budget trip to korea from philippines

The Cost of Travel in South Korea: My 2024 Budget Breakdown

I was so excited to return to South Korea.

I haven’t been to many places where I’ve felt such a cohesive blend of old and new, but South Korea is one of them. Steeped with 5000 years of culture and history, but integrated with modern music, technology, and infrastructure, it’s a country that surprised and delighted me at every turn.

And Seoul? It’s one of my favourite cities in the world. If you think New York City is the place that never sleeps, just wait until you arrive in Seoul. During my first visit to the country, I landed in the South Korean capital expecting to spend three or four days in town, but ended up leaving after three weeks . Yes, I loved this city so much that I simply couldn’t bring myself to leave.

I’d be walking the bustling streets of popular neighbourhood Hongdae in the early hours of the morning and realise that there was nowhere on earth quite like it. Street performers are sharing their best routines to the latest K-pop songs, shops are bright and open, karaoke is everywhere, and clubs have lines out the door. Talk about a sensory overload, but in the best possible way. 

On my return visit, though, I knew I needed to see more of this wonderful country. South Korea is so much more than it’s biggest city.

From the colourful houses in Busan to the scenic coastal views and tea plantations on Jeju Island to the towering mountains of Seoraksan National Park: I loved each and every destination I visited in the country. Get ready to be swept away by all that Korea has to offer, from Korean BBQ, K-pop, karaoke, palaces, temples, and arcades.

But how are the prices? In this post-pandemic world, the cost of travel has been skyrocketing, but this country has managed to remain relatively inexpensive.

Today, I’m going to be revealing exactly how much you can expect to spend on a trip to South Korea.

I’ve been recording every single dollar, peso, and baht that I’ve spent on my travels since 2011 (I now have  over 65 budget breakdowns on the site !), aiming to give you an accurate picture of how much you can expect to spend in every country around the world. Today, it’s South Korea’s turn and I’m so excited to start sharing.

Grab yourself a cold bottle of soju because this post’s a long one!

What’s Included in this Post 

This budget breakdown covers how much I spent on accommodation, transportation, activities, and food during my trips to South Korea.

The amounts in the guide are listed in U.S. dollars, simply because the vast majority of my readers are from the U.S. I’ve also included prices in the South Korean won (KRW) — the local currency — as you’ll be using that throughout your time in the country.

At the time of writing (February 2024):

• 1 USD: 1,300 KRW
• 1 EUR: 1,450 KRW
• 1 GBP: 1,675 KRW
• 1 AUD: 875 KRW

Yes, this does make calculating the prices of things rather tricky when you’re in South Korea! For me, I kept in mind that 10,000 KRW is roughly 8 USD (€7, £6, or 11.50 AUD) and it made figuring out the prices of things far easier.

One quick note I do want to make about travel in South Korea is that it’s kind of complicated to pay for things! Korea is, these days, a cashless society — everybody pays with cards and there aren’t a lot of places that are happy to accept cash.

Now, that would be all well and good if it wasn’t for the fact that the vast majority of payment terminals don’t accept foreign bank cards. Apple Pay is very limited and Google Pay doesn’t exist at all.

Yes, really.

I’d say that we were able to successfully use our debit/credit cards 30% of the time in South Korea — and it made no difference whether we were using our U.K., Australian, or New Zealand cards.

So, what to do?

Honestly, there isn’t an elegant solution. Expect that every time you try to buy something, you might need to try four cards until one of them works. Carry a lot of cash with you in case none of your cards are accepted. It didn’t end up being a huge problem for us, as we were able to pay with cash whenever our cards were declined, but it was frustrating to have to continually deal with payment rejections everywhere we went!

Okay, let’s get started! Up first: accommodation!

The Cheapest Accommodation Options in South Korea

Like practically every country in the world, prices have increased post-pandemic in South Korea, so you’ll be paying a little more for everything than you would have done a few years ago. Despite that, costs are lower than most Western countries, so accommodation in the country still offers up good value for money.

Let’s start on the lower end of the spectrum. If you’re willing to put in the time and effort, it’s possible to avoid paying for accommodation entirely.

Couchsurfing  exists in South Korea and allows you to stay with a local for free, usually sleeping on their sofa and enjoying a local’s insight into life in their country. It’s not the most comfortable of living situations, but if your budget’s tight, it’s worth sending out a few requests to hosts to see if anything comes of it. You can browse through the 150,000+ Korean hosts on  the Couchsurfing site .

Housesitting  is a more upmarket option, aimed at mid-range and luxury travellers. Housesitting involves taking care of somebody’s house for free while they’re away, often (but not always) looking after their pets, too. It’s best for long-term travellers or retirees, as you can’t pick and choose dates and destinations, so you’ll need to have a lot of flexibility as to where you go and at what time of year. If you do have that freedom, though it’s a wonderful way to cut down your travel expenses, soak up some home comforts, and live like a local for a while. Trusted Housesitters  is the best site for getting started with housesitting, as they have the highest number of listings.

And then we have hostels . In South Korea, you’ll come across hostels all over the country, finding them on tiny islands, large cities, and even within the national parks. They’re one of your best options for saving money.

All prices are in U.S. Dollars, by the way, as that’s where the vast majority of my readers are from.

Hostels in Korea  are on a par with the rest of major cities in East Asia, and you can expect to spend between  $18 a night for a dorm bed  for a well-reviewed hostel, with the price increasing slightly to about  $24 a night  for the absolute best of the best.

When it comes to private rooms in hostels, you’ll be looking at  $30 a night  for a clean, basic room in a good location, so if you’re travelling with friends or with your partner, you may find it cheaper to grab some privacy over settling for two beds in a dorm room.  $70 a night  will get you an exceptionally well-reviewed private room in a hostel.

I use  HostelWorld  to find the cheapest hostels, as they tend to have the greatest number of listings at the lowest prices.

And then there are hotels, which I’m going to jump into next.

The Cost of Accommodation in South Korea 

I found hotels in South Korea to be pretty reasonably priced. You won’t get the cheap, cheap rates that you do in places like Southeast Asia, but prices are generally lower than more expensive countries in Western Europe.

• As mentioned, well-rated hostels come in at an average price of $18 a night for a dorm bed, while private rooms are around $30 a night .
• Inexpensive guesthouses are typically around $50 a night .
• Four-star hotels are between $150 and $200 a night
• And five-star hotels are $250-350 a night

As always with these posts, I like to share where I personally stayed in the country and what I thought of each of my accommodation choices. On my most recent trip, I splurged in Seoul because I wanted to stay in two of the best-rated hotels in the country, but kept my accommodation costs relatively low in the other destinations I visited.

Seoul (Hongdae): RYSE Hotel (240,000 KRW, or $183 per night)

If you’re going to stay anywhere in Hongdae (my favourite Seoul neighbourhood), RYSE Hotel is the place to be. It’s one of the best hotels in the city! It’s in the perfect location, in the heart of Hongdae’s cafe-and-nightlife scene, but so well-insulated that you don’t hear any of it. The rooms had a modern, industrial design, great views over the city, and there were tons of gifts, from facemasks (this is Korea, after all!) to local games to even a bottle of wine. There’s a rooftop bar with some of the best views in Seoul, one of the best equipped hotel gyms I’ve ever used, and the staff were amazing. I’d absolutely stay here again on future visits!

Seoul (Myeongdong): Hotel 28 (189,000 KRW, or $144 per night)

Our itinerary in South Korea saw us spending two separate stints in Seoul, so for our second visit, I dragged myself away from my beloved Hongdae and gave Myeongdong a try — this is the neighbourhood to head to if you want to shop ’til you drop then eat ’til you’re… replete! We chose Hotel28, which is the best-rated option in the area; one of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World. It’s a cinema-themed hotel (you get bags of free popcorn when you check in!) in one of the best areas for eating in the city. The rooms are spacious, the bathroom had the best bathtub ever, and the staff were so sweet. It’s right by one of the city’s best night markets, too, which was so much fun to eat my way around! The hotel gym was great, too.

Gyeongju: Maison Mini Hotel (62,000 KRW, or $49 per night)

Dave and I loved our stay at the adorable Maison Mini Hotel in Gyeongju and found it to be a fantastic mid-range accommodation option. The rooms were spotless and cleaned everyday throughout our stay. The owner was so sweet and welcoming, and the shared kitchen and laundry facilities were definitely appreciated. Having access to a proper coffee machine was particularly useful! The guesthouse is a 10 minute walk from all of the wonderful sights of Gyeongju and a five minute walk from the main bus station, so it made for a great base while we were in town. I can’t recommend this place highly enough!

Busan: Urbanstay Seomyeon (61,000 KRW, or $47 per night)

Like Seoul, Busan is a big old city with plenty of neighbourhoods to choose from. Seomyeon, however, is the best spot for new visitors to town — it’s in a convenient location for visiting all of the most popular spots and has plenty of vibrant nightlife and restaurants to explore. Urbanstay is right beside a metro station, which makes getting around even easier. The rooms are clean, modern, and basic — very minimalist! — with lightning-fast Wi-Fi. There actually aren’t any staff at the hotel, so you’ll be emailed a key code to get into your room, which works well. The washing machines are, as always, very much appreciated!

Seoraksan National Park: Smile Resort (70,000 KRW, or $53 per night)

If you’re going to be hiking in Seoraksan National Park, you’ll want to be staying as close to the park entrance as possible. Unfortunately, this area of South Korea seems to be full of mediocre accommodation options. Still, Smile Resort was the best option that was close to the entrance while not being obscenely expensive. While the interior was a little old and tired, it was a perfectly acceptable place to stay! The owners were welcoming and kind, the free breakfast (a rarity in South Korea) was definitely appreciated before a big day of hiking, and it’s just a five-minute walk from the bus that takes you to the national park entrance. Rooms also have a private kitchenette and fridge, which was useful for keeping our water cold overnight.

My partner, Dave, wrote an in-depth itinerary on how to spend 10 days in South Korea after our most recent trip, so do check that out if you’re looking for advice how to structure a trip to the above places!

The Cost of Transportation in South Korea 

I’m somebody who doesn’t get an awful lot out of travel days in unfamiliar places, but even I can admit that travelling around South Korea is a joy! From the buses to the high-speed trains to the comprehensive subways: getting around this country is convenient, comfortable, and hassle-free.

Your first encounter with the transportation system will be at the airport. There’s two options for getting the train from Incheon International Airport to Seoul: the Airport Railroad Express (AREX) or the All Stop Train. The former takes 43 minutes and costs 9,500 KRW ( $7.20 ), while the latter is half the price at 4,150 KRW ( $3.15 ) and takes 53 minutes.

I recommend jumping on the All Stop Train, then, as it’s cheaper, takes just 10 minutes longer, and runs more frequently than the AREX so will most likely get you into Seoul faster anyway.

I wouldn’t recommend taking the bus or the taxi, as both are more expensive and slower than the train. The bus costs 10-15,000 KRW ( $9 ) and takes around 80 minutes, while taxis cost a whopping 70,000 KRW, or $55 , and take around an hour.

What to Know About T-Money Cards

Before we go any further, it’s time for a primer on T-Money! This is my one travel essential in South Korea and I highly recommend getting your hands on one before you leave the airport.

A T-Money card is designed to make your public transportation experiences seamless. You simply buy your T-Money card from any convenience store, or the vending machines at the airport, and then you can use it on subways, buses, taxis, and even vending machines and grocery stores — all across the country. Simply tap your card on the T-Money scanner and you’re good to go!

I recommend buying yours at the airport, where there are T-Money vending machines located beside the All Stop Train (and then you’ll pay for said train journey with the card). You’ll pay 4,000 KRW ( $3 ) for the card.

Once you’ve bought your card, remember to top it up with some cash. I topped-up with 40,000 KRW ( $30 ), which was the perfect amount for two weeks in the country — I had 2,000 KRW left over at the end. If you do end up with any money left on your T-Money card at the end of your trip, you can get that refunded to you at any subway station (including the airport) in Seoul.

I mentioned in the photo caption above that Dave’s T-Money card came free with his SIM card purchase. He bought his SIM card in advance from LG and picked it up in the arrivals hall at the airport. The SIM card included unlimited data (35,000 KRW or $25 for 10 days of usage) plus a Korean phone number — the latter of which is surprisingly useful in Korea (you often need a local phone number just to join a queue for a restaurant!) but tricky to get from many other providers.

The Cost of Trains in South Korea

If you’ll be venturing outside of Seoul then odds are, you’ll be travelling by train. This is one of the best ways to explore the country, thanks to the modern carriages and speedy services. And expect your trains to be punctual — just as in nearby Japan , this country thrives on an on-time departure.

I’m a huge fan of the KTX — the Korean Travel Express — which whips you up and down the length of the country at speeds of 300+ kilometres an hour (190 mph). It’s the priciest option, for sure, but the amount of time you’ll save will likely make it worth it.

As an example, the KTX from Seoul to Busan — running from the top to the bottom of the country — takes just over two hours (at a price of 59,800 KRW/$45 ). In comparison, the equivalent buses and slower trains complete the journey anywhere between four and six hours (but costing 28,000 KRW/$21 ).

Buy your KTX tickets through the official Korail website to score the cheapest fare — we had no problems using it with our foreign debit/credit cards.

I’ll briefly mention the existence of the Korea Rail Pass (KR Pass) here, which works similarly to the Japan Rail Pass or a Eurail Pass. You can choose from either a consecutive pass or a flexible pass, but to be honest, the prices are around the same amount as the individual tickets, so I didn’t see the point. If you’ll be racing around the country and visiting multiple places in a single day, it may be worth it, but it wasn’t for us.

The Cost of Buses in South Korea

You can take the bus to just about anywhere in South Korea.

There are two types of long-distance buses in the country: express and intercity; due to time constraints, we opted for the express option for every journey we took (intercity buses are cheaper but take way longer because they make stops all along the way; express buses take you directly to your destination). Our two-hour express bus from Seoul to Sokcho ( 21,000W, or $16 ) was bordering on luxurious with wide, comfortable reclining leather seats, tons of legroom, and even power sockets.

You can find bus departures either through Kobus (express buses only) or Bustago (express and intercity buses). However , you can only purchase through these sites if you have a Korean bank card and a local number — yes, it’s frustrating and only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Korea making travel difficult for foreign visitors.

We used these booking sites, therefore, to see which departure time we wanted to aim for and to check there were still tickets available. We then bought the tickets from the bus station an hour or so beforehand — departures typically run multiple times an hour so you don’t have to worry too much about buses being booked.

To give you a sense of ticket prices, here are some average one-way costs for a few routes you might take: 

• Seoul to Busan: 33,000 KRW ($26)
• Seoul to Gyeongju: 20,000 KRW ($15)
• Busan to Daegu: 12,000 KRW ($9)
• Seoul to Jeonju: 20,000 KRW ($15)

The Cost of Flying in South Korea

South Korea isn’t a gargantuan country. And with fast and frequent overland options available throughout, you probably won’t need to fly very often — if it all. But if you plan on going to wonderful Jeju Island (which you should), then flying is the easiest way to get there.

A one-way direct flight from Seoul to Jeju will cost around $42 , and if you’re flying from Busan, a one-way fare is roughly $33 . 

In terms of alternative options to flying, you do have the ferry from Busan. At a journey time of around 12 hours, though, and a cost of 60,000W ($45) , there’s no real reason to put yourself through the discomfort.

The Cost of the Metro in South Korea

The underground systems in Seoul and Busan are in a league of their own. In fact, Seoul has one of the most extensive subway systems in the world — it’s clean, modern, and safe. If you don’t have to use it during rush hour, it’s pretty calm, too. It’s one of the best and most efficient ways to get around Seoul, and with the exception of a couple of local bus trips, I relied on the subway during my entire stint in the city.

Fare is calculated by distance, so a subway ride of less than 10 km will cost 1,350 KRW ($1) with 100 KRW added on for every additional 5km (you’re unlikely to take a journey this far, though). When taking the subway over a typical day of sightseeing, I usually averaged around 5,000 KRW ($4) per day . 

Overall, my daily transportation costs in South Korea worked out to: $10.20 per day

The Cost of Food in South Korea

Long-time readers of the site will already know that food is my primary driver to travel. It won’t come as any surprise, then, to learn that my favourite thing to do in Korea was eat .

There are so many incredible local dishes to sample in this country that I often found myself panicking that there weren’t going to be enough meals in the day. By the end of my weeks in the country, I was officially inducting South Korea into my list of the top five places to eat in the world (the others being India, Vietnam, Mexico, and Greece).

Yes, you’ve got all the classics you’ve probably come across before, like kimchi, bibimbap, and bulgogi, and you’ll be able to find them on practically every street you walk along. But for me, the delight came in wandering into a crowded restaurant without any idea what was on the menu, sitting down and being presented with one of the best dishes I’ve ever tried. Yes, I’m looking at you, samgyetang.

Of course, Korean BBQ reigns supreme and provides a super-fun food experience — I definitely recommend trying it at least once while you’re in the country. Gather around a table with a group of friends, order yourselves an inordinate amount of meat, marinate it in a variety of sauces, then cook it up at your table on your own little grill.

And let me tell you that Korean fried chicken may have ruined me for all of my future fried chicken experiences. Before arriving in the country, I’d made a vow to never eat the same thing twice while I was there. After my first taste of crispy fried chicken, however, I found myself meekly eating it again a couple of days later. It was just so freaking good!

The kimchi in South Korea is amazing and I was regularly blown away by the depth of flavour that was contained in such a simple dish. You’ll be given a couple of versions of it (cabbage and radish) as a free side with practically every meal you order, and it was nearly always a flavourful highlight for me.

One particularly epic food experience we had in the country is depicted in the photo at the very top of this section — the one where I’m surrounded by about 35 different dishes! Hongsi Hanjungsik in Gyeongju offers up a traditional Korean banquet, run out of the owner’s home, with so many high-quality, tasty things to try. And despite the multitude of dishes, we didn’t come away feeling overly full. At a price of 20,000W (or $15.50) each, it felt like phenomenally good value!

So let’s get into the food prices.

In general, if you’re eating out at a Korean restaurant, look to spend around 10,000 – 15,000 KRW ($7.50 – $11.50) for a meal. When eating at a more Western restaurant (which you absolutely should not do because the Western food in Korea is probably the worst I’ve ever eaten — a ham and cheese sandwich I ordered was drizzled with condensed milk!) then you might spend 20,000 KRW ($15) for a meal. Fast food, street food, or a smaller meal will range around 5,000 – 7,000 KRW ($4 – $5) . 

Here’s some examples of what we spent on some of the various dishes we tried:

• Fried chicken for lunch: 10,000 KRW ($7.50)
• Bibimbap for lunch: 9,500 KRW ($7)
• Bindaetteok (mung bean pancake) as a street food snack: 5,000 KRW ($4)
• Dakgalbi (stir-fried chicken) for dinner: 6,500 KRW ($4.50)
• Unlimited Korean BBQ on a weekday lunch: 15,000 KRW ($11.50)
• Samgyetang (chicken ginseng soup) at a fancy restaurant for lunch: 19,000 KRW ($14.50)
• Street food snacks: 3,000 KRW ($2) each
• A pint of local draft beer in a restaurant: 4,000 KRW ($3)
• A bottle of soju in a restaurant: 4,000 KRW ($3)
• A 750ml bottle of makgeolli in a restaurant: 4,000 KRW ($3)
• An extremely fancy cocktail in a world-class bar: 23,000 KRW ($17.50)

Dave and I are usually intermittent fasters when we travel, so we rarely opted for breakfast while we were travelling in South Korea. Instead, we’d have a large meal for an early lunch and often hit the street food carts for dinner. Our daily meal costs were sometimes then as little as 15,000 KRW ($11.50) a day but averaged out at 25,000 KRW ($19) a day .

The Cost of Activities and Entrance Fees in South Korea    

When it comes to activities in South Korea, there’s so much to keep you entertained — and it’s pretty affordable, too.

If there’s one activity to cross off your list when you’re in Seoul, it has to be the royal palaces. For just 10,000 KRW , you can purchase a combo ticket that gives you entrance to Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung (and its separate secret garden), Deoksugung, Changgyeonggung, and Jongmyo Shrine. To visit each of these individually would cost 14,000 KRW , so it’s well-worth getting the combo and crossing all of them off. We managed to see all of them in a single day of hardcore sightseeing, and while we were undoubtedly templed-out by the end of it, we were still glad we’d made the effort to do so.

If you only have a limited amount of time, then just head to Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung — the two most impressive of the palaces. You’ll be able to catch the impressive changing of the guard in the morning at Gyeongbokgung, then take a tour of the wonderful secret garden at Changdeokgung in the afternoon.

Many visitors to Seoul spend their time shopping, eating, and partying. This is one livable, lively city, crammed full of excellent skincare products, world-class vintage stores, delicious street eats, and more karaoke bars than you could possibly imagine. There’s lots to keep you entertained.

Simply strolling through the different neighbourhoods provides a way to keep costs down. I loved spending my time cafe-hopping in student-filled Hongdae, shopping in bustling Myeongdong, picking up traditional souvenirs in Insadong, and admiring the street art in Itaewon.

One particular highlight from my most recent trip was walking the 10 kilometre, or seven mile, Cheonggyecheon Stream, which runs through downtown Seoul from Cheonggye Plaza to Dongdaemun. Once a busy highway, it has since been transformed into a peaceful oasis, where friends come to chill beside the water, surrounded by plants, trees, and fun water features.

Most visitors to South Korea want to hit up the DMZ: the border between South and North Korea, and specifically the Joint Security Area (JSA) — those famous blue barracks where North and South Korean soldiers stand face-to-face. It’s the closest you can get to North Korea without actually entering it.

You’ll want to be careful, then, when you do book your DMZ tour. There are plenty of these general DMZ tours running (priced at 76,000 KRW/$56 ), but the closest you’ll get to North Korea is standing on a hill and looking into the country from afar with binoculars. You won’t visit the JSA on these trips. It is, however, a third of the price of the JSA tours, so a great option for budget travellers. These non-JSA tours are incredibly popular, so do book early to ensure you manage to get a space. You can check availability for your travel dates using the widget below:

The JSA-specific tours are even more popular, but unfortunately, they’re currently (as of early-2024) on pause. This is a common occurrence, especially during these post-pandemic years. It’s only been open to tourists for about three months in total since 2020!

VVIP Travel and Hana Tour are the two JSA tour operators to go with, so do check out their websites before your trip, just in case the tours are up and running again. Tours cost 195,000 KRW ($150) per person and last for a full day.

I knew I wanted to get out into nature while I was in South Korea, as I didn’t want my entire trip to focus around gigantic, bustling cities. This country, after all, is 70% mountains. Seoraksan National Park provided the perfect opportunity to do just that. It’s a two-hour bus ride from Seoul and when you arrive, you’ll feel as though you’re in a whole other country.

With an entrance fee of just 3,500 KRW ($2.50), this was an affordable way to see a part of the country that few tourists opt to explore. The scenery was incredible and a couple of days in town enabled us to tackle all of the most popular hikes.

Speaking of gigantic, bustling cities: Busan!

Busan often ends up being most people’s favorite spot in South Korea and there’s plenty to do while you’re there. From beach-hopping your days away (my favourite free activity!) to hitting up bustling fish markets; eating allll the street food then exploring amazing colourful villages, blanketed with murals. Busan is well-worth visiting, that’s for sure. But for us? We quickly realised that nearby Gyeongju was more our type of place.

Dave and I adored Gyeongju, a compact city that’s perfect for some respite after a few days in Busan. Gyeongju is crammed full of cultural sites and attractions, from royal tombs to ancient observatories, to one of the most impressive Buddha statues we’ve ever seen. The vast majority of attractions in town were free to visit, so we spent very little money while we were there, too — an added bonus!

And I can’t write about South Korea and not include beautiful Jeju Island — the iconic volcanic island off the southern coast of the country that’s known for its beaches, waterfalls, and mountains, as well as its local delicacies. Just wait until you try the local black pork! There’s tons to do on the island — you could spend two weeks on Jeju alone — but so much of it is focused around landscapes and scenery (so much hiking!) that you can easily visit on a budget.

With all that being said, here’s a breakdown of the main activity costs you may encounter in South Korea:

• Entry to Donggung Palace, Gyeongju – 3000 KRW ($2)
• Bulguksa Temple & Seokguram Grotto, Gyeongju – 5,000 KRW ($4)
• Gyeongju Expo Park – 8,000 KRW ($6)
• Daereungwon Tomb Complex, Cheomseongdae Observatory, Woljeonggyo Bridge, Gyochon Traditional Village – Free
• Royal palaces combo ticket, Seoul – 10,000 KRW ($7.50)
• N Seoul Tower – 21,000 KRW ($16)
• Kimchi Museum entrance – 5,000 KRW ($4)
• Nanta cooking show – 44,000 KRW ($34)
• Lotte World entrance – 62,000 KRW ($47)
• Bukchon Hanok village, Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Cheonggyecheon Stream, War Memorial of Korea, National Museum of Korea, Seoul – Free
• Entrance to Seoraksan National Park – 3,500 KRW ($2.50)
• Busan Sky Capsule – 15,000 KRW ($11.50)
• Songdo cable car, Busan – 15,000 KRW ($11.50)
• Busan Tower Observatory – 7,000 KRW ($5)
• Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, Gamcheon Cultural Village, Busan – Free
• Jeongbang Waterfalls entrance, Jeju Island – 2,000 KRW ($1.50)
• Camellia Hill entrance, Jeju Island – 7,000 KRW ($5)
• Jeju Folk Village, Jeju Island – 12,000 KRW ($9)

As you can see, there’s very little that’s going to break the bank in South Korea — there’s tons of free attractions and any entrance fees are reasonable.

Over my two weeks in Korea, I averaged just $3 a day on activities and entrance fees.

The Cost of Miscellaneous Expenses in South Korea

An eSIM:  A few years ago, I made the switch to eSIMs and it’s an act that’s significantly improved my travels.

I used to hate having to spend my first few hours in a new country wandering around in search of a way to get connected. There’s locating a store that will sell you one, language barriers to deal with (I was surprised to discover South Korea has one of the highest language barriers I’ve ever encountered!), various forms of ID and information you might need to bring, scams to navigate, and… well, it’s a headache.

These days, I buy my SIM cards in advance through AloSIM , which sells local e-SIMs for travellers. What that means is that you can buy your SIM card online  before  you arrive in South Korea, and then as soon as you land in Seoul, can switch on your phone and be online before the plane’s even come to a halt. It’s worked flawlessly for me in over a dozen countries, including South Korea.

I paid  $15 for 5 GB of data for 30 days in South Korea. Readers of Never Ending Footsteps can get a 5% discount on AloSIM eSIMs by using the code FOOTSTEPS.

There’s one small detail I need to mention. Before arriving in South Korea, I read dozens of articles insisting that you need a local Korean phone number to successfully travel in the country.

Most of the taxi apps require a local number (especially if you want to pay by card in the app), and most popular restaurants operate a waitlist where they call or text you on a local number when a table is ready — if you don’t have one, you can’t join the queue!

Dave specifically bought an LG SIM card that gave you a local phone number and… we used it close to zero times. It turned out, we didn’t need to call a taxi even once and none of the restaurants we went to had waiting lists. A couple of takeaway joints that we went to required a local number to place an order, but that was it. I’m glad we had at least one SIM card with a Korean number for peace of mind but we also didn’t really need to use it, so I don’t think it’s as much of a travel essential as people say.

Travel insurance : If you’ve read any other posts on Never Ending Footsteps, you’ll know that I’m a great believer in travelling with travel insurance. I’ve seen far too many Go Fund Me campaigns from destitute backpackers that are unexpectedly stranded in a foreign country after a scooter accident/being attacked/breaking a leg with no way of getting home or paying for their healthcare. In short, if you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel. These costs can quickly land you with a six-figure bill to pay at the end of it.

Travel insurance  will cover you if your flight is cancelled and you need to book a new one, if your luggage gets lost and you need to replace your belongings, if you suddenly get struck down by appendicitis and have to be hospitalised, or discover a family member has died and you need to get home immediately. If you fall seriously ill, your insurance will cover the costs to fly you home to receive medical treatment.

I used  SafetyWing  as my travel insurance provider in South Korea. They provide worldwide coverage, don’t require you to have a return ticket, and even allow you to buy coverage after you’ve left home. If you’re on a long-term trip, you can pay monthly instead of up-front, and can cancel at any time. Finally, they’re affordable, and have a clear, easy-to-understand pricing structure, which is always appreciated.

The cost of two weeks of travel insurance with SafetyWing was $21, or $1.50 a day.

How Much Does it Cost to Travel in South Korea? 

It’s time to tally up all of my expenses to see my total travel costs! In U.S. dollars, my average daily costs in South Korea were:

• Accommodation: $104.50 per day
• Transportation: $10.20 per day
• Food: $19 per day
• Activities/Entrance Fees: $3 per day

Average amount spent in South Korea: $137 a day!

As I mentioned in the accommodation section, I did splurge a little when it came to accommodation, so if you’re on a tighter budget, that’s where you’ll be able to cut costs.

For example, if you’re a backpacker who plans on staying in dorm rooms, you can expect to spend $18 a night on accommodation, making your total daily costs around $50 a day .

Alternatively, if you’re part of a couple and staying in budget-to-mid-range guesthouses, you’ll be looking at $50 a night for accommodation, which will make your daily total costs $82 a day .

So what do you think? Is South Korea more or less expensive than you expected? Let me know in the comments below!

Lauren juliff.

Lauren Juliff is a published author and travel expert who founded Never Ending Footsteps in 2011. She has spent over 12 years travelling the world, sharing in-depth advice from more than 100 countries across six continents. Lauren's travel advice has been featured in publications like the BBC, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Cosmopolitan, and her work is read by 200,000 readers each month. Her travel memoir can be found in bookstores across the planet.

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13 comments.

Thank you so much for sharing all your infos, they are always clear and straight to the point which makes it really handy, i have been reading you for a while and always enjoy, i am now doing a 3 months trip through bali, south korea and japan, and your infos on south korea are going to be usefull, once again, Lauren,thank you!

