**Note the total per person might decrease, there are some
packages in the breakdown that can be divided for two like the Hanbok package with
Photographer the price is actually good for two since I’m solo I paid all the
cost.
I’ve been posting a lot of contents about my last trip to
Seoul Korea, but it seems like everyone is asking for the full itinerary and
the breakdown cost, LOL!. So, here it loves for everyone who asked me how much
I spent in Seoul, Korea, I am so proud to myself to be able to spend lesser
than I thought. Let’s admit the fact that Seoul is an expensive city, but
somehow I pulled off a 21,432 PHP for 5 Days and 4 nights in Seoul as a Solo
backpacker
DO WE NEED KOREAN VISA
For Filipinos like me, we need to apply for a Visa, you may
apply it through Visa assistance agency or do it yourself. I did mine here in
Bangkok since I’m currently living in Thailand. To know how I did it, click
HERE. In Bangkok for less than 60 days, you don’t have to pay anything for Visa
application, just submit the required requirements and wait for 7 working days.
WHERE TO STAY
I did a lot of research where to stay, as a solo female
backpacker, I have to consider a lot of things. Like a safe location, an accommodation that has a host or receptionist that can communicate in English,
nearby to the subway and has a lot of convenience stores around the corner.
It’s so hard to find a place to stay base in my preference at a cheaper price
until I found the High Street Guest House in Hongdae. Hongdae is a great
location for me since it’s a place where all young adults live, it’s like your
living inside a big campus. Hongdae has a lot of universities that’s why there
are a lot of students. At first, it’s quite confusing on how to locate the
guest house, but you can ask the locals around, they can help you to locate the
place. High Street Guesthouse is just 8-10 minutes walk from the Hongik Univ
station, a lot of restaurants, cafes, boutiques, parks, and convenience stores
in the area. I can say it is so perfect for a solo female backpacker like me.
The guest house itself is so amazing, the receptionist is a foreigner lady, and
I think she is an exchange student in Seoul and working at the same time. I
forgot to ask her name, but she is so kind and friendly and so helpful. She is
a lady, but she carried my so heavy box of stuff that I bought from Lotte Mart,
so thoughtful of her. The guest house is small but so clean, peaceful and safe.
I booked the Bed in 2-Bed Female Dormitory Room - Female Floor, the female
floor is protected with door security lock password but they will give it to
you, the room is small, simple, basic, clean and comfortable. It has one bunk
bed since it’s a 2 Bed Female room, when I got inside the room I don’t have a
roommate yet, so it’s easy for me to choose the bottom bed. The receptionist
will explain to you the rules of the floor and some needed information. Each
bed is equipped with 3 electric sockets and your lamp, they will also give you
your 2 sets of towels. They only have one bathroom for the female floor, and it
is shared, it is clean and I can say decent. On the Female floor, there are 3
dormitory type rooms, the floor also has a kitchen and it has amenities in case
you want to cook. High Street Guest House is such a good place to stay for solo
female backpackers, no regrets at all.
HOW TO GO TO SEOUL FROM INCHEON AIRPORT
I’ve read a lot of information before I went to Seoul, and
the easiest and convenient way for me is to take the Arex All-Stop train in
Incheon Aiport going to Hongik Univ station. Arex All Stop train has limited
destinations only if the area of your accommodation doesn’t belong to the
subway station stops, you can get the Arex Express train going directly to
Seoul station, and from there you can transfer to another subway going to your
destination. It opens from 05:20 – 21:45 for Express; and 05:23 – 23:42 for
All-Stop. How to locate the Arex train in Incheon Airport? After your
immigration and picking up your luggage, once you get out from the arrival area
there’s an escalator going down to Basement 1 and just follow the signs going
to the Arex train.
HOW TO GET AROUND
Since it’s my first time in Seoul and I’m also doing solo
travel, it scares me actually before I went there. Especially on how will I get
from one place to another, I am very bad at directions LOL!. The easiest way to
get around in Seoul and cheaper option is to use their subway and busses. It’s
confusing to look at the map because a lot is going on, but if you will use the
Naver app, it makes everything so easy. It’s like a Google map, but more
convenient, it gives you information about what subway to board and transfer,
where to exit and how much it will cost you. Aside from Naver app, use a
T-money, it’s a subway card. It’s so convenient to have a T-money card you can
use it in all the subway in Seoul and busses in Seoul as well. If you’re
T-money runs out of money inside, you can top-up anytime in the subway. I
bought my T-money in Incheon Airport at CU convenience store, they can help you
as well to top-up the card, so you can use it already.
