The last time I transited at ICN, theraputic massage was available at the shower facility in the 4th floor KE lounge. I did not partake, so I can't comment on the quality. I just got a shower and changed clothes.

I'd say most *A lounges at NRT/HKG/SIN are better than this one.

What used to be offered in SQ at ICN not offered in OZ at ICN now?
1. ice cream - Although SQ at ICN did not have Haagen Dazs, which SQ at HKG has, they did have Natuur or whatever ice cream.
2. smoked duck - Peking duck
3. premium hot dishes - SQ used to serve pretty decent international cuisines based on my standard. OZ does have hot dishes since recent renovations but they are really cheap and I wouldn't call them cuisine, more likely microwave food since I can even cook whatever they offer.
4. laser printer - SQ used to have a laser printer and at least it was useful once when I had to print out Hawaii bus route.
5. copying machine - not that useful
6. various desserts - SQ used to serve decent desserts like cheese cake, pumpkin pie, and other sweets which none of OZ has.
7. dimsum - OZ does not have it.
8. abundant telephones - SQ used to have quite many corded telephones and few cordless telephones. OZ's new lounge has only a couple (what a joke) of telephones. If someone is sitting next to the telephone, you cannot use it and there are only two of them. This is fairly annoying and OZ does not even have a single public telephone in their premise. SQ had two public telephone IIRC. Makes even more irritating.




Who considers it's unhygienc to place showers and toilets in the same room? Also, could you STOP pretending to be knowing things about Asia or S.Korea? If what you argue is true? How come all lounges <*A&PP> in Asia that I visited in Asia placed showers and toilets together in the same room with the exception of OZ and KE? Why I'd want to have my towel plastic-wrapped? This is the place where the word "unhygienic" comes in. If you have a brain, think. Shower room cleaners would handle the towels while they are cleaning the room, and I wouldn't feel good to wipe out my body with those towels. All lounges <*A&PP> that I had shower in Asia do plastic wrap towels with exception of OZ and KE again. May be it could be that hygienic level in S.Korea is lower than other Asian countries. 5 * hotels? Dirty too. That why I "use caution" when I use hotel towels. If you're interested click on the links in my signature space. After all, everything falls down to "standard" matter. Apparently my standard is very different from yours and this is where all the conflicts begin. And again, STOP pretending to be knowing about something that you don't know. You think you're smart to know so much? :rolleyes:




This gotta be the most ridiculous b*** that I had in last one week.

Random sample off Google:

私のつたない経験でも、外国にでは当然のように、バスとトイレが同じ部屋です。
皆さんおわかりのように、これは日本人の感覚としてとても違和感があると思います。身体を綺麗にする場所で あるお風呂と、排泄物を処理するトイレが同じだ何て・・（汚いたとえですが、味噌と糞といっしょにする、と いう感覚です）。

Quick translation: In my humble experience, in foreign countries it's normal to have the bath and the toilet in the same room. As I'm sure you all know, for us Japanese this feels very uncomfortable (違和感). The place where you clean your body, the bath, and the place you leave your excreta, the toilet, being the same is... (sorry for the dirty example, but it's like mixing miso and sh*t, or that's how it feels)

Of course, due to space constraints, even in Japanese hotels they're usually combined. But that doesn't mean people like it.

Last I checked, only one of us actually lives here, and it's not you :p

In jpatokal's geography, Japan=Asia. I guess the best advice I can give you is to take some geography courses in an elementary school. That will certainly broaden your geography knowledge. Since you said "including Korea" where is any documentation that proves it's considered toilet+shower unhygienic in Korea, or is Korea a part of Japan in your geography? Why not go to 2ch and join? Almost everyone in 2ch would agree that Japan=Asia. Indeed, it's normal to have toliet+shower in the same room outside Japan. Japanese people do not like that does not mean non-Japanese Asian people do not like that, okay?




Last time you checked what? Another joke info? So you've been living in pseudo-Asia Singapore for few years and now pretend to be knowing heck a lot about Asia. That's so hilarious. :rolleyes:

Note: Why the hell was my post deleted without any notification? Is someone abusing his authority?

