Seoul City Tour last part; Palaces and the Olympic Park

every budget traveler's dream, feel the chill !!

February 23-28, 2011 wednesday to monday

objective: to visit the best tourist spots that fits my taste and budget accordingly.

additional tasks: to conquer the Everland’s T-express (world’s most steepest roller coaster) and experience the snow for the 1st time

korea winter get-away

day 1: eoul city tour 1st part (deoksu palace)

day 2: solo on dmz half-day tour

day 3: amazing everland themepark
day 4: romantic nami island
day 5: outdoor ice skiing

continued...

DAY SIX:
ANYTHING GOES

changgyeonggung

Unstoppable Outdoor Ice Skiing Ji-san Resort

every budget traveler's dream, feel the chill !!

February 23-28, 2011 wednesday to monday

objective: to visit the best tourist spots that fits my taste and budget accordingly.

additional tasks: to conquer the Everland’s T-express (world’s most steepest roller coaster) and experience the snow for the 1st time

korea winter get-away

day 1: seoul city tour 1st part (deoksu palace)

day 2: solo on dmz half-day tour

day 3: amazing everland themepark
day 4: romantic nami island

continued...

DAY FIVE:
OUTDOOR SKIING

Skiing is becoming more and more popular in South Korea, with new resorts being built all the time and this is not a surprise, considering that 70% of South Korean territory is occupied by mountains. At the moment there are 13 skiing resorts in South Korea, all very close to Seoul (the furthest are Yongpyong ski resort near Seoul, Korealocated at about 4 or 5 hours drive from Seoul) with buses available to connect Seoul with most skiing resorts.

jisan resort outdoor ice skiing

Romantic Winter Nami Island

every budget traveler's dream, feel the chill !!

February 23-28, 2011 wednesday to monday

objective: to visit the best tourist spots that fits my taste and budget accordingly.

additional tasks: to conquer the Everland’s T-express (world’s most steepest roller coaster) and experience the snow for the 1st time

korea winter get-away

day 1: seoul city tour 1st part (deoksu palace)

day 2: solo on dmz half-day tour

day 3: amazing everland themepark

continued...

DAY FOUR:
NAMI ISLAND (NAMINARA REPUBLIC)

We did also on DIY. Basically a subway interchange and a bus on last station. Please see itinerary on last part of this blog on how to go here.

nami island (naminara republic) during winter season

nami island (naminara republic) during winter season

Amazing Everland Themepark

every budget traveler's dream, feel the chill !!

February 23-28, 2011 wednesday to monday

objective: to visit the best tourist spots that fits my taste and budget accordingly.

additional tasks: to conquer the Everland’s T-express (world’s most steepest roller coaster) and experience the snow for the 1st time

korea winter get-away

day 1: seoul city tour 1st part (deoksu palace)

day 2: solo on dmz half-day tour

continued...

DAY THREE:
EVERLAND THEMEPARK

We went to everland on public transpo basis. At the gangnam bus station, we rode bus #5002 at 1,700 won trip. Then, the free shuttle bus going to the park.

located in Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, everland themepark was opened in 1976, and it is about 1,200,000 square yards. It is ranked as the 4th theme park in the world by offering 5 main Festivals and exciting entertainments all year around. There are five theme areas along with more than 30 kinds of attractions full of high thrilling and various fun.

everland themepark

Seoul City Tour 3rd part; Palaces & World Cup Stadium

every budget traveler's dream, feel the chill !!

February 23-28, 2011 wednesday to monday

objective: to visit the best tourist spots that fits my taste and budget accordingly.

additional tasks: to conquer the Everland’s T-express (world’s most steepest roller coaster) and experience the snow for the 1st time

korea winter get-away

day 1: seoul city tour 1st part (deoksu palace)

day 2: solo on dmz half-day tour

continued...

Gyeongbokgung, also known as Gyeongbok Palace, is a royal palace located in northern Seoul, South Korea. First constructed in 1394 and reconstructed in 1867, it was the main and largest palace of the Five Grand Palaces built by the Joseon Dynasty. The name of the palace, Gyeongbokgung, translates in English as "Palace of Shining Happiness."

Built in 1395, Gyeongbokgung Palace is also commonly referred to as the “Northern Palace” because it is the furthest north when compared to the neighboring palaces of Changdeokgung (Eastern Palace) and Gyeongheegung (Western Palace). Gyeongbokgung Palace is arguably the most beautiful and remains the grandest of all five palaces.

changing of the guard at 1400H in Gyeongbokgung

Solo on DMZ half-day tour

Every budget traveler's dream, feel the chill !!
February 23-28, 2011 Wednesday to Monday

objective: to visit the best tourist spots that fits my taste and budget accordingly.

additional tasks: to conquer the Everland’s T-express (world’s most steepest roller coaster) and experience the snow for the 1st time

korea winter get-away

day 1: seoul city tour 1st part (deoksu palace)

continued...

