We visited South Korea again after our first trip to Seoul in 2011. This time, my family and I chose Busan and Jeju-do as our cities of choice. This would mean we have covered the three main cities of South Korea.
Our trip is from 12th October to 20th October 2014, about nine days and eight nights. There will be a couple of posts of this trip and I hope the information/tips included in the blog posts are helpful to future visitors and that I had benefited so much from Google and other bloggers who have blogged about South Korea especially for these two cities alone.
So, the blog posts will be divided into 10 parts including this introductory post and I will not publish all posts at once because it is a tedious affair to recollect and rearrange my memories into words. But then again, as much as I loved South Korea, I hope my posts will bring you readers more confidence in visiting South Korea despite the language barrier.
Before any other posts, I'll tell you guys the preliminary stuffs that you need or maybe want to know about South Korea, prior to visiting of course.
(1) Three years ago South Korea is unlike now. South Koreans especially the present younger generations (80s onwards) are able to speak English or Mandarin. It may not be fluent but it is indeed helpful and thoughtful of them to at least try to converse in either of the major languages to help tourists or visitors alike. If you are visiting Busan, Japanese is one of the languages that the locals could speak too especially in major tourist spots and in the subway/bus.
(2) But, it is still a plus point to learn at least some basic Korean greetings, such as "anyeong haseyo" which is equivalent to "hello" and "kamsahamnida" as "thank you". It is also integral to know the following (in my personal opinion): -
(a) "hwajangsil odiseoyo?" - where is the toilet?
(b) "yigo eolma haeyo?" - how much is this?
(c) "chusaeyo" - please
(d) the numbers from 1 to 10 - both sino and korean versions (you may google this)
(e) "e-mo" - aunty instead of "ahjumma" which also mean the same thing
(f) "ajusshi" - uncle
(g) type of meat - "so gogi" is beef, "dwaeji gogi" is pork and "ddak gogi" is chicken
(h) "yae" or "nae" - yes
(i) "anyaeyo" - no
(j) "chogeum" - little
(h) download some Korean phrases or flashcard or dictionary or translator apps from Apple Store or Google Play before you go and make sure it is usable even offline.
(3) When creating an itinerary or doing research for any places to go including its mode of transport to get to the destination, it is always important to record the Korean names to the places of interest. Not everyone could comprehend what "Haeundae" is even though it is obvious to us but not to the locals unless it is written as 해운대. You get the idea. It is always helpful to have the places written in the language that you understand as well as comprehensible by the locals when you ask them for directions. Make that the addresses too, in Korean. Note the telephone numbers too because the taxi drivers tend to search for the location via telephone numbers.
(4) Even though South Korea has four seasons however each cities' flora "react" differently each season. October is early autumn and when I was Jeju-do, I got disappointed because the trees are still green. It was only after our driver guide told us that the season change is always a month later than Seoul that we got to know about this "slow season change". So, for a better autumn experience, visit from late October to November. Best time to visit South Korea is actually during spring (March/April) and autumn (October/November) when it is breezy and not overly cold or hot like summer.
(5) Best to coincide your trip with the local festivals in the city of choice. We missed the Busan International Film Festival (10-11th October 2014) by a day later and the Busan International Fireworks Festival (25th October) by a week earlier! Yup, both festivals are coined as BIFF!
(6) There are many airlines that fly to South Korea. We flew with AirAsia X (AA) from Kuala Lumpur to Busan and then with Jeju Air (JA) from Busan to Jeju. Both flights were good with minor turbulences. Tips: Book a year earlier with AA for the cheapest air ticket and book just five months earlier for JA for the lowest fair. The difference between the two are: -
(i) AA maybe cheap but you have to pay for meals, check-in baggage, seats and entertainment stuffs (if you want to catch some movies). Hand carry is strictly 7kg. You MUST allow at least three (3) hours in KLIA2 airport if you are flying in from other states to Kuala Lumpur to connect the flight to any destination. It takes at least 30 minutes walk from the security check point to your departure gate, both international and domestic departures. You have been warned, ya. Our AA tickets was RM515.00 return (booked in November 2013 to fly in October 2014), check-in baggage is RM79 for 20kg, seats are RM29 for standard seats and RM49 for quiet zone seats. Do book your meals online because you have pay about RM6.00 more if you purchase on board.
(ii) Jeju Air is cheap only if you book early. You can get return tickets from Busan to Jeju-do for under MYR400.00 and it comes with refreshments, 15kg check-in bag and 10kg hand carry bag. However, it is prone to delays between 10 minutes to an hour.
(7) Always use Tripadvisor as your starting point of booking or research. All the information you gathered from there are really helpful. I am really thankful to all previous travellers to South Korea for their effort in helping new visitors with their reviews and tips! There are also plenty of blogs to read from too via Google.
(8) Check the weather forecast first before you pack because you wouldn't want to underpack or overpack.
(9) Change your currency at home instead of in South Korea or even at the airport because the rates are not as good as the money changers at home.
(10) If you are looking to shop, do a shopping list and if you are visiting South Korea for more than a week, then get a tourist EG simcard or their Olleh wifi egg. Google have the full details.
