Annyeonghaseyo! Are you planning a visit to one of the most modern cities in Asia? Here is a brief guide with some tips and tricks to help you during your visit to this incredible city.
Internet and Data Plans
First and foremost, South Korea is known for its incredibly fast internet so you would be missing out if you intended on using a international data plan you’re paying $10 per GB for back home. Plan to either grab SIM card in advance online or purchase one at one of the many booths and kiosks in the arrival area before departing the airport. Public Wifi is also everywhere in Seoul so you’ll never be disconnected.
Getting Around
Like many other Asian countries, South Korea has a renowned public transportation system. Consider purchasing a T-Money card or Discover Seoul Pass to allow you ease of access getting around the city whether you’re taking the subway, bus, or taxi. The Discover Seoul Pass allows you up to 20 rides a day for the duration of the pass. To get from Incheon (ICN), consider taking either the airport metro or one of the many airport limousines to the city center. Tickets for both can run for about $7-15 USD depending on the mode of transport you decide.
Trains are easiest to use and navigate around the city. The various subway lines are color coded and numbered with destinations marked and announced in English, Chinese, and Japanese when they arrive at each station. Buses are similar, just remember to hit the big red stop button(s) located all over the bus to notify the driver to stop at your destination. Taxis are cheap and affordable (more so than Uber), just be sure to have your destination listed in Hangul if your driver doesn’t speak English.
Unfortunately, Google Maps doesn’t work the greatest in South Korea due to certain government regulations so many locals and foreigners refer to local apps such as Kakao and Naver to get around. With that being said, Google’s location services are spot on in the country and older, more popular attractions and establishments can still be viewed on Google Maps. You would just need to use KakaoMetro or something similar to plan a route in order to get there.
Methods of Payment
South Korea goes against the norm of “cash is king” that is often commonplace in Asia. Credit cards are widely accepted here so ensure you have a card (or a few) that don’t charge foreign transaction fees and you can use to make purchases. Your T-Money or Discover Seoul cards can be used for all modes of public transportation. Cash is useful to carry around to pay for street food in areas like Myeongdong and refilling your travel card.
Public Bathrooms
Restrooms are aplenty in Seoul and many of them are constantly serviced so they’re very clean. There are a combination of Western sitting and squatting toilets though the former is far more common in the city.
Water
Unlike some other Asian countries, water to include tap is safe to drink in South Korea.
Weather
South Korea is a pretty temperate country when it comes to weather experiencing the four seasons like many other nations. The important seasons note are the summer months ranging from June to July and winter months, December to March, as it can be either very hot or very cold depending on the time you decide to visit.
I hope these tips helped you on your way. I will be putting up a few additional guides pertaining to travel, food, and other activities in Seoul in the future.
