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.

3 Day Seoul, South Korea Itinerary

Day 1 – Itinerary Details

• Bukchon Hanok Village
• Gyeongbokgung Palace
• Gwanghwamun Square
• Cheonggyecheon Stream
• Seoul City Hall/Seoul Metropolitan Library/Seoul Plaza
• Sungyemun Gate
• Namdaemun Market

Day 2 – Itinerary Details

• N Seoul Cable Car/N Seoul Tower
• Myeong-dong Street
• Dongdaemun Market
• Dongdaemun Design Plaza
• Silloam Spa (Jimjilbang)

Day 3 – Itinerary Details

• Trick Eye/Love/Ice Museum
• Hongdae Street

South Korea Travel Tips

• 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.

Love/Trick Eye/Ice Museum

Trick Eye museums are very popular in South Korea. The museum features interactive 2D paintings and has an illusion of being in 3D depending on the camera angle. Love Museum is also a trick eye museum but features adult paintings and displays. Please note that minors are not allowed to go inside.

You can also experience -8 degree temperature at Ice Museum. This is a small ice gallery which features ice sculptures, ice slide and other ice installations.

You can get a single ticket to have access to these three museums and they are located in one building.

How to get there:

See map below this page.

Where to eat lunch: Meat-ing

Enjoy Korean barbecue at Meat-ing. It’s a buffet style restaurant offering different types of meat for grilling. The buffet spread also features vegetable for your DIY salad and appetizers. Please note that they have a no left over policy or you’ll have pay 2000 Won per person. The buffet is also limited to 1 hour and 30 minutes per table.

How to get there:

See map below this page.

Hongdae Street

This is my favorite shopping street in Seoul. The streets are lined up with stores selling affordable and fashionable clothing, accessories, shoes and bags. Foreign brands like Bershka, H&M, Forever 21 and Zara also have branches in the area. Hongdae Street also has a lively and youthful vibe which I really like.

How to get there:

Hongik University station, Exit 9

Hongdae Area Map

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1. N Seoul Cable Car/N Seoul Tower

N Seoul Tower is the tallest landmark in Seoul. It is a 236.7 meter structure located on top of Namsan Mountain, providing visitors a 360 degree view of Seoul. The viewing windows of the N Seoul Tower were also installed with interesting facts like how far is your city from where you are standing. There are also souvenir shops and restaurants located on top of the tower, you can also get a tower entrance plus restaurant combo, just inquire on the ticketing booth before you purchase you tickets.

At the N Seoul Tower grounds, the very popular love locks are to be found. The place is also full of romantic spots for lovers. You can also watch Korean traditional performances for free.

Riding the N Seoul Cable Car to N Seoul Tower is also part of the experience. The lift provides amazing view of the city and lush forest of Namsan Mountain as you go up to the base of the tower.

How to get there:

From Hoehyun Station, take Exit 1, walk towards Namsan Oreumi, an inclined escalator which leads to N Seoul Cable Car station. You may also take a taxi and tell the driver to drop you to N Seoul Cable Car station.

N Seoul Cable Car Entrance
Adult: 8500 Won round trip / 6000 Won one way
Minors: 5500 Won round trip / 3500 Won one way

Schedule: 10am to 11pm

N Seoul Tower Entrance
Adult: 9000 Won
Children: 7000 Won

Schedule: Sunday – Friday: 10am to 11pm / Saturday: 10am to 12am

2. Myeong-dong Street

This is one of my favorite shopping spots in Seoul. The streets are lined with numerous cosmetics, clothing and shoe stores, food stalls and cafes. A whole day is probably not enough to explore all the shops located in this area. You can find local Korean cosmetic brands anywhere you look, like Etude House, Nature Republic, Innisfree and Missha. You can also check the Myeong-dong Cathedral, one of Korea’s iconic cathedral and it symbolizes Korean Catholicism.

You can also try the various street food found around Myeong-dong, and your trip is not complete without buying a tall ice cream.

How to get there:

From N Seoul Cable Car station, you can use the elevator located beside the terminal which leads to Sogong-ro road, walk few meters going to Myeong-dong Street. You can also ride a taxi for your convenience.

3. Where to eat lunch: Todai

Todai is buffet restaurant serving seafood, sushi, Asian and international dishes. It is located at the 7F of Noon Square.

4. Dongdaemun Market

Dongdaemun is comprised of traditional markets and shopping buildings offering affordable clothing and high-end local fashion brands. Some of the shopping buildings located around the area are Migliore, Doota and Hello apM.

5. Dongdaemun Design Plaza

Just across the shopping buildings is the Dongdaemun Design Plaza or popularly known as DDP. This modern building has a neofuturistic architecture designed by the late Zaha Hadid. The design features 40,000 aluminum sheets and none of which are the same. Inside DDP is a design museum, sky lounge and exhibition halls.

One of the notable areas in DPP is the LED Rose Garden. The garden features 25,550 electronic roses to celebrate the 70th year of Gwangbok-Jeol, Korea’s version of Independence Day. The roses also light as soon as it gets dark. Take note that daylight is longer in South Korea during summer, I waited until 8pm for the roses to light and the wait is worth it.

How to get there:

From Myeong-dong station, take Subway Line 4 and get off at Dongdaemun History and Culture Park station, Exit 1.

6. Where to eat dinner: N Table

You can have dinner at N Table located at the basement of DDP while waiting for the LED roses to light up. N Table’s buffet spread features selections for your shabu-shabu and other local dishes. Please note that you’ll only get one round of beef per table.

