Late last year, my friend and I had a chance to travel
to South Korea. This was my first time
in Seoul, my first out of the country in 7 years and my first time to travel
for leisure without my family. And since
we will be traveling on our own, the first thing I did immediately after
purchasing plane tickets is to list down possible itineraries.
With all the excitement, I couldn't make up
my mind on where to go first. I had a
number of tourist spots in South Korea in my list including the palaces and
film locations of Korean dramas like Full House, Secret Garden, Winter Sonata, He’s Beautiful and Love Rain. But we only had a few days to visit all these
places so the problem is how to fit these in our tight schedule. Of course, in spite all your preparations and anticipation for months, some things will not go according to
plan. But you shouldn't be sad about
it. You should always welcome such
possibilities.
And based on my
experience, I would like to share some things you should know if you will be
traveling on your own - the tourism information booth, transportation card
and South Korea’s subway system.
Korean Won
Once your plane landed on the Incheon
International Airport, you will be transferred via shuttle train to the main area to claim your baggage. When you leave the arrival area, be sure
first to exchange your money with Korean won.
There is bank inside the arrival lounge but once you exit and enter the
airport lobby, you will find more banks.
It’s up to you to check which bank has a cheaper exchange rate.
Tourist Information Booth
Second, as a tourist, it is best to visit the tourist
information booth where you can get some brochures of tourist destinations in
South Korea. You should not forget to
get a copy of the 1330 brochure because aside from the fact that it is a
hotline for traveler the brochure has the complete railway map you need to
go around South Korea particularly in Seoul.
There is also a subway map in the Seoul map for tourists available at
the tourism information booth but it is incomplete. I can guarantee that the best one is the
subway map included in the 1330 brochure.
Tmoney
Third, you need to buy a transport card called
Tmoney. This is like the Philippines’
MRT card but way much better for it can be used in various means of
transportation like train, cabs and buses.
It can also be used as money in purchasing some items in selected
stores. It is worth 2500 won and can be
reloaded in any convenient stores such as 7-11, Family Mart and GS25. It is recommended to load your Tmoney card
with 20,000 won to let you reach your destination hassle-free on your first day.
Now, it's time to go around and have fun! Just don't forget to bring your passport with you wherever you go :)