THINGS TO DO
DAY 2
**Note: It is my Day 2 because my Day 1 is my traveling day
to Seoul and waiting in the Airport.
I arrived at Incheon airport so late around 11:00 PM, I
can’t make it anymore to the Arex All-Stop train so I decided to wait at the
airport. Honestly? It is so tiring, there is no proper place where you can
sleep, all tourists, locals, and travelers who are also stuck in the airport
are sleeping everywhere, securities are roaming and walking around but they
don’t mind seeing people sleeping in chairs and benches. I did not sleep, so I
decided to find a burger shop in the airport to eat, there are fast foods at
the airport that open 24/7.
As soon as the Arex all-stop train opens I bought my ticket
immediately from a vending machine near the gate of the train. It’s easy to
use, just follow the instructions, don’t worry it has English instructions. The
travel time from Incheon Airport to Hongik Univ station is almost 1 hour. Since
the check-in time of High Street Guesthouse is 3:00 PM, I need to go somewhere
else, I don’t want to waste my time in Seoul. But before my solo traveling
starts in Seoul, I had to check first where is my guest house really located so
it is easier for me to find it once I come back, again as I mentioned above its
quite hard to find at first but I asked this kind Korean lady and she showed me
the way, even accompanied me to the front door of the guest house, how sweet!
It’s so hard to carry my big traveling backpack around
Seoul, so I decided to leave it in the locker of Hongik Univ station, it’s
automated and easy to use, again there are English Instructions.
The first agenda of my Day 1 in Seoul is to shop and buy
groceries in Lotte Mart, sound so funny but I decided to buy stuff on my first
day because I might run out of money before my shopping day. It’s better to be
safe than to be sorry, LOL! I choose to shop in Lotte Mart because I’ve heard
and read that they have promotions and sales almost all the time. Lotte Mart is
located beside Seoul station, It opens from 10:00 AM, and I arrived there at
8:00 AM. I have 2 hours to kill, so I decided since I’m not yet sleeping and I
need a lot of energy, I need coffee. I found a coffee shop nearby called
Lotteria and I bought a coffee while waiting. While waiting I need to check
myself and assess my feelings that finally I am in Seoul, the first impression
of Seoul, It looks like Bangkok but more organized, taller buildings, clean and
wide. During my visit there, it’s quite cold but not too cold, I love the
weather, the smell and the city itself. As soon as Lotte Mart opens, the
grocery looks like a heaven of sales, a lot of items to choose from, I ended up
buying too much, I spent around 2,500 THB. Take note, I was so shocked after I
paid everything at the cashier counter when they did not place my groceries in
the bag, you need to pack it by yourself. They have an area where there is a
free empty box and packing tape.
Before I went back to my guesthouse to check-in, I had my
lunch first at the Lotteria inside the Seoul station, I know I’m in Seoul I
should eat Korean foods already. However, it is more convenient for me and easy
to choose and cheaper if I have a burger, fries, and drinks, I’m also in a
hurry, so bear with me. LOL!
After a satisfying lunch, I headed back to my guesthouse
check-in, go back to Hongik Univ station to pick up the bag that I left in the
locker, sleep and rest.
I woke up at 5:00 PM, showered and prepared myself and
travel to N Seoul Tower. To get to N Seoul Tower from Hongik Univ station, take
a subway to Myeondong then walk to Namsan Park. Just use the Naver app to guide
you, there are also signs along the streets to Namsan Park. The escalator going
up to Namsan Park is free, however, you need to pay for the cable car going to
N Seoul Tower from Namsan Park. Cable Car opening hours are 10:00 AM -11:00 PM,
I pre-booked my ticket for the N Seoul Tower so it is not hassled for me to wait in
line. I bought a Namsan Tower and Observatory Deck in Klook which include
burger set at N burger. I am honestly excited to ride a cable car going up to N
Seoul Tower, however, I was a little bit disappointed with the view, I cannot see
the city lights of Seoul, and it’s a little bit far. Anyways, once I arrived at
N Seoul Tower, I immediately find the vending machine where I can redeem my
voucher for Namsan Tower and Observatory deck with burger set at N burger.
