Sunday, June 19, 2016

Eight Days in South Korea

How I Spent My Eight Days in South Korea.
In short, my itinerary.
Click to enlarge


How Much I Spent for My Eight Days in South Korea.
In short, my expenses.
Click to enlarge

Like my previous posts about expenses, I did not include the airfare as I usually buy my tickets six to twelve months in advance, during airline promotions. Processing the visa would cost nothing if you have a Korean Consulate in your area. If you don't, then you'd have to process your visa through a travel agency who would charge a processing fee, of course.

Accommodation. I saved on accommodation by staying in dorms (four nights in Kam Guesthouse in Seoul and two nights in Sum Guesthouse Garosugil in Busan), spending about Php 550/night for a dorm bed (with breakfast). Most dorm beds would cost Php 800 to Php 1200/night. Then deciding I wanted some peace and quiet for a few days, I doubled my budget for accommodations and spent Php 1100/night for a single room at Aroha Guesthouse.

Transportation. I took the subway and the bus to go around. The only time I splurged was for the KTX (high speed train) to get to Daegu from Seoul. Daegu is 237 km south of Seoul and would take about 4 hours by bus. By KTX, it only takes half the time (2 hours).

Food. I took advantage of the free breakfast offered at the hostels I was staying in. For the rest of the day's meals, I would eat wherever I found food...from convenience stores, streetfood stalls, some restaurants. I spent an average of Php 760 per day (lunch, snacks, dinner). But I would advise to allocate at least KRW 30,000 (about Php 1300) a day for food.

Tour. For this trip, I spent most of my days walking around parks, temples, villages. I skipped the famous spots that I had been to, like GyeongbokgungChangdeokgungBukchon Hanok Village, and N Seoul Tower. (Mind you, these are places not to miss for first timers.) 

Others. For the first time in all my travels, I decided to rent a pocket wifi. Though it would be my third time in the country, I was planning to go to cities I was unfamiliar with. The pocket wifi proved very useful.

There you have it. Eight days in South Korea has made my wallet poorer but has made my little memory box a little bit heavier. And no, I am still not done with my exploration of this country. I hope to keep coming back until I see every nook and cranny of South Korea.




South Korea on Three
South Korea Countdown
Itinerary and Expenses (you're here!)
South Korea Solo: Tangible Essentials
Six Apps for a Smooth South Korea Trip
Incheon: Tail End of Cherry Blossom Season
Seoul Stays: Kam Guesthouse and Aroha Guesthouse
Seoul Food
Seoul: Songpa Naru Park and Banpo Hangang Park
Seoul: Wander Around City Hall Station
Seoul Art: Nanta!, Ihwa Mural Village, Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP)
Seoul World Heritage: Jongmyo Shrine, Seolleung and Jeongneung Royal Tombs
Gyeonggi: Village Walks in Paju City
Gyeonggi: Day Trip to Suwon City
Gyeongsangnam: Haeinsa Temple
Gyeongsangnam: Find My Name in Masan, Changwon City
Busan Accommodation: Sum Guesthouse Garosugil
Busan: Beomeosa Temple
Busan: An Abundance

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