The trip this time was better than three years ago in Seoul because I took the effort to learn the language this year with the help of some Korean language apps that I downloaded from Google Play and some websites online. It is not difficult to read Korean once you have mastered their alphabets. I spent about three months (not everyday in the three months, on and off whenever I felt like it or have the mood or free time to learn it at my own leisure) before the trip to understand the consonants, vowels and their alphabets. When I was in Jeju-do, the lady receptionist at the hostel we stayed at wrote some places in Korean and she asked if I know how to read it. I said yes but I wouldn't know what it means. She told me it doesn't matter as long as it makes sense to whoever who heard or read it. Also, Busan and Jeju-do are very popular with Japanese and Chinese tourists and since I can speak and understand Mandarin, so this was an added bonus.
A good research is also important too in terms of understanding the Korean culture, language, manners and how their public transportation works. Then, you are ready to go!
So, my top 10 sums up just the basics and the internet has even more information to read up if you have the time and enthusiasm. Feel free to ask me any questions at the comment box about this post.
Links to all posts related to this trip: -
Introduction (this post)
Busan / Jeju island Part 1
Jeju island Part 2
Jeju island Part 3
Jeju island Part 4
Jeju island / Busan Part 5
Busan Part 6
Busan Part 7
Busan Part 8
Busan & Shopping Haul Part 9
(4) Even though South Korea has four seasons however each cities' flora "react" differently each season. October is early autumn and when I was Jeju-do, I got disappointed because the trees are still green. It was only after our driver guide told us that the season change is always a month later than Seoul that we got to know about this "slow season change". So, for a better autumn experience, visit from late October to November. Best time to visit South Korea is actually during spring (March/April) and autumn (October/November) when it is breezy and not overly cold or hot like summer.
(5) Best to coincide your trip with the local festivals in the city of choice. We missed the Busan International Film Festival (10-11th October 2014) by a day later and the Busan International Fireworks Festival (25th October) by a week earlier! Yup, both festivals are coined as BIFF!
(6) There are many airlines that fly to South Korea. We flew with AirAsia X (AA) from Kuala Lumpur to Busan and then with Jeju Air (JA) from Busan to Jeju. Both flights were good with minor turbulences. Tips: Book a year earlier with AA for the cheapest air ticket and book just five months earlier for JA for the lowest fair. The difference between the two are: -
(i) AA maybe cheap but you have to pay for meals, check-in baggage, seats and entertainment stuffs (if you want to catch some movies). Hand carry is strictly 7kg. You MUST allow at least three (3) hours in KLIA2 airport if you are flying in from other states to Kuala Lumpur to connect the flight to any destination. It takes at least 30 minutes walk from the security check point to your departure gate, both international and domestic departures. You have been warned, ya. Our AA tickets was RM515.00 return (booked in November 2013 to fly in October 2014), check-in baggage is RM79 for 20kg, seats are RM29 for standard seats and RM49 for quiet zone seats. Do book your meals online because you have pay about RM6.00 more if you purchase on board.
(ii) Jeju Air is cheap only if you book early. You can get return tickets from Busan to Jeju-do for under MYR400.00 and it comes with refreshments, 15kg check-in bag and 10kg hand carry bag. However, it is prone to delays between 10 minutes to an hour.
(7) Always use Tripadvisor as your starting point of booking or research. All the information you gathered from there are really helpful. I am really thankful to all previous travellers to South Korea for their effort in helping new visitors with their reviews and tips! There are also plenty of blogs to read from too via Google.
(8) Check the weather forecast first before you pack because you wouldn't want to underpack or overpack.
(9) Change your currency at home instead of in South Korea or even at the airport because the rates are not as good as the money changers at home.
(10) If you are looking to shop, do a shopping list and if you are visiting South Korea for more than a week, then get a tourist EG simcard or their Olleh wifi egg. Google have the full details.
The trip this time was better than three years ago in Seoul because I took the effort to learn the language this year with the help of some Korean language apps that I downloaded from Google Play and some websites online. It is not difficult to read Korean once you have mastered their alphabets. I spent about three months (not everyday in the three months, on and off whenever I felt like it or have the mood or free time to learn it at my own leisure) before the trip to understand the consonants, vowels and their alphabets. When I was in Jeju-do, the lady receptionist at the hostel we stayed at wrote some places in Korean and she asked if I know how to read it. I said yes but I wouldn't know what it means. She told me it doesn't matter as long as it makes sense to whoever who heard or read it. Also, Busan and Jeju-do are very popular with Japanese and Chinese tourists and since I can speak and understand Mandarin, so this was an added bonus.
A good research is also important too in terms of understanding the Korean culture, language, manners and how their public transportation works. Then, you are ready to go!
So, my top 10 sums up just the basics and the internet has even more information to read up if you have the time and enthusiasm. Feel free to ask me any questions at the comment box about this post.
Links to all posts related to this trip: -
Introduction (this post)
Busan / Jeju island Part 1
Jeju island Part 2
Jeju island Part 3
Jeju island Part 4
Jeju island / Busan Part 5
Busan Part 6
Busan Part 7
Busan Part 8
Busan & Shopping Haul Part 9
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