Seoul Korea - Worth a visit.
Oct 1, 2013, 12:02 am
#31
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Oct 1, 2013, 12:41 am
#32
Join Date: Jul 2008
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Seoul Korea - Worth a visit.
Indeed the folk village in Suwon is well worthwhile. Another interesting one is the toilet museum which is actually built in the shape of a toilet.
Oct 1, 2013, 1:12 am
#33
Join Date: Nov 2000
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Next time North Korea, for some excitement.
Oct 1, 2013, 1:14 am
#34
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Quote:
Originally Posted by copenhagenBA
Hi guys, anyone here who has been to Korea think Seoul is worth a visit for 5 or 6 days.. Never been and toying with the idea of going there or Tokyo where ive been before, but would prefer something new and can use miles to Seoul. Thanks in advance.
No way, much too long. It is nice for a day trip, after two days I was really bored. Did several business trips there, really strange place.
Next time North Korea, for some excitement.
Originally Posted by copenhagenBA
Hi guys, anyone here who has been to Korea think Seoul is worth a visit for 5 or 6 days.. Never been and toying with the idea of going there or Tokyo where ive been before, but would prefer something new and can use miles to Seoul. Thanks in advance.
No way, much too long. It is nice for a day trip, after two days I was really bored. Did several business trips there, really strange place.
Next time North Korea, for some excitement.
Oct 1, 2013, 1:26 am
#35
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I'm definitely not an organised tour kind of person, but think it's worth it to see DPRK. Absolutely fascinating experience, and amazing seeing somewhere that's so insular - some locals very friendly and keen to practice English, others are snitches. Would go with a open mind, forget politics until you leave (and I'm amazed at the brainwashing there) and have fun - oh, and try not to laugh when visiting the Kumsusan Memorial Palace, nothing like stifling a fit of giggles when surrounded by weeping locals to get the blood pumping
Plus it makes DMZ trip from Seoul more interesting (American GI stories make you laugh when you've seen the far side)
Oct 1, 2013, 1:42 am
#36
Join Date: Nov 2000
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Yeah, a question of age and lifestyle as well, I guess. As a non-Korean, I have always found Koreans to be the most reserved about and secluded from foreigners. Even in my firm, our Korean office is 99.5% Koreans (and the 0.5% is a Korean/Japanese mix). Just not a fun place for foreigners.
And the city is ugly, with few meaningful sights for a foreigner.
And the city is ugly, with few meaningful sights for a foreigner.
Oct 1, 2013, 1:50 am
#37
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stevieed
Interesting. Just shows how different people vary
Yeah, a question of age and lifestyle as well, I guess. As a non-Korean, I have always found Koreans to be the most reserved about and secluded from foreigners. Even in my firm, our Korean office is 99.5% Koreans (and the 0.5% is a Korean/Japanese mix). Just not a fun place for foreigners.
And the city is ugly, with few meaningful sights for a foreigner.
Originally Posted by stevieed
Interesting. Just shows how different people vary
Yeah, a question of age and lifestyle as well, I guess. As a non-Korean, I have always found Koreans to be the most reserved about and secluded from foreigners. Even in my firm, our Korean office is 99.5% Koreans (and the 0.5% is a Korean/Japanese mix). Just not a fun place for foreigners.
And the city is ugly, with few meaningful sights for a foreigner.
I was surprised at how grey the city was, as (stereotype) a lot of Asian cities are very colourful. However I loved Seoul and found a lot to do.
DMZ tour for me was great, although I did the full day your which takes you up to the border and the UN huts. I found the morning interesting, but less so than the afternoon.
I also found the steak in Seoul to be very good.
It's interesting actually, in Korea I found the locals very friendly and several people stopped by when they saw I had a map out and helped me find my way. In Tokyo I never had that happen. On asking my Japanese client they said that people were probably worried about getting the English words wrong and embarrassing themselves. Different cultures are so interesting.
Oct 1, 2013, 4:07 am
#39
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Seoul is certainly a fascinating place and unusual enough to be seen as a little exotic. The public transport is excellent, there are lots of sights (as others have already mentioned), it's visa free for UK passport holders, it's clean, it's safe. BA drops you into ICN in the morning so you don't lose any time (although unless you get your sleep sorted on the plane you will be exhausted!) You have an MF crew and in my recent experiences on this route they have been excellent.
I would also recommend the Park Hyatt which I have always found to be excellent.
I would echo other's commentary on menus and alphabet. However many menus have photos of the food so you shouldn't go too far wrong. A couple of hours studying the symbols which are combined to make characters will certainly help with place names as it's very phonetic..
6 days might be a little much but if you use day 1 to recover from the flight then it might be about right...
I would also recommend the Park Hyatt which I have always found to be excellent.
I would echo other's commentary on menus and alphabet. However many menus have photos of the food so you shouldn't go too far wrong. A couple of hours studying the symbols which are combined to make characters will certainly help with place names as it's very phonetic..
6 days might be a little much but if you use day 1 to recover from the flight then it might be about right...
Oct 1, 2013, 9:37 am
#40
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There's plenty to see in the city in my honest opinion, you just have to get out and explore. There's a big jazz music scene there. There is plenty of history, and the food is amazing for the most part.
I'm in Seoul at the moment, and had another amazing dinner at a restaurant called Viva Luce in Gangnam, close to the station. It's a buffet restaurant serving 8 different cuisines. I spend most of my time on the sashimi counter. Price? W. 42200. Less than Ł25pp for all you can eat for lots of food including very very fresh sashimi and sushi. They usually have tuna sashimi with three different levels of fat. Plus salmon, sea bream and Red mullet among others.
To the OP, it's definitely worth the trip, but keep your options open for trips to Busan, Suwon, and Jeju island. Jeju airways fly from Gimpo direct to Jeju.
Oct 1, 2013, 9:54 am
#41
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Agree that there is so much to see & do a short visit IMHO barely hits the highlights. I enjoyed the Noryangjin Fish Market which is not as touristy as Tokyo's Tsukiji, Namsangol Hanok Village and renting a bike to cycle along the river and spin around the Olympic & World Cup stadium & area.
Oct 1, 2013, 1:10 pm
#42
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Thanks all for your posts, your information and experiences were greatly appreciated. Nevertheless for a 7 day experience i decided that as its autumn season, that a trip to the blossom of Tokyo and Kyoto couldnt be bypassed. I booked J on JAL 787 from Helsinki so looking fwd to trying something different.
Oct 1, 2013, 3:26 pm
#44
Join Date: Dec 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mec72
Seoul is great for 2-3 days and I loved it -- 6 may be a bit too much though. Osaka/Kyoto/Nara is a great trip for 5-6 days if you're looking for other recommendations.
I was thinking that. Depends on how you work, I know my dad loves museums and could spend 3 days at the various museums. I tend to blitz them.
Originally Posted by mec72
Seoul is great for 2-3 days and I loved it -- 6 may be a bit too much though. Osaka/Kyoto/Nara is a great trip for 5-6 days if you're looking for other recommendations.
I was thinking that. Depends on how you work, I know my dad loves museums and could spend 3 days at the various museums. I tend to blitz them.
Oct 2, 2013, 3:14 am
#45
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 668
Thanks all for your posts, your information and experiences were greatly appreciated. Nevertheless for a 7 day experience i decided that as its autumn season, that a trip to the blossom of Tokyo and Kyoto couldnt be bypassed. I booked J on JAL 787 from Helsinki so looking fwd to trying something different.
