Homes Away From Home

Because staying in one place wasn't possible (no same room was available for the entire duration of my Seoul tramping), we had to be NPAs (no permanent address). Every two nights, we dragged our butts and bags from one place to another.

Kimchi Hostel

570-16 Yeonnam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul

02 6082 6059 / 10 6315 6696

 

Inside the 8-bed dormitory

Internet station and common room

Dining area

If you do not like sleeping in the same room with strangers, do not like sleeping in the upper bunk, and/or don't know how to keep your noise level down, then Kimchi Hostel's dorm rooms (15,000 to 18,000 won per bed) aren't for you. Better stay at their private single/twin rooms, of course at a higher price (44,000 to 55,000 won).

From the nearest subway station to the hostel, you will pass by four convenience stores. But if you're too lazy to go out to buy a tube of toothpaste, Kimchi Hostel has a vending machine where you can buy toiletries, instant noodles, drinks, and a 2-pin plug adapter. They also have a kitchen and washing machine that you can use for free.

Seoul Guesthouse

135-1 Gye-dong, Jongro-gu, Seoul

02 745 0057

(Photo by: Bee Chavez)

Looks dreary only because the flowers haven't bloomed yet.

The resident shaggy dog, Ponte :)

Please excuse our mess

(Photo by: Bee Chavez)

Seoul Guesthouse is a hanok or a Korean traditional house. We stayed in a twin room that the owner generously made into a triple at a twin weekday rate of 70,000 won (weekend rate for a twin room is 80,000 won)! The room has a heated mat, mattress, and a very warm comforter. Oh, and a TV too, if you can't live without the boob tube even on vacation. Guests can also use their washing machine and kitchen for free. The only disadvantage in Seoul Guesthouse is that the toilet/shower is outside and can be such a drag on a freezing day. Imagine waking up in the middle of the night needing to go to the toilet... You have to put on your jacket or skip the jacket and just race to the toilet.

Namsan 2 Guesthouse

33-3 Namsan-dong 2 ga, Jung-gu, Seoul

02 752 6363 / 02 753 6262

Twin A room

(Photo by: Bee Chavez)

Laundry area, kitchen, and internet station. Guests may use whatever they find here.

(Photo by: Bee Chavez)

Namsan Guesthouse offers affordable private rooms with its own toilet & bath. If you're on vacation with friends, the guesthouse has big rooms that can accommodate up to 9 persons. They also offer free breakfast of noodles, bread and jam/butter/peanut butter, and coffee/tea. And if you need to go away for a day or two, you can leave your luggage at the storage area in Namsan 3 (which is just beside Namsan 2).

뉴월드파크 (New World Park) Motel

Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do

Don't know the exact address but it's a two-minute walk from the Gapyeong bus terminal.

If you see a symbol with the three wavy lines, then you've located a motel.

And yes, this motel is in the same building with a sexy club haha

 

No beds, just a futon. Room has a water dispenser, mini ref, TV, and its own toilet & bath.

Staying at this motel was a spur of the moment decision. We had missed the bus that would take us to Petite France and had to wait another 3 hours for the next one. Because of this we had to postpone Namisum for the next day. Namisum being just two stations away, it was impractical to go back to Seoul. Asking the cashier at 7Eleven where the nearest hostel/hotel was, she pointed us to New World Park Motel, just a few steps from Gapyeong Bus Terminal.

It took us quite some time to negotiate with the owner since she didn't speak English. The corridors were rather dark and dingy, but the room was alright by me. The floor is heated so sleeping on a futon on a cold spring night was no problem at all (unless you don't like sleeping on the floor regardless of the temperature).

Some basic info to help you decide which one you want to call home away from home:

How seven nights in South Korea gave Mustachio's pocket sleepless nights:

Mustachio spent 138,300 won (about Php 5,400) for seven nights.

