Accommodation: Where to stay in Seoul?
Cocoon Stay Hongdae Guesthouse 코쿤 스테이 홍대 게스트하우스
34-4, Yanghwa-ro 18an-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Food Review
Itinerary: Places to go, Things to see, Points of Interest, What to do in Seoul in 5 days?
Travel Date: Nov 08 - 13, 2017
Travel Type: Fusion of autumn experience on parks and universities. Plus, reminiscing the scenes on k-drama filming location sites. And visiting cafes featured in dramas, visited by idols and themed cafes in Seoul.
Day
|
Places to see
|
Food and Restaurants
|
Where to Sleep
|
1
|
World Cup Park [Autumn/Bong Soo]
Seoul Forest Station [Autumn/K2/Temperature] Konkuk University [Autumn/Goblin] Underground Market (Seoul Bus Terminal) | ||
2
|
W Hand Steak [Battle Trip]
Yeoksam: Arriate [Not a Robot]
|
Cocoon Guest House
| |
3
|
Digital Media [Best Punch/Noona]
Samcheong-dong [Autumn/Goblin]
Choongang High School [Goblin] Sungkyunkwan University [Autumn] Seoullo 7017 [Fight My Way/Variety] Cheonggyecheon Stream Lanterns |
Poop Pastry Insadong
Miss Lee Café [Yonghwa] Tea House White Birch Story [Goblin] Pork BBQ (Sookmyung) [Bong Soo] |
Cocoon Guest House
|
4
|
Seoul Sky Observatory [Temperature]
Deoksugung Observatory [Autumn] Seoul Museum of Art [Bok Joo] Yakhyeon Church [K2] |
Cocoon Guest House
| |
5
|
Cocoon Guest House
|
Itinerary Review
- In an article, drinking coffee or tea has been a statement in the city. We can't deny the fact that these shops as seen in most dramas has become popular and visited by many. Although, most are expensive we can't skip not to try and taste the sight of these variety of drinks. Moreover, we just need to complement the spending by also trying the cheaper treats from convenience stores or lovely snacks from street food carts.
- Bukhansan will give you a challenging hike but can lead you to the top when right starting point has been chosen.
- To set off the demanding hike and walking in the city, you can find book cafes or spa to spend sometime for resting.
- Time wasted in looking for popular areas that were already closed like Discovery Taste (Daeuhung Station), Coffee Comma (Hongik), Baklava (Itaewon). Make sure to double and triple check on the site and wonder if the latest tags on instagram photos has been over for months rather than days.
- Give Samcheong-dong more time to experience traditional tea houses, museums and gallery.
- Do not skip university parks for autumn experience and university museum for historical revelations.
- More than walking on a broad day light, enjoy also the night views of city lights (Seoullo 7017).
- Include visiting one of the observatories for the bird's eye view of the city.
- Be cautious of your time. Although I was already in same city as the airport, it still took me more than 90 minutes to reach the airport from Bupyeong area. I arrived 2 hours before my boarding, so it means I have no more time to play around the airport, no more window shopping in duty free shops and was not able to have a decent bite at the airport restaurants. It was all walking and queuing for the last 2 hours (check-in, immigration, sky train, and on-the-go cafe shop). Be careful with the x-ray (the guards are not so welcoming and looks to be stressed with their work), unpack your laptop on the tray, separate your bag or shoes on a tray. Then if traveling during the cold season, place your jacket on a separate tray.
- It's not just visiting a place that was previously a filming location, but making each moment enjoyable as you long for the wonderfall (not just wonderful) autumn place, the chilly weather and something to feed your wanderlust.
2017 Autumn Forecast Seoul
There are cases that the KTO website deletes the previous forecast of fall foliage in the country. Thus, re-posting the image (cr: kweather)
Expense Report: The Budget Travel Guide
The following expense report is computed with 0.045 conversion rate.