7. Silloam Sauna (Jimjil-bang)

Jimjil-bang is a large public bathhouse in Korea that are very popular with locals and tourists. A visit to South Korea is not complete without trying it. It’s a perfect place to relax and relieve those tired feet and muscles from long walks.

Silloam Sauna is located near Seoul Station in Jungnim-ro, Jung-gu, it offers hot baths, saunas, recreational activities and sleeping bunk beds for guests. They also have restaurants if you get hungry. Please note that if you are not used with getting naked in front of people or seeing naked people walking around, this place is not for you.

How to get there:

From Seoul Station, Exit 1, walk-up two escalators going to Lotte Outlets and Lotte Mart. Walk towards the road between Lotte Outlets and Lotte Mart and exit down the stairs. Walk few meters to Jungnim-ro. Please see map below.

Entrance
Bath
Daytime – Adults: 8,000 won / Children (ages under 10): 6,000 won
Nighttime – Adults: 9,000 won / Children (ages under 10): 7,000 won

Bath + Sauna
Daytime – Adults: 10,000 won / Children (ages under 10): 9,000 won
Nighttime – Adults: 15,000 won / Children (ages under 10): 11,000 won

Seoul Itinerary Day 2 Map

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1. Bukchon Hanok Village

Start your day at Bukchon Hanok Village, a popular destination to see some traditional Korean houses, called hanok. In the Joseon Period, the village housed the members of the royal family and aristocrats. Visitors are requested to keep quiet as it is still a residential area. Bukchon Hanok Village is also home to cafes, souvenir shops, restaurants and guest houses. Some houses even offer Korean tradition experience to tourists.

How to get there:
Anguk Station (Seoul Subway Line 3), Exit 2

2. Gyeongbokgung Palace

Gyeongbokgung Palace was built in 1395 during the Joseon Dynasty. It is the largest of all five palaces found in Seoul. Most of the palace buildings were destroyed during the Japanese invasions, but were later restored during the reign of King Gojong. Gyeongbokgung Palace features Joseon’s royal culture and architecture through the Geunjeongjeon and other buildings. The palace grounds also houses the National Folk Museum of Korea and National Palace Museum.

How to get there:
From Bukchon Hanok Village, walk down to Bukchon-ro 5-gil street, turn right and walk another few meters to Samcheong-ro street, turn left and walk towards the main road, turn right and walk to the main entrance of Gyeongbokgung Palace.

At the main entrance, you can watch the Gwanghwamun Changing of Guards ceremony at 11am, 2pm and 4pm.

Entrance
Adult: 3000 Won
Youth: 1500 Won

Schedule: 9am to 6pm / Closed on Tuesdays

3. Where to eat lunch: Tosokchon Samgyetang

Samgyetang or Chicken Ginseng Soup is a traditional Korea dish made of chicken stuffed with Korean ginseng, sweet rice, Korean dates and medicinal herbs served in a boiling pot. Tosokchon is very popular to tourist and only a few blocks away from Gyeongbokgung Palace. I recommend going before or after lunch as the line can get really long during lunch time.

How to get there:

From Gyeongbokgung Palace main entrance, walk 1 block along Sajik-ro street to your right then turn right to Jahamun-ro street and walk some few meters then turn left to Jahamun-ro 5-gil street.

4. Gwanghwamun Square

The square is located in front of Gwanghwamun, the main gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace. The statues of Admiral Yi Sun-Shin and King Sejong are located at Gwanghwamun Square. During summer, children can also enjoy the fountains in the square.

How to get there:

From Tosokchon Samgyetang, walk back to the main entrance of Gyeongbokgung Palace.

5. Cheonggyecheon Stream

In 2005, this stream was cleaned and transformed into a park where locals and tourists can enjoy a stroll along the walking path. Cheonggyecheon is a 10.84km long stream flowing from Gwanghwamun Gate to Dongdaemun.

How to get there:

Walk towards the end Gwanghwamun Square, the stream is located to the left.

6. Seoul City Hall/Seoul Metropolitan Library/Seoul Plaza

The new Seoul City Hall was built in 2013 and since then become Seoul’s newest landmark because of its modern architecture. It also houses the world’s largest indoor green wall.

Seoul Metropolitan Library was the former Seoul City Hall, it was transformed into a library open to everyone. Here’s a tip, you can go to the rooftop for a good view of the surrounding buildings.

Seoul Plaza is an open grass area in front of Seoul City Hall and Seoul Metropolitan Library where various events like concerts, exhibitions and flea markets are being held. During winter, an ice skating rink is setup for visitors to enjoy.

How to get there:

From Cheonggyecheon Stream, walk back up to Sejong-daero street, the Seoul City Hall is located just few blocks from the stream.

Tip: You can also visit Deoksugung Palace located to the right of Seoul Plaza if you still have free time.

7. Sungnyemun Gate

Sungnyemun Gate is Korea’s National Treasure No. 1 which served as the southern entrance of the Seoul City Wall. It was damaged by fire few years ago and it was successfully restored to its original form in 2013.

How to get there:

From Seoul Plaza, walk few meters along Sejong-daero street.

8. Namdaemun Market

Namdaemun Market is the largest in Korea. It features alleys of shops and street stalls selling clothing, bags, food and souvenirs.

How to get there:

Namdaemun Market is located to the right of Sungnyemun Gate.

Namedaemun Market is full of food stalls which offers Korean dishes and street food, make sure you try it out.

Seoul Walking Tour Map

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