Exploring South Korea on a 6-day, 5-night Self-Guided Tour

Entry for 'Free Exploration' travel writing and photo contest by Mai Xuân Dũng, outlining a winter itinerary in South Korea for 6 days and 5 nights.

I traveled with two friends, all working at a Japanese company. One friend had a platinum credit card from Shinhanbank. We submitted our applications on Monday morning, queuing up from 7 AM at the Korean Consulate, 107 Nguyen Du. Upon submission, a security guard provided a queue number for purchasing the visa sticker for 20 USD (around 450,000 ~ 500,000 VND depending on the exchange rate; they accept Vietnamese currency). After affixing the sticker, we submitted the documents for consular staff to review completeness and any additional information needed. The friend with the Shinhan card received all employment contracts, work confirmation, and an appointment slip within 2 days, while the rest of us had to wait for 8 days for the results. The consulate staff demonstrated enthusiasm and politeness. Remember to bring glue and a pen for affixing the sticker and adding supplementary information, as sharing may involve waiting time.

Required documents for visa application:

– Passport (valid for at least 6 months)

– Visa application form (recommended to be filled out at home)

– 1 international standard 4x6 passport photo affixed to the visa application form

– Financial proof (bank confirmation with savings over 5000 USD or 110,000,000 VND, bilingual, bank seal, property ownership documents like land and car titles if available). It's advisable to bring the original documents for verification.

– Employment certificate (employment contract, work confirmation, and leave application aligned with the travel period). Ensure all documents are signed by the superior and stamped with a red seal. Make photocopies, and remember to carry the original copies.

– Travel itinerary (simple and comprehensible schedule of the sightseeing plans)

– Round-trip airfare and hotel booking confirmation

After receiving the appointment for result retrieval, our group returned home anxiously awaiting. As we had meticulously prepared our documents, there was no need for the consular staff to call us back for verification. If you want to monitor the progress of your application, you can visit this link:

On the 'Check Application Status & Print' page, select 'Passport No.' and enter your passport number. Then, fill in your name and birthdate and press 'Search.' After a few days of receiving the application, the 'Application Status' will show 'Application Received,' progressing to 'Under Review.' A day or two before the result day, check again. If it changes to 'Approved,' congratulations, you've successfully passed the hurdle.

And here's the appointment letter:

Consider booking with Vietjet for its reasonable prices, direct flights, and landing at Incheon Airport. I purchased a round-trip ticket for the period 09/12 ~ 14/12/2017, costing approximately 3,500,000 VND.

I stayed in a Triple room (1 double bed, 1 single bed) at Ehwa Hotel in Myeongdong. I booked through Agoda during a promotion, so the price was quite affordable, averaging around 500,000 VND per person per day. The hotel is modern with amenities like a bathroom, elevator, quick and polite staff, and a simple yet delicious buffet. Its prime location near Myeongdong, the cosmetics and fashion shopping street, and a mall make it convenient. The hotel is also close to the MRT station, saving on transportation costs. Take the AREX from Incheon to Seoul station, transfer to line 4, and get off at Exit 10. It's just a 5-minute walk to the hotel, right on the main street.

Ehwa Hotel

– For travel from Incheon to central Seoul, choose AREX Express. It's a fast, non-stop train, taking only 43 minutes. Book on Klook for just 6 USD, or 12 USD for a round trip. After obtaining the voucher, exchange it for a card, but make sure to deposit 500 KWR. Upon leaving the station, there's a refund machine. The receipt specifies the seat location, so no worries about standing.

– Moving around Seoul: As soon as you arrive, get a T-money card at convenience stores like Emart or GS25 for around 2,500 KWR. Top up there or at any MRT station.

– Download the Subway Korea app in advance; it's incredibly helpful for MRT travel. Just select 'Departs from' and 'Arrives at,' and it will provide optimized directions to save costs.

+ If traveling in a group like us (3 people or more), a cost-saving tip is to pre-book the Wifi 4G device from Klook. For our 6-day trip, it cost around 16.8 USD (less than 3 USD per day). Split among 3 people, it's just 5.6 USD each for convenient and widespread wifi. The inconvenience is the deposit (about 200,000 KWR) and the return deadline, but it's a significant saving for meals and shopping. Note that one device lasts approximately 8 hours on a full charge (connecting to one device). When at the hotel or places with free wifi, disconnect to charge and save energy.

+ For solo travelers or those who prefer individual data usage, consider getting a SIM 4G from Klook at Incheon Airport. It offers 3 packages for 5/10/30 days, catering to various usage needs. The main advantage is its simplicity – no need for an extra wifi device, and you don't have to return the SIM. It's relatively more expensive than the wifi device, but this is a minor inconvenience (prices range from 23.3/32.6/60.5 USD for the 5/10/30-day packages).

– Myeongdong Street:

From Incheon Airport, take the AREX to Seoul Station, transfer to line 4, and get off at exit 10 to reach Myeongdong shopping street. This area is the epitome of a cosmetic shopping street, offering various street foods and authentic Korean restaurants. Recommended dishes include twisted fish cake and strawberry smoothies, but the teokbokki might not be the best choice. As you pass by cosmetic shops, staff will offer face mask samples, and if you make a purchase, they might even give you more. You'll find popular brands like The Face Shop, Innisfree, Laneige, Missha, and more with up to 50% off during our visit. The masks cost around 10k KRW per sheet, making it a great deal to stock up and potentially resell at a profit.

