#babyyypandatravel's KOREA TIPS!

Hiiii guys! This post is going to be the final post for my Korea trip post series. I shared about my itinerary, accommodation + Seoul tour, my Korea haul and concert experience on my previous posts! Don't be sad okay, I will share more in the future if I have the chance! For my previous trip, I did share some tips on my last post, you may refer to this post - 1st Korea Trip's tips !

Since this is my 2nd time I went to Korea, I found out some tips that I want to share with you guys. I will mention it 1 by 1 for a better reference. Let's start hehe

1. Money tips

- it's better to change little more money than your planning just in case if you have any emergency

- you may divide your money to avoid overspend  - set an amount (example: food 150,000 won)

2. Accommodation

- I always go with Airbnb because it's convenient and easy

- read the T&C and the reviews before make any booking
- check the location of the stay - is it near to the places you want to go? (example: hongdae and gangnam is quite a distance)

3. Transportation 

- as I mentioned before, I used T-money because it can be used on subway, buses and taxi

- top up an amount first (example: 50,000 won) then top up again if needed

- each time on subway is 1,350 won. *10-40km: add 100won after 5km / Beyond 40km: 100won for every 10km

4. Foods

- their foods are mostly big portion which can be shared 2-3 pax (according to food portion, some might really enough for 1 pax)

5. Shopping

- some shop charge for plastics bag (for 10-20 won) and if you need receipt, ask them for it

- I'm not sure about others shop but for cosmetics,if you spend above 30,000 for tax refund

- ask them for tax refund and show them your passport

- some are instant refund and some you need to get refund at the airport

6. Aiport - tax refund

- if you need get tax refund, go airport slightly earlier because you will need to check in your luggage (which will take you a longer time if there are a lot of people queuing)

- after check in, please find for tax refund counter and give them your passport & receipts. for here, they will scan you passport only

- refund counter will be at 27 gate, 4th floor after the immigration

- you don't need to queue for tax refund except if they are a lot of people (my experience is whenever I go, counters are always empty so I got my refund very fast XD)

- get your refund only find your flight hall ^^

INSTANT REFUND

 AIRPORT REFUND

7. Itinerary

- I mentioned before, do a draft itinerary for reference/avoid rushing (include the line and exit)

- check rest day for shops or places you want to go, also if you want to use bus tour service check their rest day as well

8. WIFI

- I prefer to book pocket wifi in Malaysia

- the price is slightly cheaper, no data limit & can be shared

- I always go with Travel Recommends!!!

9. Language
- mostly they speak Korean but in Seoul, there will be Chinese & English speakers (depends on some shops)
- advised to learn a little of basic Korean language / you may use basic English with them

10. Others

*Korea Tour Apps

-  I used this apps for subway reference only. It didn't have accurate direction on some places so I don't suggest this apps for direction

*Tripod

- for solo traveler or even group travelers, I suggest to bring tripod to take better photo (not that I judging anybody, just that some people take photos that not what you expect to be and some of you might be shy asking for people around to help, right?) I didn't bring mine and I felt a little regret because for this 2nd trip I don't have many good photos T_T

I think that's all for this post! I will update if I have any other tips in the future. Thank you for reading and see you in the next post! Hope you have a pleasant trip :)

♡

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p/s: all above might be not 100% accurate // above are only my sharing and experiences

KOREA DAY 8 IN SEOUL: BACK TO MALAYSIA & TIPS!

Annyeong~ I miss Korea already!! T__T

Anyway, I thought of writing my day 8 in Seoul as well to complete my whole trip itinerary and this post might be very short so I'm going to compile some tips in this post along.

Basically my day 8 was not bad. We didn't go anywhere on day 8 as our flight is at 4:00PM (KST).

We did packed and tidy up our luggage on the night before. We really did the right thing because you can't pack it on the day of your flight except your flight is on the night. But I suggest to pack earlier because last minute works never done.

So, we woke up at 10:00AM and getting ready to check out at 12:00PM. We are leaving our hostel but before we left, host came to send us off since he is going to tidy the house as well. That day was super cold and he even told us that it might snow in the afternoon. I was sad because why it's on the day we are leaving T_T  After ready to go, we walked to the subway and took AREX to Incheon Airport. While on the way to airport, IT SNOW!! My first time seeing snow & 2016 the first snow T__T still lucking to see snow though!

We reached airport at around 1:00++PM and get our tax refund! Queue for check in and finally settle down ourselves. We are leaving Seoul! Definitely will be back soon! :)

That's all for my last day in Seoul. We touched down Malaysia and it all became the same. Hot weather and very familiar language! :D

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All of below are my only thoughts & experiences and it might not be the most accurate.

TIPS & GUIDES

* If you are travelling as a backpackers, please be ready to walk.

- they have a lot of stairs and some of the station didn't have escalators

- (subway) when you want to change from 1 line to another 1 line, ready to walk up or down and even walk for 200m-250m

- from one place to another place, you have walk (in 200m-350m or even more)

1. T-Money

- in Malaysia we have Touch N Go, yes! T-Money is kinda like Touch N Go

- you can buy them at subway stations within the city or convenient store with T-Money logo

- when you have your T-Money, just top up an amount in it // for me, I top up 50,000 won because I went there for 8 days & 7 nights

- you can get refund at convenient stores if you balance is less than 10,000 won (500 won will be charged)

2. Plan a draft itinerary

- if you are travelling for the first time, you surely have known where you want to go/explore

- write down the places you want to go along with which station/line/exit you are going, its really convenient and save time

3. Difference between AREX & KTX

 AIRPORT RAILROAD EXPRESS (AREX) - INCHEON AIRPORT --> SEOUL STN

- Arex is used to go to Seoul Stn from Incheon Airport and have 2 types of train

*Express train [43 minutes] for 8,000 won 

*All-stop train [56 minutes] for 4,050 won

KTX 

- KTX is used to travel Busan

- But KTX is not direct train to Busan, KTX also stop at several stations/places 

- Busan is the last stop and the duration took about 3 hours to reach
- I bought the tickets one the day I arrived at Seoul Stn, you can buy 2 ways together at the same time. Don't worry, they have a lot of slots to Busan (which can say that almost every hour also got train) I bought 2 ways for 100++ KRW = 400++ RM

* Busan Stn (KTX) & Busan Stn (subway)

- Busan Stn (KTX): travel to places that are far apart

- Busan Stn (subway): travel to places in town

I guess that's all for my tips. I might forgot what I want to write but most important tips are written already. Hope this could helps you guys a little. Do ask me if you have questions, reach me at Twitter @klkkquan or Instagram @soniasim28 :)

FINALLY MY 8 DAYS ITINERARY IS COMPLETE! INCASE YOU MISS ALL THOSE PREVIOUS POST, HERE ARE THEM! 

[ FIRST DAY ]

[ SECOND DAY ]

[ THIRD DAY ]

[ FOURTH DAY ]

[ FIFTH DAY ]

[ SIXTH DAY ]

[ SEVENTH DAY ]

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FOLLOW ON MY SOCIAL MEDIA! 

Twitter: klkkquan (I will post my link on my twitter once I updated!)

Instagram: soniasim28 (search #babyyypandatravel for more photos)

Thank you for reading and see you again in the next post! ♡