Hello
I just did a 3.5 week trip to Korea with the wife + 2 adult children here are my observations, tips insights similar to what I did previously when i went to
Vietnam. Korea is a country you need to plan to have a good time. I went to Seoul and Busan.
Hotels
- Hotels don't give complimentary things.
- Check in requires passport no bond required,
- Check in starts after 3pm check out is mostly 11 or 12
- We stayed in different hotels to the kids to see what it was like.
Money
- Used Wise, Up, HSBC. Carried 100aud ~ in KRW but never used it
- All shops even markets accept card
- Scams are not big in Korea, there is a scam hotline to dob in a seller who overcharges
- Woori bank was the only bank that accepted my Wise card.
Mobile/SimCard/Mobile Apps
- A must in Korea, heaps of data is required. I got the unlimited data package with Travel Kwon ozbargin deal. I used nearly 50gb.
- Naver Map is a must (Google map equivilant)
- Papago, for translation
Transportation
- Subway or bus a travel card is required. You can buy the travel card from any convenience store. Once you get out of immigration head over to the CU store and buy a travel card 5000won. The ticketing refill machine takes only cash so if you don't have cash just convert 100-200aud at the airport currency exchange place. Do this otherwise the walk to the subway is a long way back to the nearest FX exchange place. 60 aud dollars lasted me the whole trip in Korea.
- Taxi they drive like mad over there no regards to random U-turns, parking anywhere speeding. Its normal so if your uber/ taxi go crazy its normal 5 stars.
- If you are taking bullet train make sure you reserve your ticket online from the official site note the 3rd party reseller. The prices are half of the reseller. Economy is enough. Buy kimbap and your good to go for a 3hr train ride
Suitcases/ Clothes
- Bring nothing, clothes are like dirt cheap over there. Bought 10 basic cotton shirts for 25 dollars.
- Korea is known for their fashion. Daughter's luggage had to go into mine as she brought too much clothes..
- Washing clothes look up "코인세탁" (coin saetak) very good washing 60mins and clothes were done
Food
- I prefer eating at the local random spots. I avoided the touristy hot spots. Kids didn't they regretted not following us after 2 day in.
- BHC is a must try chicken place
- I didnt get sick, Filtered water everywhere,
- Limited food options if you cant eat pork, seafood or Halal
Language
- No issues barrier, used papago, please and thank you goes a long way with a bow of the head
- Some restaurants don't have English menu. One restaurant we went to we didn't know what to order, so i asked the lady to just order what is best and for 80 dollars…… my god it was insane, sashimi platter, moving squid, fried seafood, tofu soup grilled flounder.
Gifts/Things to buy
- Face products, daughter and wife went overboard. Me and the son had to carry our clothes in our carry on.
- Ginseng is a popular to buy.
- HBAF tasty as almonds
- Dried squid in Busan
Overall
Good country to visit, I would do it again was 3 weeks enough. Maybe 4 weeks. Again eat away from touristy spots. Korea is a country you need to plan well to have a good time. Alot of our friends and workmates say Korea was boring. We had different plan compared to the kids. The kids after day 3 decided to just join us as their things they wanted to do was tourist traps which was annoying. Korea is known for medical tourism as well. Everywhere I saw one too many private clinics. Doctors over their get driven in Rolls Royce
Where to next year?