2 nights at Kimchi Hostel (15,000 won/night/dorm bed) 30,000 won

2 nights at Seoul Guesthouse (70,000 won/night/twin room but shared among 3) 46,700 won

2 nights at Namsan 2 Guesthouse (55,000 won/night/Twin A, add 10,000 extra head/night) 43,300 won

1 night at New World Park Motel (40,000 won/night/room for 2 pax, add 15,000 extra head/night) 18,300 won 

South Korea Series:

Tourist Visa to Korea

Random Things About Kimchiland
From One Point to Another
Homes Away From Home (you're here!)
My First Meal is Not Korean
You Will Never Go Hungry Here  
To the North We Go...Almost

Strolling, Collecting Sights

A Dose of History: Gyeongbokgung

Double Dose of History: Changdeokgung & Huwon

Photo Stop: Bukchon Hanok Village

Care For Some Coffee? 

Step Back in Time at the Folk Village

Trick Eye Museum

N Seoul Tower

What's in a (Business) Name? Korea

This Little Mustache Went to (Namdaemun) Market

At the Outskirts: Petite France and Namisum  

Hunting for Cherry Blossoms at Yeouido Park

Can't Pronounce It So I Stuffed It in My Mouth 

The Most Important Question 

Go-Kart Speed Racers

Went to Kart Zone to try what? Karting. (Isn't it obvious?)

Their logo sure looks like a Go Kart... or is that a race track?

After giving our Ensogo vouchers, we watched a short video on Karting 101. Afterwards, we were required to rent a balaclava (helmet liner) for Php25. Looking like bank robbers, we were handed our helmets and headed to the race track entrance where the karts are parked.

The race track. Wish I had a helicopter so I could shoot an aerial view.

Pimp my ride!

Whooo! Ghost rider!

This was my first time to try karting and, honestly, it didn't amuse me.  Maybe because I'm not a fan of over-speeding or maybe because I was expecting more from my first karting experience. I enjoyed a little bit on the acceleration part, but the short-lived 8 laps of monotonous riding on a short distance circuit isn't worthy of a second try.

Winners! Champions! Feelers! hehe

Rates:

Php 300 / 8 laps - Single seater

Php 350 / 8 laps - Two seater

If you think 8 laps is too long or Php 300 is too much, on weekdays (Mon - Fri 10AM-2PM) you have these options:

Php 100 / 4 laps - Single seater

Php 150 / 4 laps - Two seater

Kart Zone

F Cabahug St,

Brgy Kasambagan, Cebu City

(032) 268 2553

Open daily 10AM-9PM

From One Point to Another

Flying in to Korea

Almost all Philippine air carriers fly to Incheon and Busan in South Korea. If you're flying on a budget airline then expect them to fly you to your destination and that's it. No onboard movies. No free inflight snack/meal. But they do sell food onboard at sky high prices. I stupidly forgot this bit of fact and had not brought any food for the 4.5-hour flight through dinner to Incheon. I paid the price! Extremely hungry, I handed over my Php150 for a chicken sandwich (Php100!!!) and a half-liter bottle of water (Php50!!!). The most expensive snack I've ever had.

When flying international, be sure to bring your passport (of course! You can't leave the country without one), pen (to fill out immigration forms), ticket, itinerary, and hotel confirmation (the latter three for the benefit of the immigration officer who will grill you about your trip). The immigration officer will most likely ask you what you will do in your destination, how much money you are bringing (he/she will then mentally try to calculate how much you will be spending for your accommodation and food and if he/she thinks it's not enough, will ask if you have a credit card), if you are working (if so, which company, and will then ask to see your company ID or PRC license. And I am thinking: Uhhh...why should I bring my company ID/PRC license when I am on vacation?) They are suspicious and believe most Filipinos who go abroad are there to look for work. Geez. On this particular trip, the immigration officer forewarned us (tried to scare us more like) that although she will stamp us through for the trip, expect to be held at immigration in Korea. Which never happened. There were no problems at all at the Korea immigration. No questions asked. I conclude, the Philippine immigration is waayyy too paranoid.

 

 From the arrival area, you have to take the shuttle train to the passenger terminal.

