The three most asked questions I get from emails are:
- how do I apply for a tourist visa
- what places do you recommend to visit
- how do i get a job in Korea
Answer to the first question is all over the blog. As for the third question, I sometimes post job openings (and scholarships) as I learn them. To the second question, there are so many places to visit, but it would depend on the traveler’s interest. However, I’d like to share the places that my elder sisters visited when they were here.
My two elder sisters arrived via a Cebu Pacific flight at around 6 o’clock in the morning. I took the subway and airport train to pick them up – I was a bit late. We took the limousine bus to Seoul. We arrived home at around 9 o’clock in the morning. They freshened up and then we’re off to our first destination.
Day 1 (Sunday) – Cheorwon DMZ tour
Day 2 (Monday) – Seoul City Hall – Cheonggyecheon – Myeongdong – Namsan Tower – Namdaemun
Day 3 (Tuesday) – Changdok Palace – Bukcheon – Samcheong-dong – Gwanghwamun Plaza – Dongdaemun Shopping
Day 4 (Wednesday) – Namiseom – Night shopping around our neighborhood
Day 5 (Thursday) – Korean Folk Village
Day 6 (Friday) – Jogyesa (temple) – Gyeongbok Palace – Cheongwadae Sarangchae – National Folk Museum
Day 7 (Saturday) – It rained the whole day so we just went shopping at Wangshimni Station — my sisters really enjoyed this one!
Most of the time, we left the house at around 11 o’clock in the morning since I had to prepare my son and take him to day care. We walked most of the time. We took the bus a few times. We got on the subway going to and from the house. We had to go back before 7:30 because that was when the day care closes.
They most enjoyed the time we had at Korean Folk Village. They were very interested in Korean history as well as how Korea achieved its economic status in less than a century. They had a great time shopping that they needed me to send a “balikbayan box” for all the other stuff that they bought – bags, shoes, cosmetics, appliances. They just didn’t buy diamond saw blades.
Autumn is a great time to visit Korea. They came on the first week of November – when the leaves are really colorful. They are planning to come back someday to experience the other seasons of Korea.
More about the places we went to later ;p
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
I want to add a few more to your itinerary
1. changkyunggeung(contrast between old,new, green)
http://blog.naver.com/imck81/80141800196
2. samsung-dong including Koex mall and royal tomb
night view http://blog.naver.com/imck81/80143148974
daytime view http://blog.naver.com/imck81/80142728155
3.bukaksan trail (the best city-center park in the world)
http://blog.naver.com/lhl662/130107776081
Sometimes, tourists would only visit one palace. I love Changgyeong-gung! When I was pregnant, I used to take the bus from our apartment in Changsin to the palace. I would just walk around and sit by the pond watching the ducks. It’s a lovely place.
I’m not a fan of Gangnam-gu, though. I’ve only been to Coex a few times in my almost nine years here. There’s a royal tomb near where I live now, I haven’t been there though.
Seoul attracted 9.62 million international tourists 2011.
Seoul is getting more and more popular to international tourists. The number of international tourists to Seoul is annually increasing.
Seoul attracted more international tourists than other major cities such as New York(7.6million), Tokyo(5m), Rome(7.9m),
Shanghai(5.5m), Barcelona(6.7m), Vienna(6.2m), Amsterdam(7.4m), Frankfurt(8.4m), Milan(6.7m).
I want to add a few more to your itinerary.
1. Changkyung Palace
You can feel the stark contrast and harmony of old palace, green lush forest and the surrounding modern tall buildings in Changkyung Palace. The beauty of Seoul is the contrast and harmony of old, modern and green lush forest.
Enjoy the scenic view of Changkyung Palace http://blog.naver.com/imck81/80141800196
2.Samsung-dong including Koex Mall and king’s tomb.
Samsung-dong is a part of Seoul Gangnam, which is Seoul’s newer development area and upper-middle class residential and shopping area. You can enjoy shopping and leisure together in this humongous Koex Mall. From Koex Mall you can take a walk to king’s tomb(seon neung), which is designated as UNESCO cultural heritage. Samsung-dong is also surrounded by green lush forest. You can find in the picture that Seoul is indeed the environment friendly mega-city.
night view ; http://blog.naver.com/imck81/80143148974
daytime view ; http://blog.naver.com/imck81/80142728155
3.bukak mountain trail and park.
Betchay, you said you liked bukak mountain trail and scenery from there. I would like to consider this park as the most beautiful city-center park in the world. Bukak mountain was closed to the public over 40 years so that its nature is almost pristine and gorgeous. Now it is open to the public. It is a miracle that this kind of gorgeous natural park is located in the center of Seoul. Enjoy the gorgeous view of Bukak mountain trail and park.
http://blog.naver.com/lhl662/130107776081
Yes, I love Bugaksan because it offers a different view of Seoul. My husband and I dream of having a house in Pyeongchang-dong, a village in Bukhansan. You can see the village from the pavillion in Bugaksan. The entrance to Bugak from Cheongwadae is now populated with coffee shops the last time we went there in December last year.
wow! pinakagusto ko yung day 1! matagal ko ng pangarap makapunta sa DMZ!!!! :O
Oo, hindi dapat palampasin ang DMZ.
Ma’am Betchay! hello! we’re visiting korea next week and i’d like to ask how are the conditions there in seoul? i just read from the news that there are some issues with the drills done in the yellow sea and how north korea is already giving threats. i’m praying that i’m just getting too paranoid. thank you.
hope all is well there
hi i had already ticket to korea this coming june but how can i get visa since i dont have itr . im only a housewife my mom sent me a remittance. i have bank account,land title and car registration.and i travel a lot in asia like singapore kuala lumpur thailand hongkong china(group visa only)and sabah kota kinabalu.can i get visa this coming may eventhou my travel is on june? thanks and more power.
wow, that’s a great itinerary! i’m planning on visiting sometime around august-september. i hear it’s better to come around september? do you have any recommendations on which areas are good for cheap fashion shopping? i heard namdaemun is a great place as such but i also heard university areas are cheaper. salamat ate betchay!
Hi ms betchay…1st time ko lang po makapunta korea…single entry lang po and no friends there….no idea of the place kaya mahirap po ata ako makagawa ng itenerary….how can i make itenerary kc nbasa ko po sa blog nyo na mas ok kung my itenerary para dipo ma A to A pagdating po ng korea…Pls help naman po..thank you..