Thanks a lot for your excellent article Lauren! South Korea is much more affordable than I thought it was. And apparently there’s nature too :) We just decided against a South Africa trip this September due to the safely situation and power outages, but now adding South Korea to the wishlist for when the boy is a little older and traveling purely by public transport is more feasible.

We’ve been living in the SoKorea for almost 2 years now. A couple things …

* DMA/JSA tours ARE available through visitjsa.com. US military and USDoD-associated individuals have first dibs, but we booked the end of July as “general tourists” without an issue. These tours leave from right OUTside several US military bases in SoKorea, include lunch and are half the price of just DMZ tours from Seoul. There is a dress code, which is STRICTLY enforced.

* In regard to the language barrier. Many Koreans – especially “younger” generation Koreans – DO know English. They, as a whole, are EXTREMELY shy about using it, though. I have found most have excellent English skills – much better than my Korean skills!! Give grace here, folks. And, download the Papago app as EVERYONE (Koreans & foreigners) uses this to communicate. Don’t be shy – just Papago it!

* Korean phone number – during covid, you needed a Korean number to register at restaurants and retail shops for contact- tracing/tracking purposes. We haven’t been anywhere lately that required a Korean # to get a table or anything.

* For taxis, subway directions/maps, download Kakao – there are various Kakao apps – 1 for subway, 1 for taxis, etc.

* Credit cards – AMEX tends to work more places than my Chase or Citibank VISA cards. I carry a couple hundred kwon with me just in case my cc doesn’t work. If you have significant leftover kwon when you leave, I’d suggest looking for Americans at the airport and strike up a conversation – with so many US military bases here, there’s a good chance someone will buy your kwon off you at a reasonable exchange rate.

Thanks for all the extra information!

The language barrier wasn’t a criticism or complaint — just in case you interpreted it as one! I came across a few younger Koreans who spoke excellent English and I didn’t personally have any problems with the lack of English spoken. It was just a brief sidenote that after travelling to 100-odd countries, the language barrier was higher in South Korea than the vast majority of other places I’ve visited.

I used Papago and Naver and Kakao, etc while I was in the country, but as this is an article about the cost of travel, I didn’t want to turn it into a travel guide and add too much detail that was unrelated to the costs. I’ll definitely publish a more general travel guide over the coming months!

The Korean phone number thing wasn’t a reference to COVID contact tracing but rather that the popular restaurants operate waitlists — and to join those waitlists, you’ll sometimes be asked to give your phone number so that they can text/call/KakaoTalk you when your table is available. I had one restaurant turn me away because Dave wasn’t with me so I couldn’t give them a local number, and a couple of takeaway places, where you ordered from a screen, required a local number to confirm the order. I read about this on r/KoreaTravel ( example ) quite a bit before getting here — it wasn’t as bad as expected but it does still seem to be a good idea to get a local number just in case.

Good to know that AMEX works well — the one bank we don’t have accounts with! I’m not American so wasn’t sure if US cards would fare better than ours.

Great to see new articles again! Cant wait to hear what you have been up to!

Thanks so much! I’m relieved to see I still have readers after my extended break! Lots to share from the past year, but the biggest news is probably gaining my Australian permanent residency and setting up a new home base in Melbourne! Other than that, lots of travel in Southeast Asia, as always :-)

Hi! Thanks so much for this :) we are travelling in October to South Korea & Tokyo and I too have read about needing a korean number. Do you happen to know if you need a local number for Kakao app? Thank you!

Hi Lucy! Yes, you can use an international number to sign up for Kakao, but the app won’t let you add a credit or debit card. You’ll need to pay the driver directly with cash.

Just wanted to let you know I found this post incredibly helpful as I´m planning a South Korea trip for later this year! Great to have an idea of costs, and you´ve made me consider putting Jeju island on our itinerary (would mean cutting time in other countries on the way – still figuring it out!).

Thank you so much for all the info! I just have one more question: Do you happen to know of any budget travel agency that organizes Korean land tours for a week or so? I found a few, but the prices are rather high.

wow..learnt so much from your article. thanks a ton. planing a 4day trip to S.Korea and 4 days in Taiwan… do you have any info on taiwan? also is S.Korea clean and safe? Im planning to stay in Seoul. would love to know where i can do some clothes shopping……..also are there any night markets around?

Thanks so much for the detailed breakdown and recommendations. You really have broken it down very well. I hope to visit South Korea next year and will definitely take all this into consideration when planning. I am just wondering about which time of year is best to visit…

Hi Joy! Based on my own experiences, I really enjoyed visiting in late-May — perfect temperatures, blue skies, and not many tourists — and found October to be too cold for my liking.

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• TRAVEL GUIDES
• DESTINATIONS
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• HOTELS & RESORTS
• FIND HOTELS WITH DISCOUNTED RATES!

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2024 seoul, south korea travel guide blog with diy itinerary, things to do, tourist spots, budget, tips and more for first-timers.

Traveling to South Korea for the first-time this 2024? Sharing to you my detailed South Korea Travel Guide Blog with DIY itinerary, top things to do in Korea, Seoul tourist spots, budget, breakdown of expenses and many more to help you plan your trip to "the Land of the Morning Calm."

Seoul, south korea travel guide blog 2024 for first-timers - things to do, tourist spots, itinerary, budget and more, okay, let's get started..., korea visa requirements.

VISA-FREE ENTRY TO SOUTH KOREA

Pre-flight travel essentials, book your travel essential and activities.

• Korea 4G SIM Card
• Incheon Airport Private Car Transfers
• Discover Seoul Pass
• Everland Full Day Trip
• Nami Island & Petite France Day Trip
• Bukchon Oneday Hanbok Rental Experience or Hanbok Photoshoot by Hanboknam
• AREX Incheon Airport Express Train One Way Ticket in Seoul or AREX Incheon Airport Express, Lotte World Pass and Running Man Thematic Experience Center Combo Package

HOW TO GET TO SEOUL SOUTH KOREA?

Cheap flights to seoul.

HOW TO GET TO SEOUL FROM INCHEON AIRPORT

Arex incheon airport express train, all-stop train, kal shuttle bus:, metered taxi or private car transfer:.

WHERE TO EXCHANGE CURRENCY?

HOW TO STAY CONNECTED IN KOREA?

• Buy a Korea 4G SIM Card
• 4G WiFi Rental

DISCOVER SEOUL PASS + T-MONEY CARD

HOW TO GET AROUND SEOUL?

• Popular route to your destination
• Estimated travel time
• Number of stations and changes
• And a map of the train stations with instructions on how to get there

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT KOREA?

How many days to stay in korea.

USEFUL KOREAN WORDS AND PHRASES FOR TOURISTS

• Hello/Goodbye – 안녕하세요 – An-nyeong-ha-se-yo
• Thank you – 감사합니다 – Kam-sa-ham-ni-da
• Please – 주세요 – Ju-se-yo
• It’s delicious! - 맛있어요! - Mas-shis-su-hyo!
• Yes - 네 - Ne
• No - 아니요 - Aniyo
• How much is it? – 얼마예요 – ol-ma-ye-yo
• Give me a discount – 깎아주세요 – Kka-kka-ju-se-yo
• Nice to meet you – 반갑습니다 – Bahn-gap-sum-ni-da
• How are you? - 어떻게 지내세요? - Uh-dduh-keh ji-neh-seh-yo?
• I can’t speak Korean well – 한국말 잘 못해요 – Han-guk-mal jal mot-hae-yo
• I don’t understand - 잘 모르겠네요 Jal mo-reu-geht-neh-yo
• Do you speak English? - 영어 할 수 있어요? - Yon-guh-ha-se-yo?

WHERE TO STAY IN SEOUL?

• It's near a subway station (Anguk Station)
• It's location is walking distance to the shrines and palaces
• Breakfast for 2 persons are included
• It's near convenience stores
• Impressive online reviews with a rating of 9.2 (Superb) on the Traveloka App

K GUESTHOUSE MYEONGDONG 2

• It's near a subway station (Myeong-dong Station)
• It's location is within the shopping district of Myeong-dong
• It's near convenience stores and restaurants

CHEAP HOTELS IN SEOUL BELOW ₱3,000 PESOS

Hotel stay inn seoul station.

• Address: 35, Huam-ro 57-gil, Yongsan-gu, Myeong-dong, Seoul, South Korea
• Guest Rating: 8.1 (Excellent)
• BOOK HERE: Check room rates and room availability

Dream Guest House Myeongdong

• Address: 190-14, Nam-Chang-Dong, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea

INSADONG hostel

• Address: 48, Insadong 14 Gil, jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Guest Rating: 4.5 (Superb)

MUST STAY HOTEL Myeongdong

• Address: 205-125, Namchang-dong, Jung-gu, Myeong-dong, Seoul, South Korea
• Guest Rating: 7.2 (Very Good)

YEHADOYE Guest House

• Address: 10, Insadong 12-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Guest Rating: 4.1 (Great)

K-Grand Hotel Myeongdong

• Address: 4F, 36 Myeongdong 8-gil, Jung-gu, Myeong-dong, Seoul, South Korea
• Guest Rating: 7.9 (Very Good)

TOP BUDGET HOTELS IN SEOUL BELOW ₱2,000 PESOS

Seoul n hotel dongdaemun, seoul, south korea.

• Address: 21 Jong-ro 66ga-gil, Jongno-gu, Dongdaemun, Seoul, South Korea, 03115

YH GuestHouse

• Address: 87, Yeonhui-ro, Seodaemun-gu(2F), Seoul, South Korea, 3112
• Guest Rating: 4.4 (Great)

Korstay Guest House

• Address: 247, Gomdallae-ro, Gangseo-gu, Gangseo, Seoul, South Korea

Seoul Tower Family Guesthouse

• Address: 21-9, Hangang-daero 84-gil, Yongsan-gu, Yongsan, Seoul, South Korea, 04352

Hause Itaewon

• Address: 11, hangang-daero 62na-gil, Itaewon, Seoul, South Korea, 04382

Hostel Korea Original

• Address: 20-12, Jong-ro 65-gil, Jongno-gu, Gangbuk, Seoul, South Korea, 3112
• Guest Rating: 7.5 (Very Good)

Open Guest House

• Address: 8 Changgyeonggung-ro 35da-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Jongno, Seoul, South Korea, 136-023

Saerim Hotel

• Address: 192-17 Gwanhun-dong (37-11 Insadong-gil), Insadong, Seoul, South Korea

TOP HOSTELS IN SEOUL BELOW ₱1,500 PESOS

Hostel seoul.

• Address: 9 Bomun-ro 9-gil, Jongno-gu, Gangbuk, Seoul, South Korea

Itaewon Guesthouse Yacht

• Address: 23 Itaewon-ro 23-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Itaewon, Seoul, South Korea, 140-201

Naru Hostel

• Address: 242-45 Gongdeok-dong,, Mapo, Seoul, South Korea

Hwanghae Jang

• Address: 11-2, Dangsan-ro 32-gil, Yeong-deungpo, Seoul, South Korea

Cocoon Stay Hapjeong

• Address: 36-4, Yanghwa-ro 7an-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, Korea (380-18 Seogyo-dong), Hongdae, Seoul, South Korea

Backpackers INSIDE Hostel

• Address: 2nd Floor 5 Sunggyungwan-ro 4-gil, Jongno-gu, Jongno, Seoul, South Korea, 110-522

Hostel Stay Now Jongno

• Address: 38 Samil-daero 32ga-gil (89 Ikseon-dong), Jongno-gu, Jongro, Seoul, South Korea

THINGS TO DO, TOURIST SPOTS AND ATTRACTIONS IN SEOUL

EXPERIENCE WEARING A HANBOK

Visit gyeongbokgung palace.

BE AMAZED AT CHANGDEOKGUNG PALACE

• Adults (ages 25-64): 3,000 KRW / Group (over 10 people): 2,400 KRW
• Students (ages 24 and under): Free (* Except for foreign visitors)

VISIT CHANGGYEONGGUNG PALACE

• Children and Teenagers (ages 7-18): 500 KRW
• Children under age 6: Free

TRAVEL BACK IN TIME AT UNHYEONGUNG ROYAL RESIDENCE

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY ART, SEOUL

• Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday : 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
• Wednesday, Saturday : 10:00 am - 9:00 pm (18:00 - 21:00 : free)

EXPLORE BUCKHON HANOK VILLAGE

VISIT JONGMYO SHRINE

SEE THE CITY FROM N SEOUL TOWER

EVERLAND DAY TOUR

EXPERIENCE THE YOUTH CULTURE AT HONGDAE

SHOPPING AT MYEONGDONG

HAVE A TASTE OF THE STREET FOOD AT MYEONGDONG

SOUVENIR SHOPPING AT INSADONG

LOTTE WORLD

Day tours from seoul.

NAMI ISLAND + PETIT FRANCE TOUR

Other options:.

• Nami Island, Petite France, Garden of Morning Calm, or Gangchon Rail Bike Day Tour from Seoul
• Nami Island, Garden of Morning Calm & More
• Seoul Nami Island, Rail Bike + Petit France Day Tour
• Nami Island, Petite France, Gapyeong Rail Bike & Garden of Morning Calm Day Tour

DMZ DAY TOUR

Other option:.

• Best DMZ Half Day from Seoul Guided Tour - No Shopping

Other Popular South Korea Experiences

Garden of Morning Calm, Nami Island & More

Nanta Show Seoul

Gyeongju Historical and Cultural Tour

Lotte World Kids Park Undersea Kingdom

Boryeong Mud Festival

Seoul Joseon Palaces & Folk History Day Tour

SBS MTV "The Show" Tour

Trickeye 3D Museum in Seoul

Hanbok Portrait Experience by Z-and in Seoul

SAMPLE SEOUL KOREA DIY ITINERARIES

Sample 6 days / 5 nights seoul south korea diy itinerary, day 1 - arrival.

• 05:10 PM - Departure from Manila via Cebu Pacific
• 10:40 PM - Arrival at Incheon International Airport, redeem Discover Seoul Pass and SIM card
• 11:00 PM - Travel to Seoul via Private Car Transfer
• 12:00 MN - Check-in at Hotel Icon in Jongno

DAY 2 - CITY TOUR USING THE DISCOVER SEOUL PASS

• 07:00 AM - Breakfast at the hotel
• 09:30 AM - HANBOKNAM (You can wear your hanbok of choice outdoors for 90 minutes)
• 10:00 AM - Gyeongbokgung Palace
• 11:30 AM - Walk to Changdeokgung Palace
• 12:00 AM - Changdeokgung Palace
• 12:45 AM - Changgyeonggung Palace
• 01:30 PM - Lunch
• 02:00 NN - Jongmyo (Royal Shrine)
• 03:00 PM - Travel to N Seoul Tower
• 04:00 PM - N Seoul Tower
• 06:30 PM - Namsan Seoul Tower Hanbok Experience Center
• 07:00 PM - Dinner
• 08:00 PM - Back to the hotel and sleep

DAY 3 - NAMI ISLAND + PETIT FRANCE

• 06:00 AM - Breakfast at the hotel
• 07:00 AM - Travel to Myeong-dong for Nami Island Day Tour via Klook
• 08:00 AM - Depart from Myeongdong Station exit 2
• 09:30 AM - Arrive at Petite France
• 12:00 NN - Depart for Nami Island
• 12:30 PM - Arrive at Nami Island, Explore
• 03:00 PM - Depart for Seoul
• 04:30 PM - Arrive at Myeongdong Station
• 05:00 PM - Street Food / Early dinner at Myeong-dong
• 08:00 PM - Travel back to hotel and sleep

DAY 4 - DMZ TOUR + INSADONG + HONGDAE

• 06:30 AM - Breakfast at the hotel
• 8:00 AM - Hotel pick up for DMZ Tour
• DMZ Day Tour via Klook.com
• Imjingak Park
• Freedom Bridge
• 3rd Infiltration Tunnel
• DMZ Theater & Exhibition Hall
• Dora Observatory
• Dorasan Station
• Pass by Unification Village
• Amethyst factory or Ginseng Center visit
• 02:30 PM - Drop off at City Hall / Lunch in a local Korean Restaurant
• 03:30 PM - Explore Insadong and shop for souvenirs
• 05:00 PM - Travel to Hongdae
• 06:00 PM - Enjoy The youth culture and shopping at Hongdae
• 10:00 PM - Travel back to your hotel
• 11:00 PM - Back at the hotel and sleep

DAY 5 - EVERLAND

• 09:00 AM - Depart from Myeongdong Station Exit 2
• 10:10 AM - Arrive at Everland
• 10:30 AM - 04:00 PM - Enjoy Everland
• 04:30 PM - Depart for Seoul
• 06:00 PM - Arrive in Myeong-dong
• 06:30 PM - 10:30 PM - Shopping and Dinner at Myeong-dong

DAY 6 - DEPARTURE

• 07:00 AM - Check-out
• 07:30 AM - Travel to Seoul Statio via Subway
• 08:00 AM - Arrive at Seoul Station
• 08:30 AM - Take the AREX Airport Express Train to Incheon Airport
• 09:30 AM - Arrive at Incheon Airport, check-in
• 12:55 PM - Depart for Manila via Air Asia

For other sample Korea DIY Itineraries, visit my post: RECOMMENDED KOREA ITINERARY: DIY SEOUL - 3, 4, 5, 6 Days Tour 2020 .

Seoul Trip Budget and Expenses

Sample seoul korea budget for 6 days and 5 nights for 19,986 pesos budget.

• You will be staying for the first 3 nights in a private room that is good for 2 persons at Hotel Icon for PHP 1,500 per night with breakfast.
• For the last 2 nights, you'll be staying at K Guesthouse Myeong-dong 2 for 2,000 pesos per night good for 2 persons, breakfast included.
• You are a group of two.
• Your maximum expense for food is 250 PHP or 5,000 KRW per meal per person.
• You'll be using a Discover Seoul Pass for 24 hours.
• You'll be using a T-Money Card

PRE-TRAVEL EXPENSES

• Hotel Icon for 3 nights - 4,500 / 2 = 2,250 per person
• K Guesthouse Myeongdong 2 for 2 nights - 4,000 / 2 = 2,000 per person
• Korea 4G SIM Card - 1,200 per person
• Incheon Airport Private Car Transfers - 3,842 / 2 = 1,921 per person
• Discover Seoul Pass (24 hours) - 1,707 per person
• Everland Full Day Trip - 2,536 per person
• Nami Island & Petite France Day Trip - 1,880 per person
• DMZ Tour - 2,682 per person
• Hanbok Rental - 732 per person
• AREX Incheon Airport Express Train One Way Ticket in Seoul - 323 per person

TOTAL - 17,231 per person

Day 1 expenses.

• Private Car Transfer - pre-booked
• Hotel Icon (1st night) - pre-booked

DAY 2 EXPENSES

• Breakfast - complimentary at the hotel
• Hotel Icon (2nd night) - pre-booked
• HANBOKNAM - included in the Discover Seoul Pass
• Gyeongbokgung Palace - included in the Discover Seoul Pass
• Changdeokgung Palace - included in the Discover Seoul Pass
• Changgyeonggung Palace - included in the Discover Seoul Pass
• Lunch - 5,000 KRW
• Jongmyo (Royal Shrine) - included in the Discover Seoul Pass
• Travel to N Seoul Tower
• Subway: Jongno-3-ga Station to Myeongdong - 1,250 KRW
• Bus: Myeongdong to N Seoul Tower - 1,200 KRW
• N Seoul Tower - included in the Discover Seoul Pass
• Namsan Seoul Tower Hanbok Experience Center - included in the Discover Seoul Pass
• Bus: N Seoul Tower to Myeongdong - 1,200 KRW
• Subway: Myeongdong to Anguk Station - 1,250 KRW
• Dinner - 5,000 KRW
• Back to the hotel and sleep
• TOTAL - 14,900

DAY 3 EXPENSES

• Breakfast at the hotel - complimentary
• Hotel Icon (3rd night) - pre-booked
• Travel from Anguk to Myeong-dong - 1,250 KRW
• Nami Island + Petit France Day Tour - pre-booked
• TOTAL - 11,250 KRW

DAY 4 EXPENSES

• K Guesthouse Myeongdong 2 (1st night) - pre-booked
• Hotel pick up for DMZ Tour - included in the package
• DMZ Day Tour via Klook.com - pre-booked
• Lunch in a local Korean Restaurant - included in the DMZ Tour package
• Travel to Hongdae from Insa-dong
• Subway: Jonggak Station to Seoul Station - 1,250 KRW
• Subway: Seoul Station to Hongik Station - 1,250 KRW
• Travel back to your hotel in Myeong-dong
• Subway: Hongik Station to Seoul Station - 1,250 KRW
• Subway: Seoul Station to Myeongdong - 1,250 KRW
• TOTAL -15,000 KRW

DAY 5 EXPENSES

• K Guesthouse Myeongdong 2 (2nd night) - pre-booked
• Everland Day Tour - pre-booked
• TOTAL - 10,000

DAY 6 EXPENSES

• Travel to Incheon Airport
• Subway: Myeongdong to Seoul Station - 1,250 KRW
• Subway: AREX Airport Express Train to Incheon Airport - pre-booked
• TOTAL - 6,250

SUMMARY OF EXPENSES

• DAY 1 - 0 KRW
• DAY 2 - 14,900 KRW
• DAY 3 - 11,250 KRW
• DAY 4 - 15,000 KRW
• DAY 5 - 10,000 KRW
• DAY 6 - 6,250 KRW

TOTAL - 57,400 KRW or 2,755 PHP per person

Pre-travel bookings - 17,231 php per person, grand total - 19,986 php per person.

Sample 3 Days / 2 Nights Seoul South Korea DIY Itinerary for 8,000 pesos

• 07:10 AM - Departure from Manila via Air Asia
• 12:10 PM - Arrival in Incheon International Airport, redeem Discover Seoul Pass and SIM card
• 01:00 PM - Travel to Seoul via AREX Airport Express Train to Seoul Station
• 01:45 PM - Travel from Seoul Station to Anguk Station
• 02:00 PM - Check-in at Hotel Icon in Jongno
• 03:00 PM - Explore Insadong, have lunch
• 04:30 PM - Travel to Hongdae
• 05:15 PM - Explore, eat, and enjoy in Hongdae
• 09:00 PM - Go back to the hotel
• 10:00 PM - Arrive at the hotel and sleep

DAY 2 - NAMI ISLAND + PETIT FRANCE

• 06:00 AM Breakfast at the hotel
• 07:20 AM Travel to Myeong-dong
• 08:00 AM Depart from Myeongdong Station exit 2
• 09:30 AM Arrive at Petite France
• 12:00 NN Depart for Nami Island
• 12:30 PM Arrive at Petite France
• 03:00 PM Depart for Seoul
• 04:30 PM Arrive at Myeongdong Station
• 05:00 PM Street Food / Early dinner at Myeong-dong
• 07:00 PM Travel back to hotel and sleep

DAY 3 - CITY TOUR USING THE DISCOVER SEOUL PASS

• 06:00 AM - Brekfast at the hotel
• 07:00 AA - Check-out, leave bags at the reception
• 07:30 AM - Start City Tour using the Discover Seoul Pass
• 07:00 PM - End City Tour, have dinner
• 08:00 PM - Shopping at Myeongdong
• 09:30 PM - Go back to the hotel and get your bags
• 10:00 PM - Travel to Seoul Station
• 10:50 PM - Travel to Incheon Airport via AREX Express Train
• 11:40 PM - Arrive at Incheon Airport, check-in and wait for your flight
• 03:05 AM (the following day) - Depart for Manila via Cebu Pacific Air

For other sample Korea DIY Itineraries, visit my post: RECOMMENDED KOREA ITINERARY: DIY SEOUL - 3, 4, 5, 6 Days Tour 2019 .

Sample Seoul Korea Budget for 3 days and 2 nights for 8,000 pesos budget

• You will be staying for 2 nights in a private room that is good for 2 persons at Hotel Icon for PHP 1,500 per night with breakfast.
• Your maximum expense for food is 5,000 KRW per meal per person.
• Hotel Icon for 2 nights - 3,000 / 2 = 1,500 per person
• 4G WiFi Rental (3 days) - 149 x 3 days = 447 PHP / 3 = 223 PHP per person
• AREX Incheon Airport Express Train One Way Ticket - PHP 323 x 2 = 643 PHP per person

TOTAL - 5,953 per person

• AREX Airport Express Train - pre-booked
• Subway: Seoul Station to Anguk - 1,250 KRW
• Subway: Anguk Station to Jonggak (Insa-dong) - 1,250 KRW
• Travel back to your hotel in Jongno (Hotel Icon)
• TOTAL - 17,500 KRW
• Subway: Anguk Station to Seoul - 1,250 KRW
• TOTAL - 16,150 KRW
• DAY 1 - 17,500 KRW
• DAY 2 - 11,250 KRW
• DAY 3 - 16,150 KRW

TOTAL - 44,900 KRW or 2,155 PHP per person

Pre-travel bookings - 5,953 php per person, grand total - 8,108 php per person.

• Round trip airfare Manila-Seoul-Manila
• NAIA terminal fee and travel tax
• Food expense for snacks
• Budget for pasalubong, souvenirs and shopping expenses

South Korea Travel Blogs

• NAMI ISLAND AND PETIT FRANCE: Awesome Day Tours from Seoul, South Korea
• DISCOVER SEOUL PASS: Enjoy 35 Attractions, Discounts and Freebies in Seoul, South Korea!
• A Peek into North Korea from the Demiliratized Zone (A Memorable Day Tour from Seoul, South Korea)
• RECOMMENDED KOREA ITINERARY: DIY SEOUL - 3, 4, 5, 6 Days Tour 2019
• SOUTH KOREA VISA REQUIREMENTS and How to Apply for a Visa in the Philippines in 3 Easy Steps!

I hope this First-timer's Seoul Korea Budget Travel Guide will help you in planning an unforgettable and exciting South Korea Adventure! Enjoy and have fun in South Korea!

Follow my adventures on youtube @pinoyadventurista, 22 comments :.

Hi Mervz.. Thank you for this post.. question lang, anong day kayo nag travel? may nabasa kase ako na different blog, parang advise nya around tues or wednesday ang better day of travelling kase most of the attraction are close on Mondays / Tuesdays? Ano pong ma-advise nyo? thanks a lot

mas ok if two way ticket nyo kc baka d maapprove ang visa if one way lang, mejo mahigpit na kc sila sa visa lately kc madami na ata nag TNT sa kanila

Sir, yung 19,986 for 6 days and 5 night di p kasama airfare dun right?

Thanks you the detailed information's, very useful :)

Hello sir about sa airfare ticket pwede ba na dun nlng bumili ng ticket going back to Manila or need to have the 2 way ticket before leaving Manila... thanks sir 👍🏻☺️💜

Hi yung food expenses niyo and kung kayo kumakain, di mo masyado na-blog.

Thank you for your blog its so helpful Kamsahamnida!!!!!💕

Hi.. Malayo po buh yung Nami island sa Petite France? If mg DIY paano pumunta sa Petite france from nami island? Thanks

Thank you for your helpful blog. I enjoy reading it :)

hi po kua..need po ba talaga ng bank account or credit card pag nagtravel sa korea?salamat po😊

uh, kasali ba po ba yung plane ticket sa almost 20k nyong gasto or hindi pa po?

hi po good afternoon po..pwd po mag ask kung magkano po magagastos sa trip to korea po stay ng 1 week po 2 adult po at 3 bata? ung cheapest po if meron po slamat po

Hi sir. Would like to ask if your familiar with the kdrama goblin locations, yun po sana ang gusto ko ivisig bukod sa famous places in korea.

Wow, this is very helpful! Thank you! I love reading your Blogs :)

Whaa galing sobra ng blog na toh! Niisip ko palang tanong ko may sagot na sya.Thank you. Share ko to....

Ang galing !!! thanks for your writing !! eto na ang susundan namin itinerary . Very detailed ang information and sobrang helptful ng tips.

wow! very detailed. Thanks soo much. I will follow this - I hope i can survive travelling with my 7yr old son (just the 2 of us in December) :-)

pa update nman po if what package worked for u. Planning to travel with my 2 kids.. thank you!

Sobrang detailed and helpful! Really great for people like me whose never been to SK before. TYSM!

Thank you for this detailed travel guide. Ask ko lang po if how much you spend for the visa and may show many ba?

Thanks for the info...ask ko lang po, pagbumili ng Discover Seoul Pass na 48 hours kahit ano pede piliin dun sa mga attractions? Than yung City Tour po ba may enough time naman each sites na mkapagpapicture at mavisit ng maayos?

Looking for Budget Travel Guide Blogs, Hotel Reviews, and Sample DIY Itineraries? Welcome to Pinoy Adventurista, "Your Next Ultimate Adventure Starts Here!" Pinoy Adventurista is one of the Top Travel Blogs in the Philippines and the World. In 2013, he visited all the 81 provinces in the Philippines.

South Korea Travel Guide

Last Updated: July 17, 2023

Though South Korea is small (about the size of the US state of Indiana), it punches well above its weight in terms of things to see and do. Boasting a vibrant culture, incredible history, natural beauty, delicious food, and a wild nightlife, it’s home to both major cities and untouched nature, offering something for every traveler.

Seoul, the capital city and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the world (over half the country’s population of 50 million is concentrated here), is a lively hub for food lovers and partying. But while it gets all the attention, there is much more to explore, including 22 national parks, lush Jeju Island, and the infamous Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) bordering North Korea.

Best of all, since South Korea is a manageable size, you can see a good portion of it in a limited amount of time. The transportation here is modern, clean, and efficient, so it’s easy to get around quickly.

The country is also a foodie’s paradise, with cheap street food and delicious dishes like bibimbap, kimchi, and the famed Korean barbecue.

It’s one of my favorite countries in the world and one that I think is super under the radar and often overlooked by travelers. You never see the tourist crowds found in other Asian countries.

This travel guide to South Korea can help you plan your trip, save money, and make the most of your visit.