Tips: Note that you can get a direct tax refund here, so remember to bring your passport for a higher refund rate. The more you buy, the more you can get back. Also, they often give out product samples with purchases, so don't hesitate to ask if they forget.

twisted fish cake vendor

cosmetic shops

– Namsan Tower (83, Sopa-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul):

I pre-purchased tickets via Klook, only 6 USD per ticket. From Myeongdong Station (Line 4, Exit 3), it's a 10-minute walk to the cable car station. Walk along Toegye-ro 18-gil, turn left when you see Pacific Hotel, continue along Toegye-ro 20 gil, turn right when you reach Ministop, and at the end of the street, you'll find the staircase leading to the cable car. This cable car is the large type, not the small ones you often see, with transparent glass walls and a maximum capacity of 48 people. If you take the cable car, try to stand on the outer edge, close to the glass, for better views.

Cable Car Information:

+ Operating hours: 10 AM ~ 11 PM

+ Ticket prices:

– Round-trip: Adults 8,500 KRW/ticket; Children (under 36 months) 5,500 KRW/ticket

– One-way: Adults 6,000 KRW/ticket; Children (under 36 months) 3,500 KRW/ticket.

In my opinion, one-way tickets aren't significantly cheaper, so unless you have plenty of time and want to enjoy the scenery, take photos along the way, or walk both segments up and down, it's advisable to go for the round-trip ticket. For those with a profound laziness like our team, the round-trip ticket is the straightforward choice.

Tips: After reaching the tower via the cable car, don't exchange your ticket at the ticket booth right at the entrance. Walk further inside; there's a staircase leading down to a souvenir shop. On the right side of this shop is where you can exchange your ticket.

Namsan Tower

– Changdeokgung Palace:

Take the MRT to Anguk station (line 3 exit 3). The entrance fee is 3,000 KRW per person.

Tips: Admission is free if you're wearing a hanbok. When you arrive at the palace, cross the street, next to a ceramic shop with a 3-4 story building, there's a standee for hanbok rental (10,000 KRW/1 set/3 hours). The owners are very friendly and helpful, assisting with each outfit and lending accessories. Note that they won't rent during heavy snow or rain. When I visited, there was light rain, so we had to walk around and come back later when they allowed rentals.

Changdeok Palace

– Bukchon Hanok Village:

Bukchon Hanok Village is situated between Changdeokgung and Gyeongbokgung. It's convenient to visit both by starting at Changdeokgung and walking approximately 7 minutes to Bukchon Hanok.

Tips: This area attracts many tourists, but it's also a residential neighborhood, so please avoid making noise and take quick photos to allow everyone the chance to enjoy the atmosphere.

Bukchon Village

– DMC:

Directions: MRT Line 6, Exit 2

Tips: This is South Korea's tech city with numerous high-rise buildings and advanced technology areas. Explore and immerse yourself in the virtual atmosphere.

– Haneul Park:

Directions: Take the MRT to World Cup Stadium Station (Line 6, Exit 1). Walk about 15 minutes, cross the street, and head up the stairs to reach Hanuel Park.

Tips: The park features fields of silver grass, often seen in many Korean dramas.

– Ewha Womans University:

Directions: Take MRT Line 2, Exit 2 or 3, and walk approximately 300m to reach the university.

Tips: Along the way to this university, you'll find many cosmetic shops, similar to Myeongdong but with lower prices and more free samples. The campus architecture resembles American universities, including a church and rows of trees for great photo opportunities.

– Gangnam:

Directions: Take the MRT to Sinsa Station (Line 3, Exit 8).

Tips: In this area, there's a charming Line cafe worth checking out.

– YG Family (397-5 Hapjeong-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul):

Directions: Take the MRT to Line 6, head to Hapjeong Station, and use Exit 8. After passing two SK gas stations, turn right, and when you see GS25 convenience store, turn left to find the YG building.

– Kstar Road (SM Town, JYP Nation):

Directions: Choose Line Bundang, go to Apgujeong Rodeo station, and take Exit 2. Walk straight until you see the vibrant street – that's your destination. Follow the K-star Road, passing Citibank, turn left toward Baskin Robbins, glance across to spot JYP Entertainment. Continue straight passing Sulbing Dessert Cafe, cross Gallerie PICI, turn left on Dosan-daero 99-gil until you reach the end of #42 CJ Villa. After turning right, pass Egosposa and Chungdam Gallery. Walk straight until you see a parking lot, then turn right. Keep going until you spot the sign for SM.

– Lotte World:

Directions: Take the MRT to Jamsil Station, Exit 4 on Line 2 and Line 8.

Tips: Purchase tickets in advance on Klook for discounted prices. Lotte has both indoor and outdoor amusement parks with various shows, so plan to spend a whole day exploring. Download the Lotte World Magicpass app to skip queues three times after scanning your ticket.

– Pojangmacha:

Directions: Pojangmacha is similar to a fast-food joint with affordable prices, making it an ideal stop for not only locals but also tourists. You can find many in crowded places like Yongsan Station, Hyehwa District, Jongno District, or near universities in the city.

– Hotel Checkout:

Since we had an early flight at 9:30 AM, we woke up at 6:00 AM for an early checkout. The hotel's front desk opens at 7:00 AM, so you can simply leave your key at the designated counter. The process is straightforward, staff are friendly and English-speaking, rooms are clean and modern, breakfast is delicious, and the Wi-Fi is reliable. This sums up what you can expect at Ehwa Myeongdong Hotel. We'll definitely stay here again on our next trip.

– Airport departure:

From the hotel, it's a 5-minute walk to MRT Line 4 Exit 10. Then, take the train to Seoul Station and transfer to the AREX Express to Incheon Airport (pre-booked tickets on Klook – check section 4). Upon arrival at Incheon Airport, return the rented Wi-Fi device and proceed with the boarding process. Explore the duty-free shops at the airport for souvenirs.

That concludes the 6-day, 5-night self-guided journey exploring various corners of Seoul. Thanks to Klook, we saved both costs and time on this trip. See you on the next adventures!