I found this thread the other day and I'm now glad that I have 12 hours in ICN as I plan on going on one of the transit tours. Here's the thing. From that page, if you choose the 7 hour tours, you see the details for the DMZ

tour.Daily 08:30 (weekday) 09:30 (weekend) Not available on mondays, weekends and holidays due to the circumstances of the site)

Let me interrupt this post by saying that I looked around the other site and found out that the transit tour is available every day except Mondays and Holidays. This reply was going to ask if this tour was offered on weekends as the quoted text above obviously makes no sense. It says no weekends but it lists start times for weekends.

Anyway, I got my answer. As long as September 19, 2009 isn't a Korean holiday, I should be able to go on this DMZ tour. I'm excited as that's one thing I really want to see in Korea and now I get to do it on my stopover which I originally thought I would have to spent in the lounge.

Just a heads up for you...

My partner and I wanted to do the transit DMZ tour as well last year on a transit through ICN. The tours only run if they get the required number of people to register for the tour. On our day at ICN there were no other takers for any tours and the only tour they would run for 2 people was the Incheon Island tour...which was mediocre at best.

FYI, we just did the DMZ tour a couple of days ago (November 12). Some details:

The price you pay depends on the number of passengers. More passengers = less cost. Our tour had 11 people, so per person cost was $US60. Cost can be as high as $US100 if only two people. Cash only, $US or KRW.

The trip from ICN to DMZ takes 1:10. On arrival at Imjingak, the guide will take your passport and obtain your ticket. You then change to another bus for the actual tour. If you only speak English, try to locate other Westerners and sit near them as the guide on our trip would first give a description in Korean, then move to where the Westerners were sitting and repeat it in English.

Our itinerary (Course A) was The 3rd Tunnel-->Dora Observatory-->Dorasan Station-->Return to Imjingak.

The 3rd tunnel is really interesting. You descend on a train, then walk to the point where the South Koreans closed off the tunnel. Hardhats mandatory and the height of the tunnel makes it necessary to stoop most of the way unless you are fairly short. On the way back, you have the option of walking back up (looked pretty steep and said to be a 7 minute walk) or take the train again (which we did). You then watch a short movie about the tunnel.

Dora Observatory is in the DMZ and is the northermost observatory in the South where you can see North Korea. You can use the binoculars (takes 500 KRW coins, you can get change from a booth) to see the propaganda village and Gaeseong, the 3rd (4th?) largest city in the North. You can only take pictures behind a yellow line (enforced by military personnel) that is several feet from the front wall, so pictures are a bit disappointing.

Dorasan Station is the northernmost international station located abut 700 meters from the southern boundary line of the DMZ. It's intended to be a gateway for rail interchange between the South and North.

You then return to Imjingak for about 30 minutes of free time. The Peace Park is stark but interesting. You then transfer back to your original bus.

We stopped at a local Korean restaurant on the way back, sitting on the floor and having bulgogi, which was quite good.

We enjoyed the tour; hope you do as well.

Layover in Feb.
 

Ok, mini-hijack. I have two 12 hour layovers in ICN coming up in February. I'm debating going into the city, taking a tour, and/or sleeping for part of the time. I'll be on my way to and on the way home from Cambodia, so I wasn't planning on bringing winter clothes. Any advice? I will be traveling on OZ and have access to their lounge.

I did a DMZ tour last year that included Panmunjom and the actual room where the negotiations with the DPRK take place. Apparently the border between ROK and DPRK runs down the middle of the table. It was really interesting to look out the window at the DPRK soldiers.

With 12 hours at ICN, assuming the schedule works out I would take a transit DMZ tour in a heartbeat.

IIRC, the free transit tours from ICN do not venture into Panmunjeom (the border village) itself, because that requires clearance that takes a few days to arrange. Instead, you'll get "Course A" above, which just pokes around the South Korean perimeter of the DMZ.

If your flight arrives early enough in the morning, it might be possible to catch a regular DMZ tour that does visit Panmunjeom, but the logistics would get kind of convoluted.

Further info and some agencies: http://wikitravel.org/en/Panmunjeom

This Friday, I am flying KE business class arriving ICN 7:15am, departing for SIN 4pm.

From reading this thread, it seems I should wait & see how many others are signing up for tours to see if minimum passenger numbers are met.

Question: I never check baggage, but should I consider doing so in order to be free from lugging my backpack around on a tour? Are there lockers? Options in the KE lounge?

Any suggestions for anything will be appreciated. TIA.