11/23/2017 0 Comments How Cheap is Seoul, South Korea?What comes to your mind when someone mentions South Korea to you?
Well, besides North Korea, other things like Samsung, Hyundai, K-Pop, Kimchi, and Soju might pop into your head. South Korea, particularly Seoul, its capital, is one of the most advanced countries in Asia in terms of economic development, technology, society and government. Many of you may find that hard to believe if you’ve never visited South Korea. I, for example, thought it was going to be another country in Asia that became hooked to a capitalist model, much like China, where it still had lots to improvements to do; I thought it would be cheap. I was completely wrong. South Korea – Seoul – blew my mind. Besides the delicious food, and the outstanding modernity of the city, I was never expecting it to be that advanced. This means I was in for a surprise. Now, I’m not saying this to complain, but for a guy that had a budget, and I mean a LOW budget, Seoul is kind of expensive. The South Korean currency is the Won. It has a 1 to 1 but keep in mind the denominations are in thousands – for example, 1 USD equals 1084 Won. So basically, it is as if you were in the US. Below I will detail some common expenses for a tourist that you should keep in mind when you’re making a budget for Seoul. This is all based on my expenses during my 5-day stay in Seoul Subway: 1,350 Won ($1.25 USD) – One way Taxi: Fares start at 3,000 Won ($2.75 USD) + 700 Won ($0.65 USD) per km Hostel: 15,900 Won ($14.67 USD) – I stayed in Hongdae, which is a popular area Food: Average is 9,000 Won ($8.30 USD) Any other expenses will depend on personal preference. I bought a shirt at the famous Namdaemun Market for 20,000 Won ($18.45 USD); snacks were typically around 6,000 Won ($5.50 USD). By now you get the point. Keep this in mind when coming to visit Seoul. I should’ve done better research but the excitement of going to this places made me forgo that. During my 5-day trip I spent around $700 USD (not taking into account the flight to get there). This was me being very conservative and selective about where to go. I am sure when you come visit, you will have better budgeting skills than I did.
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11/22/2017 0 Comments Where to go in Seoul?1) Gyeongbokgung Palace Enjoy traditional Korean architecture while roaming around this beautiful site. The area includes residences, pavilions, and both the National Palace Museum of Korea and the National Folk Museum of Korea. There are also English tours available at: 11am, 1:30pm & 3:30pm Price: 3000 Won (est. $2.75) 2. Noryangjin (Fish Market) Now this one is not for everybody, but, if you would like to try fresh seafood, the Noryangjin Market is the place to go. It had everything from octopus, different kinds of fish (obviously), king crabs, squid, and some weird stuff I've never seen before. Best part is, you can bargain (maybe just get 10% discount) and have your selection cooked right in front of you at the upstair restaurants. I must warn you, English is barely spoken here, so if you know someone who speaks some Korean, you will do better than if you didn't. You can find this place by taking going to the subway and getting on line 1 and line 9. Tip: If you don't like seeing fish or other animals here slaughtered, then I would suggest not to buy anything but just walk around. 3. Sungnyemun Gate Take a walk around one of the eighth gates of Seoul. Take a brochure and learn how it was destroyed during the x dynasty and by arson in 2008. If you're lucky, you can catch the 4:30 performance of professional martial artists (See below). 4. N Seoul Tower This one is really hard to miss. The N Seoul Tower is located in Namsam Mountain - hence, the "N" in "N Seoul Tower" - where you have two options of getting to the top. I) Take the cable car on Hoehyeondong all the way up the mountain. You would then have to walk up five more minutes to actually reach the tower itself. This option saves you time, and the hassle of having to walk/hike all the way up a steep hill in order to get to the tower. It takes around 10 minutes to arrive at the top. One-way ticket = 6,000Won (est. $5) Return ticket = 8,500 Won (est. $7.62) II) You can walk/hike/run/crawl, whatever means of getting to the top by only using your legs. Not a bad way to exercise if you ask me, but be warned, it can take at least 30-40 minutes depending on where you start, and you physical condition. One of the best thing about walking all the way up, is the different viewpoints you get to see. Plus, once you reach the top, you will spot a nice little restaurant with incredible views of Seoul. Maybe you can even grab a beer to celebrate like I did. Tip: Go during the sunset, but be sure to reach the top before the sun goes down. Walking/hiking/running/crawling = FREE (but bring water) 5. Gwangjang Market Gwangjang Market is home to traditional clothing, fabrics, and lots and lots of delicious FOOD! It is a must visit during your stay in Seoul. Obviously these are not the only places to go to when visiting Seoul but they usually were the ones that stood out the most to me. Everybody has their own preference of what to visit. This is my list.
Feel free to let me know of other cool locations around Seoul. |
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