There’s a queue to go up at the observatory deck, I’m not sure why I have to
wait and line up, since as far as I know once you booked a ticket from Klook
you don’t have to wait in line. Please correct me if I’m wrong. When I get
inside at the observatory deck I was so amazed by the art they put-up, the
lights and the change of lights and colors, it is very beautiful. When I was
already in the top of the observatory deck it was so crowded like literally
crowded. There’s a lot of tourists and students, there’s also a lot of shops in
the observatory deck where you can buy your souvenirs. Again, I was not
impressed with the view from the observatory deck, I’m sorry to say but it’s
the truth. After, taking a lot of videos and pictures, I went down to find the
N Burger to have my dinner. N Burger Restaurant is located at N Seoul Tower 1F
and opens from 10:00 am-11:00 pm, their last Order is 9:00 pm. I have to choose
one of the 3 kinds of sets of burger and I choose the Nacho burger set. After a
sumptuous burger dinner again, I roam around the N Seoul Tower, where the love
locks are, more benches to sit while watching the view of Seoul, there are also
a lot of couples in the area. One thing I noticed with Korean couples, they are
so sweet in public, what you see in Korean drama shows is what it is in real
life. Once again, my only downside for N Seoul Tower at night is the city view,
it is too far and the view is like I’ve seen it before from another observatory
deck, there is no “wow” factor for me. I highly recommend visiting N Seoul Tower
in the afternoon, where you can see the city of Seoul when there is still sun
and its transition in the evening, I guess it is more beautiful.
After my experience at N Seoul Tower, I headed back to my
guest house.
Day 3
One of the famous day tours in Seoul is Nami Island,
Petite France, Garden of Morning Calm tour. I decided to book my tour through
an agency because I want to save time and effort and to avoid stress. I just
want to enjoy the place and not worrying about how to get from one place to
another. So, Trazy Seoul Korea partnered with me with this tour, you can read
more about my Nami Island, Petite France, Garden of Morning Calm tour
experienced HERE.
To summarize my experience with the tour, it is honestly
stressed free, the guide is so friendly and accommodating and can speak English
fluently. The places are so beautiful and breathe taking and one day tour is
honestly not enough. So if you happened to be in Seoul, solo or with a
companion try to check out Trazy South Korea they offer a lot of activities and
services that surely you will enjoy. By the way loves, lunch and snacks are not
included.
Day 4
My itinerary for today is wearing a hanbok in Gyeongbokgung
Palace and meeting a Korean Oppa at Bunchok Hanok Village. Let’s get started first
with the Gyeongbokgung Palace, I wake up so early and take a subway from Hongik
Univ station to Gyeongbokgung station and exit in number 4, I find the
Hanboknam, where I pre-booked my hanbok including a Photographer. You can book
a hanbok only without a photographer, for me I decided to go with a
professional photographer because I want to have legit pictures of Korea with a
hanbok. I only get to visit Seoul once, I’m not sure when I will be coming back
so I made sure to have the best souvenir I can have. The entrance fee in
Gyeongbokgung Palace is free if you are wearing a hanbok. To know more details
about my experience with Hanboknam with a professional Photographer click HERE.
My full experienced with Hanboknam store is worth the money I paid for, it’s
not cheap but it’s the best. I never had any regrets that I made a booking with
them. I love the experience from the moment I walk into the store until I come
back to return the handbook and get my passport. Gyeongbokgung Palace is so
beautiful, it brings you to the olden times, the old buildings and houses are
incredible, however, expect a lot of tourist from old ones to youngsters.
After I returned my hanbok, I decided to eat my very first
Korean street foods in the Korean market, which is the Tong-in Market. Tong-in
The market is only 10-15 minutes’ walk from Gyeongbokgung Palace, just use Naver
app. Why I choose the Tong-in Market because they have this café where you can
eat and buy foods inside the market using the Yeopjeong (brass coins) and lunch
box. Sound confusing? Here it is! Once you arrived at Tong-in market, go inside
in the middle of the market you will find a café, there is a sign so it is easy
to locate. Go upstairs at the 2nd floor and a lady will approach you for
assistance, you have to buy the 10 Yeopjeong (brass coins) from them for 5,000
KWN and they will give you a lunch box. Once you have the lunch box, you can
buy foods from vendors inside the market who participated in the activity of
the café they have a sign of the café, you can pay using Yeopjeong (brass
coins). Most of the foods in the market are 2 coins only. Honestly speaking? I
love this kind of activity because for 5,000 KWN you will get a lot of foods,
like a lot, unlike the Myeondong street foods it’s a little bit expensive.
Second, it is the legit Korean street foods, foods that Koreans eat during
lunch break, or foods that they cooked at home. Third, I love the idea of a
lunch box, it’s exciting, and lastly, the foods are so delicious. You can eat
your lunch box with food on the same 2nd floor of the café.
