Where should I stay in when travelling in Seoul?

Some of the more popular places to stay in Seoul includes Myeongdong, Hongdae, Sinchon, Seoul Station, Itaewon, City Hall, Dongdaemun and Hyehwa, in part due to their proximity to the happening areas as well as the fact that these neighbourhoods are comparatively more developed in regards to tourism infrastructure.

How much should I bring for a one-week travel to Seoul?

On average, we found many tourists to spend about SGD$100 a day excluding accommodation and your special shopping list. A typical meal in Korea should range from the low 4,000KRW to maybe 10,000KRW each. Transport in Seoul is also relatively cheap, with bus and train fares starting from 1,200KRW, and the basic fare for taxis starting at 3,200KRW. SGD$100 a day should comfortable cover 3 meals plus transport, plus some excess for some shopping and snacking.

How is the weather like during ___ period?

Korea tourism hits its peak during the months of March – April as well as the October – February period, owing to the blooming of the cherry blossoms, the autumn foliage’s peak viewing period as well as the entirety of winter, a popular season for Singaporean travellers. During this period, expect air fares and hotel rates to be higher than usual.

The Korean monsoon season starts from late June to end July. During this period, you can expect gloomy skies and frequent rain. Temperatures during the day are also close to what we have here in Singapore, usually hovering around 30 degrees Celcius.

I don’t speak any Korean. Will it be tough for me to travel in Korea?

Most Koreans are able to speak at the very least, simple conversational English as the language is part of compulsory education in Korean schools. Head to the malls and coffee joints and you will find many of the staff that are working there are young Koreans, which in this case you should have little problems communicating with them in English. When in places such as the markets or roadside stalls which are usually operated by elderly Koreans, you might find it harder to communicate with them in English. Even then it would be nothing too difficult simple hand gestures or simple English cannot resolve.

In addition, you can find a tourist help center in most parts of Seoul, especially the spots favoured by tourists such as Myeongdong and Hongdae. Staff at these help centers can speak English, Chinese and Japanese and would be more than willing to help you with your requests.

I will be in Korea for a week and I wish to see outside of Seoul. Where would you recommend?

This is a very frequently asked question. For a start, most travellers usually think of Busan or Jeju island when travelling out of Seoul comes to mind. While these two places are perfectly fine options for travels outside of Seoul, we think that devoting only 1-3 days to these places are doing them no justice. Busan and Jeju island on their own are bigger than Seoul in terms of land mass and as such have plenty to offer to tourists in terms of tourism spots. For more information regarding Busan and Jeju island travels, do refer to our other guides located in this website. Below are some of the other cities we would highly recommend to tourists looking to make short trips out of Seoul.

1. Paju (파주)
   Places of interest: Paju Premium Outlets, Demilitarized Zone(DMZ), Heyri Art Village
2. Ilsan (일산)
   Places of interest: Ilsan Lake Park, MBC Dream Center
3. Suwon (수원)
   Places of interest: Hwaseong Fortress

All of the above-mentioned places are located about 1 hour’s bus/train ride away from Seoul, making them very ideal for the short day trips to see and experience life outside Seoul.

Is it expensive to travel in Seoul?

Food prices on average are more expensive than what we have here in Singapore. The cheapest meal would set you back by 4,000KRW(SGD$4.80) at the very least. Most meals in Seoul cost between 5,000KRW to 10,000KRW.

Shopping for clothes are cosmetic products are the reason why most people visit Seoul. While prices can be attractive for clothes sold at places such as the shopping streets of Ewha Womens’ University’s shopping streets, Dongdaemun, Namdaemun etc., do note that most of the clothes you see are designed by homegrown brands and made in Chinese or Korean factories, and can be lower in quality compared to the international brands.

 

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