Seoul, South Korea + Add a trip

Renting Mobile

Only on Arrivals Gate F11 for GSM phones. 3G phones may work in S. Korea depending in your mobile operator's ramong contract

Renting a mobile phone

Various options available in the Arrivals hall. I normally use Skype Roaming www.skyperoaming.com who are located between Gates 6 and 7, and 10 and 11.

After the first use, you get a discount card as well for subsequent uses. Typical phone they give is a 3G Samsung Anycall. Call and rental charges are both reasonable, and you get free SMS within Korea and free incoming.

Travelling to the city

The bus service is the most economical. Takes you to most major hotels in Seoul city, as well as to the greater Seoul area including Songdo and Incheon cities. The KAL Limousine bus costs more than the standard buses, but is generally a bit more comfortable.

Bus ticket offices located in the Arrivals hall. On some buses you can pay the driver direct (in local currency).

Apkujung-Dong and Chungdam-dong is for facier restaurants, shops, etc

Lots of celebrities hang out here. Latest trends can be seen here. Could be little pricey, but fun to hang out in the area.

The Ritz-Carlton

If you're looking for something classy and relaxing, stay at The Ritz-Carlton in Seoul. We paid only $150 a night and that was split among 2 of us. The concierge was fantastic and all employees spoke English. Some even spoke Japanese!

My personal favourite is Cheongye Stream. It starts around Gwanghwamun (close to the subway) and Jongno area and expands over the north part of Seoul. Really beautiful at night.

I like to hang out at Daehakno, University road. There are a lot of crazy restaurants and performance theaters. Just come here to know beatiful Daehakno. http://english.visitseoul.net/visit2007en/activities/selfexplorationtour/selfexplorationtour.jsp?cid=35&sid=1862

Kilsangsa Temple is a picturesque Buddhist temple in the leafy, posh neighborhood of Seongbuk-dong (this neighborhood above the Blue Palace is a favorite of diplomats and expats). It is frequented by devout Buddhists and the streets get jampacked with cars during festivals. Still, this makes for a nice side trip after visiting Gyeongbuk palace and/or Samcheong-dong area. The monks and volunteers are generally tolerant of visitors who poke their cameras inside the temple buildings (there are numerous prayer sessions and chanting during the day). Taxis know where there is but no public buses ply this road.

This is Great. you pay to take a cable car, then you pay to go up into the tower, which 9 times out of 10 there's a hazy view over seoul due to smog and fact that seoul is humid the majority of the time. if you've been to a tower before, it's absolutely nothing special. if you're going to be in seoul for a long time, it might be worth it in the winter, but for short periods of travel, especially in the summer, i strongly recommend that you must pass on this one. FYI:http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=260067

if you can avoid the HUNDREDS of people, samcheong dong is the best area but if you can, avoid on weekends.

It's worth popping into this gallery, which is divided into three sections: on two floors in the building south of the main theatre and in the subway station behind. It exhibits changing modern art shows.

http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=735715

To see Cheongwadae, visitors must join a tour (Korean language only; passports required), which is free and lasts 80 minutes, but does not venture inside any important buildings and only visits the palatial grounds and Chilgung - small locked shrines that contain the spirit tablets of seven royal concubines whose sons became kings during the Joseon dynasty.

Tour times vary and you must pre-book online and pick up your tickets at the ticket booth (; 09:00 - 15:00 tour days) in Gyeongbokgung. A tour bus takes you the short distance from the car park to Cheongwadae.

http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=261610

National Palace Museum of Korea is a musuem in Jongno District, Seoul. It was opened in 1908 and reopened in Gyeongbok Palace in 2005. It has royal relics of Joseon Dynasty. It also has 3 National Treasures of Korea. It is not opened every Monday.

http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=259914

Perhaps the biggest war museum in the world, anybody who wants to know about the history of the Korean War would be well advised to visit here. Visitors can enjoy two exhibition areas-one indoors and the other outdoors. With all the different displays to see, you will almost feel like you had experienced the war yourself. It is also a good place to rest and to absorb some Korean culture. Open daily 9:30am.

http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/OO/OO_EN_13_4_2.jsp?cid=347773

Museum of Korean Buddhist Art consists of the temple museums in Wonseo-dong and Changsin-dong, in Jongro-gu in Seoul. They are specialized Buddhist art museums with about 6,000 relics related to Buddhism including statues, paintings, ceramics, and folk crafts.

http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=562515

There you'll find seven jail cells, a historical exhibition hall, an execution room, watchtowers and a basement jail cell where Yu Gwn Sun an historic figure during the independence movement died.

http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=268143

lots of art galleries, and stores that sells traditional souvenir. almost every tourist visit here, so always crowded with much more foreigners than koreans.

A lovely little cafe that serves nice coffee, good muffins and has a wonderful set of great girts. Staplework to mugs and nice little things that are made in 'Korea, Earth', as they call it. Lovely place to dug out of the crazyness of the rest of the place for half an hour or so!