Korean Demilitarized Zone is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula that serves as a buffer zone between North and South Korea. The DMZ is a de-facto border barrier, which runs along the 38th parallel north. The DMZ cuts the Korean Peninsula roughly in half, crossing the 38th parallel on an angle, with the west end of the DMZ lying south of the parallel and the east end lying north of it. It was created as part of the Korean Armistice Agreement between North Korea, the People's Republic of China, and the United Nations Command forces in 1953. It is 250 kilometres (160 miles) long, approximately 4 km (2.5 mi) wide and, despite its name, is the most heavily militarized border in the world. The Northern Limit Line, or NLL, is the de facto maritime boundary between North and South Korea in the Yellow Sea and the coastline and islands on both sides of the NLL are also heavily militarized.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_Demilitarized_Zone

DAY TWO:
DEMILITARIZED (DMZ) TOUR

Night before, I did my booking to my hostel in Seoul City and availed there half-day morning DMZ tour worth 46,000 won ( (package without lunch). Payment will be made on the day to the Tour Korean in-charge. 0715H was the assembly time of the tour bus for me, as I arrived just on time and the I’m the 1st one they picked-up.

This was there tour itinerary on every tourist who wants to avail. Scheduled at 8am to 2pm, they offer this on 1 tourist (minimum) costs 46,000 won. 41,000 won for 3 tourist, discounted by 3,000 won. It was mandatory to carry your passport on tour day and there will be a transfer to shuttle bus upon arriving to Imjingak tourist site.

DMZ bus tour

Seoul City Tour 2nd part; Seoul Tower & Bear Museum

every budget traveler's dream, feel the chill !!

February 23-28, 2011 wednesday to monday

objective: to visit the best tourist spots that fits my taste and budget accordingly.

additional tasks: to conquer the Everland’s T-express (world’s most steepest roller coaster) and experience the snow for the 1st time

korea winter get-away

day 1: seoul city tour 1st part (deoksu palace)

continued... 

N Seoul Tower is a communication and observation tower located on Namsan Mountain, central Seoul, South Korea. Built in 1969, at a cost of approximately $2.5 million, and opened to the public in 1980, the tower has been a symbol of Seoul and measures 236.7 m (777 ft) in height (from the base) and tops out at 479.7 m (1,574 ft) above sea level. It has also been known as the Namsan Tower or Seoul Tower. After the tower's original owner merged with the CJ Corporation, it was renamed the N Seoul Tower (official name CJ Seoul Tower).

N seoul tower

N seoul tower

Seoul City Tour 1st part; inside Deoksu Palace

every budget traveler's dream, feel the chill !!

February 23-28, 2011 wednesday to monday

objective: to visit the best tourist spots that fits my taste and budget accordingly.

additional tasks: to conquer the Everland’s T-express (world’s most steepest roller coaster) and experience the snow for the 1st time

korea winter get-away

continue...

DAY ONE:

FEELING THE KOREA'S WINTER CHILL FOR THE 1ST TIME

At the incheon terminal 20 minutes after aircraft touchdown, waiting for the train transfer to the immigration office. Around 7am we left the airport riding an airport limousine bus, costs 10,000 won, going to our hostel near hyehwa subway station. We arrived around before 9am, then we waited for the landlord to arrive. Had our breakfast first in dunkin donuts nearby, unpacked our luggage, proceed to kfc for our lunch then head to subway for our 1st tour and 1st palace visit and witness the changing of the guards. Deoksugung is located near the cityhall station exit 2 with an entrance fee of 1,000 won. deoksugung has also changing of the guards @ 1100H, 1400H and 1500H

deoksugung (deoksu palace)

How to Apply for South Korea C-32 Tourist Visa as Philippine Passport holder

an adventure of Pinoy backpacker in processing travel documents

general info:
* 3 months validity after issuance
* tourist visa is issued with a period of stay of under 60 days

Starting September 01, 2013, under the new rules, Filipinos who have visited Korea at least once are now eligible for a one-year, multiple-entry tourist visa.

APPLYING FOR KOREA VISA AS ORDINARY CITIZEN IN THE PHILIPPINES
http://embassy_philippines.mofat.go.kr/english/as/embassy_philippines/visa/issuance/index.jsp

requirements:

1. certificate of employment
2. personal bank certificate
3. income tax return
4. 1 pc. passport size photo (35mm x 45mm)
5. fully accomplished application form
6. original passport
7. photocopy of passport data sheet

some major reasons why visa is denied are the following;
- passport is invalid;
- failed to submit the required document completely;
- documents you have submitted cannot be verified;
- failed to prove the purpose of entry to Korea;
- failed to prove strong economic and family ties to the home country;

korea visa (tourist c-32) applied in Philippines

6-days South Korea 1st Winter Get-away

every budget traveler's dream, feel the chill !!

February 23-28, 2011 wednesday to monday

objective: to visit the best tourist spots that fits my taste and budget accordingly.

additional tasks: to conquer the Everland’s T-express (world’s most steepest roller coaster) and experience the snow for the 1st time

REPUBLIC OF KOREA

timezone -  +0900H UTC

capital - seoul city

currency - south korean won (KRW) 1KRW = 0.04PHP, 1USD = 1,080KRW

basic phrases - Kamsahamnida (thank you), hwangyong-hamnida (welcome), annyeonghaseyo (hello)

After the invasion of South Korea by forces from the North on 25 June 1950, the resulting war between the two Koreas ended with an Armistice Agreement, but the border between the two nations is the most heavily fortified in the world. After the war, the South Korean economy grew significantly and the country had transformed into a major economy, a full democracy, and a regional power in East Asia
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Korea

alloted budget for 6-days tourist stay