Seoul Trip at RM3,200 + Must Visit Places

Sylvia W
Sep 24, 2017
4 min read

Hi everyone! How are you all doing? Its been a long time since I blogged, but I'm back. Today, I'm going to share some must visit places in Seoul. I was there in October 2016 during autumn. To those who are visiting soon, have fun!

Tips

To get around Seoul cheap and quick, use the subway which will get you to most places. Google Maps will tell you how to get from point A to B including which train number to take and exactly at which exit to exit from.
To maximize your travel time, use Google Maps to check out the location of the places you plan to visit. Then, plan your itinerary so that you are visiting places that are nearby each other in the same day.
Rent a pocket wifi. You can use it to search for location of places, update social media, whatsapp call back to your family/friends, etc. I rented mine from Travel Recommends for only RM116 for 9 days. The pocket wifi is also available for other countries like Japan, Thailand, USA, Australia, etc.
Check the weather forecast before you go. Since Seoul experiences 4 seasons in a year, it is best to check the weather forecast about 1 week before your flight so that you know what clothes to pack.
Take note of the opening/closing days and time of places you want to visit. You do not want to travel 1 hour to visit a place only to find out it is closed for that day.
For cheaper accommodation compared to hotels, use Airbnb to search for places to stay. I stayed here: Jamsil Comestay for only RM539 per person for 8 nights.

Budget (9 days, 8 nights)

Where to visit

1. Nami Island + Gangchon Rail Bike + Garden of Morning Calm

For those of you who love nature and the outdoors, these 3 places are a must visit. Located about 2 hours from Seoul city centre, these attractions will awe you with it's beautiful scenery. A nice distraction from the hustle and bustle of Seoul, get lost in the tranquil Nami Island and admire various flowers at Garden of Morning Calm. For detailed info: http://bit.ly/2eBUSRj

Winter Sonata Statue at Nami Island

Flowers in bloom at Garden of Morning Calm

Beautiful scenery at Gangchon Rail Bike

2. Line Store

For all things cute and cuddly, a visit to LINE Store is a must! In case you didn't know, LINE is a messaging app that features cute characters such as a bear, rabbit and duck. The Line Store sells various items featuring the cute characters such as plush toys, hairbands, t-shirts, phone cases, etc. Besides that, you can even take pictures with giant plush toys of the LINE characters and there is a cafe serving themed food/drinks. There are many LINE stores in Seoul but the 3 main ones are at Myeongdong, Itaewon and Garosugil. I would suggest going to the store in Itaewon or Garosugil as it is not as crowded as the one in Myeongdong.

At Line Store, Itaewon

With Brown inside his house

Cony Coin Purse

Ice-Cream at Line Store, Myeongdong

3. Stylenanda Pink Hotel @ Myeongdong

Stylenanda is a popular Korean fashion and makeup brand. They have stores in many locations across Korea but in my opinion, this particular store at Myeongdong is the most beautiful. The store is 6 stories high and is modelled after an actual "hotel" selling Stylenanda makeup and clothes. There is even a cafe and gorgeous rooftop chillout area where you can go on an Instagram frenzy.

Makeup Buffet? Yes, please!

Rooftop chillout area, Stylenanda @ Myeongdong

4. Lotte Mart @ Seoul Station Branch (use subway & stop at Seoul Station (Line 1, 4), walk towards Exit 1)

Lotte Mart is food heaven. Many tourists come here to get various korean snacks and drinks to bring back to their home countries. I managed to get many items that are hard to find or not available in Malaysia. Below are recommendations straight from my satisfied belly! For more suggestions on what to buy at Lotte Mart, check out Malaysian Flavours blog .

Butter Caramel Pringles! So, so addictive

Died and gone to Brownies Heaven

Citrusy tea served hot or cold. So refreshing

5. Express Bus Terminal Underground Shopping (use subway & stop at Express Bus Terminal Station (Line 3, 7, 9), walk towards Exit 8)

Most clothing in Korea are expensive! For example, a simple blouse can cost RM100 & above at shopping malls. Therefore, if you want to look like a korean fashionista on a budget, head to their various underground shopping places or shop at university towns like Ewha and Hongdae. My personal favourite though has got to be Express Bus Terminal Underground Shopping. With over hundreds of shops, be prepared to shop till you drop. The items offered are mostly women's clothing, shoes, bags, make-up with some men's fashion and home decor items thrown in. Clothing prices start at an awesome RM38.

Black Slip Dress from Express Bus Terminal Underground Shopping @ RM38

Red top from Express Bus Terminal Underground Shopping @ RM38

6. GS25

Food in Seoul is quite expensive with a meal costing RM25 and above. So for those of you on a budget, GS25 convenience store is a good place to get some of your meals. There are so many food/drink items sold here that you can eat in-store or on-the-go and prices are much cheaper.

Minion Coffee (Left), Caramel Iced Latte (Right) both from GS25

Lunch Box from GS25 - about RM16

7. Buckhon Hanok Village & Gyeongbokgung Palace

For culture/history buffs, these two places are a must visit when in Seoul. Buckhon Hanok Village is a traditional village in Seoul dating back to the 14th century. Meanwhile, the Gyeongbokgung Palace was the main royal palace of the Joseon Dynasty. While visiting these two tourist attractions, you can rent a Hanbok (traditional Korean dress) to complete the experience. Full blog post here: http://bit.ly/2fZlRp7

A 'hanok' (traditional Korean house) at Buckhon Hanok Village

At Gyeongbokgung Palace wearing a Hanbok

8. Grevin Wax Museum, Seoul

Grevin Museum contains wax figures of over 80 popular personalities such as Kim Soo-Hyun, Lee Min Ho, Brad Pitt, Barack Obama and more. Expect to spend about 2-3 hours at the Grevin taking pictures with your favorite idols. More pictures in my full blog post here: http://bit.ly/2g2gqUM