Things to prepare before traveling to Korea

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There was a notice of resumption of the Korean Tourist Visa from the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Republic of the Philippines published last May 19, 2022.

Before your proceed with your plan make sure you check the latest update from The Ministry of Foreigner Affairs of Republic of Korea.

I, too, am very excited to visit South Korea again. The last time I visited S. Korea was Fall 2019 (1st week of November), it was beautiful, cold and memorable. To get ready to fly and have another exciting vacation in S. Korea, let me share with you the list I prepare before the vacation.

1. PLANE TICKET

The first thing you need to prepare is the plane ticket. Pre-pandemic, there are a lot of promo tickets sold by different airline companies so if you want to purchase a much cheaper ticket look out for that.

Tip on getting promo tickets:

1. They are always released at 12 midnight on holidays (ex. Philippines Independence Day)

2. Decide the dates of vacation, the airline company usually places a traveling period so you can prepare beforehand, prepare 2-3 alternative dates

3. Weekends are the most difficult day, so if you want a sure ticket, might as well start your vacation on a weekday (Mon-Thurs)

There are a lot of airline companies you can choose from but for easier way to differentiate airline ticket prices you can use skyscanner: Check out the promo’s here.

Klook.com

2.TOURIST VISA

Last May 27th, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Philippines published an announcement on Jeju Visa-free entry. If you want to go on a vacation in S. Korea without the hassle of getting a visa you can enter Jeju island visa free.

However, if you want to travel to S. Korea and to visit Seoul and other parts of the country except Jeju island you need to acquire a tourist visa first. For the complete list of requirements, kindly visit the official website: Ministry of Foreigner Affairs

3.HOTEL

If you have the ticket and the visa already, the next one to prepare is the hotel accommodation or you can also choose a hostel, Airbnb etc. In choosing where to stay, you need to know where it’s easier for you to access the things you planned to do in S. Korea.

If you want to go shopping, I recommend you to stay in the Myeongdong area, which is a famous street full of cosmetics and other face products. You can book your hotel in Agoda where the rates are much better and so many hotels to choose from: Best deals in Agoda or compare hotels at Hotelcombined.

If you want to go outside of Seoul to nearby cities, you can stay near the Seoul Station to have easier access to the train and other transportation.

4. OUTFITS

For some, outfits are very important to prepare beforehand when planning a vacation. The most important thing to consider when planning on what clothes to bring is the season. I tried traveling to S. Korea has 3 seasons: Winter, Spring and Fall and for someone who is not so exposed to cold weather you need to invest in coats or winter clothes.

Essential on Winter: Padded coats, thermals, winter gloves, ear muffs and of course the shoes. For thermals, I bought mine in Uniqlo, but there are more brands you can choose from. For Padded coats, you can buy in The North Face, Columbia, Uniqlo and Zara if you want some stylish coats but it’s better to invest in thicker ones.

Essentials on Fall/Autumn: The clothes you wear in fall are pretty much like the start of spring if it’s a little cold already or if near winter you might as well prepare winter clothes.

Essentials for Spring: If you go mid April to May, light coat, jacket, or cardigan is what you need. You can check spring outfits on Instagram, Pinterest or Lookbook for more inspiration.

Tip before choosing an outfit or before traveling is to always check on the temperature of the country you are going to. Having an idea of how cold/hot the country is in time of vacation will help you.

5. POCKET WIFI

For someone like me who is very dependent on internet connection to search for directions, restaurants and other establishments pocket wifi is a MUST. Wifi in Korea is very fast and helpful in navigating the city. I recommend you to check here and choose different offers: Best deals in Klook.

(Price starts at Php 204.00/day)

Klook.com

Hi Pinay!

Beyond the Kdrama and Kpop influence, South Korea is a beautiful country and a must-visit place. From the delicious food and rich culture, this country has to offer a picturesque view and a calm surrounding.

Have you ever been to South Korea? Tell us your story and what should we add on our list.