Table of Contents

• Things to See and Do
• Typical Costs
• Suggested Budget
• Money-Saving Tips
• Where to Stay
• How to Get Around
• How to Stay Safe
• Best Places to Book Your Trip
• Related Blogs on South Korea

Top 5 Things to See and Do in South Korea

1. Explore Seoul

Korea’s capital has a little bit of everything. It’s a bustling metropolis and global technology hub, with sleek and modern neighborhoods like Gangnam and iconic sights like the Lotte World Tower, the sixth-tallest building in the world. Yet there is a lot of history here too, including many museums, palaces, and temples, among them five UNESCO World Heritage Sites. When you’re done exploring for the day, Seoul has a robust street food scene, countless trendy restaurants, and fast-paced, soju-driven nightlife. You could easily spend weeks here and never get bored.

2. Tour the DMZ

The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separates North and South Korea and, despite the name, is the most militarized border in the world. You can only visit the Joint Security Area (JSA), which has military personnel from both sides, on a guided tour, but it’s a unique experience and an important way to learn about this ongoing conflict (the war started in 1950 and has not officially ended). On the tour, you’ll be able to actually stand in North Korea, visit the Third Tunnel of Aggression (which North Korea dug to sneak soldiers across the border), see the Freedom Bridge, and catch glimpses of North Korea from the Unification Observatory. Guided tours of the DMZ start from 80,000 KRW.

3. Visit Jeju Island

This volcanic, semitropical island is a popular domestic vacation spot. It’s accessible via cheap daily flights from Seoul that take just one hour. Known as “the Hawaii of Korea,” it’s a natural paradise, home to the tallest mountain in Korea (Mount Hallasan), lava tubes, beautiful beaches, and countless hiking and walking trails. Other attractions include visiting mythic Jeju Stone Park, wandering the Yeomiji Botanical Gardens, and watching the haenyeo divers — women who dive without any protective equipment to gather underwater treasures like shellfish and seaweed, which they then sell on the beaches. You can visit the Jeju Haenyeo Museum as well to learn more about this cultural practice that dates back centuries.

4. Sing karaoke

Known as noraebang , this is a cultural phenomenon and something worth experiencing at least once while visiting Korea. While the karaoke machine was originally invented in Japan, Koreans have adopted the pastime and made it their own. Here, you rent out a private room with a group of friends (instead of singing in a public bar, as is often the case in Western countries). Pricing is determined by the hour, with rates varying wildly depending on the number of people, time of day, day of the week, and whether snacks and drinks are included. Average group karaoke rates range from 5,000 to 15,000 KRW.

5. Step back in time at a hanok village

Other things to see and do in south korea, 1. visit changdeokgung palace.

One of the Joseon dynasty’s Five Grand Palaces, this 15th-century complex in Seoul was built in harmony with the natural environment at the foot of Bugaksan Mountain. Changdeokgung, or “Palace of Prospering Virtue,” was the main royal residence for 13 kings over the course of three centuries. The complex sprawls over 110 acres, 60% of which is taken up by the beautiful Huwon Secret Garden, home to over a hundred species of trees, flowers, and other plants (some of the trees here are over 300 years old!). The main draw is wandering around the exterior, with its restored buildings and gates, though you can also go inside Injeongjeon Hall, the palace’s throne room. Admission to the complex is 3,000 KRW; the Secret Garden is an additional 5,000 KRW. There are guided tours in English as well.

2. Explore Busan

Korea’s second-largest city is located just two hours from Seoul on the KTX high-speed bullet train. A coastal city, Busan boasts great beaches, such as Haeundae Beach, with its miles of sand, and Gwangalli Beach, known for its sunsets. Gamcheon Culture Village, the “mural village of Korea,” is a hillside neighborhood rich in street art and covered in murals, and nearly all the houses are painted bright colors. It’s a great place to wander around for a few hours, popping into the unique shops, cafés, and restaurants.

3. See the National Museum of Korea

If you visit only one museum in Korea, make it this one. Located in Seoul, it covers all aspects of Korean culture, art, and history, from prehistory to the early modern era. It also contains many national treasures and artifacts that have been designated as having special importance and value in Korean culture and history. Some of the most important ones include the sixth-century inscribed Bukhansan Monument, detailing military expansions; sixth-century gilt-bronze Buddhist statues; and the 10-story Gyeongcheonsa Pagoda, which dates to the 14th century. Don’t miss the exterior gardens, which feature indigenous plants, reflecting pools, and traditional Korean sculptures and lanterns. Admission to the main exhibitions and children’s museum is free.

4. Take a food tour

As a foodie, learning about a culture through its food is one of my favorite things to do while traveling. Korea has an incredible variety of amazing dishes to try, as well as a bustling (and delicious) street food scene. Taking a food tour with an experienced guide is one of the best ways to gain a deeper understanding of Korean cuisine. O’ngo Food offers a variety of tours in Seoul, Busan, Jeonju, and Jeju, with prices starting from 70,000 KRW per person.

5. Visit Gyeongbokgung Palace

Originally built in the 14th century by the kings of the Joseon dynasty, this palace in Seoul served as the seat of the government for two hundred years until it was destroyed by a fire and abandoned for centuries. Since the 19th century (and still today), it has been undergoing renovations to restore the complex to its former glory. It is considered the most stunning of all five royal palaces in Seoul, featuring grand gates, open courtyards, and terracotta-topped buildings set against the backdrop of Mount Bugak. In addition to wandering through the complex, you can also go into the many administrative halls and residential chambers set up to resemble the palace’s heyday. You can watch the changing-of-the-guard ceremony as well, every day except Monday. The National Palace Museum and the National Folk Museum are also located in the complex. Admission is 3,000 KRW.

6. See the cherry blossoms

While cherry blossoms are often associated with Japan, festivities surrounding the blooms are incredibly popular in Korea as well. Here, the season runs from late March to late April, with many festivals throughout the country. Just be prepared for crowds at the more popular ones, like the Yeouido Cherry Blossom Festival in Seoul.

7. Try taekwondo

Korean’s native martial art, taekwondo, is characterized by high kicks and punches and, like all such disciplines, emphasizes mental training. An Olympic event since 2000, taekwondo has only grown in popularity in recent years and is a point of pride in Korean culture. Kang’s Global Taekwondo in Seoul offers classes to adults and foreigners that cost around 43,000 KRW for one hour.

8. Learn to cook classic Korean foods

If you’d like to take your knowledge of Korean food one step further, take a cooking class, where you’ll learn to prepare classics like bibimbap, kimchi, bulgogi, and Korean pancakes. Hello K Cooking in Seoul offers a class where you’ll learn how to cook three main dishes and one stew — recipes and skills that you can bring home with you. Classes are 107,000 KRW.

9. Go hiking

Korea is an incredibly mountainous country, so hiking is a favorite pastime for locals. Be sure to immerse yourself in nature while visiting this lush land. There are even hiking spots near the bigger cities if you don’t have enough time or don’t want to venture too far afield. Bukhansan National Park, just outside Seoul, is a popular place to go hiking, offering panoramic views over the capital (expect crowds due to its proximity to the city, though). Yet with 22 national parks spread across the country, there are plenty of opportunities to escape the crowds (including lots of guided hikes if you don’t want to organize one yourself). For a multiday hike, the Jirisan Ridge Trek in Jirisan National Park is one of the most famous — a four-day walk from mountain shelter to mountain shelter.

10. Wander around Seoul Olympic Park

In 1988, Seoul hosted the Summer Olympics, which was only the second time the summer games had been held in Asia (the first was in Tokyo in 1964). Today, you can visit the massive park where the games were staged, and while Olympic Park does have many sports facilities, there’s much more to explore here as well. The park is divided into four sections, focusing on the arts, history, nature, and sports. In the arts section, you’ll find the SOMA Museum of Art and a park with over 200 sculptures, while in the history section, you can see the third-century defensive Mongchontoseong Earthen Fortifications, excavated dugout huts and storage pits left in the state in which they were uncovered. You can easily spend an entire afternoon here. Admission to the park is free.

11. Discover Jirisan National Park

Located in the southern part of the country (Namwon is the nearest city), this park is named after Jirisan (Mt. Jiri for short), the tallest mountain on mainland Korea. As it’s South Korea’s first national park (as well as its largest), hiking trails and cultural sites abound. You can visit seven major Buddhist temples and see several of Korea’s national treasures of ancient carved stonework from the seventh to the tenth centuries. One of the most important sites here is Samseonggung, or Three Sages Palace, a mountainside shrine dedicated to the legendary founders of Korea. Admission to the park is 1,600 KRW.

South Korea Travel Costs

Cheap hotel rooms start at 28,000 KRW for a room that sleeps one, while a double room generally costs at least 40,000 KRW. Expect basic amenities like Wi-Fi, a TV, air conditioning, and an electric teapot. Breakfast is usually not included at budget hotels.

Airbnb is available around the country, with private rooms starting at 25,000-30,000 KRW. For an entire home or apartment, expect to pay at least 50,000-70,000 KRW per night.

While wild camping is illegal in Korea, there are plenty of campgrounds should you want to pitch a tent. Expect to pay 7,000-20,000 KRW for a plot with access to bathroom and shower facilities, and usually even Wi-Fi.

Food – Korean cuisine has developed its own traditions and flavors over the centuries, with a unique emphasis on using uncooked, fermented, and pickled vegetables. Traditional Korean meals are often composed of a variety of side dishes, eaten with short-grain rice. A meal isn’t considered complete unless there’s kimchi on the table.

Common dishes include bulgogi (marinated, grilled beef), samgye-tang (chicken and ginseng soup), bibimbap (a mixed rice bowl), chap chae (a glass noodle dish), and many other noodle and rice dishes. Popular street foods include hotteok (a sweet, filled pancake), tteokbokki (spicy cylindrical rice cakes), and bungeo-ppang (a fish-shaped pastry filled with red bean paste).

Dining out in South Korea is relatively inexpensive. A meal at a casual restaurant serving traditional Korean food is around 9,000-15,000 KRW, while a three-course meal at a mid-range restaurant is around 25,000-30,000 KRW. Expect higher prices in larger cities.

Western food is more expensive. Expect to pay at least 20,000 KRW for a pasta dish at an Italian restaurant.

In terms of fast food, a combo meal (think McDonald’s) is around 7,000 KRW, while a burger is around 4,500 KRW. A typical Korean street food dish is 1,500-3,000 KRW.

A pint of beer is 4,000-5,000 KRW, a glass of wine is 6,000 KRW and up, and a cocktail is 7,000 KRW and up. A latte or cappuccino is 5,000 KRW.

If you cook your own food, expect to pay 50,000-70,000 KRW per week for basic staples like rice, pasta, vegetables, and some meat. Shopping at local markets is the best way to get great fresh produce for cheap.

Backpacking South Korea: Suggested Budgets

On a backpacking budget of 75,000 KRW per day, you can stay in a hostel dorm, cook all your meals, use public transportation and intercity buses to get around, skip the alcohol, and do mostly free activities like walking tours and hiking.

On a mid-range budget of 135,000 KRW per day, you can stay in a private Airbnb or cheap hotel, eat out for most meals at casual restaurants, enjoy a few drinks, take the occasional taxi as well as trains between cities, and do more paid activities like museum visits and food tours.

On a “luxury” budget of 255,000 KRW or more per day, you can stay in a nicer hotel or entire Airbnb apartment, eat out pretty much anywhere you want, drink at the bar, get a high-speed rail pass, and do as many guided tours and activities as you want. This is just the ground floor for luxury, though. The sky is the limit!

You can use the chart below to get an idea of how much you need to budget daily. Keep in mind these are daily averages — some days you’ll spend more, some days less (you might spend less every day). We just want to give you a general idea of how to make your budget. Prices are in KRW.

South Korea Travel Guide: Money-Saving Tips

I find South Korea to be one of the best value countries out there. It’s a really affordable place to visit. Accommodation can add up but food and drinks are generally cheap. Here are some ways to save money when you travel around South Korea:

• Visit the free attractions – With countless museums, shrines, temples, historic neighborhoods, and parks, Korea is filled with opportunities to become immersed in its culture. Many of the nation’s museums and cultural attractions are free, so don’t pass them up!
• Purchase a KORAIL Pass – If you want to travel by train, getting a rail pass is the most economical way to do so. You’ll get unlimited train travel for the time period you choose (2-5-day increments). Prices start at 121,000 KRW.
• Get a transit pass – Most major cities in Korea offer a day pass for public transit, which means great savings if you plan to hop around using buses and subways. Seoul’s day pass costs 15,000 KRW, though the longer you stay, the more you’ll save (a seven-day pass is 64,500 KRW).
• Buy a city pass – If you plan on visiting a lot of attractions, buy a city pass . Seoul and Busan both offer ones that include admission to popular sights, a transit pass, and discounts to restaurants and other attractions. A one-day pass starts at 33,000 KRW.
• Eat from the convenience stores – Convenience stores in Korea offer not only snacks and drinks but prepared boxed meals and cheap alcohol. If you’re on a tight budget, shop in those.
• Take the bus – While the trains are fun, the cheapest way to get around Korea is by bus. They take longer but are much cheaper, so if you have the time, opt for long-distance buses. Just show up at the bus station to reserve your tickets in advance, as most websites and apps are in Korean.
• Stay with a local – Couchsurfing lets you stay with a local for free, cutting your accommodation costs drastically. You’ll get to spend time with someone who can share their tips and advice in exchange for your own travel stories and culture. You can also use the app to meet people for activities (coffee, museum visits, etc.) if you don’t feel comfortable staying with a stranger.
• Drink like the locals – Soju, the national alcohol of Korea, is incredibly cheap, as is domestic beer. Just be careful to not let it sneak up on you — both monetarily and physically. Korea’s drinking culture is infamous!
• Stay in capsule hotels – If you don’t want to Couchsurf or stay in hostels but still want to save money, capsule or pod hotels are great options. These offer just what you need to sleep (a small, basic pod) yet can be surprisingly comfy and much more affordable than a traditional hotel. Prices start as low as 45,000 KRW per night.
• Bring a water bottle – The tap water here is safe to drink, so bring a reusable water bottle to save money and reduce your plastic use. LifeStraw is my go-to brand, as its bottles have built-in filters to ensure that your water is always clean and safe.

Where to Stay in South Korea

South Korea has plenty of budget-friendly hostels and guesthouses. Here are some of my recommended places to stay when you visit:

• Time Travelers Relax Guesthouse (Seoul)
• Zzzip Guesthouse (Seoul)
• Time Travelers party Hostel (Seoul)
• INSIDE Busan (Busan)
• Jeju Hiking Inn (Jeju)
• Backpacker’s Home (Jeju)

How to Get Around South Korea

Bus – Taking a long-distance bus is the cheapest and most popular way to get around the country. There are two types: express (which makes few to no stops) and intercity (which travels between smaller destinations and makes more stops).

Your best bet for reserving tickets in advance is to go directly to the bus terminal, as most bus websites and booking apps are in Korean and only accept Korean credit or debit cards.

Pricing depends on what class ticket you choose: standard, luxury, or premium. The four-hour bus ride from Seoul to Busan costs around 36,000 KRW for a standard ticket, Incheon to Busan takes just over four hours and costs 38,000 KRW, and Seoul to Daegu is 29,000 KRW and takes just under four hours.

Train – South Korea has a robust train system that can take you all over the country. Korean Train Express (KTX) is the country’s bullet train, regularly running at speeds up to 305 kilometers (190 miles) per hour. However, these only go between major cities, have limited schedules, and are more expensive, so KTX may not always be the most convenient choice.

KORAIL (the national railway service) operates slower-speed, intercity trains that offer a wider range of schedules and destination choices. You can also get the unlimited KORAIL Pass, which is offered exclusively to international tourists. A two-day adult pass is 121,000 KRW; a five-day adult pass is 210,000 KRW.

As a comparison of the two train types: the journey from Seoul to Busan on a KRX train costs around 90,000 KRW and takes 2.5 hours, while on a regular intercity train, it takes 5.5 hours and costs 47,500 KRW.

The further out you book, the cheaper KTX train prices get, while intercity prices stay about the same. You can book up to a year in advance.

Flying – South Korea is so small that flying around the country doesn’t really make sense. Trains can get you anywhere pretty quickly. However, if you’re very pressed for time and have cash to burn, there are a few budget airlines offering domestic flights between major cities. Most are around one hour long.

The flight from Seoul to Busan is around 30,500 KRW, Seoul to Jeju is 55,000 KRW, and Busan to Jeju is 22,000 KRW. However, you can find flights even cheaper when you book further in advance.

Low-cost airlines in South Korea include the following:

Car rental – Renting a car isn’t incredibly cheap in South Korea. However, it is one of the best ways to explore all the natural wonders that the country has to offer, many of which are inaccessible by public transportation. Expect to pay around 50,000-55,000 KRW per day on a multiday rental. Drivers need to be at least 21 years old.

When to Go to South Korea

Generally, the best times to visit South Korea are March-May and September-November. During these periods, the weather is mild, with temperatures of 10-24°C (50-75°F); prices for accommodation and transportation are lower; and there are fewer crowds.

In the spring, the cherry blossoms are in bloom all over the country, while the fall brings the beautiful colors of the changing leaves. Also, if you plan on doing a lot of hiking, the fall is the best time to visit.

The summer starts with monsoon season, from June through mid-July, and the rest of the summer is hot and humid in the cities (though it cools down in the mountains and along the coasts). Prices for accommodation are also very high during this time.

Winters in South Korea get very cold, with temperatures dipping as low as -6°C (21°F), so unless you plan on skiing, visiting from December through February might not be the best option (though the temples and landscapes look beautiful covered in snow).

How to Stay Safe in South Korea

South Korea is an incredibly safe place to backpack and travel around. Petty crime is rare here, though it never hurts to be cautious on public transportation and around popular tourist landmarks. Always keep your wallet and valuables secure and out of reach, just in case. Violent crime is even more rare.

Solo female travelers should feel safe here. However, the standard safety precautions apply as always. For specific tips, consult one of the many solo female travel blogs on the web.

While scams are super rare in South Korea, to avoid getting ripped off, you can check out this list of common travel scams to avoid .

When hiking, always bring water and sunscreen. Be sure to check the weather before you depart and dress accordingly.

Earthquakes occur regularly in the region, so it’s best to be prepared and download the Emergency Ready app, which the Korean government developed to provide information in English to foreign residents and tourists. It has all kinds of advice and tips for natural disasters, shows you where nearby emergency shelters are, and sends out warnings and notifications should a disaster occur.

If you do experience an emergency, dial 112 for assistance.

Always trust your gut instinct. Make copies of your personal documents, including your passport and ID, and forward your itinerary along to loved ones so they’ll know where you are.

South Korea Travel Guide: The Best Booking Resources

These are my favorite companies to use when I travel. They consistently have the best deals, offer world-class customer service and great value, and overall, are better than their competitors. They are the companies I use the most and are always the starting point in my search for travel deals.

• Skyscanner – Skyscanner is my favorite flight search engine. They search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites tend to miss. They are hands down the number one place to start.
• Hostelworld – This is the best hostel accommodation site out there with the largest inventory, best search interface, and widest availability.
• Booking.com – The best all around booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation. In all my tests, they’ve always had the cheapest rates out of all the booking websites.
• Get Your Guide – Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions. They have tons of tour options available in cities all around the world, including everything from cooking classes, walking tours, street art lessons, and more!
• SafetyWing – Safety Wing offers convenient and affordable plans tailored to digital nomads and long-term travelers. They have cheap monthly plans, great customer service, and an easy-to-use claims process that makes it perfect for those on the road.
• LifeStraw – My go-to company for reusable water bottles with built-in filters so you can ensure your drinking water is always clean and safe.
• Unbound Merino – They make lightweight, durable, easy-to-clean travel clothing.
• Top Travel Credit Cards – Points are the best way to cut down travel expenses. Here’s my favorite point earning credit cards so you can get free travel!

South Korea Travel Guide: Related Articles

Want more info? Check out all the articles I’ve written on Asia travel and continue planning your trip:

The 5 Best Hotels in Singapore

The 7 Best Hotels in Bangkok

The 4 Best Hostels in Singapore

Where to Stay in Singapore: The Best Neighborhoods for Your Visit

The 13 Best Things to See and Do in Taipei

The 23 Best Things to Do in Hong Kong

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• Related Blogs

KOREA ON A BUDGET: Seoul Travel Guide & Itinerary

Some countries change your life even before you set foot in it.

One lazy day at the university, I was chillin’ with friends at the lobby of our college building when the College Secretary approached us. “I’m looking for volunteers,” she said. Apparently, exchange students from Korea had arrived way earlier than expected. She needed people who could tour them around the campus while they were preparing whatever it was they were preparing. Bored af, I was first to raise a hand.

Many of these exchange students became good friends of mine. They were my first foreign friends.

At the time, my brother was coincidentally working at a factory near Seoul. The computer that I relied on in college was a product of his hard work there. ( Katas ng Korea , sabi nga nila.) This also means that every now and then, we would receive a package bursting with Korean products, which would then fill our living room racks and kitchen drawers.

After graduation, my first job was with a Korean company that brought Korean students to the Philippines to learn English. So yes, my first boss, the first person who believed in my skills as a worker, was Korean.

South Korea had already changed my life way before I set foot in it. So when I finally did, it felt wonderful. It felt like I was giving thanks. But yeah, the whole time, I was grateful.

WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS GUIDE?

Understanding Seoul

The political and economic center of South Korea, Seoul is home to almost 12 million residents. The larger Seoul Capital Area (Sudogwon), which includes neighboring Incheon and Gyeonggi-do, houses 25.6 million people (half of the country’s population), making it the fourth largest metropolitan area in the world, after Tokyo, Shanghai, and Jakarta.

Like most capital cities in East Asia, Seoul is pulsating with curiosities. Think of it as a younger but more tamed Tokyo. Everywhere you go, there’s always something interesting to find even in a random neighborhood. A regular cafe (often located next to another cafe across another cafe) displays how many calories are in your order for the benefit of the weight health-conscious in you. If you’re feeling a bit offbeat, walk into a cat cafe to indulge the animal-lover in you or a toilet-themed one to satiate your appetite for humor. And that’s just the coffee shops!

Seoul is also known for its obsession to beauty, something that became apparent as soon as I passed by half-dozen cosmetic shops after only two minutes of walking. (I LOVE IT. Here, I could step into a cosmetic store without anyone giving me judging stares.) But their constant quest for physical perfection isn’t limited to beauty products. Almost everything here looks pretty! Street food looks gourmet, university grounds are tourist spots, and historical sites are well-preserved!

• Language : Korean. English is getting increasingly common. Most signs have English translations.
• Currency : South Korean Won (KRW, ₩). KRW 1000 is roughly USD 0.88, EUR 0.77, SGD 1.22, PHP 47.8 (as of October 2018).
• Modes of payment : Many establishments accept credit cards, but most still prefer cash.
• Electricity Info : 220 volts. Plugs have two round pins.

How to Get to Seoul

If you’re a Filipino citizen, you’ll need a visa. Here’s how to get a Korea visa .

Seoul is served by two airports: Incheon International Airport (ICN) and Gimpo International Airport (GMP). Gimpo is used primarily for domestic and a few international flights (mostly from China, Japan, and Taiwan). Incheon, on the other hand, is used by most international flights. It is the largest and the primary gateway to South Korea. Gimpo is much closer, just 30 minutes away from Central Seoul, while Incheon is roughly an hour away by train or 1.5 hours by bus.

If you’re coming from Southeast Asia, the cheapest flights to Incheon are offered by low-cost carriers. The lowest rates are often from Manila. AirAsia has the lowest year-round fares and they get even lower when there’s a promo. Here’s a quick search on SkyScanner.

Manila to Incheon (Seoul)

Kuala Lumpur to Incheon (Seoul)

Where to Stay in Seoul

Seoul has three major backpacking districts: Jongno, Myeongdong and Hongdae. Which is the best? Well, I hate answering with “It depends,” I would have to say “It depends.” Haha. All these areas are close to major tourist stops, so it will depend on which of these attractions you will visit. But here’s a quick summary.

• Myeongdong . Seoul’s main shopping district, dotted with boutiques and department stores. Close to Myeongdong Shopping Street and Namdaemun Market. If you love shopping, stay here. Check rates of Myeongdong hotels here.
• Hongdae-Sinchon . Seoul’s university belt. This place is driven by Seoul’s youth culture, nurturing a more romantic and underground atmosphere. Lots of creative and quirky shops and food places. Close to: Hongik University Street, Hongik Mural Street, and Ehwa Women’s University. If you’re a foodie, stay here. Check rates of Hongdae hotels here.
• Jongno . Seoul’s historic core. Its map is littered with shrines, temples, and other traditional sites. In fact, four of the city’s five grand palaces can be found in Jongno. It is also where the Bukchon Hanok Village, Gwangjang Market, and Insa-dong are located. If it’s your first time in Seoul, stay here . Check rates of Jongno hotels here.

I have experienced staying in all three districts, and I personally prefer Jongno . There’s just so much to see and explore within walking distance.

Where We Stayed in Seoul

Here are the hostels and a hotel that I have tried. You can read our reviews here: Where We Stayed in Seoul

• Namsan City Hotel Myeongdong . Check Rates .
• Hongdae Pencil Guesthouse . Check Rates .
• Fully Hong Hotel . Check Rates .

Top Budget Hotels Under $60 in Seoul

• Staz Hotel Myeongdong II . Check Rates Here
• Makers Hotel . Check rates or book here .
• HOTEL GS Jongno . Check rates or book here .
• Youngbin Hotel . Check Rates Here

Top Seoul Hostels

• YE4 Guesthouse . Check Rates .
• Gateway Korea Guesthouse . Check Rates .
• Brownie Guesthouse . Check Rates .
• Hostel HARU . Check Rates .

Search for more Seoul Hotels

How to get from incheon airport to seoul city center, incheon airport to seoul by train.

The Airport Railroad Express (AREX) connects Incheon Airport to Seoul city center. It has two types: EXPRESS and ALL STOP.

The fastest way to reach the city is by taking the AREX EXPRESS Train. But the cheapest way is to take the ALL STOP Train.

• AREX ALL STOP Train. The Cheapest Option. Will stop at all 12 stations before arriving at Seoul Station. It’s 15 minutes slower (travel time: 58 minutes), but costs only ₩4250.

Incheon Airport to Seoul by Bus

By bus, if your hotel is close to one of the many bus stops scattered throughout the city. I say it’s easiest because there is no need to switch trains. I personally prefer this method because I despise transferring to another train line when I have 20+++ kilos of baggage on my back. The good news is, the three main backpacking districts in Seoul have their own bus stops! Here are the buses you need to catch:

• JONGNO : Bus 6002 (at Gate 5B or 12A). Get off at Jongno 1, 2, 3,4,5, or 6, whichever is closest to your hostel/hotel. Last bus: 11:30pm. Fare: ₩10,000.
• HONGDAE : Bus 6002 (at Gate 5B or 12A). Get off at Hongik University Station. Last bus: 11:30pm. Fare: ₩10,000.
• MYEONGDONG : Bus 6015 (at Gate 5B or 11B). Get off at Myeongdong Station. Last bus: 10:50pm. Fare: ₩15,000.

If your hotel is closer to a subway station than the bus station, then take the train instead.

Pocket Wifi Rental and Data SIM in Seoul

South Korea has the fastest internet connection in the world! Most establishments like fast food restaurants and cafes offer FREE wifi, too.

But if you want to make sure you’re connected all the time, you can buy a 4G SIM Card or rent a Pocket Wifi.

How to Get Around Seoul

You’ll find Seoul an extremely walkable city. Walk when you can. If you’re staying in Jongno, most historic attractions are within walking distance of each other. Otherwise, there’s always the subway, which makes Seoul-searching a walk in the park.

Seoul’s expansive subway system is the third largest in the world. It consists of 14 lines criss-crossing underneath the vibrant city. It looks intimidating when you look at it, but it’s actually pretty easy to get the hang of. It uses cards that require a ₩500 deposit, which can be refunded after the ride.

Before the trip, I encourage you to download a FREE app called Subway Korea . It is available for iOS and Android . Here’s how to use it.

• Open the app . You will be greeted by Seoul’s complicated subway map.
• Find your station of origin and tap it. It will reveal options. Choose Departs From .
• Find your destination station and tap it. Choose Arrives at .
• Choose between the route that will get you there fastest and the route that will make the fewest stops .

It will then tell you the following:

• The estimated travel time (top of the screen)
• Number of stops (top of the screen)
• Fare (bottom, in green)
• The recommended route

Here’s how to use Seoul’s subway system.

• Find a single journey traffic card ticket machine at the station.
• Select your destination.
• Select the number of tickets.
• Insert payment + refundable deposit of ₩500.
• Collect the single journey traffic card that will be released.
• After your ride, you can get the ₩500 deposit from one of the payment return machines at your destination.

Each station stems into several routes that lead to exits that are far apart. Check the map displayed near the gates to make sure you’re taking the right exit. Often, signs leading to key tourist attractions are found around the station. Also, when walking inside train stations, keep right.

There are prepaid cards available at every station, too. One of the most popular is the T-Money Card . It will save you ₩100 per ride, which isn’t much, but it’s convenient because you don’t need to get a ticket every single time. Another great thing about it is its coverage. You can use it on trains AND buses in many cities including Seoul and even Busan. Just make sure you load it with just enough credit so you don’t need to worry about getting a refund.

Discover Seoul Pass

If you have a pretty packed itinerary, you might want to consider purchasing a Discover Seoul Pass , which was created by the Seoul Tourism Organization specifically for foreign tourists. You can choose between the 24-hour pass and the 48-hour pass .

Here are some things that the Discover Seoul Pass can do for you:

• FREE access to 22 key attractions like the palaces and shrines, specialty museums like the TrickEye Museum in Hongdae, N Seoul Tower Observatory using only one card.
• Access to the Seoul City Double Decker Tour Bus
• Comes with T-Money (which I discussed above). But you need to top up before use. If you don’t use all credits, you can refund the remaining balance.
• Can be picked up at Incheon Airport at the time and date you specified

Here are some of the tourist sites that are covered by the Discover Seoul Pass:

• N Seoul Tower (Observatory)
• Trickeye & Ice Museum

Gyeongbokgung Palace

Changdeokgung palace.

