South Korea is slowly becoming a popular destination for Filipino travelers. The reason behind this is probably because of the growing influence of Korean dramas and K-Pop to us. Filipinos are becoming more aware of about the Korean culture because of these media. The growing numbers of Korean tourists and students learning English in the Philippines also help us appreciate their cultures even more.
I personally like the Korean culture, specially when it comes to fashion, I watched several Korean Dramas like Princess Hours, My Girlfriend is a Gumiho and My Love from the Stars, and listened to the music of 2NE1 and EXO.
I’ve visited South Korea twice already, first was during the autumn of 2015 and the most recent was just few weeks ago during their summer when I was invited to a Seoul, South Korea, FamTour by AirAsia Philippines.
South Korea is pretty accessible to Filipinos, it only takes a 4 hour flight from Cebu, and the number of flights servicing Cebu to Incheon, South Korea route are also growing.
Since I already visited South Korea twice, I thought of sharing some tips and a sample 3 day itinerary to Seoul that you can use as a guide.
Filipinos are required to get Korean Visa, it’s free when you apply personally at the Consulate Office of Korea in Cebu Business Park. You can check the requirements here.
Buy Won while you’re still in Cebu. I bought mine at Core Pacific Money Exchange at the 4th Level of Ayala Center Cebu.
Check the weather to make sure you are bringing the right outfit and don’t forget those comfy walking shoes.
Book through Airbnb for cheaper accommodation, some even provide free pocket WiFi and T-Money cards.
If you’re in a group, sometimes it’s cheaper to ride a taxi instead of taking the train depending on your destination. Taxi’s in South Korea can fit up to 4 passengers.
Don’t forget to try Banana Milk, it’s really addicting and if you are planning to bring home as “pasalubong”, you can buy at Food Empire in Incheon International Airport to prevent spillage in your check-in luggage.