The shuttle train runs every five minutes.

At Incheon International Airport immigration:

no worries if you forget your eyeglasses hehehe

 At the passenger terminal

Going around Seoul and Gyeonggi province via subway

If you expect to take the subway and buses a good many number of times while in Seoul (and in Gyeonggi province), do yourself a favor and buy a Seoul Citypass Plus or T-money card. This will save you the trouble of getting tickets every time you take the subway and of scrambling for exact change to pay the bus fare. The card can also be used to purchase goods at convenience stores.

 

Seoul Citypass Plus T-money card

Seoul Citypass Plus or T-money cards can be bought at GS25, Family Mart, and Ministop convenience stores. I bought mine from GS25 located at the arrival floor of Incheon International Airport. Seoul Citypass cards cost 3,000 won (about Php120) and can be recharged up to 500,000 won thru the mentioned convenience stores or thru recharging machines at the subway stations.

If you no longer need T-money, the balance can be refunded minus a 500 won fee. Refund is available at GS25 at Incheon International Airport. This is your last chance to get your money back before leaving South Korea.

Heading to Seoul on the AREX (Airport Railroad Express) commuter line

Bits and pieces from me to you:

• From the airport, you have three options: the subway, bus, and taxi. The taxi being the most expensive way out.
• The AREX or Airport Railroad Express has two lines: express line and commuter line. The express line goes nonstop from Incheon to Seoul station, while the commuter line stops at major subway stations. The express line will cost three times as much as the commuter line.
• Be conscious of your time (and make sure your brain is set on Korea time) especially if your flight arrives late night. The last commuter train to Seoul leaves at 1120PM. This is the cheapest option in going to Seoul.
• Get yourself a subway map or download one if you have a smartphone. Or better yet, use this Cyber Station map to show you the quickest route, travel time, fares, and transfer points. All you need to do is click on your departure station then your arrival station.
• Avoid transfers in Seoul station if you can. It entails long walks/transfers. According to my friend, Seoul station looks like an airport.
• Be aware that lines 1 and 5 has two destinations. Be sure to get on the right one or not miss your transfer.
• Occasionally you will find a person selling something in the subway train - a knee brace, knife sharpener (and the entrepreneur will have a demo too), powdered soup, chewing gum.
• You can also do a bit of shopping in subway stations. There will be stalls of food, socks, accessories, clothes. In some, there will be people on the corridors selling these and puppies, too.

 Subway route map from Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit

Seoul Station...just a small portion of it.

No other choice but to take a bus

In areas where tourists are scarce, the signboard on the buses are in Hangul, the Korean alphabet. So are the labels on their route maps. What to do? Either ask the driver if his bus is headed to destination X (and pray you pronounce it right and that he understands you) or have somebody write your destination on a piece of paper, show it to the bus driver, and cross your fingers that he remembers to let you off at the right bus stop.

Cheongpyeong bus terminal

When in doubt, ask

I've asked random people for directions and gotten a healthy dose of blank stares, goofy smiles, head shakes and hand waves, pantomimes, and people who try to help but have trouble speaking in English. In the end, we do find the destination. It does not hurt to ask. 99% of them will try to help you.

South Korea Series:

Tourist Visa to Korea

Random Things About Kimchiland
From One Point to Another (you're here!)
Homes Away From Home
My First Meal is Not Korean
You Will Never Go Hungry Here  
To the North We Go...Almost
Strolling, Collecting Sights
A Dose of History: Gyeongbokgung
Double Dose of History: Changdeokgung & Huwon
Photo Stop: Bukchon Hanok Village
Care For Some Coffee?
Step Back in Time at the Folk Village
Trick Eye Museum
N Seoul Tower
What's in a (Business) Name? Korea
This Little Mustache Went to (Namdaemun) Market
At the Outskirts: Petite France and Namisum
Hunting for Cherry Blossoms at Yeouido Park
Can't Pronounce It So I Stuffed It in My Mouth
The Most Important Question