• Changgyeonggung Palace

You can get the Discover Seoul Pass in advance with Klook!

Places to Visit in Seoul

Below are some of the tourist attractions in the city and the nearest subway station.

Everland is Korea’s largest theme park. Admission Fee: Adults, ₩52,000; Children, ₩41,000. Nearest Station: Jeondae-Everland (Yongin EverLine, Exit 3).

Klook offers discounted tickets if you buy online!

If you don’t want to bother with the getting there part, you can book an Everland Day Tour instead, which includes the following.

• Admission ticket
• Transportation from Seoul and back
• Tour guide service

This is great if you want to catch the fireworks display at night because you won’t need to compete with the crowd for transportation back to the city. They use a shuttle bus, which can pick you up in Hongdae, Myeongdong or Dongdaemun. Book Below!

Lotte World

Lotte World is another theme park that is great for kids. Admission Fee: Adults, ₩52,000; Teens, ₩45,000; Children, ₩41,000. Nearest Station: Jamsil (Line 2, 8; Exit 4)

N Seoul Tower

N Seoul Tower , the city’s iconic skyscraper that allows breathtaking views of the city. It also has a revolving restaurant. It’s accessible by bus, but a scenic approach is by cable car. The boarding station is located 15 minutes from Myeongdong Station (Line 4, Exit 3). Just walk down the street on the right side of Pacific Hotel and you’ll find it soon after. Admission Fee: Adults, ₩10,000; Children, ₩8,000.

Get a discount if you purchase your tickets online with Klook! On top of that, you also get a ₩5,000 shopping coupon that you can use at Namdaemun Market for FREE!

TrickEye 3D Museum + Ice Museum

A “trick art” museum for wacky photos! It’s located in Hongdae. There’s also an annexed Ice Museum. Nearest Station: Hongik University

Hanbok Experience

Did you know that you can enter Seoul’s palaces and shrines for FREE if you’re wearing hanbok? You can rent a hanbok for 4 hours or 24 hours!

The grandest among the city’s five important palaces.

Admission fee: Adults (19-64yo) ₩3,000, Youths (7-18yo) ₩1,500. Nearest station: Gyeongbokgung Palace (Line 3, Exit 5)

A well-preserved royal villa that has been standing for more than six centuries.

Admission fee: Adults (19-64yo) ₩3,000, Youths (7-18yo) ₩1,500. Nearest station: Anguk (Line 3)

Other Seoul Attractions

• Gangnam . Prior to the global success of PSY’s Gangnam Style, Gangnam has always been popular among locals for social gatherings and events. Admission Fee: FREE Nearest station: Gangnam (Line 2, Exit 10 or 11)
• Gwangjang Market . Built in 1905, it is Seoul’s oldest traditional daily marketplace. It’s mostly a food market so make sure you’re hungry when you visit. Entrance Fee: FREE Nearest stations: Jongno 5-ga Station (Line 1, Exit 8) or Euljiro 4-ga Station (Lines 2 or 5, Exit 4)
• Myeongdong , one of Seoul’s main shopping districts! If you’re after branded clothes, mid-range restaurants, cosmetic products, and all sorts of street food, this is the place for you. Admission Fee: FREE Nearest station: Myeongdong (Line 4, Exit 6).
• Ewha Women’s University . Founded in 1886, it is Korea’s first educational institute for women. The area around it is a popular shopping destination, too. You’ll find a whole bunch of accessories and footwear, and quirky apparel. Since they cater to students (mostly), prices are much friendlier! Entrance Fee: FREE Nearest station: Ewha Womans University Station (Line 2, Exit 2 or 3)
• Hongdae . The epicenter of Seoul’s youth culture, it is a place for many students’ self-expression. Lots of creative shops and quirky food places. Visit on a Saturday, when the Hongdae Free Market comes to life. It is a flea market that offers some unique items that are often handcrafted by young student artists. Entrance Fee: FREE Nearest Station: Hongik University (Line 2, Exit 9)
• Bukchon Hanok Village harbors traditional houses called hanok, the history of which can be traced back to the Joseon Dynasty. Many of these houses also function as restaurants and shops. Entrance Fee: FREE Nearest station: Anguk Station (Line 3, Exit 1 or 2)

Day Tours from Seoul

Many other attractions outside Seoul Capital Area are easily accessible if you want to do it DIY-style.

But you can also join a group tour if you want a hassle-free experience. Many of these tours will provide transportation with hotel pickup and drop off and entrance tickets.

Nami Island

Nami Island , a half-moon shaped island in the middle of the Han River in Chuncheon. It became the final resting place of General Nami, a well-known historical figure during Joseon Dynasty. Foreigners are most familiar with it as the filming location of Winter Sonata , a Korean TV series (koreanovela) that became a hit all over Asia.

How to get to Nami Island : Travel by train to Gapyeong Station. Walk or take a cab from the station to the ferry wharf, where you can buy tickets to the island. You can also travel by bus. Catch the shuttle bus in Insadong (near the West Gate of Tapgol Park) or Sungnyemun Square Bus Stop in front of Namdaemun Market. Bus leaves at 9:30am. Roundtrip fare is ₩15,000. You can reserve a bus seat by emailing [email protected] or calling +82-2-753-1247.

Entrance Fee : ₩13,000.

If you want to book a group tour instead, Klook bundles Nami Island with Petite France, a French-village theme park, so you get to see two attractions in one day. There’s no hotel pick up for this but you will be meeting your guide at a convenient location in Seoul. Entrance fees are already covered.

DMZ Tour and Panmunjom Tours (and See North Korea)

Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and Panmunjom. . Learn more about the Korean War and how these places came to be. You can also take a glimpse of North Korea from the Dora Observatory. DMZ and JSA tours are also offered separately if you want to see just one. Often, reservations have to be made at least 3 days in advance so it is best to book online.

Klook offers two types of tours: DMZ Only Tour and DMZ + Panmunjom .

DMZ Tour (DMZ Only)

• Hotel pick up
• English-speaking guide
• Lunch option
• Inclusive of admission fees
• Visit at Imjingak Park, 3rd Infiltration Tunnel, Freedom Bridge, and the DMZ Exhibition Hall
• A chance to see North Korea through binoculars at Dora Observatory

Slots per day are limited so book as early as you can.

Panmunjom + DMZ Tour

• Enter and see the JSA (Joint Security Area) to see Freedom House and Conference Room. You also get to visit the Bridge of No Return and the Ax Murder Incident area.
• Lunch is included

Boryeong Mud Festival

Boryeong , a port city located 3 hours from Seoul, is most famous for the Boryeong Mud Festival, which happens in July. Koreans sometimes refer to the place as Daecheon because the present-day Boryeong is a merger between Daecheon City and Boryeong-gun. Hemmed in by the waters of the Yellow Sea in the west, it is a popular summer destination, with Daecheon Beach as a top place to visit. During the festival, giant inflatable slides, a performance stage, and other attractions are set up along Daecheon Beach, where all the fun happens.

How to get there: From Seoul, take the train/subway/metro to Yongmun Station, where you will board a Korail train to Daecheon Station. The Korail train ride takes 2 hours and 40 minutes and costs ₩11,700.

If you’re joining Boryeong Mud Festival for only a day, it may be hard to find accommodations because the prices double. What you can do is just join a group tour which will cover your transportation from Seoul and back. You will also have a guide to help you in storing your things, finding the locker areas, etc.

Where to Shop in Seoul

Aside from Myeongdong and Hongdae:

• Dongdaemun Market . Everything fashion, from the trendiest fabrics to bridal wear. Composed of 26 shopping malls scattered around 5 blocks, housing 50,000 different manufacturers and 30,000 specialty shops. Although best known for wholesale, retail is also alive here. Nearest Station: Dongdaemun Stadium (Line 2, 4 or 5)
• Namdaemun Market . The oldest and the biggest traditional market in Korea, this 400yo shopping mecca houses 10,200 stores across 66,000 sq. m. You’ll find all sort of products here, from clothes to kitchenware to electronics. Nearest station: Hwehyeon (Line 4, Exit 5)
• Insadong . Great if you’re looking for traditional souvenirs such as artworks, ceramics, paper goods, or if you want to try some of its traditional teahouses. If you can, visit on a Sunday, when they close off the road from vehicular traffic. Nearest station: Jonggak Station (Line 1, Exit 3)

More info here: 8 Shopping Places in Seoul

Sample Seoul Itinerary and Expenses

Below is a sample 5-day/4-night Seoul itinerary with breakdown of expenses. This assumes the following:

• You are a group of two.
• You will be staying in a twin room at Fully Hong Hostel.
• You will be using a T-Money card (T-Card).
• Your meal allowance is limited to only ₩5000 for breakfast and ₩15000 for lunch and dinner. It’s actually too much for me considering that you will find a bowl of delicious bibimbap for only ₩5000. But I think it’s better to overestimate so let’s leave it at ₩15,000. I’m not a breakfast person, either. But fine, let’s still include breakfast for good measure.

Just make necessary adjustments to match your needs.

Pre-trip expenses Hotel booking – ₩116,000 (₩58,000 x 4 nights divided by 2pax)

Day 1: ARRIVAL + GYEONGBOKGUNG 01:00pm – Airport to Jongno-3ga – ₩4150 + ₩1250 02:20pm – Check in at hostel 03:00pm – Gyeongbokgung Palace – ₩3000 06:30pm – Cheonggyecheon Stream 08:00pm – Gwangjang Market – ₩15,000 budget 10:30pm – Sleep!

Day 2: ANGUK AREA + MYEONGDONG 08:00am – Wake up 09:00am – Grab breakfast – ₩5000 09:30am – Bukchon Hanok Village 11:30am – Lunch – ₩15,000 01:00pm – Changdeokgung Palace – ₩3000 06:00pm – Subway to Myeongdong – ₩1250 06:20pm – Dinner – ₩15,000 budget 09:30pm – Back to Hotel

Day 3: NAMI ISLAND 07:00am – Wake up 08:00am – Grab breakfast – ₩5000 08:30am – Subway to Gapyeong Station – ₩2250 10:00am – Taxi to ferry wharf – ₩3000 10:20am – Buy Nami Island ticket – ₩13,000 10:50pm – Explore Nami Island 01:30pm – Lunch – ₩15,000 budget 02:30pm – Continue exploring Nami Island 04:00pm – Ferry back 04:30pm – Taxi back to Gapyeong Station – ₩3000 05:00pm – Subway back to city – ₩2250 06:30pm – Dinner – ₩15,000 budget 09:00pm – Sleep

Day 4: HONGDAE & SINCHON 09:00am – Wake up 10:00am – Brunch + Insadong – ₩15,000 budget 01:00pm – Subway to Ewha Women’s University – ₩1250 01:30pm – Ewha Women’s University 02:30pm – Subway to Hongik University – ₩1250 02:45pm – Seoul Trick Eye Museum – ¥15,000 05:00pm – Explore Hongdae 08:00pm – Dinner – ₩15,000 budget 10:30pm – Back to hotel – ₩1250

Day 5: PACK UP + DEPARTURE Train back to Airport – ₩5400

This itinerary will cost you ₩292,000 (USD 256, EUR 226, SGD 355, PHP 13,700), excluding the airfare.

You can still bring down the cost by staying in a dorm (and there are great options in the city), skipping the Trick Eye Museum (it’s not really unique to Seoul), or cutting down on your food budget (Please don’t. Korean food is awesome!)

If you’re coming from Manila and you’re able to snag PHP7700 fare, the total cost of this trip is PHP 21,400 .

For my first trip, I got my plane tickets from a SEAT SALE and paid only PHP 6000, hehe. Add the travel tax (which was being collected separately at the time) and the total is pretty much the same.

More Tips for the Poor Traveler

• Changdeokgung and Gyeongbokgung are the best palaces , but if you’re interested to explore more + Jongmyo Shrine, get an Integrated Palace Pass. If you buy individual tickets, the total will be at ₩14,000 but the palace pass is only ₩10,000.
• Walk when you can . Like I said, Seoul is very walkable and you’ll discover something along the way. In the itinerary above, I included the fare for the subway ride from Ewha University to Hongik University, but in reality I just walked. I also never used the subway to go around the Jongno area.
• Get a T-Card . It will save you ₩100 for every ride. But I said that already.
• If you’re on a really tight budget, you can skip restaurants altogether and just eat at Gwangjang Market (considerably cheaper) or munch on street food because they’re pretty tasty too. But if you can afford it, spend! For me, Korean cuisine is one of the best in the world! I’m salivating right now just typing this. (Sorry about the mental image.) Hahaha.

Updated: 2️⃣0️⃣1️⃣8️⃣ • 4️⃣ • 2️⃣0️⃣

More Tips on YouTube ⬇️⬇️⬇️

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Thank you for generous people like you!! this is very informative and helpful

No prob, James!

Is it true that there is one card that you can you purchase then it will allow you to enter most of the tourist attractions? Like it’s valid for 24 hours. I heard something like that. Can you help me?

South Korea is great. Thanks for the guide and cool pics of their traditional parade.

Planning to explore the area around Ewha and Hongdae when visiting Seoul soon! How long does it take to walk from Hongdae to Ehwa?

It’s gonna be a long walk, probably 40 minutes to an hour, if I remember correctly. You can take the subway. Hongdae is just 2 stops away from Ewha.

I’d looked for and downloaded several apps for going around Seoul but none was satisfactory. Either they were buggy or the map doesn’t load well enough. I never came across the Subway Korea app though, that seems like something I could’ve used. I ended up using an actual train map from the airport– works but you know, a little less convenient. :)

Really nice overview! I will be going to South Korea this year, now I have some ideas of what I should not miss out on :)

Thank you for this post, it is one of the most useful ones I’ve found! I have a question, is the food budget per person or was it calculated for two people?

Per person. But it has a big allowance already. You can find bibimbap bowls for only 5000 won and street food if you’re on a budget. :)

i’m planning to visit soon, this is a pretty extensive guide thanks!

Hi, me and my former classmates are planning to visit korea next year.Now i am confused about some of the requirements i have read online.I am working in the middle east for the past 9 years and at present,one of the requirements i see is income tax return which as being an ofw i dont have like that.Second, certificate of employment, do i have to ask this from my employer in the middle east? I hope you can enlighten some things about traveling to korea from Filipinos working abroad and on vacation in the Philippines.

Hi Mhel, Same here I’ve been working also as an OFW but I don’t have any idea about the requirements for us who are working abroad. I really want to visit south korea by next year also. I hope someone can help us.

It seems that the requirements you are referring to are the requirements if you will apply your visa in the Philippines. If you are in Dubai UAE, you can apply your visa directly at the Korean Consulate in Dubai and they have a different set of requirements. You can include your ticket to the Philippines if you are going to Korea from the Philippines.

Hi, I am currently working here in Dubai. Have you tried applying for visa from here? I am planning to travel there next year Aug. Do you think how much safe fund do I need to put in my bank account for me to get visa approval. I am only planning let us say 5/6 days (to mention in the application form).. What do you think? :))

Do you need to have a 100.000 PHP before booking and getting Visa to korea? Someone answer me please :D Thanks!

100,000 is safe. But I know people with smaller funds whose applications have been approved, but they have stable jobs and rich travel history. So it really depends on many other factors.

100,000 won or dollar or peso

Hi. My friends and I have stable jobs. But we dont have that high salary to save much money for the visa approval. All my researches show that there’s no definite account value needed but just a show money to fund your trip for how long you want to. If it’s just for three days, would php30k be okay?

Hi Winnie Rose, no, it’s not just about the show money for the trip. While it’s true that there is no definite value, the embassy will look for and into your bank statements and bank certificate and check the average daily balance for the past 3 months. The bank account should have sufficient and consistent funds throughout that period. :)

P. S. I really want snow pouring on my head so we’re planning our trip by nov. 30 to dec2. Usually, will it snow in those days? Thanks

In Seoul? There is a chance but it’s hard to tell. They say that the first snow happens around that time, but back in 2013, I was in Seoul from late November until December 6 and it didn’t snow at all. Snow is hard to predict. It’s like trying to predict if uulan or hindi on November 30. But for better chances, move your travel to a later date.

Hi! can you please give me some ideas how to apply tourist visa in south korea?

We’re planning to travel next year end of March 2018, is this the best time to travel to see cherry blossoms? we’re 2 adults and 1child 12years old, or maybe she’s also adult now.

hope to hear from you. Thank You!

Greetings, Cris

Also, you might want to check out this link for cherry blossom season.

skyscanner.com.sg/news/inspiration/when-and-where-to-see-cherry-blossoms-in-korea-during-sakura-season/

Hello Cris! Do you have a BPI or BDO Gold or Platinum credit card? If you do, it’s easier to get a Visa that way. You can be granted multiple entry for up to 3 years (gold) or 5 years (platinum) for your whole family.

This is Very Helpful Thank You! :)

My Friend and I are Planning to Visit S. Korea on Mid March 2018, Maybe 8-9 days for Seoul and Busan.. If I could get a Visa and Process it on Time ;) i’m only given 30 days Annual Leave from work here in KSA..

Hi! i really enjoyed reading this entry. I was able to book a flight to SoKor for a cheap price and it will be my first time going there not to mention going on solo. Ill be there by Feb 28 to March 5 and my friends told me to pack enough coats since it’ll be winter there by then. I really am hoping you can help me with my Itinerary. it will be Manila to Busan and then Incheon to Manila. It may be too much to ask but can you help me? :)

Hi kaiye, we haven’t been to Busan though. :(

Hello! I’m planning to go to SoKor in June, after my college graduation. I’m worried because, I’m not yet employed during that time and I recently graduated that time so I don’t know if im still considered as a student. If possible what are the requirements I need to bring. Thank you so much po! :D

Just find a sponsor, ideally immediate family, and write a cover letter.

and It is also my first time travelling abroad po :( Thank you for your reply.

Love your blog!!! So resourceful ~ I felt like I went to Seoul with you just by reading it!! The best I’ve ever read ~ My friends & I are visiting Seoul Fall 2018 but I’m really shooting for Spring ~ I will definitely use all the info you have here!! Thanks again & God bless always!!

You’re welcome, Kirei!

Hi Sir, any idea po about the visa requirements for an OFW who wants to travel SK from Phil next year.

BTW, thank you for sharing your experiences, it helps a lot :)))))

Love your blog–very informative and helpful during our stay in Korea—even stayed at Fully Hong Hostel. Really affordable with very accommodating and friendly staff. Budget friendly. Planning to return one day, didn’t really get to go around much. Got to experience the Korean spa (jijinbang?) one morning because the broiler got busted.

Thanks, Karen!

[…] solution: the subway! It’s insanely cheap (about $1-2USD per ride) and insanely convenient. The Poor Traveler blog has some great tips about the app and understanding the […]

Grabeh! Superb! Na amaze po ako sa lahat ng tips mo. Maraming maraming salamat po. Will be visiting Korea May 2018.

Salamat sa pagbisita sa blog namin!

Enjoy Korea!

hi, how much is the soul travel pass? thanks

Discover Seoul pass? P1600+

Hello! Will 95,000 won a day for two people for food and additional attractions is enough money?

That largely depends on your itinerary.

Thanks for all of these information. ^^ It helped me a lot! Will be in SoKor on October and I like Autumn the most.

Yay! Enjoy Korea!

This is the most informative blog I’ve ever read! It has almost all the informations I need for my plan to visit Korea with my partner. Thank you so much for this blog. Thumbs up for the job well done!

No problem! Thanks too for visiting our blog. Enjoy Korea! :)

Hi! What if the school where I am working which is a public school doesnt have a landline number? Can i just include my principal’s mobile number?

Make sure that the fact that the school doesn’t have a landline number is mentioned in the COE.

Pwed po ask kng ano ang weather sa march 26-30?ano po dpat dlhin na dmit?thanx!

When is the best month to visit SOkor?

mainit po ba sa korea pag june? sabi kasi sa forecast maulan sa katapusan ng june. isip ko lang po kung ang ulan nila parang ulan natin na di ka na makakaikot pag umulan

Hi Cha, naku, di ko pa naranasan ang ulan sa Seoul. I’ve been to it in July na rin, which is supposedly the wettest month, pero di pa rin umulan buong week na andun ako, so I have no idea. :(

kasi po end of june ang byahe ko e sabi sa accuweather tagulan. isip ko lang kung accurate po ba ang accuweather (though obviously”accu” e part na ng title :-) naaprub po pala ko thanks sa blog nyo rin :-)

It’s the weather that we’re talking about so it can change any time especially if ganyang kalayo ang forecast. For me it’s reliable if di ganyan kalaki lead time.

Hello! We’ll be in South Korea by next week.. and your blog really helped a lot.. thank you for this!! We will enjoy SoKor because of you informative tips and guides. Thank you. :)

Enjoy Korea!!! :) Let us know how it went after the trip!

H! Ur blog is very informative and helpful. Thanks much for this. I”ll be travelling in sokor this coming sept.27-oct 2, 2018 for our covention in grand international seoul parnas. I just want to ask if u can recommend any travel agency that can cater land arrangement only or can process visa application alone?thank you so much for ur generous assistance.

Hi Lorie, we haven’t really tried applying for a visa via a travel agency so we can’t recommend any. :(

Thank you so much for your Blog. We are traveling to Seoul in November and I am still preparing our itinerary. Your blog sure is a great help. I booked our lodging thru airbnb in Jongno area. I love to walk a lot. Hopefully the weather in the first week of November will allow me to do so. Fighting!

Yay! No prob, Ana Marie! Enjoy Seoul! :D

Wow, this is super helpful! May I ask if you think Lotte World or Everland is worth visiting instead of spending a whole day sightseeing in the city? We’re planning to go on October, just 4 young adults (youngest is 16) so we might not enjoy the rides as much as we would in Disneyland/Universal Studio (bc they have that nostalgic feel).

Hi Audrey, Everland is not just for kids. It has a lot of rides that grownups will enjoy too.

But yes, I would prefer sightseeing in the city to Everland any day.

Visitng Nami Island, would you recommend DIY or join a group tour for a 1st time solo traveler?

Hi Gee, if Nami Island lang, DIY mo na. But if gusto mo rin mag-Petite France same day ng Nami Island, i-group tour mo na lang.

Is Petit France worth it?

This is very helpful. Thanks for sharing!

Very helpful and informative post! Will defs checkout your blog for future travels! :D

Thanks, Desiree!

I love this post esp. yung nasa last portion hehehe. Very informative, thank you sir!

No prob, Kitchie!

You deserve a medal for this post. Truly. What a great piece.

yeah that’s my man whoo

Thank you for the very informative post. I just want to clarify something on the pocket wifi rental. I was about to purchase it from klook but I noticed that pick up is at Incheon International Airport Terminal 2. My arrival would be at Terminal 1. Upon checking, transfer from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 would be like 15 mins but you have to go through the transfer desk and I don’t want to go through that with a heavy luggage. I think it is more convenient to just ride a bus from Terminal 1 to Seoul. Can you give me advise on the pocket wifi please. Is there any alternative? Thanks.

Hi Renzcy, ay, I haven’t tried anything pa other than yung sa Klook. :(

thanks a bunch for this very thorough info! God bless you on all your travels!

You’re welcome! Thanks din for visiting our blog. :)

Hi.. I just wanted to ask which is better Lotte World or Everland? Thank you.

Everland is bigger and has more rides. Only problem is it’s much farther.

Hi! Thank you so much for this article! I’m planning to travel back to Korea this October 2019 but I haven’t scored plane tickets yet. By any chance, would you have any idea if there are still seat sales where I could book lowfare tickets? Thanks!

Hi yep, marami pang parating. Usually days before a major holiday, may sale mga airlines.

These posts might help: Cebu Pacific: https://www.thepoortraveler.net/2018/03/cebu-pacific-promo-piso-fare/ AirAsia: https://www.thepoortraveler.net/2018/03/airasia-promo-tickets/

THANKS FOR THE INFORMATION IT REALY DO HELP ME. BT JUST ASKING

DO I NEED TO BOOK A HOTEL 1ST BEFORE I APPLY FOR THE VISA?????

KAMSAHAMIDA.

No, no need to book a hotel. But you must have an idea where you plan to stay. You’ll just need the hotel name, address and contact number of where you plan to stay.

First of all, thank you for this very helpful blog about Korea. Marami akong nakuhang tips for my upcoming solo travel sa SoKo this April. :)

Question lang though, yung AREX Train ba is 24 hours open? Kasi my flight in Seoul will arrive at around 10:40pm and I’m not sure if open pa yung AREX Train by the time I arrive in Incheon. And my hotel is in Myeongdong so okay ba na magtrain ako or bus, since medyo late na yung dati ko ng Incheon? Thank you in advance… :)

Hmmm, if hindi madelay yung flight and makalabas ka agad ng Immigration, baka kaya mo pa ang AREX All Stop train kasi hanggang 11:30-ish yun. Yung bus 6015 to Myeongdong din, hanggang 11:15 so baka di rin maabutan.

Di ko alam kung anong pwedeng alternative except maybe take the bus to Seoul Station and then take a cab to Myeongdong from there.

Pls send the u r number

Best blog post I have read, super informative.

Thanks, Gio!

Our family is planning to visit Korea next year after our Hongkong experience this summer. The information above are so detailed and easy to look into that it got me excited, especially seeing that there are also amusement parks for the kids. And of course the possibility of experiencing snow if our timing is just right. Thank you so much for sharing.

Thanks, Syrel!

Na-excite din ako for you kasi I’m also planning to return to Seoul (again!) with the kids in the family. :D

Hello po. Tanong lang. Ok po ba mag book sa. Skyscanner? Thank you po

Hello po. Inaaccept na po ba sa immigration ng SK ang accommodation booking with AirBnB? We are a group of 13, with kids, kaya we decided to book at AirBnB.

WOW! It`s very helpful for me. i really like your post about Korea travel guide. i`m planning to go in Seoul by next year together with my family this is one of my dream to go there.

Thanks, Joyce! Go go go! Happy planning!

Thanks for sharing

Hi which other tourist spot do you recommend isama namin together with everland??

hi mas ok po ba magpapalit ng dollars to won or ok lang kahit peso to won

If peso yung pera mo, i-diretso mo na to won para di ka lugi sa double conversion.

ah ok sige po maraming salamat

hello po. ang pick up nang sim card po nakalagay seoul. but i will be going to gwanju pa po before souel. mero ba pick up sa incheon airport?

Hello po. Im planning to have a tour with my family in seoul. Any idea how much will it cost (visa, airfare, hotel, etc. ) for 2 adults and 3 teens, for about 3-5 days of stay, including fees to a place to visits.. Thanks a lot.

chilling in quarantine in tallinn, estonia, planning my first trip after we open up again and so happy to find your blog. very nicely written, thank you! comparing to average travel blog way more informative and readable!

That’s my mom-in-law’s hometown. I’ve been there once and I wanna go back next year! Thanks Yoshke!

thanks for sharing this.

Such helpful tips!! I love visiting Seoul (and South Korea) in general but it definitely isn’t the cheapest Asia destination. I’ve taken some tips down and hopefully can save a few $$ next time I’m there.

Seoul is my dream destination. I enjoy reading and i’m glad that reach out this amazing post.

Thank you for sharing, Greetings from Canada

Amazing man. I’m planning to visit here next year. The information you provided is quite useful. Thank you alot

Can you send me itenerary for kore tour early nezt year ..january

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South Korea Tour Package from the Philippines

Welcome to the home of the Hallyu wave! Visit the shooting locations of popular dramas such as Descendants of the Sun and Winter Sonata. Try on a hanbok and savor the experience of the wonder that is Korean cuisine! South Korea derives its name from one of its earliest dynasties, the Goguryeo dynasty, which has been around since the time of the Silk Road. It is located in the Korean Peninsula and separated from North Korea by the Korean Demilitarized Zone, a strip of land that serves as a border between the two countries. The country’s neighbors include Japan in the east side, and China on the west. You can choose the Korean Drama Special Package, particularly geared towards filming locations used for Korean dramas, or avail the normal package. A tour in the city gives you a chance to admire the modern architecture. For one, South Korea has plenty of delights to offer.

4 Days 3 Nights

 4 DAYS 3 NIGHTS TOUR 

Our three (3) nights, four (4) days package takes you on a fun ride from the incheon international airport to gyeongbok palace, tour package itinerary:, day one:   arrival & transfers .

Arrive at Incheon International Airport. From there, you will meet the tour guide. Visit Nami Island. The half moon-shaped island is famous due its role in the Korean drama Winter Sonata . It also happens to be one of the most famous tourist destinations in Korea.  Aside from being one of the most flocked to tourist attractions in South Korea, Nami Island has also been viewed as a center of peace, prosperity, and happiness, due to its location and inspiring landscapes. 

Nami island, peaceful, and crescent-shaped, stands not too far from seoul, which is why a lot of people prefer to visit nami island as a tourist destination. it houses enough amenities, with educational centers, shops for crafts and design as well as food aplenty in the area. the island was named for a general during the joseon period. the general had died at a young age, after his fortunes had downturned. his grave is unmarked but it is said that there was a pile of stones where he was supposed to be buried; if anyone gets any stone, then ill luck will befall the house of whoever takes the stone., nami island is considered a micronation; it has its own currency, stamp and telephone card. the island has hosted many events promoting art, culture and various causes. one can travel to the island via: traveling by train to gapyeong station, walking or taking a cab from the station to the ferry wharf. there are no hotels in the island. the nearest ones would be located in gapyeong., amongst its must-sees are the central korean pine tree lane, gingko tree lane, and riverside paths. all of them can be easily sighted, and walked to. the iconic winter sonata statues are located specifically in gongsaengwon garden., petite france (optional tour) – be amazed at the french architecture this french cultural village holds stroll around the complex with your friends, enjoy the fresh air and view. the small village hosts a figure antoine saint-expeury’s iconic and most beloved character, the little prince as well as a figure of michael jackson you can admire., from afar one would think from the looks of the architecture of petite france that one would be in a foreign country. however, it’s only part and parcel of petite france, a cultural village and youth training center. its architecture is modelled after those in france. the owner of petite france got the idea to build petite france after he visited france. from there, he was inspired to recreate the beauty of french architecture. the village pays tribute to the creator of the little prince. in fact, there’s even a hall dedicated to him. you can also find a miniature eiffel tower inside the petite france complex., in the village, there are plenty of photo spots. there are also props from the korean dramas that have filmed in petite france, for tourists to pose with. for a start, tourists can begin with the antiques flea market. the area where you can find the filming spot for beethoven virus, and maestro and outdoor cafes, and the event hall of petite france. the latter area is connected to the observatory. from this observatory, you can get a gist of cheongpyeongho lake. on the far end of the complex, you can find the exhibition halls for antique porcelains and grand display of european-style living room. bringing a map is highly recommended., the location is accessible by taxi and subway. the place emits strong romantic vibes, so bringing your significant other here is a very recommended option – or rather, a must., after dinner, check in the hotel., day two:   everland.

