South Korea 2012

One of my dream country to visit "SOUTH KOREA", after almost 7 months of waiting.... finally to the Land of Morning Calm! and I can't almost calm myself ^^ Aigoo!!! Omo!!!

I love Korea!!!! ^^ It's pretty obvious, I love their dramas and HALLYU!!! Of course that includes my DORKY boys "SUPER JUNIOR". Finally!!!! I can visit their hometown (dreaming to be my hometown too)!! This is really HAEppiness!!!! ^_^

I think my 2012 would be the best best BEST year ever, now starting to travel on my dream country!!! Amazing!!! DAEBAK!!!! ^^

Now preparing my travel, this is my hobby and I really love doing it.

TICKET
Thanks to Cebu Pacific promo, we got a round trip ticket with 15 kilos baggage to INCHEON with a price of 3,400php. We booked last August 2011 for February 2012 travel.

VISA
In order to travel South Korea you must have a VISA from the Korean Embassy. This is so easy to get and it's free! The VISA is valid for three (3) months for a single entry visa. I only submit the necessary requirements: Visa Application Form, Certificate of Employment, Bank Certificate, Passport, Photocopy of Passport (1st page only), 1 piece passport size picture and ITR or Form 2316. You must fill up all the blanks on the Visa Application form. Do not submit unnecessary documents like hotel reservation or round trip e-ticket, they don't need it.

Embassy of The Republic of Korea address:
122 Upper McKinley Road,
McKinley Town Center, Fort Bonifacio
Taguig City 1634, Philippines

You may download the Visa Application >>>> Visa Application Form

It only takes less than 10 minutes to submit the requirements and the processing would take a week for a first timer visa applicant.

Their office is just near to my workplace, so we just take a cab going the embassy, if one would like to go here via commuter. First, you have to get off MRT - Ayala Station, then at Shell station area, ride the PUJ via Market Market, just tell the driver to get you off to the embassy. But still the easiest way is to take a cab ^^

After one week, we go back to the embassy and we got our passport with approved VISA!!! Yay~ Korea here we come.

Now we are so so sooooo excited, we applied last December 2011 our travel date is on February 2012! So happy we got our single entry visa! 59 days validity!

Visa Sticker

ACCOMMODATION

Thanks to Pinoy Exchange and Female Network forumers, I decided to have a reservation in Namsan Guesthouse 3. Based on my research, the guesthouse was highly recommended, near to the subway, near to Myeongdong shopping area, near to N Seoul Tower and Namdaemun Market. My main concern when looking a place to stay is the location because it would save your time and save some money as well, for me this guesthouse was great place to stay! I sent them an email two months before out travel, it's a reservation e-mail. They replied and will re-confirm a month before your arrival date, they don't get any reservation fee, just basically an email reservation and confirmation (even before the date of your travel). I reserved a twin room at Namsam 3 at 55,000won per night with free breakfast ^^

ITINERARY

We will be only staying for a total of 4 days in Korea, arriving at night of February 11th and leaving at night of February 15th. I've been revising our itinerary for some months, finally I was able to finish it earlier before our travel.

Feb 11

Arriving Incheon Airport

Check-in At Namsan Guesthouse 3

Feb 12

Myeong-dong Cathedral

Buckhon Hanok Village

Four Palaces (if feasible)

Insadong

N Seoul Tower

Teddy Bear Museum

Itaewon

Myeong-dong or Namdaemun

Sauna Bath

Feb 13

Full House

Lotte World

COEX Mall

Namdaemun

Bampo River

Myeong-dong (SPAO)

Feb 14

Nami Island

Cheong Wa Dae (if feasible)

Korean Tourism Organization

Handel & Gretel

SUKIRA/ KBS

Hongdae

Coffee Prince Shop

Hello Kitty Cafe

Feb 15

Kona Beans

KeyEast Entertainment

StarHaus Entertainment

Dongdaemun (DOOTA)

Our itinerary is more on Korean Dramas location and of course fan girling location, yeah right I'm a Fan Girl!!! I must see my dorky boys there!!! I must I must I must!!! Aja aja aja ~kekekeke~

MONEY MATTERS

I always exchange money at Czarina Forex, so again exchanging my peso but this time to Korean Won! You still need to call Czarina to reserve for the money. The buying rate at that time is 0.0383.