Manila - Incheon (Nov 08-13, 2017)
|
KRW
|
PHP (0.045)
|
Jeju Air (MNL - ICN) bought last 2017/01/04
|
71,667
|
3,225
|
Cocoon Guest House, Hongdae (4 nights)
|
117,089
|
5,269
|
Thursday
| ||
top-up value for Tmoney
|
20,000
|
900
|
CU Acacia Honey water (hot) 1300, triangle gimbap 1000
|
2,300
|
104
|
CU hot tea and triangle gimbap
|
2,500
|
113
|
jacket (Undeground Market Bus Terminal)
|
9,000
|
405
|
Arriate (citon tea, cake, macaroon)
|
10,800
|
486
|
triangle gimbap
|
2,000
|
90
|
Daily Total
|
46,600
|
2,097
|
Friday
| ||
Snacks
|
2,000
|
90
|
taxi to Ui
|
4,100
|
185
|
W Hand Steak (sirloin and lemonade)
|
8,900
|
401
|
Picture Book (hot tea)
|
9,200
|
414
|
spicy ramyeon (samyang), rice triangle
|
2,050
|
92
|
heat packs (3900)
|
3,900
|
176
|
lotte nude (1200) cheese, tea (3000)
|
4,200
|
189
|
Etude contour and highlight (2)
|
24,000
|
1,080
|
top-up for Tmoney
|
5,000
|
225
|
Daily Total
|
63,350
|
2,851
|
Saturday
| ||
Daiso (heat pack 2pcs for 1,000krw; designed tapes)
|
2,000
|
90
|
Brunch at Ms Lee (dosirak)
|
6,500
|
293
|
Tea House White Birch Story (tea, cookie)
|
8,000
|
360
|
postcard in bukchon area
|
1,000
|
45
|
pork samgyeopsal (Sookmyung Stn)
|
24,000
|
1,080
|
Manjoo pastries (cream filled bread)
|
3,000
|
135
|
top-up for Tmoney
|
10,000
|
450
|
Daily Total
|
54,500
|
2,453
|
Sunday
| ||
Alver (tea, tiramisu)
|
13,000
|
585
|
Seoul Sky Observatory
|
27,000
|
1,215
|
postcards and souvenir
|
10,000
|
450
|
Blute (tea)
|
8,000
|
360
|
pork soup and red bean
|
13,000
|
585
|
flavored tea
|
2,500
|
113
|
triangle gimbap
|
1,500
|
68
|
Daily Total
|
75,000
|
3,375
|
Monday
| ||
Manjoo pastries
|
2,000
|
90
|
Bupyeong Station: Luggage Locker
|
3,000
|
135
|
Stamps for postcards across IRL, US, AU, PH)
|
590
|
27
|
tea, cheese stick, eggs, triangle gimbap
|
5,300
|
239
|
Café Valor: Fruit Soda
|
9,000
|
405
|
Innisfree (cream)
|
28,000
|
1,260
|
Paris Baguette pastries
|
9,900
|
446
|
Daily Total
|
55,790
|
2,511
|
In the City Expense (excluding flight and accommodation) - Total
|
297,240
|
13,376
|
Food (mix expensive coffee & tea with triangle gimbap)
|
144,650
|
6,509
|
Transportation (set the sequence of destinations vs subway)
|
45,190
|
2,034
|
Shopping (limit your shopping expenditure)
|
80,400
|
3,618
|
Attraction (mix expensive entrance fee with free attractions)
|
27,000
|
1,215
|
All-in Expense (including flight and accommodation) - Total
|
485,996
|
21,870
|
Accommodation (book early to get chances on private rooms)
|
117,089
|
5,269
|
Food
|
144,650
|
6,509
|
Transportation
|
116,857
|
5,259
|
Shopping
|
80,400
|
3,618
|
Attraction
|
27,000
|
1,215
|
Returning Gifts (Omiyage or Pasalubong)
- Almonds/nuts (famous is the honey butter flavored). But you can also try the wasabi and yogurt
- Tea or coffee
- Compare local and KR prices for Etude. Buy something from Innisfree.
This time, I bought postcards from Seoul Sky Tower, wrote notes while in Blute, drew the autumn trees while in Hongdae and sent them out from the post office at Inha University, Incheon.
I got free postcard from Konkuk University and bought one from a store in front of Choong Ang High School.
Other Itineraries
For my further sample itinerary, expense, trip reports, travel blog and PDF guides, please visit links below:
- South Korea: Seoul: Itinerary for First-time Visitors v2011 | PDF
- South Korea: Itinerary for 2 days in Jeju & 3 days in Seoul v 2011
- South Korea: Itinerary for 3 days in Seoul, Chasing the Winter Snow v 2014 | PDF
- South Korea: Autumn Itinerary for 4 days in Seoul (University Hopping) v 2014|PDF
- South Korea: 2 weeks Itinerary for Southern Provinces v 2016
- Long Layover in Incheon Airport: Quick Seoulful Escape
- South Korea: Autumn Itinerary for 4 days in Seoul v Nov 2016 | PDF
- South Korea: K-Pop Itinerary for 8 days in Seoul v Oct 2017
- South Korea: Autumn Itinerary for 5 days in Seoul v Nov 2017 | PDF
- South Korea: Itinerary for 3 days in Busan | PDF
*Remember you still need to decide for yourself based upon your attraction and fascination over a place or activity. As well as to consider the pace you want to have while traveling. Planning too many targets on a day will either exhaust you rather than give you peace and joy on the culture and tradition.
Create your own road, rather than taking someone else's path.
It can only be a road when one passes it.
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