Depart for Yongin the next day. One of Seoul’s major cities, Yongin houses Everland, the country’s largest theme park, the Hoam Art Museum and the Korean Folk Village, amongst several tourist attractions.  In the Korean Folk Village, you’ll get to try on hanbok , which is the national attire of South Korea. You will also get the chance to create your own kimchi. The site is famous for its nature as a “living museum”; the whole set is interactive and educational, with parts of it modeled after the structure of a village during the time periods of traditional up to the late Joseon era of South Korea. Food is cheap and accessible here. 

Go to everland, which is located not too far from there. aside from being the nation’s largest theme park, everland enjoys fame due to the animals it houses.  get to know the animals at zootopia if you love animals. for the thrillseekers, you can opt to catch t express, hurricane and especially the horror maze. go a long way with our unlimited ticket., everland is a theme park featuring many attractions and to south korea, it is their biggest theme park. it operates from 10am to 10pm daily. the prices for everland tickets vary, depending the method of purchase. the theme park is divided into five spots, with all their different attractions. in global fair, there are restaurants and amazing architecture where you can take plenty of great photos with. this area is mostly full of shops and restaurants. american adventure: adrenaline rush features the most extreme ride from everland. hurricane adventure can send you nineteen (19) feet off the ground; hold tight as the pendulum-patterned columbus adventure rocks back and forth. get to pet cute animals and get up and close with geese or even manage to book a private guided tour with a professional animal trainer in everland zootopia couples can go have their caricatures made and painted during white day; the theme park offers a wide range of transportation options like lifts., the theme park can be reached through bus and shuttle ride. when booking for everland, avoid mid-july to mid-august, chuseok holidays, christmas, and new year, as the crowds can get pretty heavy during those times of the year. the park is friendly to children as well as pwds. some prefer to purchase cute card holders from the park itself., catch up to waujeongsa temple, which is accessible via  subway. waujeongsa temple was founded by a displaced monk, kim hae-geum. the reason for the founding of the temple was for the reunification of north and south korea. the founder, kim hae-geum had been displaced during the korean war. it boasts of well-made statues, its holy ground adorned with colorful and varied buddhist symbols. don’t forget to pay your respects in the temple; this is holy ground, after all., after the visit to waujeongsa temple, maximize your trip to dongseohogno. after all, what is a visit to south korea without grabbing some of their famous beauty products dongseohogno is located in daegu, south korea. it’s also considerably near luxury stores. from stores to theatres to bookstores, the space in dongseohogno is aptly and well divided to keep one busy and happy. enjoy window-shopping, shopping and some me-time while in dongseohogno , day three:   seoul.

Following breakfast, you will be toured around Seoul. There, you will experience Duty Free Shopping and Cosmetic Shop in Lotte Shopping Mall. Lotte, founded in 1979, has since become one of the leading shopping centers in the country. The mall is easy to access with public commute. The store also has virtually everything, from simple and domestic items up to branded products coming from overseas. Fear not – they accept credit cards here. 

Don’t forget to have a list of products you want to check out ready with korea being a hot destination for makeup and skincare, many people choose to buy korean beauty products due to their low cost as well as effectivity. , after dinner, check in with the hotel for your resting time or you can also opt to take an optional tour of the city. , seoul city tour (optional tour) – this tour is accessible by nighttime, afternoon and daytime, with options for the whole night, or for half-day. meet your tour guide in a specified bus. from there, you will be guided to places you can access within the urban maze of seoul. the trip takes four hours so make sure to allot time, water, good shoes and plenty of patience. your guide will speak in english, as to be understood. the city of seoul is more than 400 years old; its geography as well as character have lent the country plenty of importance across history. in olden times, seoul used to be a walled city of chosun, its people constantly worried about invasions by land and sea. it was no surprise that a tower was eventually built, from which the night watchman would be able to guard and stay on the lookout for any potential danger coming for the city. this tower, now the n seoul tower, is one of the highlights of this city tour. from your hotel, you will pass by namsan hanok village, n seoul tower, seoullo 7107, ddp (led rose garden) and then dongdaemun., day four:   incheon.

After breakfast, you will go to Gyeongbok Palace. Gyeongbok – or Gyeongbokgung- is the Northern Palace due to its location and direction. Historical, ancient and still majestic despite its age (it was built in the mid-15th century), the palace hosts two museums. You can access a restroom here. It is closed on Tuesdays and open every day of the week. The offices inside the palace have miraculously remained untouched. 

The palace happens also to be the largest palace in south korea. it is found a stone’s throw away from the blue house, which is the presidential residence of the leader of south korea. when in here, take an hour up to two hours to be able to stroll around, enjoy the sights, and mull over the complexity of the imperial south korean architecture. the grounds here are spacious.,  while the palace had been twice destroyed, it still stands. it used to sire 500 buildings long ago. after a time where it had been damaged due to a political rift, the efforts would be put away for naught, due to the japanese invasion of south korea. the invasion would once again damage the palace., if you are a fan of joseon era dramas, or happen to be interested in korean history, then this part of the itinerary is perfect for you to immerse yourself in. wear walking shoes and bring water while in here; the stroll will be long and full of learnings. try to avoid crowds as well., transfer to icn for departure via the korean food and souvenir supermarket. , the lunch for the day will be the maru shabu (beef) and salad bar. please note there will be an additional usd 5.00 charge during holidays and weekends. , changdeok palace (optional tour) – this tour is only available every tuesday. during 1997, it was acknowledged by the united nations as a heritage site during the committee meeting in naples, italy. its rear garden was built during the reign of king taejong. as much as possible, human hands were forbidden to lay a hand on it. the exception to this rule only happens when it is absolutely necessary to do so. the palace also serves as the burial and final resting place of the members of the royal family., **please be advised that the itinerary can be changed in accordance with local conditions without any further notice. .

5 Days 4 Nights

  5 DAYS  4 NIGHTS TOUR

For almost a week, travel from chungjuho lake to gyeongbok palace.

Arrival will be at the majestic Incheon International Airport. The airport houses amenities you can avail of in order to relax. There is a nearby hotel, lounge and relaxation center, consisting of a spa and personal care. From the Incheon International Airport, you will be transferred to the Chungju Cruise, which you will take to ferry across the nation’s largest lake, Chungju.

Admire and enjoy the fresh air in the nation’s most famous and gargantuan lake, chungjuho. chungjuho was formed after the chungju dam was built. during the process of building chungju dam, across three regions, 66.48km’s size of area ended up submerged. despite the losses, the manmade lake would eventually become a prominent tourist spot location. from the five ferry docks on chungjunaru, you can take a look at the lake. chungju dam houses its main ferry dock, with cheongpunaru, janghoenaru and gudambong peak and okunsubong peak are located. danyangnaru can be found in danyang-eup, with woraknaru near woraksan mountain. the lake is accessed by ferry on cruises; these cruises leave from the chungju dam ferry terminal. these ferries are easy to come by during the summer time; every hour, you can catch them by the site. in the winter, they are rather scarce.  ,   after dinner, you may now sign in your hotel. .

Following breakfast, you will experience being taught how to make kimchi and wearing a hanbok in your trip to the interactive Korean Folk Village in Yongi. Go to Everland and enjoy the attractions there with our unlimited ticket.

Pay your respects at weoljungsa temple. woljungsa temple is a temple of the jogye order of korean buddhism. it is located in pyeongchang, gangwon. the temple has many items that are of high cultural value: four national treasures, and five other designated treasures. in the main hall, you can find a figure of gautama buddha. another important figure that you can find in the temple is the famed medicine buddha. the pose of the figure is said to be an offering one, its figure wearing a crown, its face long and its long hair obscuring its ears. you can spot a necklace carved along its neck. others have speculated the figurine comes from the 11th century., woljungsa temple’s legendary octagonal nine-story pagoda is one of the treasures present in the temple. it is believed to have been constructed in the 10th century. it is also believed to represent other 9th to 10th century pagodas present during the goryeo period in south korea. its original base stone is no longer present; it is now replaced. the flat stone laid in its base is carved with lotus flowers., after the visit to the temple, maximize your trip to dongseohogno, the nation’s busiest street, with some shopping. for a more extensive experience in the illustrious everland, you can avail our everland optional tour. , everland tour (optional tour)   – from your hotel, transfer to everland directly. stroll across everland, familiarize yourself with the animals and infrastructures there. after lunch, you will get to experience the everland festival. the everland festival is the highlight of its tour; everland is no stranger to festivals. the theme park hosts a wide array of festivals across the months. from january to february, the winter wonderland festival is celebrated while in march-april and may-june, the rose festival and tulip festivals are celebrated. in july-september, one can feast in time for the summer splash while september-october, one can celebrate in the happy haloween feast. the last feast for the year of everland is the winter wonderland. retire freely to your hotel once the tour is over., day three:   gwangmyeong cave with wine  .

Get to have a cave and wine tour in one in the Gwangmyeong Cave, which is the first destination after breakfast. The cave is a tourism attraction due to its history. Despite its long history of use, it has still retained its cultural value. 

Be greeted by the colorful lights in gwangmyeong cave; the cave entrance is full of colorful led lights. the cave used to be a mine. when it opened to the public in 2011 after it was purchased by gwangmyeong city and converted into a cave theme park, it has since been used as a venue for screenings, concerts, fashion shows, and other exhibitions. the cave features a golden waterfall, golden path, golden palace and a statue of aisha. the latter is one of the most notorious artifacts in the cave. according to urban legend, whoever gets to touch the coins in aisha’s statue’s hand will live a life of prosperity and happiness in the future., the in-cave attractions in the cave include wormhole square, cave underground world, golden road, and modern history museum. the wine cave here measures 194m long. the wines being tasted here are 170. while the cave has long been used before as a mine, there are still traces of it behind. the trip here is a memorable journey into 100 years of history. a plus: after the wine tasting, you can buy the wine you like the best., after that, proceed to hyundai cruise, where you will be treated to a fun excursion admire the scenic waterway, as well as the warmth, generosity and kindness of locals, who will give you help across your way. , day four:   seoul, enjoy the best of what seoul has to offer, itinerary for today will be the famed n seoul tower. the n seoul tower is famous for its view of the seoul cityscape as well as for being the national symbol of seoul. the n seoul tower also happens to be the highest point in seoul. networks such as sbs and kbs get their signals from this point. it is divided into three main sections. these are the n lobby, n plaza and n tower. its attractions include the namsam tower, lighting of the tower, love padlocks and wishing pond and observatory.  , to ride the tower, many ride the namsan cable car. the panoramic view from up is one of the many things that tourists, particularly photographers, enjoy in this spot. the tower is surrounded by several attractions south korea offers, including namsan park and namsangol hanok village. the pricing of the fees depends on the age group: children, elderly, adults and teenagers., the tower uses led technology to give the visitors of the tower a more fun as well as more interactive experience. they offer shows, including “reeds of light” and “shower of light.” to commemorate earth days, the lights are usually shut off. usually, on 6pm, the lights are turned off. the lights are turned on from sunset to 11pm., the love padlocks located here count as one of korean couples’ favorite pasttimes. it is situated on the 2nd floor of the tower. the practice has since been depicted on korean comics and dramas and movies. love padlocks are portrayed usually as an activity where couples buy a lock and key and put their messages, initials and symbols with pens on the surface of the lock. after the lock is secured, the key will eventually be thrown away. the practice mimics the padlocks found on the pont neuf bridge., a decade ago, the teddy bear museum was opened with a 7-meter christmas tree spattered with more than a hundred teddy bears. this event had been held at the tower. the teddy bears showcased here were meant to represent the past, present and future of seoul., in 2016, the tower won the tourism award in the seoul city culture awards. it also garnered grand prize in the 2016 korea’s first, world’s best awards. additionally, this year, it was designated as part of seoul’s future heritage by the local seoul metropolitan government. not to be outdone, this year, the tower received a plaque of appreciation from the energy network of korea ngo., hoard prized and cult favorite korean products during the free shopping at myeongdong. myeongdong is considered a major shopping center. it also is a commercial area, with a main shopping, parade route and tourism district. recently, it was hailed as the 9th most expensive shopping street in the world. aside from shopping, it is known for being near historical sites. , myeongdong is accessible via train. korean cosmetic brands, such as innisfree, too cool for school, usually dominate the street but it is not hard to find stores for clothes here. the business hub of seoul can be found in this district alongside myeongdong cathedral. the place has been around since the joseon dynasty; back then it was a residential area. its name was changed when south korea was put under the rule of japan, to “myeongchijong” and under that period, myeongdong became a commercial area. after the independence of south korea was declared, it became the district of myeongdong., it is estimated almost 2 million people everyday come here for their shopping needs. most of the items that can be found here are targeted towards younger people. these include petite female japanese tourists who scour the streets of myeongdong every night to look for trendy finds. if you are looking for tom ford, louis vuitton, then you will not have a hard time looking for them in this area. smaller brands can also be found here in myeongdong but one has to have a quick eye and check out the smaller alleys in order to locate them in the area., for people who don’t enjoy shopping very much, myeongdong can still be of value to them. the food is cheap, and tastes good. the area is also very spacious, to host countless restaurants, while you can also access tasty and unique street food. on a cold night, the street food make an excellent choice; it can keep you warm. myeongdong is best recommended to be explored in during the latter part of the day, when the lights are on, and the streets are packed., on the side, the myeongdong cathedral should not be missed . the cathedral is built in the gothic style and is esteemed as one of the most important cathedrals in the world., nanta (optional tour)  – it is a famous musical and burlesqueshow, noted for its use of nonverbal performance and the high number of the people who have watched it. popular, it’s no doubt why locals and tourists alike tout the show as a must-see experience. nanta also received an award for best urban program in 2009 and accommodates 750,000 foreign visitors per year. it uses rhythms from korean folk music with modern musical forms in order to create a unique sound and experience., day five:   seoul/incheon, depart for gyeongbok palace after breakfast. this palace was built in the 14th century and better known as the “northern palace” due to its location., the next destination, the national palace museum can be found south of heungnyeum gate.  learn about the rich history of south korea during the tour in national palace museum. you will pass by the deoksugang stonewall. it is a picturesque pathway where one can pass through. it is located right next to deoksugang palace, befitting its name., for the last destination will be the ginseng center. the national ginseng center gives you a free taste of ginseng honey tea. the tour will also give you an overview of the history of ginseng here in korea., departure will be set following it..

6 Days 5 Nights

6 DAYS 5 NIGHTS TOUR

Sign up for a fun tour across korea that not only heightens the senses, but also nourishes the mind, arrival will be at incheon international airport. , you will be transferred to chungju lake cruise, which happens to be a peak tourist destination in korea due to its aquatic and skyline views.  on and aboard your ferry, you can admire and enjoy the fresh air in the nation’s largest lake, chungjuho.  the creation of this manmade lake had come at the cost of the submergence of three regions and the production of the chungju dam in the mid-1980s. ironically, after it was created, people have since flocked to it to admire its view as well as size. its fresh water and clean air, surrounded by amazing scenery are just a few reasons to see this lake., admission to the lake is free; prices vary per ferry. ferries operate in five sides of the lake, but the most popular route for it is the chungjunaru cruise. another ferry runs as far as shin dayang; its ride features amazingly scenic sights. in the summer, the schedule for the ferry is bound to change. in the winter, the boat runs daily in every 2 hours while in the summer, the boat runs per hour from 9 am to 4:30 pm., after dinner, you may now sign in your hotel. you may also opt to go for an optional tour. , petite france (optional tour) – located in the gapyeong region, you can choose to come here via cab or subway. petite france is a beautiful cultural village that pays homage to antoine saint-expeury’s the little prince, a famous book character. korean dramas like  my love from the stars ,  beethoven virus and  secret garden have filmed in this location. the complex features plenty of buildings in the french style of architecture. it also does not hurt that this small cultural village has a decent number of cafes and restaurants where you can eat., day two:  andong, the first locale will be andong hahoe. the andong hahoe is a preserved village built in the traditional joseon era style. it also used to be home to the ryu clan of pungsan.  gyeomam ryu un-ryong and seoae ryu seong-ryong, two scholars from the joseon era, were born here. aside from the architecture, the site has also preserved folk traditions, valuable books and village customs. there, you can step back in time and see what life was like for koreans in the olden times. the village derives it name from nakdong river, which surrounds the perimeter of the town. the town is situated at the foothills of hwasan mountain., the town center is populated by large tile-roofed houses belonging to the ryu clan, adding their own unique charm to the surrounding thatched roofs. aside from that, the village boasts of plenty of natural beauties as well. the village houses unique styles of architecture, from the confucian school in the area; it also maintains folk arts such as the hahae mask dance drama. the latter is a shamanist ritual which honors the communal spirits of the village., the nakdong river flows around it, with buyongdae cliff, endlessly unfolding sand beaches, lush pine trees and more. visitors here can appreciate a panoramic view, from buyongdae cliff. among its attractions nearby are bongjeongsa temple (built during the silla period), gosan seowon (confucian academy), gwiraejeong, gyemyeongsan mountain recreational forest, hakgasan mountain recreational forest, and waryongsan mountain.andong hahoe was added unesco world heritage list under the category of “historic villages in korea” on july 31, 2010. it is also in andong hahoe that the autumn festival is held every year., nowadays, the village is divided into two. these are the namchon (south village) and pukchon (north village) with the ryu clan of pungsan. the ryu clan branches have split the two halves amongst themselves. this spot has become more famous after queen elizabeth ii visited it., proceed to daegu donghwasa temple, which was formerly known as yugasa temple. built by monk geukdal, the temple is sectioned into three sides found in the front and the center. its pillars are considered its main attractions. in the corner, you can see the seolbeopjeon hall. its name was changed to donghwasa temple due to the fact that in the locale, phoenix trees still bloomed even if it was winter. the temple had experienced constant destruction and rebuilding., there are plenty of national cultural relics found in the temple, like the geumdangan 3-floor stone thrower and donghwasa construction rods. the name of the temple roughly translates to “paulownia blossom temple”. during the rebuilding of the temple in 832, it was said that paulownia blossoms bloomed all over the temple., the main hall, bongseoru hall, is named after a phoenix. a set of railings shaped like dragons can be found on either side of the stairs. a pair of stone phoenixes with a pair of circular stone balls can be found in the center. the temple’s renowned elevated pavilion can be reached on the right side., after a flight of stairs, you can find another highlight here in the temple. it’s the buddha of medicine, at a height of 30 meters. surrounding this figurine are other bodhisattvas and buddha figures. the buddha of medicine was constructed in hopes of a united north and south korea; it was completed in 1992. in the front, it joins with gwanseeum, the bodhisattva of compassion, crowning it.,  after the visit to the temple, maximize your trip to dongseohogno, the nation’s busiest street, with some shopping. the street is open all day, so there is no need to worry about rushing to go there.,  you may retire now to your hotel following this history-filled day., day three:   cheongseongdae  .

After breakfast, head with your shuttle to one of the oldest sites in Korea: Bulguksa Temple. The Seokguram Grotto is part of the ancient and religious complex, having stood there since the Silla dynasty. Together, the Grotto and Temple form an architectural complex holding a large significance. The Temple is located on the slopes of Mount Toham in Gyeongju and also serves as a head temple.

The original temple was bigger than the current one; the building that stands today in the complex is only a fraction of its original size. the decrease in size was caused by a fire. the temple had been built on a set foundation during the baekje kingdom era. the chief architect of the temple is kim dae-song. he was also the chief minister of the united silla kingdom. it is notable that during this era, buddhism had been adopted as the official religion of the kingdom., the complex is meant to represent the land of buddha, birojeon, divided into three parts. the first is vairocana, buddha hall. the second is daeungjeon, the hall of great enlightenment and geunnakjeon, the hall of supreme bliss. the hall is constructed of wood and built on a raised stone terrace. the temple is built to be an architectural representation of paradise, as it rises symmetrically from a lotus lake., the entrance is also meant to be symbolic; the entrance gate, mauve mist gate, approaches the cloud bridge gate. the visitor must climb the lower flight of stairs to the bridge of white clouds, paekungyo. the upper flight is choragunyo, the bridge of azure clouds. due to the complexity of the architecture, it took 40 years to complete. the space is so great that the estimate for it is two thousand (2,000) kan. kan refers to the amount of space in four (4) columns., check out the world’s oldest astronomy tower in cheomseongdae see for yourself one of korea’s most precious artifacts, the daereungwon tomb in busan. in cheongseongdae, one cannot help but admire plenty of greenery around the area. flowers grow in the area, so stepping on them is forbidden. the spot is photogenic, and the air is fresh., it was queen seon-dok who had the cheomseongdae observatory constructed. its primary use was to chart the stars in order to predict the weather. its shape is cylindrical with stones 30cm in their diameter. the world’s oldest astronomy tower in cheongseongdae stands 9.17m high and the base stone on each side measures 5.35m. its 362 stones are meant to represent the 362 days in a year. the pavilion stone is said to have been used as a means of deciding directions., in daereungwon, there are 23 tombs more located across the street near cheongseongdae and behind the park. the site, contrary to it being a site for tombs, is surprisingly quiet and peaceful, a perfect place where one can pass the time to think and relax. trees surround the tombs. admission to the site has a fee; it is not free., within the tomb complex, the cheonmachong tomb (ancient tomb no. 155) is a standout. it is a wooden coffin placed under an underground chamber and then buried under a boulder. it has been classified as a tomb belonging to an upper-class member of society. coming from the silla dynasty. a number of eleven thousand five hundred twenty-six (11, 526) items have been discovered within the site. included in these items is a painting, the chonmado, which is considered valuable as it would be the first painting to be discovered within a tomb – and an ancient one, at that rate. the wooden chamber measures 6.5 m long and 2.1 m wide, reaching 2.1 m in height, with the coffin itself located in the center., day four:  busan.

Go for a post-breakfast stroll in the open air park of Taejongdae with the Danubi Train. Taejongdae, located on the coast of Busan, boasts some of the best coastal scenery in Korea. A lot of space in Taejongdae Park is mostly greenery, evergreens and trees, and some temples. Most tourists prefer to head straight Taejongdae Observatory and Yeongdo Lighthouse but Taejongdae and Yongdusan Park are not without its natural charms.

Visit the charming shrine of yongdusan park and enjoy the view of busan from the location. after the trips to the parks, kill some time shopping in the ever-open kukje market. the kukje market features clean, organized spacing as well as fresh produce and top-notch korean products. the market also serves food aside from offering it up on their racks to be bought home., return to seoul and rest after the long day in your hotel after dinner., day five:  seoul.

Take a trip to the N Seoul Tower. After that, go onto DFS in Lotte and Cosmetic Shop. Lotte Shopping Center in South Korea features both homegrown and major brands; it has grown on to become a major brand as well. For buys that are family-friendly, as well as cheap materials, Lotte has everything you will need.

Finish your tour for the day with seoul’s interactive museum l’atelier, where you can experience interacting with impressionist paintings. l’atelier is a cultural space, specifically dedicated to the 19th century painters. it makes use of holograms and video technology to educate its visitors., day six:  incheon, enjoy your breakfast in the hotel. first in this day’s itinerary will be gyeongbok palace and its palace museum. pass by the blue house and deoksugang stonewall walkway, which happens to be a pathway on the side of the famed deoksugang palace, the northern palace., lunch for the day will be maru shabu (beef) and salad bar. you will visit ginseng center or red pine shop before your departure..

• Korean Romantic Drama Package

 5 DAYS 4 NIGHTS KOREAN ROMANTIC DRAMA PACKAGE TOUR

Relive your korean drama fantasies with this package.

After arrival at Incheon International Airport, you’ll get a free Banana Milk. Head over to Nami Island, which was popularized by the classic Korean drama hit Winter Sonata . Feel free to take photos around, and pose with the statues depicting the two lovers from the beloved drama. Lanky trees surround the place, providing fresh air and plenty of space to walk around for tourists.

The half-moon-shaped island was formed due to the construction of cheongpyeong dam. general nami’s grave can also be found on the island; the man for whom the island was named for had led a great victory during the joseon dynasty against rebels. the island is 63 kilometers away from seoul in the direction of chuncheon. it’s also famous for its paths lined with trees. due its nearness to seoul, many tend to gravitate towards the island., electric wires here in nami island are built underground. hence, there are no phone lines here. the island is 553,560 square yards, surrounded by poplar and chestnut trees. in the center of the island, you can find a large grass field. this field features educational facilities, shops and camping sites. the best shops they have fall under the design and crafts category., petite france (optional tour) – kim soo hyun’s do min joon took jun ji hyun’s cheong songyi here as a means to have alone time together. petite france boasts of its french architecture, as well as its accommodations., day two:   pyeongchang.

Leave for Woljeongsa Temple Forest, where selected scenes from the recent hit drama Goblin were filmed. There, enjoy the view, take in the fresh air and fangirl. Take a photo to recreate the iconic scenes from Goblin there. Strike a pose, smile.

Woljeongsa is situated on a mountain, being two hours from seoul. it was built by a monk named jajang in 643 ce, during the reign of queen seon-dok of shilla and was destroyed during the korean war. the temple is a complex that holds sixty (60) temples, twenty-two (22) pagodas and eight (8) monasteries that pepper the mountains., the temple’s best known cultural property is the octagonal, nine-story stone pagoda located directly in front of the jeokgwangjeon (hall of stillness and light). its structure suggests it came from the goryeo dynasty. the legendary jeongmyeolbogung , the jeweled palace of stillness and extinction, holds some sarira (true relics) of the historical buddha. the area is well-known for its snow-capped peaks, stunning waterfalls and peaceful scenery. this buddhist complex is open to people all over the world who have an interest in learning about buddhism and those who wish to join their temple stay programs., the type of buddhism the monks practice here is jogye buddhism. the latter was established over a thousand years ago. it focuses on  chamseon , the art of meditation. meditation was seen as a way to achieve inner peace. the area also can be booked and used by tourists through the use of their website., after that, visit jumunjin breakwater. the site was originally built to protect the coastline from the effects of erosion and longshore drift. it was catapulted to fame after it was prominently featured in episodes of  goblin , a hit fantasy drama series. countless visitors look forward to taking photos of a scene reanactment from the drama. the rocky structure faces the ocean directly, making a dramatic and wide scene that is perfect for photoshoots and films., in goblin, jumunjin breakwater features as ji eun tak’s hideout. there, she talks to her deceased mother. she is also one of the main characters of the drama. in the locale, in the first episode, she calls kim shin, the goblin, to her through wishing for a part-time job and a boyfriend. the locale makes another appearance in the drama in the third episode, when kim shin tells her it rains whenever he is sad., the locale is accessible through public commute. you can get off at jumunjin express bus central terminal, gangneung intercity bus terminal. the view is more beautiful at sunset. the site is famous for its blue water, fine white sand, and the visibility of dark rocks and a view of the pine trees. food, through mostly seafood restaurants, is easy to catch a whiff of around the area.  , you will be transferred to seoul. please check in your hotel after dinner for rest., day three :  yongin.

Go to the peaceful port town of Yongin after breakfast. Enjoy Everland Theme Park on unlimited ticket. Oh Ri-Jin and Cha Do Hyun from Kill Me, Heal Me had their first kiss in this location; in The Producers , the shoot for 1 Night 2 Days was held here, where Baek Seung Chan (Kim Soo Hyun) bought along Cindy (IU) for her birthday.

Everland was south korea’s first family theme park; it still remains as a major theme park and is, in fact, the largest theme park in the country. annually, it receives seven point three million (7.3m) visitors. a subsidiary of samsung, samsung c&t group, owns and operates this theme park. its former name was “farmland.” it is divided into five zones., these zones are global fair, zoo-topia, european adventure, magic land and american adventure. entrance and exit to the theme park are located in global fair. here, you can also find strollers, food, shops and souvenirs. the famous animals of everland can be found in zootopia., in zootopia, there is a petting zoo, pony ride and animal show. among the animals in zootopia are birds, polar bears, sea lions, penguins, bears, lions, tigers, primates and more. there is a safari bus ride which allows the guest to see animals such as ligers and bears roaming within the contained habitat. the petting zoo provides sheep and goats for petting. one of everland’s most famous animals is kosik, the elephants, who made rounds due to his ability to mimic korean words through sound., everland has various festivals across the months. the year begins and ends with the winter wonderland festival. everland’s european adventures zone imitates european architecture in the structure of the restaurants there. the mystery mansion here, is a top attraction; in the attraction, one needs to shoot ghosts. a ride named t express was added in 2008; it is a roller coaster constructed entirely out of wood., everland’s american adventure section is dedicated to themes from american history. its rockville is themed after the 1950s while rodeo is western-themed. magic land, another section, comprises of elaborate buildings and rides, with one portion being aesop’s village, which is patterned after aesop’s fables., continue onto dalkomm coffee, which was featured in descendants of the sun. please transfer to seoul and after dinner, go back to your hotel., day four : dora observatory.

Following breakfast, transfer to the Demilitarized Zone, which separates North and South Korea from each other. To get a better view, you can check from a binocular in the Dora Observatory. The Dora Observatory was first opened in January 1987, replacing the Songaksan Observation Post. It is closed every Monday. 

