Before I touch on the sights to see in Korea, I will share with you my day-to-day itinerary for this trip. This could serve as a rough template if you plan to go there soon.
My friends and I spent 11 days there during the summer-monsoon season. The weather was a bit unpredictable. It was raining one day, sunny the next… much like here in the Philippines. It was good that we kept our plans free and easy. We shuffled and rearranged destinations depending on what we could physically fit in one day. It also allowed us to be flexible and adjust depending on weather (not to mention our stamina for that day). We also modified our itinerary a bit; because we had to fit a once in a lifetime chance to see Pope Francis. We were lucky enough to be there when he visited. In the end, we still missed going to some places from what we originally plotted out; but we still saw/did a LOT of things while having a great time and that’s what mattered.
We usually started our day just before lunch and ended around midnight (or later) back at the hotel. It involved some getting lost, I have to be honest (though rarely); but at the end of the day, the experience of being free to explore as we go along… not being hauled off into a bus for every stop made the trip all the more enriching. We got to drink in the sights, take a rest when we needed to, and take lots of photos (*wink wink*).
Day 1:
– 0915 Arrival in Incheon
– Hanokstay (Manaedang) Check-In/Explore Area
– My Love from the Star Exhibition (Dongdaemun Design Plaza)
Day 2:
– Hanokstay (Manaedang) Check-Out
– Bukchon Hanok Village
– Rio House Check-In
– EDAE (Ehwa Women’s University)
– Hongdae Night Life
Day 3:
– Hongdae Free Market
– Myeongdong
– Namsan Seoul Tower (Locks of Love/Alive Museum/Observatory)
Day 4:
– Gyeongbokgung Palace
– Gwanghwamun Gate
– Cheonggyecheon Stream
Day 5:
– Pope Francis Mass
– Myeongdong Cathedral
– Hangang River Ferry Cruise
– Dongdaemun (Lotte Fitin)
Day 6:
– Nami Island
– Petite France
Day 7:
– DMZ Tour (with Ginseng Center/Cosmetics Center)
– Namsangol Hanok Village
– Myeongdong Shopping
– Banpo Bridge Rainbow Fountain
Day 8:
– Gangnam Underground Shopping Center
– Insadong
Day 9:
– Everland
Day 10:
– Suwon Hwaseong Fortress
– Lotte Mart
Day 11:
– Rio House Check-Out
– Unhyeongung Palace (Hanbok Wearing)
– Hello Kitty Cafe
– 2135 Departure from Incheon
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