16 Things to Know Before Travelling to Korea

16 Things to Know Before Travelling to Korea

Travelling on a holiday to a country for the very first time can be very exciting. You have a whole new adventure waiting for you, but the idea of planning and being in a foreign land can be a bit distressing. You have completely no idea what’s awaiting you – the kind of people, the culture and the laws governing the country you are visiting. Which is why, I’ve decided to compile my guide to travelling Korea based on my own experience, hoping it will shed some light and preempt you of what to expect when you visit Korea for the first time

1. How many days is enough for a Korea holiday trip?

My trip was actually 8 full day. In this trip, we joined the K Shuttle tour from US Travels for 3 days, it brought us along the route from Seoul to Busan, hopping cities like Buyeo, Jeonju and even Gwangju! We had 2 days in Busan, and another 3 days in Seoul.

I know I’ve missed out quite a lot, like the famous Jeju Island which takes a lot of time to reach, and many other iconic places. I think, ultimately, it depends on your main purpose of visit. Ask yourself if you are visiting for the scenery, cultural experiences or more of shopping. I find 8 days enough, but 10 days could have been better so that I can touch on more places like Gamcheon Culture Village in Busan and Bukchon Hanok Village in Seoul. If you’re here solely for shopping, 8 days are more than enough!

2. Language

The official local language is of course Korean. However, be prepared that most of the vendors do not speak English, even in touristy areas. If you’re a Chinese, you can still understand a little as they know a few Chinese characters like the price of their merchandises. If you’re not, you may have to start doing some hand language with them.

Unfortunately, most of the locals can only understand a little bit of English and they can hardly converse with you in English.

3. Money matters

Each KRW1,000 is about SGD1.2. My friend taught me to simply add an additional 20% of the Korean won and remove the 3 zeros behind. KRW10,000 would be of course around SGD12. Going by denominations of 1,000 would make your calculation easier.

Most places accept credit cards too. My exchange rate that time was SGD1 = KRW842. I changed money at Raffles Place Arcade.

4. Public transport

Trains arrive on time and on a frequent basis. If you purchase the Korea T-money card, which is our ez-link card equivalent, each ride would mostly cost KRW1, 250 (~SGD1.50) unless you go slightly further, then it will add another KRW100-300. You have to tap in and out of the gantries when you board the train.

I was told that that cabs here are pretty cheap too. But avoid black cabs here as they can be quite expensive. Take those orange/silver ones. To put into perspective, I cabbed from Taejongdae Park to Haeundae Beach for 1/2 hour for KRW20,000, including toll fees. I’ve met an unethical cab driver who wanted to extort a fare of almost 5 times of the normal fare and I got off the cab instantly. So be careful on this aspect.

5. Public toilets and hygiene

There are quite a number of public toilets wherever we go, and to my pleasant surprise they are generally clean. You can also often find toilet paper in public toilets. On the other hand, it is extremely difficult to find dustbins around so you may have to carry your trash for quite a distance before you find one bin.

6. Weather

The period when I was here, from late July to early August, can be seriously hot. The government even announced a heat wave warning. So my recommendation is to come during spring, which is between April and June. September’s cooling weather is great too.

If you’re here in July like me, make sure you bring lots of sunblock and aloe vera gel to defend yourself against the merciless sun! You can barely open your eyes if you don’t wear a cap, the sun was just so glaring.

7. Drinking water

My friend Carolyn also mentioned that the tap water here in Korea is drinkable. Tried and tested, I experienced no sickness after drinking from their tap water. If you still do not feel safe about it, you can purchase bottles of water from their convenience stores or vending machines. They should not cost more than KRW1,500 unless you are in tourist areas.

8. To join a tour or not?