Dora observatory overlooks several locations: north korea, the statue of kim il-sung, gaeseong, sonagsan and cooperation farm. the site features 500 seats, vip rooms, and abundant parking space. the third underground tunnel is nearby; it is a tunnel built by north korea in 1978 that stretches over 1.6km with a height and width of 2m. there are plenty of attractions in front of the tunnel such as the dmz media hall (offering the history of the divided country and flourishing ecosystem in the demilitarized zone), dmz exhibition hall (displaying relics and documents related to the demilitarized zone), sculptures, and souvenir shops. tourists can walk or choose to ride the monorail., due to limited access to civilians in this program, tourists who go here need to participate in the dmz peace & security tourist program. tourists should carry their passport which will be examined at the checkpoint after unification bridge. pets are forbidden here; use of the telescope has a time limit of maximum of two (2) minutes. parking slots are limited. the observatory can only entertain parking for 30-40 people. the fee of parking is dependent on the size of the vehicle you bought with you. for the amenities, dora observatory houses five hundred (500) seats, vip room, situation room, and thirty-four (34) telescopes., the dorasan station, which is nearby, was built in the hopes of a reunified korea. this station would have hoped to have served as the link between north and south korea geographically. the kijong-dong propaganda village built in north korea is visible from the view in dora observatory. the way to the hill where the observatory is located is steep,so please be careful. you are also advised not to take photos of soldiers and military equipment. the tour is a great place to take people who are interested in korean history as well as those who want to learn more about the cold war. the tour gives you a different viewpoint on north korea and an opportunity to learn more about it., after arriving in seoul, visit dfs and cosmetics store. check in and rest in your hotel after dinner., day five : seoul.

The first agenda of the day will be Doksugang Stonewall Walkway. The walkway is most known for being one of the most iconic locations from Goblin . Aside from its appearance as the office of the Grim Reaper (Lee Dong Wook) in Goblin , the walkway makes a perfect place for couples to spend time together. There are over twenty (20) benches and one hundred thirty (130) trees along the road. Nearby, you can find Deoksugung Palace and Seoul Museum of Art. The walkway is a street with a wide sidewalk at the southern and western walls of Deoksugung Palace. A rose bouquet sculpture of Seoul Museum of Art is in the middle of the walkway. The site is located in Seoul’s neighborhood Jeong in the Jung district.

The magnificent and picturesque stonewall has attracted plenty of tourists and is most popular during the fall foliage season. it is part of the 100 most beautiful roads in korea, as chosen by the central government. the walkway extension has been opened in august 2017; a part of the area is also occupied by the british embassy., savor the moment in the n seoul tower, where do min joo and cheon song yi spent time together in my love from the star . the n tower at seoul is one of the most iconic landmarks of seoul. aside from its occasional appearance in dramas, the n tower has become a beloved symbol. in the nights, it projects digital art using led technology; it also participates in earth hour. built in 1969, the tower is where some local networks such as kbs get their signal. the city itself has several viewing platforms from which point the tourists and visitors can admire the views but the offering of the digital observatory is unique as it holds a 360-degree panoramic view of seoul and and thirty-two (32) lcd screens recounting the 600-year history of seoul., after n seoul tower, continue onto ginseng center and  amethyst factory., a shuttle will carry you to incheon international airport. lunch will be provided by maru shabu (beef) and salad bar buffet., leave a reply cancel reply.

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Thank you for your inquiry with regards to our South Korea Tour Package. For faster response, you could message us on our facebook page facebook.com/regenttravelmanila or you may email [email protected] to help you.

I am interested to take your 6days/5 nights korea tour. There are 3 of us. Please email me the quotation for first week of July.

Looking for guided tours to SK in January 2035

Inquiry for all packages, travel dates and inclusion. Also do you provide flight bookings?

Hi Catherine,

Plan to travel in Jan2025

Hi good pm, We planning to have in from Dec 20 how much the package for 2 person

Planning a trip sometime September.to South Korea and i would just like to inquire how mush is the Korean Romantic Drama Package for two adults?

Hi Michael,

Good day, may I ask how much is the package for 5 pax, 4 days 3 nights Thanks

4 days 3 nights package for 7 adults and plus 1kid 10yrs old and 2 youth 14 yrs old total of 10pax

Hi Ptra Nor,

HM package of 7 adults and 2youth 14 yrs old and 1 child 10 yrs old

Inquire Now!

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• Location 1: Php 100,000
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• Location 3: Php 25,000
• Location 4: Php 15,000

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Travel with Karla

the teacher who loves to travel

Filipino Budget Trip to Korea

I’ve been asked many times, “How much should be the budget in trip to Korea?” Since I live here, I don’t spend money for flight tickets and accommodations. I only spend money for food, transportation, and entrance fees. Good thing, I have a lot of friends who visited Korea. Here are the breakdown of their expenses in their trip to Korea:

Aicy spent 12,020 peso s in 3 days.

• travel tax = 1,620 pesos
• Accommodation = 800 pesos (she stayed in my place)
• Transportation = 1,500 pesos
• Food = 1,500 pesos
• Entrance fees = 1,500 pesos
• Souvenirs/Pasalubong = 500 pesos

Camille spent 20,000 pesos in 7 days.

• Accommodation = 2,400 pesos (she stayed in a dormitory type room)
• Transportation = 600 pesos
• Food = 4,380 pesos
• DMZ Tour = 1,300 pesos
• Souvenirs/Pasalubong = 2,000 pesos

Joice spent 22,000 pesos in 9 days.

• Airfare = 11,000 pesos (50 kg baggage)
• Accommodation = free (she stayed in a friend’s house)
• Transportation & Entrance fees = 5,000 pesos
• Food = 3,000 pesos
• Souvenirs/Pasalubong = 3,000 pesos

Een spent 23,000 pesos in 2 weeks.

• Airfare = 7,000 pesos
• Accommodation = free  (she stayed in a friend’s house)
• Transportation = 4,000 pesos
• Food = 3,000 pesos (she had free breakfast and dinner)
• Souvenirs/Pasalubong = 9,000 pesos

Christine spent 24,380 peso s in 4 days.

• Accommodation = 3,500 pesos
• Transportation = 1,700 pesos
• Food = 2,100 pesos
• Entrance fees = 2,520 pesos
• Souvenirs/Pasalubong = 3,940 pesos

Regine spent 25,870 peso s in 6 days.

• Accommodation = 3,550 pesos
• Transportation = 2,200 pesos
• Food = 2,000 pesos
• Entrance fees = 2,000 pesos
• Winter clothes = 3,000 pesos

Nadine spent 28,300 peso s in 7 days.

• Airfare = 19,000 pesos (40 kg baggage)
• Accommodation = free (she stayed with her relatives)
• Transportation = 2,000 pesos (she often takes taxi)
• Food = 2,000 pesos (she had free breakfast & dinner)
• Entrance fees = 1,000 pesos
• Souvenirs/Pasalubong = 4,300 pesos

Nina spent  51,470 pesos in 6 days.

• Accommodation = 7,200 pesos
• Transportation = 1,800 pesos
• Surround Viewing for EXO-LS  = 1,750 pesos
• KPOP Merch/Pasalubong = 9,100 pesos
• She didn’t catch her flight so she spent 16,000 pesos  to buy another ticket.

En-en spent 61,750 pesos in 12 days.

• Dumaguete to Kalibo = 1,500 pesos
• Kalibo to Incheon =3,000 pesos
• Incheon to Manila = 3,800 pesos
• Manila to Dumaguete = 1,100 pesos
• terminal fee = 750
• Accommodation = 9,900 pesos
• Transportation = 4,300 pesos
• Food =14,000 pesos
• Entrance fees = 3,580 pesos
• Souvenirs/Pasalubong = 18,200 pesos

Kim went to Korea four times!

In spring 2014, kim spent 27,000 pesos in 8 days..

• Accommodation = 9,000 pesos
• Transportation & Entrance Fees  = 4,000 pesos
• Food = 3,000 pesos (free breakfast at the hotel)
• Souvenirs/Pasalubong = 4,000 pesos

In Winter 2016, Kim spent 14,000 pesos in 8 days.

• Accommodation & Food = free (he stayed with relatives)

In Summer 2016, Kim spent 9,000 pesos in 5 days.

• Airfare = 6,000 pesos
• Transportation & Entrance Fees  = 1,000 pesos

In Autumn 2016, Kim spent 14,000 pesos in 15 days.

• Transportation & Entrance Fees  = 5,000 pesos

My mom, sister and I spent 12 days in Korea for only 60,000 pesos. Check out our detailed itinerary here: 12 Best Days in Korea .

• Shopping in Seoul
• Things to Collect While Traveling
• Things you should NOT do in Korea

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91 comments.

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This is my dream destination Ms. Karla hope na makapunta ako dito someday ???

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I have read your Filipino blog Budget Trip to Korea. I am very interested in reading your experience while in the Philippines. Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge here.

Korea has always been a choice for my travel plans. Thanks for putting this in.

I know Filipino loves travelling. I would recommend to visit Everland when travelling to Korea. Such a nice place, get your camera ready!

Articles about travel from the Philippines into Korea is very useful, for Filipinos who will visit Korea this is great information and tips, thank you

Hi, my boyfriend and i are going to celebrate our 8th anniv in Korea, its our first time there and we wanted it to be hassle free trip. since tourist guides are soooo much expensive, we are planning our DIY trip, right now we are about to book hotels, wed like to book at least 2 budget hotels in our 7 days trip. Can you suggest a great accessible place? and can you also suggest places to visit during that 7 days? thank you. pls email me.. [email protected]

Are you staying in Korea till now? If ever I’ll travel there can I just stay in your place? ????

I’m back in the Philippines.

I am making my own itinerary. Is there entrance fees to Bukchon Hanok Village, Gyeongbokgung Palace and Changdeokgung Palace?

There’s an entrance fee in the palaces, but if you’re wearing a hanbok, you can go there for free.

Hi. Pwede po mag tanong if where sila nag book ng flight nila? ???? thank you.

Usually nag aabang sila ng piso fare sa Cebu Pac or Red Hot Sale ng Air Asia

if hindi po promo magkano po yung bayad if Davao-Korea

Hi. Can I ask po for a cheap airfare or coupon po. Any suggestion po or if you can send me th PDF din po if okay lang po? My best friend and I are planning po to go there probably next year po. Thank you po!!!

Annyeonghasaeyo!:) I am planning to have my solo trip at end of May this coming year. And I am not considering tour packages coz I think time will be limited and more expensive. I’ve never been in Korea and know no one there. Is it easy to wander Korea for a first-timer? or shall I get a tour package instead. Can I hear your advice? Thanks!

Hi Karla, we are going to Korea this November 20-26 just like to seek your advice as to what clothes should we bring? Thanks a lot.

You may start wearing winter clothes ????

Hello po. Ask ko lang po, pupunta po kami ng family ko on Jan 24. Sobrang lamig po ba nun to the point na hindi na kami makakatour? And ok n po kaya 3 layers na damit? Pati po, hassle po ba magcommute pag winter? Hope you can reply to me po. Thank you!

Hello po, pupunta po kami South Korea ng family ko on Oct. 5 – Oct 12, 2017.. Ask ko lang po ano advice niyo sa clothing na need namin dalin? Like sobrang lamig na po ba nun or hindi pa naman. Thank you po!!

Hi Karla just wanted to ask where is the best place to propose in korea on Oct 27-Oct31. My girlfriend and I will go to korea on the said dates.

Awww that’s so sweet! I highly recommend Garden of the Morning Calm.

Hi. What clothes to wear if middle of march ang punta?

Winter Clothes 🙂

Hi Ms. Karla ???? Will be on Korea this coming November 29-December 4. Winter na po ba nun and sobrang lamig po ba? Thanks!

Miss karla 2nd week of march winter padin po ba in korea? And wala pa po tLagang cherry blossoms?

Winter pa din, last week of March ang start ng cherry blossoms.

hi ms. karla what if po gusto ko po mg visit sa friend ko sa korea ano po ba pwede gawin?

Korean citizen po ba siya? Pwede ka mag ask for invitation.

Hi po. Me and my friends will visit Nov 15 – 19. Ano pong pwedeng isuot and ilang layer po? 😀

Hi Kristine! It’s almost winter that time… You may use coats and three layers of clothes.

What’s the weather like 1st week of September?

Hello Karla,

We will be going to seoul on the 28th of september to 5th of Ocyober What clothing should we bring? Can we see the Autumn leaves already? Are stores or tourist attractions closed on Chuseok?

I hope the leaves start changing that soon. It’s not so cold that time, probably Tagaytay weather. You may still go out wearing normal shirt or you may use a cardigan. Some stores are closed but cultural attractions are open.

Hi Ate Karla, Ill be in Korea po kasi ng October last week to November 1.. What kind of clothing po kaya ang dapat ko isuot? Thanks

Hello, We’ll be traveling to Korea on the 1St week of September until the 21St of September. What type of clothing do you recommend we bring? ???? thanks!!

Hi Coleen! I think a thin jacket will do. 🙂 https://travelwithkarla.com/2016/11/18/autumn-in-korea/

Hello! Saan po sila nakakahanap ng murang airfare? I occasionally search up on different airline websites pero yung pinakamurang nakikita ko is ~13k for roundtrip 🙁 (including taxes and all)

Nag aabang sila ng piso fare from Cebu Pac or Red Hot Sale from AirAsia. ????

Hi Karla! I would like to ask if anong clothing pag October sa Korea. We will be traveling sa Seoul on 11 October to 15 October. And where to find magandang tour package or where to buy tickets for DMZ, Nami Island and Everland. thanks! 🙂

Hello Cheng! Pag second week of October usually, nakamakapal na jacket na ang mga tao. ( Autumn in Korea ) Sa Trazy may mga packages sila for that. ^^

Hi Karla! Just like to ask if okay lang ba madami ka dala pasalubong like cosmetics from SK? I mean were the customs have a strict policy on this? I plan to go to SK this October. Thanks!

hi, by next year autum will visit korea. which month is better po ba oct or nov? thanks po

Last week of October or first week of November 🙂

Hi karla just want to ask about the airfare balikan naba yan or one way lang ?

This is useful. Can’t wait to go to Korea someday soon (^^)

Hi Karla, I hope you don’t mind me sharing your article to our readers at https://Yehey.com website.

Thank you in advance.

No problem. Just put the source and pingback the article here.????

Done. Thank you.

Omg i love this very informative!!! ??????

Ms Karla nagbabalak po kame nang bf ko mag Korea by January. Although winter ang weather maganda din po ba mamamasyal kahit winter? . And saan ung budget friendly na accommodation???.. hindj ba mahirap kumaha nang tourist visa normally magkano aabutin if 5days vacation. Thanks

1. Winter in Korea is really cold, you can’t stay outside a long time. 2. Check out my promos to get discounts in selected hotels. 3. These are the visa requirements for tourists . 4. It depends on your lifestyle. Check out: Filipino Budget Trip to Korea

Hi po.. Saan po ba makakakita ng murang airfare papuntang korea? I’m planning to go there mga April by next year po kasi eh.. Patulong nmn po ????

Nag aabang lang sila ng seat sale from Cebu Pac or Air Asia (feeling ko homepage nila yun). 😀

Hi. What would type of clothes would you recommend bringing for a short vacation in November? 🙂

It depends on which week of November. Check out the clothes I wore last Autumn .

Hi Karla! My boyfriend and I will be traveling to Korea next month and I want to know more about the gapyeong bus tour. Im afraid we might get lost.

The Gapyeong bus has a schedule. It’s searchable online. You’ll see the bus stop near Gapyeong Station.

Hi ms Karla. Any advice on what to wear during spring?

Hi Karla, stumbled upon your blog and was amazed at how you were able to do comparisons in terms of how much your friends spent. We’ll be travelling on April 2017. 🙂

Hi @travelwithkarla! My friend and I will be traveling to Korea this June and we want to visit Nami Island in the morning and go to the palaces in the afternoon. We planned to start the travel from Junso to Nami at 4am so that we can go back to Seoul and visit the palaces. But, we found out that there’s no subway or bus that can take us there at that time. Or is there? Our itinerary is kind of hectic that’s why we want to push through this plan. But we’ve got no idea what to do. Any advice for us? TIA. ????????????

You can go to one palace in the morning, then travel to Nami Island by lunch time 🙂

Hi Karla, will be travelling with the whole family in October. Hope you can share with me the coupons as we are a family of 7 and expenses can be quite overwhelming. ???? Do you recommend that we go to Jeju in the middle of our trip or at the end/start of the trip? Lookinng forward ro hear your insightful suggestions. Thanks Karla! ??

Hi! The coupons I have are valid until April 2017 only.

Hi Ms. Karla, we will be in Korea in August any Hotel/hostel recommendations? by the way your blog is very helpful =)

My followers can avail discounts at Hostel Korea Changdeokgung. Check out my promos .

thank you fro the prompt response! hope We could meet you there! Where can I get coupons so we could atleast save =)

Send me an email ( [email protected] )

Hi Karla, we are planning to visit korea on oct 28 (saturday)-november 1 (wednesday) 2017 we don’t* have air tickets yet, any suggestion on where to find cheap airfare? also, may I know how to get coupons for discounts? ???? Thank you for the reply and for sharing your thoughts/experiences. More power!

They usually wait for Cebu Pac’s piso fare or Airasia’s red hot sale. Send me an email. I’ll give you a PDF file of coupons. ????

wow,, hope you could send me some too. =)

Hi Karla, we are planning to visit korea on oct 28 (saturday)-november 1 (wednesday) 2017 we doesn’t have any air tickets yet, any suggestion on where to find cheap airfare? also may I know how to get coupons for discounts? 🙂 Thank you for the reply and for sharing your thoughts/experiences. More power!

where do we get coupons for the entrance fees? will b der 1st week of april. any fashion advice as well on what to wear during that time? thanks!

I can email you a PDF file of coupons. ^^ During April, two layer of clothes is enough. A thin cardigan will do.

Hi.. Karla, I’ll be in Seoul on April 6-9, can I have also a copy of PDF coupons.. thanks.

Hi karla! Really like your blogs as theyre very informative and helps me plan for my April trip in Korea. Would appreciate if you can also share with me coupons so we can have discounts at the usual tourists spots. Thanks so much!! -Rie

Me and My friend are planning to go on May… What Hostel can u advice for us, were looking for a cheap but comfortable place to stay.. thank u.

Check out Hostel Korea Changdeokgung. My followers can avail discounts there. ????

Hi Karla, I’m planning to visit Korea in October for about a week. I’m flying from California. I would love to see the places where Kdrama have been shot. I enjoy reading your Bless g thus far.

May I ask what are the recquirements for students?

Check this out: https://travelwithkarla.wordpress.com/2016/05/21/korean-visa-requirements/

when i saw your blog i feel like really want to go there, i’m saving money,hopefully i can go there next year, can you help me to tour around if ever??

I’ll be here til Spring. I’m planning to move to another country on Summer. ????

Oh no you’ll be leaving :((

Hope you still continue sharing your adventures san ka man mapunta Ms. Karla 🙂

Round trip na ba yung airfare nila? 🙂

Yes. Most of them got promo fares.

Spring 2016 I spent more than 60,000 Php… depende sa traveller yan. Meron kasing traveler na more on sight seeing lang, meron din na shopping talaga ang pinunta.. on our case, we hoarded cosmetics ???? We stayed in Dongdaemun and visited Myeongdong, Gangnam, Everland, Petite Frace, Nami island, garden of morning calm and N Seoul tower

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KOREA ALL IN PACKAGES FROM PHILIPPINES

KOREA AUTUMN PACKAGES

10 Best South Korea Budget Tips + Travel Costs (2024)

Are you wondering how much a trip to South Korea will cost? Here’s our in-depth travel guide on the 10 best South Korea budget tips you should know before your trip. We’ll show you how to plan your South Korea travel costs and many ways to make your trip more budget-friendly. We also share all of our costs for a 2 week trip to Korea from accommodation and snacks to transport and activities.

South Korea is ultimately one of the best countries we’ve travelled to. The country blew us away with its beautiful culture, rich history and delicious food.

Have you been wondering if South Korea is expensive to visit? Depending on the prices of your home country, it’s really not too bad. Compared to the UK it is much more affordable and it’s even slightly less expensive than beloved Japan!

We’ve created this budget guide to share our South Korea travel costs of travelling the country for 2 weeks. We visited Seoul, Gyeongju, Golgulsa Templestay, Busan and Jeonju!

Honestly, we had a great time and can’t wait to go back in the future and we’ll probably still stick to a budget. For now, we’ll show you that South Korea can be done on a budget and what travel costs you can expect.

This post may contain affiliate links. We will receive a small commission if you make a purchase using these links, at no additional cost to you .

10 Best South Korea Budget Tips

Table of Contents (Skip to a section!)

Here are our top 10 South Korea Budget tips to help you plan the best trip! After these tips, you’ll find our full South Korea travel cost breakdown split into separate categories.

1. Swap Restaurants for Markets & Street Food

One of the best ways to travel to South Korea on a budget is to choose your food carefully. The price to eat somewhere in South Korea is very reasonable, but some places will be expensive too.

Throughout our 2 weeks in South Korea we ate our food at restaurants, markets, street stalls, convenience stores and grocery stores ! It definitely helps the bank to cook your own food and you can try the endless supply of ramyeon!

Places to eat in South Korea on a budget

• Myeongdong Street Food (Seoul)
• Maru – Budget-friendly Korean street food in the heart of Insadong (Seoul)
• Gwangjang Market – Our favourite! (Seoul)
• Haeundae Market (Busan)
• Gwangbokdong Food Street (Busan)
• Fast-food chains – Places like Lotteria, No Brand Burger and Subway

We highly recommend visiting Gwangjang Market whilst visiting Seoul. Grab a mung bean pancake, bibimbap and dumplings and you’ll be very full ( this food will feed two people )!

A few Korean dishes to try to keep your South Korea travel costs low:

• Ramyeon (The easiest food to grab at a convenience store)  1,500 ₩
• Bibimbap (Very popular with a variety of toppings)  6,000 ₩
• Gimbap (Korean Sushi, you can find these everywhere)! around 2,000 ₩
• Mandu (Korean Dumplings) 5,000 ₩
• Tteok-bokki (Spicy & saucy Rice Cakes) 3,000 ₩

You’ll be surprised by how good the food is in the convenience stores in South Korea. Locals grab food from here all the time and it’s perfect for those in South Korea on a budget.

If there are some restaurants you’d like to try, just add that to your budget and eat at convenience stores the next day. International and Western food will also usually cost more than Korean, but Korean food is very good!

Osegye Hyang is our favourite traditional Korean restaurant with affordable prices. We’ve even created a Vegan in South Korea Guide – Best Restaurants & Snacks (2024) !

Note – There is no tipping culture in South Korea. It’s likely the staff will kindly decline your tip! This is common throughout East Asia.

2. Stay in Budget Accommodation in South Korea

Accommodation can take up a big part of your South Korea travel budget. Especially if you choose amazing hotels! Although it’s nice to feel comfortable, maybe take the time to look at some other options before spending more than your budget.

Hostels and small private rooms are going to be the most affordable places to stay in South Korea. Most hostels offer private rooms that are still cheaper than hotels.

It’s really down to preference, but we didn’t stay in one bad accommodation on our South Korea trip and we stayed in private rooms!

Hostels usually cost around 25,000₩ per person with male, female or mixed dorms available. A private room in a hoste l is around 40,000₩ per room and hotels are usually 70,000₩ or more!

Where to stay in South Korea on a budget

• Seoul  –  Hostel Tommy  – A lovely hostel with dorms & private rooms! –  Find here on Booking.com !
• Seoul – Kimstay 9 – Basic private rooms! – Find here on Booking.com !
• Busan  –  Dynamic Guesthouse  – A shared penthouse with great views –  Find here on Booking.com !
• Gyeongju  –  Doobaki Guesthouse – The best hostel in South Korea! –  Find here on Booking.com !

There are also a few ways to get free accommodation in South Korea :

• Couchsurfing – Stay in a local house, for free! Find out more here !
• Workaway – Exchange work/volunteering for free accommodation and food!
• Worldpackers – Volunteer for free accommodation and food!
• Trusted Housesitters – Look after a locals pet whilst they’re out of town

It’s also important to note that accommodation will be more expensive in the peak time of year such as the Cherry Blossom season, spring and fall. Winter is usually the cheapest time to visit South Korea on a budget.

3. Do you need a Sim Card in South Korea?

When you start to Google about sim cards or wifi in South Korea, there’s a lot of information telling you to get one! We agree, but it’s definitely possible to travel the country without one.

We have a solution to help your South Korea budget. Pick up an E-Sim for 15,000₩ ! (€10.99 for 12 days)

E-sims are the perfect option if you only need internet or mobile data. You don’t even need to buy them in advance like other sims or wifis.

As we visited South Korea for 2 weeks, we purchased our sim on Day 3 of our trip. This made us realise how much easier it is to have the internet on the go, but luckily Seoul is a very easy place to get around and we downloaded offline Maps.

If there’s more than one of you, it’s also possible to hotspot the E-sim data from one phone, although you’ll have to check your data allowance! The instructions come with the E-sim, but you simply install it into your phone settings. The customer service team answer quickly if you have any problems!

There’s also some great deals if you do need a Korean phone number. Here’s a few other options ranging in price:

E-Sim  – Here’s a  12 Day E-Sim (15,000₩, €10.99 for 12 days and 6gb of data)

Prepaid Sim  – Purchase ahead of time and pick up at the airport. This sim has a Korean number! The price changes depending on how long you need it. Find  a sim card on Klook here ! (£15 for 10 days)

Portable Wifi  – The most expensive option is portable Wifi and this is usually what travellers get if they’re not worried about their South Korea travel costs. Find a  portable Wifi on Klook here ! (£20 for 10 days) Also, pick it up at the airport.

It’s also a good idea to carry around a  portable charger  for your phone so you always have enough battery to last the day. We recommend  Anker Power Bank and just charge it up every few days if you’ve been using it a lot.

4. Use Buses to get around South Korea on a Budget

The transport in South Korea is some of the best in the world! It’s reliable, well connected and quite affordable considering how good it is.

If you want to stick to your travel budget in South Korea, we recommend catching Intercity and Express Buses around South Korea. They are so comfy and you can book your seats in advance.

Here’s the prices we paid for transport around South Korea on a budget

• KTX (Fast Train) Seoul to Gyeongju – 2 hours – 49,000₩ (£32)
• Express Bus – Gyeongju to Busan – 45 minutes – 5,000₩ (£3.30)
• Express Bus – Busan to Jeonju – 3 hours – 25,000₩ (£16.40)
• Express bus – Jeonju to Seoul – 2.5 hours – 14,000₩ (£9.20)

The buses from Seoul to Gyeongju will take around 4-5 hours and usually cost around 22,000₩ £46.40 . We took a train as we wanted to arrive in Gyeongju early and also wanted to experience a train in South Korea as we only used buses in Japan.

If you want to add Jeju Island to your South Korea travel costs, then it’s best to book a flight from Seoul or Busan. The ferries are often more expensive and they will take longer.

It’s possible to book trains in advance, but you can only book buses in advance if you have a Korean number. We booked our bus tickets as soon as we arrived at a new destination, usually booking them 2-3 days in advance.

Express & Intercity Buses  – Have a look at bus times on the official Korean website – Kobus tickets

Trains  – Book your train tickets in advance here – Korail tickets here (or a Korea Rail Pass )

Flights  – Flights to Jeju Island from Seoul or Busan –  Check Skyscanner  for flight times and prices !

5. Get a T-Money card

This is another great way to stick to your South Korea budget. A T-Money card is a discounted transport card that works all over South Korea in cities and towns. It’s for local transport to each destination, not for long bus journeys.

Using a T-Money card is not just about saving money, but saving time too! You won’t need to purchase a local ticket every time you use the bus or subway. Simply tap your card when you get on and off transport and you’ll be good to travel around South Korea!

A T-Money Card costs 2,500 ₩ . There’s also tourist cards and designed cards that cost 4,000₩

How to get a T-Money Card?

T-Money cards are available to purchase at the airport, at major stations and convenience stores (such as CU, GS25, 7-Eleven and Ministop).

How to top up my T-Money Card?

You can only top up a T-Money card with cash and not by debit or credit card. Make sure you grab money out of an ATM if you arrive in South Korea without Korean Won! Here’s how you can top up using cash:

• At Convenience Stores! Hand your card over, give the employee the cash and it’s all done!
• Some other local newsstands or shops offer top-ups. Look out for the T-Money logo!
• At major stations, find a ticket machine and choose how much you want to add to your card. The machines can be changed to English!

6. Use Local Buses and Subway instead of Taxis

Local buses are always the most affordable way to travel around any city and it’s the same with South Korea. However, the subway is also very budget-friendly too!

As the transport is well connected, you won’t need to use taxis anyway! The best way to feel comfortable about using public transport in South Korea is to download the app – Naver Maps . Google Maps doesn’t work in South Korea, so it’s best to use the local navigation app!

It costs 1,250₩ to use the Subway in South Korea which is £0.82p ! For reference, in London, it costs £2.60 to take one journey. We used subways and buses all around Seoul, Gyeongju, Busan and Jeonju without any issues! Naver Maps is perfect with timing and where to go.

7. Shop at Convenience Stores

One of the best South Korea budget tips is to eat and shop at the convenience store! Food and meals are well priced and you can usually heat the food inside the shop too! It makes travelling around South Korea on a budget so much easier!

The tax in South Korea is included in the price, so you don’t have to worry about extra prices at the checkout (like in Canada or the US).

Our favourite convenience store snacks are Ramyeon, Lotus Biscuits, Chocolate Soy Milk (it’s okay to laugh), Japanese Onigiri and Frozen dumplings (to add to your Ramyeon back in a hostel kitchen).

There are plenty of lunches to find in convenience stores based around rice or noodles. The best part is convenience stores are everywhere!

8. Make use of the Free Things To Do

This South Korea budget tip may be obvious – activities don’t always have to cost money. There are so many free things to do around the country and some of them are highlights of our trip! Here’s a list of great things to do for free if you’re in South Korea on a budget.

Seoul – A city filled with unique neighbourhoods, hikes and parks. There are so many free things to do in Seoul to help your South Korea budget. Check out our 5 Day Seoul Itinerary !