It would be less hassle if you change your money to WON, but you can always use you international ATM to withdraw or use a Credit card in other country, your choice anyways ^^

500,000 won

CZARINA Forex contact numbers: 811-1875, 811-1895, 811-1859

They have a lot of branches to pick up your exchange money >>> Czarina Branches

LUGGAGE

We only have 15 kilos baggage for check-in and it was winter in Korea on the date of our travel! Yikes ~ excess baggage?! Luckily we don't exceed the 15 kilos, my luggage consist of jackets, long sleeves, socks, leggings, undergarments, toiletries and some foods (cup noodles). 

Now we are ready to go!

February 11 - NAIA 3

So excited!!!

Here we go again with the Immigration Officer, oh yeah they have a lot of questions! It's their job to interrogate passenger, again just be confident to answer them.

Our ETD is 3:55pm, we were delayed for 10 minutes! Oh no CebuPac this is another delayed flight for me. 

Arriving Incheon Airport around 9pm, Korea is 1 hour ahead to Philippines. Now to the Land of the Morning Calm!

IO Korea: Stamp, finger print scan and eye scan, DONE! So fast right, how I wish it was same with our IO.

INCHEON Airport

It is already past 10pm when we finish getting our baggage, we came across to this man and we asked for the Airport Bus, to my surprise he said that it was already closed, I asked him how about the subway/train to Seoul (downtown), and he replied that it was also closed and he advised me to take a cab to Seoul that it would only take 40 minutes and it's much cheaper. When we asked them the price he said it was 80,000won!!!! But then I saw the information desk ahead, so we just said to this man that we will just go that way first. To the information front girl, I ask her where is the Airport Bus located and if it still open? She said it was still open and it is located outside the airport, I also asked the subway or AREX, and she says that it is open until 11:30pm. Oh my we just encounter a man who wants to fool us to take an expensive cab going downtown, we were only two so it would be expensive for us to take a cab. That ajushi almost fooled us, but anyways it should not ruined our first night in Korea.

AREX

Incheon airport is kinda far from Seoul, it would take an hour is you ride a train or airport bus. We take the AREX (Airport Express) to downtown Seoul, we pay 3,800won for a single ticket for AREX commuter. You can also buy a T-Money worth 2,500won and charge or load an amount you prefer. T-money is like Octopus Card of Hong Kong or Ez Link Card of Singapore. 

After Seoul Station we ride the subway going to Myeong-dong Station, it cost 1,500won for a single journey ticket, the 500won can be refunded.

Namsan Guesthouse 3

Arriving almost midnight, we easily find Namsan Guesthouse just following their map directions, at Myeong-dong station you should go to exit 3, you will see 7-11 and walk towards Pacific Hotel by then you will see Namsan Guesthouse 2 signage, beside is Namsan 3. ^^ 

It was so cold outside!!! Walking almost midnight with a negative temperature! Beware for those who will take the AREX or subway, there is no elevator or escalator, so if you have a heavy luggage (like mine), it would be so hard to take it up or down the station, maybe you can just take the Airport Bus.

Reaching Namsan 3, the receptionist at that night was so nice and handsome ~kekekeke~ , he assist us very well. He will teach you how to open the main gate and the door, you can also get the unlimited ramen for breakfast, you can get your towel there at the reception (just bring the used one), and if you need anything don't hesitate to ask them, anything! ^^ 

Our room is 411, it was small but nice and clean! There is flat-screen TV, a heater, a hair dryer, shampoo, soap, towel, tissues. This was okay, as long as we can sleep well ^^

Now time to rest, we need more energy for tomorrow's adventure in South Korea!!! Aja-aja-aja!