Korea Part 1 Seoul Itinerary - RM1847

⌚Travel date: 01/07/2019-09/07/2019 (Summer)

Hi peeps, this post is about my Seoul trip itinerary, I had divided my expenses into 5 categories that included transport, accommodation, sim card+data roaming, foods & drinks,and ticketing & rental fees. I hope you will find this information useful. I'm doing online business while traveling so I didn't include my shopping expenses in this itinerary. Also, shopping expenses is depends on personal liking and budget, I don't think we need to refer anyone in this category. 😂

💴Rate: 3.56  

290,000 won x 0.00356 = RM1032.40

This is the amount of money that I bring to Korea and definitely it's not enough cuz I kept on shopping like crazy. You are encouraged to bring more money if you wish to daigou for friends. 

Transport:

✈ Round Trip Flight Alor Setar-Kuala Lumpur (25kg luggage) = RM110

✈ Round Trip Flight Kuala Lumpur- Incheon (25kg luggage + 1 meal) = RM695

I signed up BigPay card before so we purchased cheaper flight ticket when AirAsia was doing zero fair promo one year earlier from our departure date. FYI, own a big member account can't earn points for flights because terms and conditions stated that no points will be given for flights under promo fares. Eventually all AirAsia flights price are promo fares no matter local or international flights. So, getting a BigPay card is very convenient for people like me that always travel to get meal and luggage discounts, better local currency, better fares, earn points through flights and so on. For more information. Click here

The currency that offered by BigPay is really valuable than money changer in Malaysia

🚖 Taxi: 3780 won /3pax = 1260 won, RM4.50

Got lost under Namsan hill, Google map kept on showing false direction to our destination. Asking strangers direction and they kept on pointing different walking path to Namsan Tower. We don't want to missed sunset view so we took a taxi to cable car station. The only taxi ride we took. We thought taxi will be expensive, who else know it's actually same with bus ride. If you always get lost, please consider to take taxi as it costs the same with bus ride. Grab is not available in Korea but the taxi fares is fixed so you won't have to worry you will meet dishonest driver. 

📍Travel tips: 

1. You can download Kakao Taxi app to check fares or even call for a taxi. My Korean friend taught me this. But you must have a Kakao account if you wish to call taxi. Kakao is actually an app like Wechat in Korea.

2. You can use T-Money card to pay even you take a taxi ride.

🚈 Seoul Subway, Korail Train, buses (T-Money card) = 64, 360 won, RM229.12

You must get yourself a T-Money card if you wish to travel in Korea. Summer in Korea is very hot and mostly people will take subway more than buses. Google map is not accurate on showing you right direction and it will always pop up bus routes for you. Backpacker really need to learn, know and familiar with MRT route map as it easy to memorise the routes and colour of line than bus number.

This map is for you. You're welcome.

💳 T-Money Card = Free

Postage for T-Money Card =  RM15.45/ 3pax = RM5.15

Yes, guess what? Mine T-Money Card is free. You can get it from Korea Toursim Organization official website. You can always PM their Facebook page for more details and look out the old posts of free T-Money Card. Click this link and read through about all the details then just pick your discount coupon and follow the register / sign up steps. https://www.visitkorea.com.my/discount-coupon/ . I register under Discover Korea Your Way (DKYW) 2019, I got two useful booklet about travel guide in Korea and booklet of discount coupon. The T-Money card is behind the cover of the booklet. Also, you will get one useful map that helps you to survive in Korea. If you stay in Kuala Lumpur, you can save up postage fees and just pick up your booklet, coupon, maps and T-Money Card at their office.

Thanks KTO for the free card to Malaysian traveler. 

📞Sim Card + 📲Data Roaming = RM23.26

📲Shoppee- Travel Sim Card 8 days 6GB

(free delivery coupon RM5.04 + promo code RM10 discount) = RM48.50/3= RM16.20

*The original price is RM58.50 for sim excluded postage RM5.04

Tips:

1. Download Shoppee App register as new user with my code : MYOUT222 to get 1000 shoppee coins that equal to RM8. Free delivery voucher will automatically saved in promo codes list.

Note: There were several option in Shoppee or Lazada for Korea Travel Sim. I bought the sim card very last minute like 5 days before departure date so that time I buy with dealer who promised me can reach in within 3 days. Always contact with dealer and make double comfirmation first if you buy sim online. The dealer I bought sim card with is very nice, he taught me how to set up step by step when I can't connect. This is very important because you need to stay connected after step out of airport that doesn't have free wifi. Read the reviews before you make purchase will helps you figure out which one suits you.

This is the link for travel sim card I bought. Not sure whether if it is still selling at the same price so kindly check out the link here. https://shopee.com.my/product/93912594/1611881616?smtt=0.0.9&fbclid=IwAR1OHvmZ6PTtxqIJGaS74jd8AcipghgkDe_c24KC1KJOtcGDXIemIuCs21I

📞UMobile data roaming charges (postpaid user) 500mb high speed+unlimited internet data = RM10/day

Well, I just pay RM7.06 included tax and after divide. On some days during our trip, my travel mates want to walk separately because we have our own activities on that day which one of us wanna go shopping and the other one wish to meet her Kpop stars. We just open data roaming when we wanna walk separately. 

I get shocked that I just spend a lil on internet. I saw others spend around RM100++ for Internet/ wifi in Korea. This is the first time I bought travel sim card through Shoppee and definitely I will do in the same way again for the next trip. Also, this is the first time I learn with my travel mate how to open data roaming by calling UMobile customer service. If you're a postpaid plan user, mostly all carrier service will have free internet or lower charge on data roaming. I work as a Digi promoter before so I know about this.

Do you think 6GB is enough? Do you think 500mb high speed is enough?