• Explore neighbourhoods such as Insa-dong, Ikseon-dong, Myeongdong, Hongdae, Itaewon & Gangnam
• Walk around the beautiful Bukchon Village & Ihwa Mural Village
• Feel the nature at Namsan Park

Gyeongju – Some of the best things to do in Gyeongju are free! Browse our 11 Best Things to do in Gyeongju: Itinerary (2024) ! Here’s a few suggestions:

• Admire Woljeonggyo Bridge, Donggung Palace & Wolji Pond
• Visit Cheomseongdae & Gyerim Forest 
• Window shop in Hwangnidan-Gil & explore the Hanok Village

Busan – Another great city for finding budget-friendly activities! We also have a 3 day Busan Itinerary !

• Gamcheon Culture Village (yes it’s free!) & watch the sunset at Lotte Department Building
• Walk along the Igidae Coastal Walk & relax at Haeundae Beach
• Discover Nampo-dong & Haedong Yonggung Temple

Jeonju – Walk through the famous Hanok village and check out the murals, markets and shrines!

• Explore Jeonju Hanok Village & Jaman Mural Village
• Walk through Nambu Market & visit Gyeonggijeon Shrine
• See the views from Omokdae

Jeju Island – Filled with natural wonders, Jeju is filled with free things to do. You’ll just need transport to get around!

9. Use Klook to Save Money on Activities

Klook is one of the best companies to book activities, tours and things to do in South Korea. It’s similar to GetYourGuide, but Klook is used more in Asia. We’ve used this website in South Korea and Japan to buy discounted tickets such as Disneyland, Seoul Tower and Hanbok rentals .

It’s also a great place to find sim card or portable wifi deals! When using Klook, you can easily book your activity in advance and sometimes there’s an option to pick up the ticket at the airport on arrival.

Activities to buy on Klook in South Korea:

• Seoul Tower – Go to the top of Seoul Tower in Namsan Park – Buy your ticket in advance!  
• Hanbok Rental – ( Gyeongbokgung Palace  as it’s the perfect size to explore and there’s a great rental shop nearby!  Find the link on Klook here –  Hanbok Rental Klook
• DMZ Tour – Visit part of North Korea – Book tickets with Klook here !
• Korea Rail Pass – If you decide to use the train, consider a rail pass – Here’s more info !
• Everland 1 Day Pass – One of South Korea’s theme parks – Buy your tickets here !
• Nami Island – Take a trip to Nami Island from Seoul – Find out more info here !

Staying in a temple is another fantastic activity that can’t be missed on your South Korea trip! It can be booked on Korea’s temple stay website ! Also, check out our Golgulsa Templestay Review !

10. Travel Off Peak

If you’re planning your travel budget for South Korea, one of the first steps is to figure out which time of year you want to visit.

The most popular time to visit South Korea is between April and May due to the beautiful cherry blossom season. Prices for accommodation and flights will most likely be more expensive and it will also book up fast. There will be more tourists and locals around, especially in the parks.

If you’re travelling to South Korea on a budget, it may be best to avoid these months and visit off-peak.

The off-peak months to travel to South Korea are January, February, late October , November and early March. If you can find good deals on flights and good accommodation prices outside of these months, then go for it! January is usually the cheapest month to travel as it’s cold, but it’s perfect if you want to ski!

Summer isn’t the best time to visit South Korea due to the hot and humid weather, but it’s still a popular time to visit due to worldwide holidays.

How to Budget in South Korea

So that’s our 10 South Korea budget tips! There are many ways to travel on a budget, it all depends on how comfortable you are. We love hostels, but some people we know would never stay in them. For us, they’re budget-friendly, comfortable and just a place to sleep or meet new people!

Ultimately it comes down to food, accommodation, transport and activities. Check accommodation in advance before you book your flights just to get an idea of prices for that month. Here’s a few more tips on how to budget in South Korea:

• If you want to shop, Namdaemun and Dongdaemun are filled with discounts in Seoul
• Tours will cost money, so make sure you add must-do activities to your budget
• Eat more street food and at markets
• Check prices for your visa ( every country is different )
• Use Skyscanner to browse flight prices for different times of the year

Accommodation in South Korea – We use Hostelworld and  Booking.com  to find accommodation in South Korea. You can filter to the lowest price and check reviews from previous guests.

Travel Insurance  – Don’t forget travel insurance whilst planning your South Korea budget.   SafetyWing  is a flexible monthly-rolling travel insurance to help you stay safe on your trip. You can add more months to your trip too! –  Find out more here!

E-Sim  – Here’s the E-sim we used on our South Kore trip – 12 Day E-Sim (15,000₩, €10.99 for 12 days and 6GB of data)

Costs compared to other countries in Asia

We have only visited countries in Southeast Asia, South Asia and Japan.

After visiting both Japan and South Korea, we have to admit that South Korea is slightly cheaper! The country is more affordable meals out and transport (especially the train!)

Comparing South Korea to countries such as Thailand, Sri Lanka or the Philippines, we have to say that South Korea is more expensive on every level. Accommodation is almost three times the price compared to countries in Southeast/South Asia. Food and activities are more too.

A full breakdown of our South Korea Travel Costs

Here’s the full breakdown of our South Korea travel costs. We both shared the same card and cash, but for this breakdown, we’ll show you roughly how much the same trip would cost for one person too.

Our full South Korea travel costs for 2 people (2 weeks)

• Korean E-Visa – 20,600₩ (£14)
• Intercity Transport -186,800₩ (£123)
• Local Subway & Buses – 88,000₩ (£58)
• Activities – 225,800₩ (£148)
• Restaurants & Markets – 345,600₩ (£227)
• Groceries – 109,110₩ (£72)
• Snacks – 120,300₩ (£79)
• Accommodation – 586,200₩ (£385)
• Miscellaneous – 20,500₩ (£13.50)

Total Cost – 1702,910₩ (£1,120)

Our Transport Costs – 274,800₩ (£181) – prices for two people

T-Money Cards – We accidentally bought the Korea Tour Cards at the airport so spent 4000₩ instead of 2500₩. We topped up our cards with 80,000₩ (£52.60) to get around the cities in towns during our 2 week trip. There’s a chance we may have a bit of money leftover on our cards too!

Accommodation – 586,200₩ (£385) – prices for two people

• 5 nights in Seoul (private room in a hostel) – 260,000₩ / £171
• 2 nights in Gyeongju (private room in a hostel, Korean style beds) 72,000₩ / £47
• 3 nights in Busan (private room in a shared apartment, shared bathroom) 117,000₩ / £77
• 1 night in Jeonju (private room in a Hanok with free breakfast) 52,200₩ / £34
• 2 nights in Seoul – different place – (private room in a guesthouse) 85,000₩ / £56
• Seoul – 52,000₩ (£34.20) per night / 26,000₩ (£17.10) per person
• Gyeongju – 36,000₩ (£23.50) per night / 18,000₩ (£11.75) per person
• Busan – 39,000₩ (£25.60 per night / 19,500₩ (£12.80) per person
• Jeonju – 52,200₩ (£34 per night / 26,100₩ (£17) per person
• Seoul – 42,500₩ (£28) per night / 21,250₩ (£14) per person

Our accommodation costs came to 586,200₩ (£385) which is 293,100₩ (£192.50) per person for 2 weeks! One of our nights we spent at Golgulsa Templestay which we’ve included as an activity.

Activities – 225,800₩ (£148) – prices for two people

• Golgulsa Templstay – 120,000₩ (£79)
• Archery at Golgulsa Temple – 20,000₩ (£13.20)
• Palaces – 26,000₩ (£13.20)
• Hanbok Rental – 24,000₩ (£15.80)
• Seoul Tower – 8,300₩ (£5.50)
• Photo Booth – 4,000₩ (£2.60)
• Bukchon Observatory with free drinks – 6,000₩ (£4)
• Gamcheon Map – 2,000₩ (£1.30)
• Arcade games – 15,500₩ (£10.20)

Shopping & Miscellaneous – 20,500₩ (£13.50) – prices for two people

• Laundry / Laundry Detergent ( 2 washes ) – 4,000₩ (£2.60)
• Socks & Lip Balm – 12,500₩ (£15.15)
• Plasters – 4,000₩ (£2.60)

Restaurants & Markets – 345,600₩ (£227.40)

We ate at multiple restaurants and markets during our 2 weeks in South Korea, we also revisited a few if we loved the food. Osegye Hyang is our favourite restaurant (traditional Korean)! Here’s a few examples of our meals:

• Lunch at a Traditional Korean Restaurant – 27,000₩ (£17.80)
• Lunch at a Hot Pot Restaurant – 26,000₩ (£17.15)
• Lunch at 7-Eleven – 83,00₩ (£5.50)
• Lunch at Lotteria – 14,200₩ (£9.40)
• Lunch at a Bibimbap Restaurant- 16,000₩ (£10.55)
• Lunch at a Korean Street Food Restaurant 19,000₩ (£12.50)
• Dinner at a Japanese Restaurant – 18,000₩ (£18.90)
• Dinner at Gwangjang Market – 12,000₩ (£7.90)
• Dinner at a Korean Restaurant – 16,000₩ (£10.55)

Snacks – 120,300₩ (£79.15)

In the snack category, we’ve included random snacks at convenience stores or street food. Here are a few examples of snack prices in South Korea.

• Lotus Biscuits – 3,800₩ (£2.51)
• Sweet Potato Street Food – 1,000₩ (£0.65)
• Chocolate Soy Milk – 1,200₩ (£0.79)
• Onigiri – 1,200₩ (£0.79)
• Mochi – 2,500₩ (£1.65)
• Red Bean Bun – 3,000₩ (£2)
• Bakery (4 Doughnuts) – 13,100₩ (£8.65)
• Korean Rice Cakes – 4,000₩ (£2.65)

Groceries (which include meals) 109,110₩ (£71.80)

Our grocery section is very close to snack selection but we tried to split it up into food that we took home or cooked for meals. We bought a lot of instant noodles, frozen dumplings, inari sushi and soy milk.

• Bread – 2,250₩ (£1.49)
• Inari Sushi Pack – 4,500₩ (£3)
• Bananas – 4,900₩ (£3.20)
• Ramyeon – 2,400₩ (£1.60)
• Frozen Dumplings – 6,400₩ (£4.20)

Total Food Costs – 575,010₩ (£378.40)- prices for two people

Food Costs per day in South Korea – 41,072₩ (£27) – prices for two people

Total Cost of a 2 week trip in South Korea for 2 people – 1702,910₩ (£1,120) & 141,909₩ (£93) per day

Our total cost doesn’t include flights in and out of the country, but for reference, we flew from Manila to Seoul for £135 each with Jeju Air and Seoul to Bangkok for £105 each with Air Asia. Our flights worked out well as we were already travelling in Asia at the time, we booked them 2 months in advance.

We hope this helps you plan your South Korea budget! We think that £46 per person, per day, is a pretty good price to travel around South Kore. We also had the best time and didn’t feel like we lost out on anything.

Korean food is amazing and we ate at restaurants and markets a lot more than cooking our own food. If we cooked more, our South Korea travel costs would be even less!

Is South Korea expensive to visit?

After looking at all of our South Korea travel costs, we’ve concluded that South Korea isn’t expensive to visit compared to the UK. Depending on your home country, the prices may be more, but we were pleasantly surprised with the prices of food.

The accommodation we booked was also really great! If you’re visiting South Korea on a budget, you’ll need to watch your spending when shopping or eating at fancier restaurants.

How much money to bring to South Korea for 2 weeks?

If you’re planning a travel budget for South Korea, we always recommend budgeting more than you think you need. We spent 1702,910₩ (£1,120) for two people during our 2 weeks in South Korea and although we ate a lot of instant noodles, we did everything we wanted to do!

We recommend budgeting at least 1215,715₩ (£800) if you’re a solo traveller with the addition of flights.

Travel Essentials for a South Korea Trip

Here are a few travel essentials we always bring with us:

• Amazon Basics Packing Cubes  – The best way to pack your bag!
• Anker Power Bank  – Keep your phone charged on the go!
• Stainless Steel Water Bottle  – The water in Korea is drinkable, bring a reusable bottle and fill it up!
• Rain Mac in a Bag  – Carry a lightweight raincoat or umbrella around Korea!
• Worldwide Travel Adaptor  – The ultimate travel plug when travelling to different countries!
• Joby GorillaPod 3K Pro Kit  – The best  lightweight  tripod to take anywhere in South Korea! We have a  Joby GorillaPod  and use it for our  Sony A600 . There’s also a  Joby Phone Tripod  if you take photos on your phone.

Let us know if you have any more South Korea budget tips and we’ll have to keep adding to this guide! We highly recommend visiting South Korea even on a budget. Make sure you have extra money just in case anything goes wrong and always have travel insurance! Now you know how to create a travel budget for South Korea!

Don’t forget about Travel Insurance! –  SafetyWing  Nomad Insurance

SafetyWing  is a flexible monthly-rolling travel insurance to help you stay safe on your trip anywhere in the world.  Find out more here!

More  South Korea  guides:

• Ultimate 2 week South Korea Itinerary: Best Places (2024)
• 5 Day Seoul Itinerary – Best Things To Do (2024)
• Staying in Golgulsa Temple: The Best Templestay in Korea (2024)
• 25+ Best South Korea Travel Tips: What to Know
• 3 day Busan Itinerary: What to do in Busan (2024)
• 11 Best Things to do in Gyeongju: Itinerary (2024)
• Ultimate South Korea Bucket List: 20 Best Things To Do
• Vegan in South Korea Guide – Best Restaurants & Snacks (2024)
• All our  South Korea  posts!

That’s the end of our  10 Best South Korea Budget Tips + Travel Costs (2024)!  Have the best time in South Korea on a budget and if you need any more help planning – send us a message on Instagram (@thesunrisedreamers) or leave a comment below!

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Amy & Dan are the founders of The Sunrise Dreamers. They are travellers from the UK who have been on the road since 2017 whilst living in places like England, Canada, Thailand and the Canary Islands. They share their knowledge of travelling the world with detailed travel guides and tips. They're experts in vegan travel and show their audience how to travel on a budget.

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Thank you so much for such awesome tips. Planning a trip for early next year so these tips will definitely be useful.

Amazing! You’ll have a great time! 🙂

Thank you this has really helped with my planning a budget travel trip to South Korea. I was just wonder if you, or any other readers used a WOW pass, it seems to get a lot of good reviews?

Hi Ashley! Thank you so much 🙂 Personally, we haven’t used a WOW Pass but know it’s an all-in-one prepaid card for foreign travellers! As we’re from the UK, we just use a debit card that has no foreign charges. (example, Starling or Revolut) Sorry I can’t share more info about it! Safe travels.

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Find cheap flights from Manila to South Korea from ₱2,696

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Top tips for finding cheap flights to South Korea

• Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found tickets from Manila to the following destinations at these prices or less: Incheon ₱7,633 one-way - ₱8,100 round-trip
• Morning departure is around 30% more expensive than an evening flight, on average*.

Top 5 airlines serving from Manila to South Korea

Overall, very uneventful and pleasant experience. Most importantly, no delays.

The flight crews were extremely professional, helpful, and courteous. Departure and arrival times were accurate. No delay. I will use K airline again. Thanks

We were seated at the back and that was very uncomfortable for me with the turbulence we experienced on our way to Chicago.

I enjoyed flying on Korean Air. The service was great and the food was yummy. They served white fish.

I enjoyed flying on Korean Air. The service was great and the food was yummy, especially the bibimbap and cold spicy noodles. The only thing that bummed me out on this red-eye flight was that my seat did not properly recline so I was not able to sleep.

On time and flight crew are always so happy to help and always smiling unlike other airlines.

Great crew, decent food Charging plugs were broken on both seats next to me. Only the USB port was available, and that charges, very, very slowly. Seat was also broken, it would not lock into position when reclining.

Korean Air had great service and the Bibimbap dish was the best airplane food I’ve ever had. It was a long flight so in between the two meals they served customers could get Shin ramen. The flight attendants let my children use a pair of nice headphones for the flight and had earbuds and slippers for all the adults. The flight was long but the time passed by relatively quickly because they have many great shows in their entertainment TV. I watched the BTS Love Yourself and Speak Yourself concerts 💜

Stewardess are nice. Food could have been better and should have a better dessert. They do not offer scotch or beer. You have to ask for it. I also was not happy that you do not serve ginger ale and or cranberry juice. This is my first time that an international flight do not have this. I go home overseas every year and when I travel through ANA, Delta, Qatar, JAL, Asiana Air, United Air. they all serve this two very famous drink. You do not have a great snack tray.

You did not put me on a Korean Air flight! so I do not have nothing to say

At the boarding gate, Jeju airline accepted "carry on" bags for checking in for free due to the "limited cabin space". This is because most passengers were carrying multiple bags that exceed the size and weight limit for carry on items. Rather than inspecting carry-on bags at the counter and requiring excess bags to be checked in for a fee, they allowed freeloading at the boarding gate to to the detriment of those who paid the fee for checked bags. This is totally unfair.

As posred earlier the crew was very accommodating & professional. Thank You Allen

All though you can not help it the kids was loud and unruly, The crew was very accommodating and professional. Thank You Allen.

No priority counter check in for families with young children.

The flight was delayed from GUM to ICN, there was no notification on how delayed the flight would be. Although we received notice, there was no specified time given. The flight was also very uncomfortable.

The biz class to sh doesn’t even have. Tv screen , seats uncomfortable, food terrible and bathroom dirty

Upgrade their seats. They’ve got 20-year-old business class seats in their 777s. The food choices. On the way to Manila and the way back I thought we’re lousy compared to other carriers. The staff was fantastic and very happy.

Continual rescheduling of flights, inflight entertainment system did not work, staff not pleasant to interact with.

So far pal express is much better than Cebu pacific in terms of customers service and in flight crew. And on time departure and arrival . Especially if you're taking airbus 320 plane . But the small aircraft like bombardier . It usually delayed .

We did booked shorter layovers but flights changed and layovers are too long good thing Philippine Airlines give us a hotel in manila but here Vancouver to Calgary too long layovers and there is enough sets to wait closer to air canada and they will open 4am.we were here 1 am .our flights schedule for air canada 8:10am.we paid expensive flights but not happy of lay over Vancouver to Calgary.

Biz class is way below what other airlines offer. The food was mediocre at best. A WiFi was intermittent and movies were dated. Honestly the best part of the trip was that the Mabuhay lounge in SFO was closed and they gave us pass to Air France lounge. My advise, fill up there before boarding plane.

Not a pleasant experience from the start of booking first flight all the way through to the actually flight. Only saving grace is the food.

No power on an 11 hour flight? What a joke. Crew did not come by enough to get trash or offer water.

Checking in was okay but boarding a little bit slow

There is a problem with the sound while watching movie or listening to the music ( the sound is static & goes on and off). Aside from the sound, the experience was good & stewardesses are nice.

i liked that the flight crew noticed my discomfort with the small leg space (I'm 6'2") and offered the emergency row. The fight attendants were very friendly, a definite strength with Cebu Pacific. I didn't like the leg space in my original seating.

The seats are too cramped, there is barely enough room to shift weight. This could be easy to endure in a one-hour flight, but not more than that. The crew did not clean up shortly after meals. The tray table remained open because of the meal and ate up what is left of the little seating space. The crew were just idling by for 45 minutes before they collected the trash. The airline did not inspect carry-on luggage. Most of the passengers brought too many bags, too large and/or over the weight limit. This undermines safety and discourages those who pay extra for checked bags just to comply with the airline regulations. If the airline is not inspecting carry-on luggage, why should I pay more just to check in some bags?

Terrible, I will never ever ever attempt to fly on Cebu Pacific. I understand that it’s a cheap flight option but they take cheap experience to the next level.

The front desk and early check in was fantastic and the flight did not have any turbulence

better handling of the checked in luggage. they destroyed mine

Should’ve not separated those who checked-in online and those who checked-in at the airport

the process of paying for the excess baggage weight, the check in process and the boarding process are subhuman. this is an airline devoid of customer service

Cebu Pac has a habit of changing boarding gates. They do a lot of remote boarding. So just be attentive to the announcements, especially if it's near your boarding time.

It was a low cost flight, so no high expectations. The experience was average.

Crew was very helpful because I used a wheelchair to get around

The flight was delayed by an hour . Traveling with 75 year old father was difficult and then when he asked for water he was asked to purchase :-) . Overall just an ok experience.

Overall service is good, the only thing I would like airasia to improve is there seating. Their seat handles are broken as well as the back rest

Boarding with air asia is excellent via organized lines by zone except when there is only 1 gate agent and no scanner, only by tearing tickets??? Crazy

The flight was supposed to depart at 9:25. It departed at 9:00. Im glad we were early and did not miss it.

They wouldn't even allow us to bring water from the fountain on board the aircraft.

Premium seats should have legroom this one didn't have it. I had 2 free checked bag but I got charged for while it shows on my reservation

Terrible airline! This airline just ruined our family vacation due to a 12 hours delay as a result of their operational issues.

Too many flight delays. Airport terminal serving Boracay needs upgrades.

Over 6 hours delayed.. using philippine air fleet planes are beat up dirty and uncomfortable. Have been flying air asia for over 4 years from Manila to Tokyo and kansai as well as several local flights from Manila to Bacolod and Cebu.. 3 planes were down for maintenance and caused havoc.. need to invest in new fleet or seriously clean and upgrade the existing fleet. Will not be flying anymore until fixed. Several options out there now to choose from as air asia prices have skyrocketed.. no point in using them anymore . Severally upset passenger here. They can’t even manage the queuing of Zones for boarding as it’s a crab fest free for all now. No discipline and let the passengers in line to board just run into any lane possible.. and priority luggage?? Forget it I’ve paid for it for the last 6 flights and never got it first.. air asia has turned into a expensive joke.. use Cebu pacific or zip air now..

We had three flight delays before eventually taking off 3 hours late. Inflight service was very limited, but it was a relatively short flight. Luggage was delivered promptly.

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Althea's Adventures

Www.altheasadventures.com, winter in south korea: php25,000 all-in budget.

Korean Drama, K-Pop, and Korean BBQ are very popular in the Philippines. I love Korean BBQ!!! As for KDrama, I love Goblin, Legends of the Deep Blue Sea and Full House, which I find super cute. But, I really want to visit Korea for their cherry blossoms during spring and snow during winter.

• Spring –  March to May
• Summer – June to August
• Autumn – September to November
• Winter – December to February

Fortunately, last July 2018, there was a  Cebu Pacific Air ‘s  piso  fare. We were able to book Manila-Incheon-Manila for PHP 2,900 round trip per person! The best part is, we booked it on a winter!!! I was so excited! To get tips on how to score a  piso  fare, click  here .

Visa Application:

Here are the requirements for the Korean tourist visa application with no guarantor:

• Philippine Passport – valid not less than 6 months
• Photocopy of Passport bio page
• Photocopy of all visa over the past 5 years
• Original PSA Birth Certificate
• Original PSA Marriage Certificate – if applicant is married
• Original Bank Certificate – Embassy of Korea usually ask for Php 10,000 per day. Example – if you’ll be traveling for 5 days, you need to have at least Php 50,000 account balance in your bank certificate
• Original Bank Statement – 3 months
• Income Tax Return – Form 2316
• Certificate of Employment
• Korean visa sized photo with white background
• Visa Application Form – can be downloaded at  Reli Tours and Travel  website

Reli Tours and Travel  have branches at SM Megamall, SM Mall of Asia, SM Southmall, Hotel Dusit Thani Makati, and Lucky Chinatown. To contact them, just click the  link  and it lead you to their website.

What To Bring During Winter:

• Since it’s winter, you have to bring jackets, coats and thermal wear
• I bought heat tech top and leggings at Uniqlo . It helps a lot so you won’t freeze, especially on a negative degree temperature
• Gloves, beanie, earmuffs, shawl
• Winter face mask
• Lip balm to avoid chapped lips
• Moisturizer and lotion to avoid dry skin

Transportation:

Our 5 Days and 4 Nights Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival at Seoul

Our flight schedule was 5:10 PM. Travel time from Manila to Incheon is 3 hours and 45 mins. Since it’s a late arrival, I didn’t plan anything at night.

Since we arrived late, the subway was already closed. The airport guard told us to take the bus, which is just outside the airport. Someone will assist you, just tell him where your hotel is and he will tell you what bus to take. One way ticket to Seoul station was 9,000 KRW or Php 450, more expensive than taking the subway.

Day 2: Nami Island & Vivaldi  Park Ski World

Nami Island

Vivaldi Park Ski World

Watch the vlog here:

Day 3: Everland

It was February 14 and I planned to spend Valentine’s Day at Everland (although we don’t really celebrate this). Everland opens at 10:00 AM and it’s 2 hours away from Seoul, so we made sure to leave our guesthouse early.

Seorae Korean Charcoal BBQ

Everland vlog:

Day 4: Exploring Seoul

We didn’t have to wake up early that day since it’s a free day. I planned an itinerary and we’re not on a tour so no rush on getting up. BUT! When I was about to take a shower and saw that it was snowing from the window, I hurried and told Kaeser we need to go out ASAP! You’ll see my reaction with the snow on the vlog.

Bukchon Hanok Village

Gyeongbokgung Palace

Gyeongbokgung Palace was the main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty. Built in 1395, it is located in northern Seoul, South Korea.

Dongdaemun Design Plaza

Lotte Fitin – Bowling

DDP Led Rose Garden

Check out as we explore Seoul on a snowing day:

Day 5:  N Seoul Tower & Souvenir Shopping

Haneul Park

When I saw Anne Curtis and Erwan’s prenup photos in Seoul, I researched and I told myself I need to go there! And so we did!

Starfield Library

N Seoul Tower

• Lotte Mart at Seoul Station

Our flight going back to Manila was 2:55 AM. We went back to the guesthouse to fix our luggage and change clothes. We left the guesthouse at 10:00 PM since the last train to Incheon Airport is 11:00 PM.

Last day in Seoul was extra fun! Watch below.

Korean Food

To be very honest, we spent A LOT with food, especially with Korean BBQ/Samgyeopsal. Korean food is delicious, however, it’s quite expensive. Here are their meal prices for your reference:

• 7-Eleven – Php 150-200 for a full set meal
• Korean Cup Noodles – Php 45 and up
• Regular restaurant – Php 350 and up
• Korean BBQ/Samgyupsal – Php 700 and up
• Street food – usually Php 200 and up per order (BBQ on stick, grilled octopus, hotdog, gimbap, etc)
• Lobster with cheese at Myeongdong street – Php 750 per order

Shopping in Seoul

• Hongdae Shopping Area
• Express Bus Terminal Station (Gangnam Goto Mall)
• Namdaemun Market
• Ewha Womans University Shopping Street

Our Detailed Itinerary and Expenses: KRW 1 =  PHP 0.047

I hope this blog helps! Remember that this is a Do-It-Yourself budget travel and may not fit for everyone. It’s always up to you if you want to save, or eat and shop more. You can also opt for convenience and book a package through a travel agency like A&K Travel and Tours . Happy travels! 🙂

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2 thoughts on “ winter in south korea: php25,000 all-in budget ”.

Very informative! Thanks for this 🙂

Thank you, lots of fun,photos and informations. Thank you. This is a big help for me. I am planning to go to Korea and meet my the one. I hope and will see.

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LIST: Exotic visa-free destinations for Filipino travelers

By Kara Santos Published Jun 01, 2024 1:33 pm Updated Jun 03, 2024 7:00 pm

Need some travel inspiration for your next out-of-the-country adventure? In case you didn't know, Philippine passport holders currently have visa-free access to 69 countries and territories around the world. 

While many travelers tend to pick popular destinations in neighboring Asian countries with direct and cheap flights from Manila, there are loads of other exotic destinations that don’t require a visa for Philippine passport holders. Granted, getting to these destinations may be more challenging or expensive to get to, but they’re worth the memories and adventure according to those lucky enough to have traveled there. 

Here are just a few exotic visa-free destinations Filipino travelers can consider with practical tips from world travelers PhilSTAR L!fe spoke to.

Kazakhstan 

Kazakhstan is the typical starting point for exploring Central Asia, famous for its Silk Road between Europe and the Far East. This rich multicultural region with vast mountain ranges, historic sites, and natural wonders offers a paradise without the typical crowds of tourists found in Europe and other parts of Asia. Philippine passport holders can travel visa-free to several countries in Central Asia including Kazakhstan and Tajikistan and stay for 30 days in each. They can also get an eVisa for 30-day stays in Uzbekistan and an eVisa or visa on arrival for Kyrgyzstan , and stay for 60 days.

Glen Santillan of Escape Manila , who recently spent 18 days traveling solo around all four countries, said Filipinos seeking a unique travel adventure are in for a “world packed with fresh experiences” and “ breathtaking natural wonders that will leave you speechless.”

“Here, you'll encounter a contrast to the tropical paradise of the Philippines: winters with landscapes painted in snow, a rich history stretching back to the Silk Road era, and a unique blend of Asian and European influences,” he told PhilSTAR L!fe .

Santillan recommends tourists head to Kolsay Lakes and Kaindy Lake, which offer crystal-clear waters and dramatic mountain backdrops. 

“For those who love a challenge, exploring the rock formations of Charyn Canyon is an unforgettable experience. You can also ski during winter at Shymbulak Ski Resort,” he said.

While exploring Central Asia used to be a bit complicated and expensive for Filipino travelers, it’s now within easier reach with the recent launch of AirAsia's direct flight from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia to Almaty, the former capital and largest city in Kazakhstan, making the region more accessible for Southeast Asians, including Filipinos. 

“Simply hop on a flight from Manila to KL and connect seamlessly to your Central Asian adventure in Almaty,” he said.

Surprisingly, Central Asia is “easy on the wallet,” said Santillan, who only spent a total of P106,690 including the RT flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Almaty, accommodations, transportation, tours, food and other expenses for his epic 18-day trip. Check out his detailed itinerary and expense breakdown for Central Asia here . 

