South Korea: Seoul: Itinerary for First-time Visitors and Beyond

Welcome traveler!  From my learning and experience I hope the tips and guides below will also help you plan and enjoy your upcoming travel in South Korea!

Go to the following topics:
How to Apply for Visa: Guide and Tips for South Korea Trip
Rules in South Korea Embassy (Taguig, Philippines)
When is the best time to go in Seoul in terms of weather?
How to find cheap flights to Incheon (Seoul) and Busan
Encounter with the Immigration Officer
Airport Transfer: What to do on late arrivals or delayed flights?
Airport Transfer: How to reach Incheon Airport with early flights?
What transportation card to use?

Accommodation: Where to stay in Seoul?
Itinerary: Places to go, Things to see, What to do in Seoul?

Budget Travel: How much does it cost to travel to South Korea
Where and how to get Korean Won?

Where are the markets and where can I go shopping?
What application or interactive map to use for locating a place and getting directions in Seoul?
How hard it is for someone who doesn't speak Korean to make their way around the country?
More Tips on traveling around the city
How to stay connected while in Seoul?
Where to get discount coupons in Korea?

More Sample Itineraries for South Korea [for frequent flyers]

2019 Spring Denmark: Where to go around Copenhagen?

Where to go around Copenhagen?

Rosenborg Castle
Very accessible in city central.  Buy your tickets online if you want to skip the line. Also, if you don't want to leave your bag on the lockers, ensure to bring a very small bag only.

Denmark: Copenhagen: Naerum - Living Suites

Living Suites
Address: Rundforbivej 295, 2850 Nærum, Denmark
Link: http://www.livingsuites.dk/
Reviews in Trip Advisor

2019 May: Walking Around Malmo, Sweden

Coming from Lund (Zone 240) to Malmo (Zone 250), I spent 53 SEK (~290 PHP) to travel between 5 zones.  I do not have the transportation card for Sweden, thus I bought this one from the machine.
Tip: This machine, do not give change, so better have enough coins.  Also, consider sitting on free area and not the reserved or silent carriages.

Walking around Malmo

2019 Spring: Sweden: Where to go in Lund

Sweden: Where to go in Lund

Inspired by the recent trip from Alvin Elchico in Europe, I have included Lund on my short trip to Sweden.  Lund is more of the young vibe since most of the population are students.  However, this does not mean that there are more night life.  As the night light stay, most of the shops and restaurants shuts early.

2019 May: Germany: Well spent hours in Hamburg

Itinerary

2019 April: A Day in Berlin, Germany

Itinerary

Arriving by bus from Copenhagen, we had a full day to spend in Berlin.

2019 April: Japan: Visit to Takayama and Shirakawa Village

We booked at Klook, but try if you can get it on a lower price at Meitetsu Kanko website.

On the day of your travel, go to Meitetsu Bus Center 4F to get your tour sticker and travel guide documents.  The office opens at 7:10am, stay nearby the door because there area a lot of tourists who will be waiting outside.  The bus was expected to arrive at 8:10am in Gates 27 and 28. But because the earlier bus departures have problems of waiting for their guests, expect that your own departure time will be affected as well.

2019: Japan: Nagoya: Vessel Inn Sakae Ekimae

Vessel Inn Sakae Ekimae ベッセルイン栄駅前
3-14-13 Nishiki, Naka, Sakae, Nagoya, Japan 460-0003
名古屋市中区錦3-14-13, 栄, 名古屋, 日本 460-0003
Link: https://www.vessel-hotel.jp/inn/sakae/
Price: Expensive triple room during sakura festival (7073php/night)

Location: Accessible from Sakae Station (Exit 1 and 2 for stairs and Exit 8 for elevator or escalator.  For food the closest is getting onigiri at 7/11 in the building grounds.  There’s also Coco Ichibanya on the next building.  There are other restaurants and shops in Central Underground Market. My favorite would be doing your omiyage shopping in Don Quijote above the Sakae station.

Japan: 6 Days Spring Itinerary in Nagoya

Sakura in Nagoya
Forecast showed that full bloom is on the last week of March, but don’t always trust the forecast.  It’s been cloudy and raining in few days of our stay, and because of less heat that the buds did not open and there are more still more buds than blooming flowers.

Gladly, we had our full experience in Tsuruma Park on our last day in April 01.


Health Alert
I already have asthma prior on going to Nagoya and I keep on coughing and had deep breathes all day long.  Le me share with you, there exists pollen allergies or known as “hay fever” that is wide spread during spring season or February to April in Japan.

It is advisable to wear eye glasses and face masks when enjoying the nature, trees and blooming flowers during this season.


Accommodation: Where to stay in Nagoya?
Vessel Inn Sakae Ekimae ベッセルイン栄駅前
3-14-13 Nishiki, Naka, Sakae, Nagoya, Japan 460-0003
名古屋市中区錦3-14-13, 栄, 名古屋, 日本 460-0003
Read my Hotel Review

Food: Where to eat in Nagoya?

Flavors of Nagoya - Food Review

Itinerary: Places to go, Things to see, What to do in Nagoya?

2018 Dec: Taiwan: Taipei: Huashan 1914 Creative Park

Huanshan 1914 Creative Park is quiet huge. Back then I remember that the place was a bit crowded because multiple exhibits and events are taking place. The place will most likely appeal to the young ones and young at heart. Shops selling various crafts and trinkets are all over the place. You won't get hungry here as there are plenty of cafes and restaurants are spread across the venue. In deed a place where creative juices and ideas are overflowing.

2018 Dec: Taiwan: Taipei: Holy Family Church

Church

2018 Dec: Taiwan: Taichung: Houli Blossom Pavilion

Houli Blossom Pavilion is located in Houli Horse Ranch, another venue of Taichung World Flora Exposition. The expo begun last Nov 3, 2018 and will run until Apr 24, 2019. Refer here - https://2018floraexpo.tw/En/

Due to public's interest in the flower expo, the place gets too crowded. We arrived at nearly lunch time, fall in line for 30 minutes before stepping into the pavilion. Inside its huge but due to the large crowd one will have a hard time looking at the flower displays. You have to really allot time when visiting this place, and roam at your own pace. To get descent photos, bring a lot of patience and wait for a while until the crowd disperse a bit. Good thing I got some pics worthy of posting here.

2018 Dec: Taiwan: Taichung: Houli Forest

Houli Forest

Houli is one of the venues for Taichung World Flora Exposition that started running from Nov 3, 2018 to Apr 24, 2019. We particularly went to Forest Park and enjoyed the scenery created by different participating countries.

Taichung World Flora Expo Highlight: "The Sound of Blooming" 

2018 Dec: Taiwan: Taichung: Zhongshe Flower Market

Zhongshe Flower Market
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