for use? We will be nearest to the Samseong station on Line 2 (in Gangnam).

I'll be travelling to New Zealand with Korean Airlines, which means I'll have a connection of 23hrs both ways - arriving to Seoul around 17:00, departing approx. the same time...
This leaves me an evening and a morning (each way) to spend in Seoul.
It'll be my first time there ever, and I'll be happy to get any recommendations for a place to stay (as cheap as possible, but CLEAN and well-located in terms of getting toqfrom airport, and within walking distance to places of interest) and a "must see" list that is reasonably achievable within 2 short days ( 1 on the way there, 1 on the way back...)
Thanks a lot,
Ana.

I am wondering what the exchange rate is in Korea at the moment - is it better to buy in Korea or at home (UK)? (current rate here is around 1,895.600kw to £1)as we will be buying £2000.00's worth of won this could make a big difference! (there are 4 of us and we have to pay for accommmodaton when we arrive)

Do the banks in Seoul give different rates to Incheon airport?

Hi, My husband and I will be staying in Jeju for 3 nights and we are hiring a car. The main problem is I can't find a decent online map, so I don't know how far apart the places i want to visit are. I tried to use google maps for a journey planner and th e1st trip i put in (from apartment on west side of airport to Sunrise peak) said it took two and a half hours- meaning if we want to see the sunrise we would have to leave apartment at 4.30am! - Is this true? - as a person living on Jejeu told me that you can get anywhere in Jeju in one and a half hours max!
The problem is we have two half days and only one real full day there (we will be meeting with a friend who is also viviting Jeju) so our dilemna is - how far can we go in half a day - the place we are staying is in the north of the island near to Iho beach, so if anyone has any knowledge of this area it would be very much appriciated! ( have heard of a place called the Coastal Road Cafe Village - is this in same area?)