With wide open spaces covered by grassy steppes and mountains and deserts surrounding it, Mongolia, a vast country in East Asia (the same geographical region as Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan), happens to be visa-free for Filipino travelers. Philippine passport holders can enjoy a short-term stay of 21 days in Mongolia .

According to a n international consultant that L!fe spoke to, who traveled to Mongolia twice during winter (February-March) and spring months (May), the entry process was smooth, immigration officers were nice, and most speak good English. 

While Mongolia is an expensive destination because of the airfare and hotels, they said it’s a worthy destination for those willing to spend because of “its history and the places which you will not see anywhere else.”

“I think I was lucky during my first visit because I saw the snow-covered mountains going to the airport, beyond words in terms of beauty,” they said.

In Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, tourists can check out the train station where Crash Landing on You was filmed, the Genghis Khan Park and museum, art galleries, bookstores, and shop for genuine cashmere shawls. Tours to the Genghis Khan Center, camping trips in Ger, and monastery visits outside the city can be arranged with local tour groups, with day tours costing roughly 300 USD (P17,000) excluding food.

Beyond Mongolian barbecue, Mongolia has a lot to offer in terms of cuisine with many Korean and Japanese specialties and “beef to die for” at “much cheaper rates than in the Philippines in terms of quality, quantity, and service.” Fast food, including burgers and pizza, is generally cheaper as well.

From Manila, multiple airlines fly to Ulaanbaatar, with stopovers in either Seoul, South Korea, Beijing in China, or Hong Kong. 

South America has been described by National Geographic as “a continent of extremes,” since it’s home to the world's largest river (the Amazon), the longest mountain range (Andes), the world's driest place (the Atacama Desert), and wettest places on earth (Lopez de Micay in Colombia). In case you didn’t know, Pinoys can travel to multiple countries in South America including B razil, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua , and Suriname either visa-free or with a visa on arrival, with stays ranging from 30 days to 183 days.

Angel Juarez of Lakwatsero.com, who went on a two-week trip around Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Peru said Filipino travelers can find familiar comforts because of the Spanish influence while still being “awed by the differences and uniqueness ingrained in their culture and traditions.” The avid traveler and mountaineer recommends first-time tourists get their fill of hiking trails, lakes, ancient cities, and food.

“The Machu Picchu, of course, should be on top of your list, you can get to it on a budget! Once you have crossed it off your bucket list, hike the mountains and lakes of Cordillera Blanca, see for yourself the Nazca Lines and the White City of Arequipa, visit the desert oasis of Huacachina, explore the ancient cities of Cusco and Lima, and more. In between these activities, don't forget to try and appreciate the local food and delicacies,” Juarez told L!fe .

Are countries in South America expensive to explore? While the airfare will "surely eat up a big chunk of your travel budget," Juarez said: “Once you get there, everything is reasonably priced or even cheaper compared to other countries, even the Philippines.”

The usual route to South America involves passing through the United States, which offers lots of cheap flights from there to Lima, the capital and largest city of Peru. Juarez flew back via a short layover in Mexico before flying back to San Francisco and Manila, which requires a US visa. However, there’s another possible route for Pinoys.

“Another option is via Ethiopia [in East Africa] which would require a transfer in Hong Kong and an onward connection to Sao Paulo, Brazil. You will be needing an e-visa in Ethiopia which can easily be applied for online, while Hong Kong and Brazil are visa-free for Filipinos,” said Juarez.

Mention Nepal and you immediately think of Mount Everest, the world's highest mountain. Philippine passport holders can travel to Nepal easily with an online visa/visa on arrival and stay for 90 days. Located in South Asia, home of the Himalayas and the origin of some of the world's oldest civilizations, Nepal is a culturally enriching destination. Other countries in South Asia such as India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan only require electronic visas or visas on arrival as well, making it easier for Filipino travelers to plan trips.

Fred Lubang, a long-time advocate for peace, human rights, and disarmament issues, s aid Nepal is a fantastic destination for Filipino travelers due to its “cultural richness, natural beauty, and affordability.” 

“Unlike more common winter destinations like Japan or Korea, Nepal offers a budget-friendly alternative that doesn't compromise on experiences. Additionally, Nepal is known for its welcoming and inclusive atmosphere, which extends to the LGBTQ community, making it a comfortable and enjoyable place for diverse travelers,” he said.

“Nepal also offers Filipinos a chance to learn about Hindu religion, which is very different from the Philippines' dominant monotheistic Catholic religion. The experience will definitely enrich their knowledge and appreciation to explore the world. That, and the Himalayas will take your breath away,” he added.

Top activities to do include trekking to get a glimpse of the beauty of the Himalayas, without necessarily having to climb up Mt. Everest. He also recommends Kathmandu Valley for its cultural heritage sites, Pokhara for stunning lakeside views and adventure sports, traditional villages, and good food.

Nepal is “generally very affordable” especially compared to popular destinations like Japan or Korea in winter time and is relatively easy for Filipinos to visit.

“Accommodation ranges from budget-friendly guesthouses to more luxurious hotels, and food is inexpensive. Transportation within the country is also affordable, they also have a local app-based transport service and the usual taxis, or domestic flights to other equally interesting cities,” Lubang said. 

Philippine passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu (the capital of Nepal). English is widely spoken in tourist areas, so communication is rarely a problem. Various airlines offer flights from Manila to Kathmandu with connections in Guangzhou, Bangkok, or Kuala Lumpur.

Maldives, the smallest country in Asia, is a popular destination for honeymooners and luxury travelers because of its remote location and tropical appeal. The country, located south of India, is made up of 1,190 coral atolls, each encircling a lagoon with deep channels. Male, the capital and most populous city of the Maldives, is the main entry point for all travelers. All nationalities, including Filipinos, get a 30-day free visa on arrival to the Maldives.

Backpacker and freelance writer Kat Cortes of Tara Let’s Anywhere said her experience with immigration was smooth and she was just asked to show her passport when she traveled there. 

“In terms of scenery, Maldives is a lot like the Philippines but a bit more exotic. It has world-class beaches and accessible snorkeling areas where you can see not just the usual corals and fishes but also manta rays, dolphins, and sea turtles. And best of all—it offers numerous beautiful water villas,” Cortes told L!fe .

As a tropical paradise, beach bumming, island hopping, picnicking in a sandbar, and snorkeling/diving are the order of the day. 

Since Maldives is on the expensive side when it comes to flights, Cortes recommends travelers plan their trip well in advance, taking advantage of resort discounts and promos, and cutting costs by staying in backpacker-friendly islands like Maafushi. Foodies will also be happy to find “reasonably priced buffets and delicious local fare” there. You can also find public beaches and free tourist spots to visit in Maldives .

So how do you get to the Maldives from the Philippines? There are currently no direct flights from Manila, but Pinoy travelers can take a connecting flight to Kuala Lumpur or Singapore to get to Velana International Airport in Male. Check out her travel guide to Maldives for full details.

TAGS: maldives Kazakhstan Nepal peru Visa-free countries for filipinos exotic destinations visa-free travel Mongolia

Kara Santos

Kara Santos is a freelance writer and photographer based in Manila. Her blog at www.traveling-up.com is where she writes about travel, motorcycling, and food trips.

Traveloka Team

05 Jun 2024 - 5 min read

5 Best Budget Airlines Singapore, From Jetstar to Cebu Pacific!

Several budget airlines based in Singapore are reinventing accessible air travel. To provide you with a comprehensive grasp of these airlines' products, this article will examine the services, routes, and rates of a few of them.

Opposite to popular belief, current budget airlines deliver competitive services at reduced rates, considerably increasing travel accessibility for a broader audience. These airlines are more than simply cost-effective; they have improved their service quality, giving passengers additional alternatives and convenience without breaking the budget.

By offering reasonably priced air travel choices, budget airlines have completely transformed the aviation sector. These airlines, commonly referred to as low-cost carriers (LCCs), provide affordable travel costs by doing away with a lot of conventional passenger amenities, making for a basic flying experience.

Lion Air, Air Asia, Cebu Pacific, Jetstar, and Scoot are the five well-known LCCs that fly into and out of Singapore. Let's dive deeper into the topic for more details!

Arocha Jitsue / Shutterstock.com

Scoot, a subsidiary of the renowned Singapore Airlines, has been providing cost-effective flights since 2012. Initially launched to cater to the growing demand for affordable air travel, Scoot has successfully positioned itself as a prominent player in the budget airline sector.

In 2017, the airline further solidified its market presence by merging with Tiger Airways, another low-cost carrier. This merger allowed Scoot to expand its network, enhance its operational efficiency, and offer even more competitive prices to its passengers. As a result, Scoot has become a popular choice for travelers seeking affordable and reliable air travel options.

Scoot offers service to a large number of cities throughout the globe, including Australia, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam. Because of its vast network, Scoot is a great choice for tourists looking for reasonably priced and interesting travel options.

Scoot keeps costs low while guaranteeing a pleasant travel experience. It does, however, charge extra for extras like luggage, seat preference, in-flight meals, and other facilities, much like other low-cost airlines do.

Sarah Aktag / Shutterstock.com

Since 2004, Jetstar Airways , a member of the Qantas Group, has been providing passenger service. Jetstar provides some of the most affordable flights from Singapore to a variety of international locations.

Australia, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, the USA, and Vietnam are among the destinations served by Jetstar's flights.

Jetstar provides a variety of amenities, such as cozy seats and onboard entertainment. On the other side, extra costs could be charged for extra services like seat selection and luggage handling.

3. Cebu Pacific

aiyoshi597 / Shutterstock.com

Since its founding in 1996, Cebu Pacific has expanded to rank first among Philippine airlines in terms of passenger numbers. Cebu Pacific, which is well-known for its reasonable fares and wide network, has been instrumental in opening up air travel to a larger range of people.

Cebu Pacific provides flights to a wide range of locations across many nations. Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, the USA, and Vietnam are among the countries it travels to worldwide.

Due to its vast network, Cebu Pacific is a well-liked option for both business and leisure visitors, enabling them to see a variety of places at affordable costs.

4. Lion Air

Chanchura Pratanrad / Shutterstock.com

Since its establishment in June 2000, Lion Air has grown to become Indonesia's biggest airline operated by private owners. Lion Air, well-known for its vast domestic and international network, has grown to be a significant participant in the aviation industry in Southeast Asia. The airline is dedicated to providing reasonably priced travel alternatives while upholding a superior level of customer care.

Lion Air is a practical option for passengers wishing to travel between these important areas because it provides direct flights from Singapore to significant cities like Jakarta.

Apart from these routes, Lion Air offers service to a wide range of additional locations around Asia, improving connectivity within the area and accommodating both leisure and business passengers.

5. Air Asia

Abah Baratawiria / Shutterstock.com

Since its founding in 1993, AirAsia has developed into one of Malaysia's most well-known airlines, with a large selection of direct and connecting flights to many different locations worldwide. The airline, which is well-liked by tourists on a tight budget, has transformed air travel in Asia by offering dependable and reasonably priced services.

AirAsia offers flights to several cities across multiple nations. Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States, and Vietnam are among the many locations connected by its massive network.

In order to sustain its low-cost business strategy, AirAsia charges more for extra amenities while maintaining competitive pricing for basic aircraft services. Services like priority boarding, in-flight meals, luggage management, and seat selection may come at an additional cost to passengers.

Travelers may customize their trip experience to fit their preferences and budget with this a la carte pricing method, which guarantees they only pay for the things they require.

With so many low-cost airlines based in Singapore, there are plenty of inexpensive travel alternatives available to fit any schedule. These low-cost airlines offer an affordable means of traveling to your destination, whether you're planning a quick weekend trip or a longer vacation. You may travel the world without breaking the bank because of their wide networks and affordable rates.

By ensuring that more people have access to air travel, these airlines enable individuals to see the world and engage with many cultures without having to pay the high costs usually associated with flying. You may enjoy a variety of locations and travel alternatives while controlling your travel prices by selecting one of Singapore's low-cost carriers.

Flight to Singapore

Jetstar Asia Airways

Start from US$ 14.66

Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to Singapore (SIN)

Sat, 22 Jun 2024

AirAsia Berhad (Malaysia)

Start from US$ 16.28

Penang (PEN) to Singapore (SIN)

Fri, 5 Jul 2024

Start from US$ 20.36

Tue, 11 Jun 2024

Quite interesting, isn’t it? Explore every budget airlines Singapore with your family or friends by booking your flight with Traveloka !

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Korean tourist dies after pickpocketing attempt turns violent in Philippines

A Korean man died earlier this week following what appears to have been a pickpocketing attempt that escalated into a violent crime in Angeles, a city in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines.

According to officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, the tourist in his 60s was targeted by a pickpocket at around 10 p.m. May 25 and sustained severe injuries from the apparent assault. Despite receiving medical treatment, he showed no signs of recovery and was pronounced dead at a hospital there.

Officials from the ministry did not reveal details, such as the specific location or nature of the crime, including whether a weapon was used. They said they have been cooperating with local police over the case.

“We have been providing his bereaved family with necessary assistance since we learned of the incident,” an official told reporters. “We have also asked the police to conduct a prompt and fair investigation into the case.”

Angeles, famous for its rich history and nightlife, is one of the most popular destinations for Korean visitors, who often become targets of crime. On Nov. 11, 2023, another Korean man, 56, was stabbed in the city by two thieves who then stole his wallet. He survived the attack.

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• Bereaved wife of murdered Korean in Philippines seeks foreign ministry's help

The Best Luggage Brands to Buy in 2024

These are the top-tested suitcases for all of your travel needs.

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

Our top picks

Best Overall Luggage

Best Value Luggage

American tourister.

Best Carry-On Luggage

Best Luggage for International Travel

Briggs & riley.

Best Under-$100 Luggage

Amazon basics.

Best Luggage for Frequent Flyers

Best Viral Luggage

Best Luggage for Flight Crews

Best Printed Luggage

Best Fashion Luggage

Each piece of luggage is evaluated by experts in the Lab as well as consumer testers on the go. In the Lab, we look at factors like durability, ease of use and more. We also pack each suitcase with a standard load to see how much it can hold and how easy the compartments are to access. Consumer testers come into the Lab to use the luggage in an obstacle course, where they weigh in on handle comfort, wheel performance, maneuverability and more. Finally, we send luggage out with travelers into the real world for firsthand feedback.

You can learn more about how we test luggage and what to consider as you shop — including how to decide between hardside and softside luggage — but first, here's everything you need to know about our top-tested luggage brands.

Samsonite earns our top spot for the best luggage brand because it has a wide assortment for every preference — from business travelers to vacationers — and has continuously proven to be high quality as we've tested it over the years.

In particular, it stands out for its durability and ease-of-use features: There's been no struggling to open and close the cases, and packing them has been a breeze , thanks to the functional compartments that maximize space. It's certainly not inexpensive, but as direct-to-consumer luggage brand prices have skyrocketed, Samsonite's have remained fairly consistent.

Both hardside and softside styles from the brand have excelled in our tests. We've also been impressed by each of the sizes, including carry-ons, checked bags and underseat luggage. Some of our favorite models include the Freeform hardside (pictured here), the Solyte DLX softside and the Stryde Glyder , which is a checked case that's wide instead of tall so it's less likely to tip over.

A consumer tester rolling the Samsonite Freeform carry-on through an obstacle course at the Good Housekeeping Institute.

If you're on a budget or you don’t use luggage regularly — i.e., it doesn’t need to be the most durable and you don’t need all the bells and whistles — American Tourister offers competitive pricing and an excellent variety to choose from . There are a lot of options if you prefer bright colors and fun prints, plus there are cases for the entire family, including a Disney collection . Between the designs and versatile offerings, the models are fun, functional and especially ideal for vacationers.

Just note that while luxury hardside cases are usually made of polycarbonate, American Tourister typically uses ABS plastic, which is more affordable but more prone to scratches. Still, it gets high ratings from online reviewers who note that the bags are surprisingly spacious. Another perk: The brand offers luggage sets for an even better value, especially if you need to purchase multiple pieces. Pictured here is the Pop Max Softside set , which at $150 for a set of three, is less than other single cases.

Away is one of the most popular luggage brands on the market, and our testing shows it actually lives up to its hype. Though the brand has a wide range of offerings, we especially love the hardside carry-on.

It's made of 100% polycarbonate that proved to be durable and lightweight in our evaluations — even lighter than some fabric bags we’ve tested. It was also surprisingly spacious and held a full packing load in our review. The company offers a 100-day return policy on unused items; it also offers a lifetime limited warranty on its suitcases that covers any "functional damage."

Besides the main Carry-On model , it comes in variations like a Bigger Carry-On (which the brand says can hold 20% more) and a Carry-On Flex (which has an expandable zipper). We also love the brand's Everywhere Bag , which is a stylish and surprisingly spacious weekender.

READ OUR FULL REVIEW: We Tested Away's Trendy Carry-On to See If It's Worth The Price

An inside view of Away's The Carry On.

Briggs & Riley

Briggs & Riley bags are pricey — a carry-on can cost over $600 — but they come with a lifetime guarantee that will cover all repairs if the luggage ever gets broken or damaged. They also come with innovative features, such as the brand's signature compression packing system. Bags that have this feature expand to let you pack and then compress down after they're filled. In fact, one of our testers said she packed a week's worth of summer clothes for two people into a compact carry-on, and it easily fit into an airline's overhead bin.

The suitcases also use top-notch construction and timeless designs in a range of styles, including hardside, softside, carry-ons and checked bags. The Baseline Global Carry-On Spinner (pictured here in the 21-inch version) has been a selected as GH Family Travel Award winner for the past two years after travel testers gave it perfect scores across the board. Its nylon fabric also aced our Lab's abrasion tests.

The interior compartment of Briggs & Riley's Baseline Carry-On, including its easy-to-use expansion button.

It’s hard to find good luggage for under $100, but Amazon’s luggage does not disappoint. There are softside and hardside styles to choose from, plus garment bags , duffels and more. Amazon also boasts extensive testing to make sure their products will hold up, and though the luggage might not the absolute best quality out there, the price can’t be beat.

We were impressed with its hardside 20-inch spinner carry-on (pictured here) when we tested it on our Lab. Our analysts found it to be exceptionally easy to pack, though the ABS material wasn't as scratch-resistant as other models in our tests. Still, consumer testers liked the maneuverability and wheel performance. This style also comes in two other sizes (24 and 28 inches) and can be purchased as a two- or three-piece set.

This luxury brand is on the pricey side but has timeless designs — from hardside to tweed fabric — that never go out of style. In fact, the brand’s marketing and aesthetics are focused heavily on its heritage. It has been a top performer in our tests, thanks to its spacious interior that's easy to pack and its wheels and handles that make it smooth and comfortable to maneuver.

The hardside cases have earned high scores in our tests — especially standing out for being scratch-resistant, lightweight and spacious — but we also love the softside Legend collection (pictured here), which is made of durable tweed fabric and leather trim.

This fashionable yet functional travel brand was founded by actress Shay Mitchell and incorporates smart features designed to make traveling easier. It also has a stunning aesthetic, including monochromatic color schemes in which the handles and hardware match the case.

Pictured here is the Carry-On Roller, its best-selling case that comes in a range of neutral and fun hues. It was spacious for packing and easy to maneuver in our tests, and though it did scuff during use, it resisted dents well during our Lab's drop tests. Another popular style is its Mini Weekender , which can be used as a personal item that fits underneath the airplane seat in front of you.

READ OUR FULL REVIEW: Experts Weigh In on Buzzy Travel Brand Béis

The Béis carry-on and compact weekender bag being used as a travel set.

This company was founded by a pilot, and it makes luggage specifically for airline personnel who travel for a living. Still, it's just as functional for business and leisure travelers.

The brand primarily sells softside luggage, though it does have some hardside options available. There’s excellent attention to detail that makes frequent flying easier, like cushioning around the handles for comfort, self-aligning wheels that let you roll the luggage in any direction and abrasion-resistant nylon fabric.

The Platinum Elite softside luggage (pictured here) stood out in our Lab tests. Not only was it durable, but it was also spacious enough to hold our entire load with room to spare. The downside was that it was heavier than others, but it's a fair tradeoff for the top-of-the-line features.

This brand increases the fun factor and makes it easier to spot your luggage in a sea of solid colors. There are adorable animal sets for kids' luggage , animal prints for adults and more. There are also options for licensed teams and art (like Britto, shown here), making your suitcase a playful yet functional accessory.

When it comes to materials, most Heys suitcases are hardside and made of polycarbonate and ABS composite. This means it's mostly ABS plastic but has a polycarbonate coating on the outside for added protection. The brand wasn't the most durable in our tests, it but earned high ease-of-use scores.

Style is certainly important when it comes to luggage — it's an accessory, after all — but you don't want to sacrifice quality and functionality. Calpak's cases are both well-made and have unique designs. Though its assortment is tailored with fewer models than some of the big brands, Calpak still has a wide range of materials to choose from, including sleek hardside polycarbonate, printed ABS/polycarbonate blends and ripstop polyester.

Calpak's Ambeur carry-on (pictured here) was one of our testers' favorites; they especially loved the easy-to-use telescopic handle and metallic color. We also found it to be easy to pack and though it wasn't as scratch-resistant as some others we tested (which is expected for ABS composites), it still withstood dents and damage from our durability drop test.

Rolling TUMI luggage through the airport is like a status symbol; the brand is highly recognized for its upscale products for both business and leisure travelers.

In addition to its suitcases , it makes accessories like briefcases and backpacks and has components that make traveling easier, like an anti-slip strap on carrying bags and an extra hook on rolling bags so you can wheel multiple items at once. On top of that, the brand stands out for its unique service offerings, like repairs and luggage registration to help you find lost bags.

We especially love Tumi's Alpha collection (pictured here is the Alpha carry-on ) with its durable materials and removable garment sleeve. One GH analyst who has been using a backpack in this collection appreciates that it fits more than you'd expect and has a versatile design for travel, work and beyond.

If you’re going away for weeks or just have lots to pack, L.L.Bean’s duffels are roomy enough to stuff in everything you need. There are options with or without wheels and lots of sizes to choose from (the Adventure Rolling Duffel , shown here, is incredibly durable and one of our go-to picks for vacations with kids).

The flexible shape of the duffel also allows it to store easily under your bed, so it’s perfect for college students or anyone tight on storage space. It’s also made of sturdy, water-resistant nylon fabric that's made to last no matter where your travels take you — in fact, one of our experts says it's lasted for years without signs of wear. She does note that it's a little more cumbersome to pull than four-wheel spinner luggage and it's spaciousness makes it easy to go over the 50-pound weight limit for airlines, but says it's perfect for packing for two kids.

Monos says its design philosophy is "less is more," — meaning the bags are made to be simple and timeless to avoid passing trends and high quality so they can stand the test of time. Most of its hardside bags are entirely polycarbonate, though some combine polycarbonate and aluminum for increased durability. They also have useful packing features like wide compression straps to help you fit more in the case.

The Check-In Large was a winner of last year's GH Family Travel Awards because of its spacious interior and maneuverability. Testers said it was easy to roll and they loved the sleek appearance. It's also worth noting that the brand has a 100-day return period so you can get a refund if it's not a good fit.

READ OUR FULL REVIEW: Here's Why Travelers Love the Monos Luggage Collection

Monos luggage shown in three sizes: Check-in Large, Check-in Medium and Carry-on

Eagle Creek

Whether you’re backpacking internationally or exploring a national park, Eagle Creek gives you both the convenience and durability you need in a bag. Some have various compartments so you can stay organized (or store shoes and dirty laundry separately), and some bags have backpack straps if you need to be hands-free.

We especially love the Cargo Hauler Duffel for shorter trips: It’s affordable, spacious, lightweight and folds up into a small pouch for easy storage. For longer getaways, the Migrate Wheeled Duffel (pictured here) is larger and has two wheels with a telescopic handle. It also opens wide so you can easily access the contents.

Eagle Creek's Migrate Wheeled Duffel, left, being checked in at an airport terminal.

Lexie Sachs (she/her) is the executive director of strategy and operations at the Good Housekeeping Institute and a lead reviewer of products in the bedding, travel, lifestyle, home furnishings and apparel spaces. She has over 15 years of experience in the consumer products industry and a degree in fiber science from Cornell University. Lexie serves as an expert source both within Good Housekeeping and other media outlets, regularly appearing on national broadcast TV segments. Prior to joining GH in 2013, Lexie worked in merchandising and product development in the fashion and home industries.

@media(max-width: 64rem){.css-o9j0dn:before{margin-bottom:0.5rem;margin-right:0.625rem;color:#ffffff;width:1.25rem;bottom:-0.2rem;height:1.25rem;content:'_';display:inline-block;position:relative;line-height:1;background-repeat:no-repeat;}.loaded .css-o9j0dn:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/goodhousekeeping/static/images/Clover.5c7a1a0.svg);}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.loaded .css-o9j0dn:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/goodhousekeeping/static/images/Clover.5c7a1a0.svg);}} Product Reviews

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Bleisure Travel: Why You Should Mix Business and Leisure

July 26, 2023 4 Minute Read

Pack your loafers and your sandals. Attitudes surrounding business travel are changing, and you’ll need more footwear to keep up.

With the pandemic having popularized remote work, employees across all industries have enjoyed the flexibility of working from anywhere. Now that client visits and conferences have returned, many are taking advantage of company-funded transportation to extend their business trips.

Young professionals, especially millennials , are leading this rise in what’s been dubbed bleisure.

What is bleisure?

Bleisure is the combination of business and leisure travel. By prolonging work trips, either by staying for the weekend or tacking on a few vacation days, travelling employees can enjoy leisure time and explore more of the city they’re in. They save on personal travel costs while reducing transit-related carbon emissions.

“Bleisure has existed for several years, but hybrid work has made it accessible to far more people,” says CBRE Hotels Director Nicole Nguyen , whose hospitality industry clients have witnessed the exponential growth of this trend over the past 18 months.

Employees can stay fully connected to their jobs while working from anywhere. For some, that means balancing office days with work from home, while for others, it means enjoying a new city and bringing along loves ones.

Changing Attitudes

Combining business travel with leisure wasn’t always as widely accepted as it is now.

“In previous generations work travel was very formal,” Nguyen says. “People flew to out-of-town meetings in business class and came home as soon as the work was over. Extending trips for leisure or bringing along family members was frowned upon.”

Work and family life were to be kept separate, like church and state, and it was often considered inappropriate to bring a significant other on a work trip. Dialing into meetings was mostly used to connect with distant clients.

But approaches to work have evolved in recent years. More employees are flying in economy rather than business class, or even opting for alternative transportation such as trains or buses.

Email and video call technology has blurred the barrier between work and personal life, and therefore the line between corporate travel with family vacation time.

The hospitality sector is ready to accommodate the demand. “The infrastructure to support bleisure travel already exists in most places,” says Nguyen. Hotels are equipped with workspaces and conference rooms, and many offer onsite leisure amenities such as spas, pools and restaurants.

Hotels can provide restaurant recos for business meetings, partner with coworking groups, and create tourist itineraries for short visits.

Burnout Prevention

Evolving attitudes concerning corporate travel are translating into new company guidelines, with some firms encouraging employees to extend their trips .

A few years back Scotiabank implemented a policy requiring employees to take at least one week’s worth of consecutive vacation days to ensure they feel refreshed when they come back to work.

Companies could benefit from the introduction of similar programs to encourage workers to extend corporate travel.

“Prolonging work trips encourages high-performing employees to use their vacation days and helps prevent exhaustion at a time when burnout rates are skyrocketing,” says Nguyen.

Several countries have begun offering digital nomad visas for longer stays. The inability to legally work abroad had been a major limiting factor in the past, but many countries are actively courting people who have flexibility at work.

“In other cultures, work is seen as a means to enjoy life,” Nguyen says. “We sometimes forget that in North America, but things are changing.”

The popularization of bleisure is yet another example of how technology and post-pandemic habits are changing our lives…and vacations!

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THE BEST Omsk Gardens

Gardens in omsk.

• Ski & Snowboard Areas
• Nature & Wildlife Areas
• Equestrian Trails
• Good for Kids
• Good for Couples
• Good for Big Groups
• Adventurous
• Budget-friendly
• Good for a Rainy Day
• Hidden Gems
• Honeymoon spot
• Good for Adrenaline Seekers
• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. Botanical Garden of Plotnikov in Omsk State Agrarian University

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Korea-Africa Summit: Details of Ruto's trip in Seoul

During his visit, president ruto will hold bilateral talks with president yoon suk yeol.

• State House spokesperson Hussein Mohamed said at the summit, Africa and South Korea will discuss areas of mutual interest, including trade promotion, industrialisation, infrastructure development, and job creation.

This partnership focuses on key projects including water and irrigation, agriculture, infrastructure, and the creative economy.

President William Ruto will depart for the Republic of Korea this evening to attend the Korea-Africa Summit in Seoul.

In a statement, State House spokesperson Hussein Mohamed said at the summit, Africa and South Korea will discuss areas of mutual interest, including trade promotion, industrialisation, infrastructure development, and job creation.

"The discussions will also cover agricultural productivity, climate change response, and transitioning to carbon-free energy," he said.

"These topics align with President Ruto's roles as the African Union Champion for Institutional Reform and the Chair of the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change."

During his visit, President Ruto will hold bilateral talks with President Yoon Suk Yeol to review the progress of the Sh132 billion Framework Arrangement partnership agreed upon during his last visit in November 2022.

Mohamed said agreements worth Sh40 billion will be concluded to create opportunities in Kenya's creative economy sector, and Sh 25 billion for water and irrigation projects.

Several Memoranda of Understanding will also be signed to deepen partnerships and collaboration in health, agriculture, and ICT, among other sectors.

Kenya will engage South Korea in exploring technology opportunities, including developing its semiconductor industry.

Additionally, Kenya will join the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) to advance its vaccine manufacturing goals.

Further, Kenya and South Korea are expected to finalise a Labour Migration Program, potentially making Kenya one of the few African countries approved for labour supply under the South Korea Employment Permit System (EPS) Program.

The trip will also set the stage for Kenya and South Korea to initiate negotiations for an Economic Partnership Agreement between the two countries.

President Ruto to depart for South Korea Sunday evening

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