I have many friends ask me this question and what can I say is this is really depends on you and your mates. You are going somewhere to travel and not going to play phones. We really enjoyed our trip, busy to hang around, shopping, watch busker performs, take pictures, record videos, enjoy beautiful view of Korea's attraction and do other activities. We only use data for finding direction purpose, contact our family and friends, update some insta stories, that's. If you think you will be watching a lot of Youtube videos or streaming a lot, then just buy higher data plan, it is really depends on how you manipulate your data usage and what you gonna do in Korea.

*After all, it would be convenient for not sharing one simcard especially each of you have different wish list to do. So we decided to open data roaming first before boarding incase we wanna split out on some days.

The travel sim we bought through Shoppee

🏠 Accommodation: RM812.22/3 pax  (new user discount RM90)  = RM270.74

There is a lot of accommodation option offered by airbnb and you must be careful and pick the stay that is right infront or near MRT exit station. The airbnb accommodation we booked actually put their title as Hongdae but it is actually located at Yeonhui-do. It stated 10 mins away from Hongik Station but it actually takes around 30 minutes to/ from HongDae included time for waiting bus and walk up the hill. I will be smart next time on choosing a good location after this. I will not recommend it to you because it caused us waste a lot of money on transportation. Choosing accommodation near MRT station will helps you save a lot because transportation in Korea is very expensive.

BTW if you need discount voucher worth RM165 for your airbnb stay, you can register using this link. Airbnb RM165 discount

The common space we shared with other guests.

Yeap, the space is very small for triple room.

🍜Food & ☕Drinks = 64860 won, RM230.90

The food is actually quite expensive in Korea but we poor guys managed to survive by using RM230.90 only. Go find some good food to eat. Don't be like us. There's some reason why I'm forced to skip meals and I will update in Part 2. Mostly I updated with everyone I met after I came back from trip, they knew it and said it was a wonderful story. Haiz. BTW, you must try Issac Toast in Korea because they are not oily like the one in KLIA2.

Try their bacon best and potato. They will never disappoint you.

🎫Total Ticketing & Rental fees: RM279.60

1. Everland Theme Park Ticket: RM142.90 (after using RM15 promo code and deduct RM5.10 credits)

The only ticket we purchased with MYR, book through Klook will be more easier as it also have package of shuttle bus transfers between Seoul and Everland. FYI, going to Everland from Seoul need around two hours but we booked Daesung Tour that only pick up at Hongik Station then no more stop over at other station because the bus is full. So we reached there in within one hour only. If go by MRT is not convenient, you have to change station over and over then it takes longer time to reach Everland.

📍Tips of using Klook:

1. Using code RTT4H when you sign up as new user on Klook app to get RM15 promo code or click this link to register and straight away can redeem your voucher. Klook New Sign Up

2.Give reviews after an activity done to earn credits that can be use to discount for next purchase.

BTW, currently there is limited offer for Everland theme park ticket on Klook App costs RM108 that cheaper than last time I bought.  Everland Theme Park Ticket Shuttle Bus Transfers Seoul-Everland

*This ticket is very important. Please keep it nicely as you will need to pass it back to driver when you want to go back from Everland. I felt very nervous when driver doesn't accept mobile voucher and luckily I found it somewhere else in my bag.

2. Deoksugung Entrance Ticket: 1000krw , RM3.56

This place is worth to visit because you can take a lot of nice pictures inside and the entrance ticket is cheap. This place is a combination of heritage and modern buildings, I'm glad that we found a right place to visit even we go wrong for the direction to our destination planned. Definitely will upload more pictures in my next post.

The reason why my skin keep on getting darker and darker.

3. Nami Island = 13,000 won, RM46.28

By the way, going Nami Island yourself can save a lot of money than following private tours. Also, we didn't take Gapyeong City Bus when we reach Gapyeong station because all local people take normal public bus and we just follow them to destination. The number of public bus is 35-3 but I'm not sure if there will be other bus operating on the island so you can always seek help from local people.

Because the colour of leaves made me feels like Autumn.

4. Namsan Cable Car Ticket = 9500 won, RM33.82

If you wish to visit Namsan Tower, remember to take cable car and save up more energy and time. If you walk up hill, the time takes will mostly same with you climb up to Penang Hill. Don't waste time to get lost and there will be none or few people walk up hill and if you get lost you can't seek help immediately. Google Map comfirm will bring you somewhere else that is not your final destination because it is a restricted map in Korea. 

If you wish to keep the tickets as memories, remember to buy tickets separately. Cuz they will print the total amount in one ticket for green purpose.

5. Hanbok Experience at The King Hanbok

Themed Hanbok Rental 4 hours: 9900 won, RM35.24

Hairdo service: 5000 won, RM17.50

We arrived earlier on that day and hang around to survey properly and get the ideal dress for ourselves. We always found something good when we got lost. We actually planned to go Hanboknam first by using discount voucher in KTO booklet but then we found great deals offered by one hanbok rental shop named The King Hanbok. Normally Hanbok Rental 4 hours for themed hanbok costs 15,000 to 25,000 won but we are so lucky that we found one shop that was doing promotion to attract customer. BTW, not suggest girls with short hair try their hairdo service because  they just do simple braids for you. Please do makeup before you depart to any Hanbok rental shop because they don't provide makeup service for you.

"A lost day is a lucky date."- Abby

Finally got this post done.

Sorry for less pictures uploaded to this post because I'm tired and it's already 5:50am.

I'm using 9 hours to write this posts and I hope those information is useful to you instead of feeling bored because this post has less visual things and full of words.

I make a copy in words file and it's like 18 pages long assignment. Haha

Have a nice day.

Goodnight for those who haven't sleep. Good morning to those who already wake up.

See you.