After an amazing lunch, I walked to the famous Bunchok Hanok
Village to meet an Oppa guide, from OhmyOppa. OhmyOppa is a private tour online
platform and a travel friend in Korea. “With Oppa, you will have a better understanding
of Korean culture, traditions, and history.” Ohmyoppa is such a very helpful
and convenient agency especially for solo travelers like me. Let's admit the
fact that sometimes during the solo travel we wish there is someone we could
talk to or share our happiness that we feel at the moment. And when I was in
Seoul I felt that way I want to know more about Seoul not only the famous K-pop
and Korean drama, I want to know their culture and OhmyOppa is such a great
help to achieve this goal. A one on one guide showing you around and talking
about the culture of Koreans is such a great experience. To know more about my
experience with Oppa Ruero click HERE. After Ruero showed me the hidden streets
near Bunchon Hanok Village, and the village itself, I went to Myeondong to see
the district shopping itself.
I was blown away for so many things to shop from cute socks,
sweaters, shoes, Korean skincare products, and make-ups and a lot more. There’s
also a lot of food stalls in Myeondong you can choose from since I’m already
full of my dinner with Oppa Ruero, I choose to shop only. **wink**.
After spending almost all my money, I decided to go back to
my hostel to avoid being broke, LOL!
Day 5
This is my special day in Seoul because it is my birthday,
it is my first time celebrating my birthday alone and in another country aside
from the Philippines and Thailand. I choose to celebrate my birthday in Seoul
to reward myself after all the things that happened in my life recently, I
deserve to find myself and find the happiness inside me. Well too much of the
drama, I choose to go to the happy place in Seoul, Everland. Everland is an
amusement park, I pre-booked my ticket from Klook with Q-pass. Q-pass is a
one-time pass for an attraction or rides inside the Everland, which you will
never wait in line. From Hongik Univ station I took a subway to Gangnam station
and from Gangnam station I took a bus 5002 directly to Everland, again you can
use the Naver app to better guide you. When I arrived at the Everland I have to wait
in line for a free shuttle bus going inside to the main entrance of Everland.
You need to redeem your Klook voucher to the Group ticket office, you have to
pass the normal ticketing booth and head to the right side, and you will see a
Group ticket office. If you cannot find it, asked the information desk. You
don’t need to take a queue number, go ahead at the left side where they assist
foreigners that booked through an online website. Once you got your ticket and
the Q-pass you’re good to go.
Everland is a huge amusement park, so many things to do, eat
and ride. I’m not a fan of “life-threatening” rides, I am more on the chill
zone rides, more like the kid's rides, LOL! I did enjoy my time in Everland
celebrating my birthday, eat lunch in a diner inside the park and some snacks
and ice cream. Well, I highly recommend bringing snacks on your own, because
the prices inside the park are a little bit expensive. The place is honestly so
huge, if you don’t know how to read the map of the park, you will surely get
lost, like me. Well, it’s okay to get lost in the park because you will
discover exciting attractions. I used my Q-pass for the Lost Valley attraction,
honestly speaking it seems like Expectation VS Reality. My expectation for this
attraction is like you will roam around a deserted place with of course animals
but it’s more like exciting, feels like Africa vibe, or like inside the movie
of Jumanji 3, ahahaha too much expectation. But in reality, the place is
amazing, I love how clean, cool and looks like deserted the zoo is, but the
excitement or the Jumanji 3 feels is not there. We rode a tramp with a Korean
host, entertaining the tourist in the Korean language, introducing the animals.
Honestly? It seems like the same with Chiang Mai Night Safari, it’s just that
Everland is a more beautiful location. Lost Valley is so cool for kids and
young at heart.
After my day of fun at Everland, I traveled back to
Myeondong to meet a Filipino friend/vlogger. We do have a great time talking to
each other about our passion for making videos and we also did some Broll
shots, eat dinner and went home to rest.
Day 6
My flight back to Thailand is 11:00 AM, so I had to be early
going back to Incheon Airport. Going back to Incheon Airport is so easy since I
stayed near Hongik Univ station. I just took a subway from Hongil Univ station
directly to Incheon Airport.
And that’s it love my First solo travel experience in Seoul
Korea. Honestly speaking!, 5 full days in Seoul is not enough, there are so
many things to do, to visit and experience in Seoul. Seoul is a beautiful city
to visit, the culture of Koreans are so amazing, some of them can’t speak
English fluently, but one thing for sure they are very sweet, very helpful even
if sometimes you don’t ask them, they will just approach you directly if they
see you that you are having trouble, and they are so kind. I never thought
Koreans are like this and it surprised me.
I highly recommend for you to travel alone loves in a place
where you are safe and a lot of people of course. It scares the hell out of me
before I stepped in Seoul, but when I get there the city is so beautiful and I
felt so welcome and I felt like my old soul is from Seoul, I am more scared in
Manila Philippines than Seoul, LOL!. For me, trying to travel by your self is
finding the answer if you can live by your own, I now no man is an Island but
sometimes we must be independent by our own life, it’s not always that there is
someone who will carry us in all our walks in life. Traveling alone also helps
me to find my lost self, to find the real me without any distractions from
others. Don’t be scared to go out in your comfort zone sometimes, who knows you
might surprise yourself.
Day 1
|
|
-
T-Money card
-
top-up for T-money
-
Food in Incheon Airport
|
4000 KWN
103 THB
175 PHP
10,000 KWN
258 THB
436 PHP
9000 KWN
232 THB
394 Php
TOTAL
23,000 KWN
593 THB
1,005 PHP
|
Day 2
|
|
-
All-Stop train to Hongik University station
-
locker in Hongik University subway
-
subway from From Hongik Univ station to Seoul
Station
-
Coffee at Lotteria
-
Shopping at Lotte Mart
-
Lunch at Lotteria
-
Subway from N Seoul station to Hongik Univ
station
-
Check-in at High Street Guesthouse
-
Subway from Hongik Univ station to Myeondong
station
-
Cable Car to N Seoul Tower roundtrip
-
Namsan Tower and Observatory deck by Klook
include burger set at N burger
-
Subway from Myeondong station to Hongik Univ
station
|
4650 KWN
120 THB
203 PHP
4000 KWN
104 THB
175 PHP
1250 KWN
33 THB
55 PHP
4000 KWN
104 THB
175 PHP
Your own budget
9000 KWN
232 THB
394 PHP
1250 KWN
33 THB
55 PHP
92,000 KWN
2,399 THB
4,066 PHP
1250 KWN
33 THB
55 PHP
8,000 KWN
207 THB
348 PHP
18,200 KWN
479 THB
799 PHP
33 THB
55 PHP
TOTAL
144,850 KWN
3,777 THB
6,380 PHP
|
Day 3
|
|
-
Nami Island, Petite France, Garden of Morning
Calm tour by Trazy
-
Lunch
-
Dinner
|
63,800 KWN
1,630 THB
2803 PHP
10,000 KWN
257 THB
436 PHP
BYOB
TOTAL
73,800 KWN
1,887 THB
3,239 PHP
|
Day 4
|
|
-
Subway from Hongik Univ station to
Gyeongbokgung station
-
Klook Hanbok + Photography for (free hair
styling + free locker )
-
Lunch box cafe budget
- OhmyOppa guide in Bunchok Hanok Village
-
Subway to Myeondong station
-
Dinner and shopping at Myeondong street
-
Subway Myeondong station to Hongik Univ.
station
|
1250 KWN
33 THB
55 PHP
100,000 KWN (price is good for 2 persons)
2,624 THB
4,362 PHP
5,000 KWN
128 THB
217 PHP
82,061 KWN (online conversion of 70 USD as of 23/10/2019)
2,121 THB
3,600 PHP
1250 KWN
33THB
55PHP
1250 KWN
33 THB
55 PHP
TOTAL
190,811 KWN
4,972 THB
8,344 PHP
|
Day 5
|
|
-
subway from Hongik univ to Gangnam station +
Bus to Everland
-
Everland ticket at Klook + Qpass
-
Lunch at Everland
-
Travel back to Myeondong by subway + bus
-
Dinner, my friend treat me
-
Subway from Myeondong station to Hongik Univ
station
|
4,300 KWN
111 THB
188 PHP
31,000 KWN
902 THB
1525 PHP
8000 KWN
206 THB
349 PHP
3,300 KWN
85 THB
144 PHP
1250 KWN
33 THB
55 PHP
TOTAL
47,850 KWN
1,337 THB
2,261 PHP
|
Day 6
|
|
-
Subway from Hongik Univ station to Incheon
Airport Terminal
|
4650 KWN
120 THB
203 PHP
TOTAL
4650 KWN
120 THB
203 PHP
|
GRAND TOTAL
****Note the total per person might decrease, there are some packages in the breakdown that can be divided for two like the Hanbok package with Photographer the price is actually good for two since I’m solo I paid all the cost.
484,961 KWN
12,686 THB
21,432 PHP
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