Suggested Itinerary for Seoul, South Korea (with DMZ)

DAY 1

1. Cheonggyecheong Stream
Getting there:
- City Hall Station (Seoul Subway Line 1, 2), Exit 4. Walk 250 m north to Cheonggye Plaza.

2. Deoksugung Palace
Getting there:
- City Hall Station (Seoul Subway Line 1, 2), Exit 2.
- Go straight 100m to arrive at Daehanmun Gate on the right.
Or
- 5 minutes walk from Cheongyecheon Stream

3. Sejong Center
Getting there:
- Gwanghwamun Station (Seoul Subway Line 5), Exit 1 or 8.
Or
- City Hall Station (Seoul Subway Line 1 or 2), Exit 3.
- Walk 10min towards Gwanghwamun Station.
Or
- 10 minutes walk from Deoksugung

4. Gyeongbokgung Palace
Getting There:
- Gyeongbokgung Station (Subway Line 3), exit 5.
Or
- Ganghwamun Station (Subway Line 5), exit 2 and walk 400 meters.
- Exit gwangwamun
Or
- 5 minutes walk from Sejong Center

Admission Fee: Adults (ages 19-64) 3,000 won
Interpretation Services (1 hour):
* English: 11:00, 13:30, 15:30
Performance Times:
January 1-December 31 (Closed on Tuesdays)
10:00-15:00(6 times a day/on the hour)

5. Namdaemun Market
Getting There:
- Hoehyeon Station (Subway Line 4), Exit 5


DAY 2

1. Shinsegae Mall
Getting There:
- Hoehyeon Station (Subway Line 4), Exit 7.

Tips:
- Mall opens at 1030am
- Food Garden at 10th Floor

2. Korean War Memorial
Getting There:
- Samgakji Station (Subway Lines 4, 6), Exit 12.
- It is 5min away from the station

Admission Fee:
- Free

Tips:
- Closed on Mondays
- Opens at 9am

3. Bukchon Hanok Village
Getting There:
- Anguk Station (Seoul Subway Line 3), Exit 2.
- Go straight for about 300m to arrive at Bukchon Hanok Village

Tip:- Drop by Tourist Information Center and get a copy of area map

4. Changdeokgung Palace
Getting there:
- Anguk Station (Subway Line 3), Exit 3.
- Go straight for 5min.
Or
- Jongno 3(sam)-ga Station (Subway Line 1, 3 or 5), Exit 7.
- Go straight along Donhwamun-ro Street for 10min.
Or
- 10 minutes walk from Bukchon Hanok Village

5. Myeongdong Shopping Street
Gettting There:
- Myeong-dong Station (Seoul Subway Line 4), Exit 5, 6, 7, or 8.
Or
- Euljiro Il-ga Station (Seoul Subway Line 2), Exit 5

Things to buy:
Cosmetics – watch out for freebies (note:30,000 up=tax refund)

Things to try:
a. Sausage
b. tteokboki roll
c. Dried squids
d. Egg muffin
e. Korean bread/pan cake


DAY 3

1. DMZ
Tip:
- Book via a local tour agency

2. Lotte Mart
Getting there:
- Euljiro 1(il)-ga Station (Seoul Subway Line 2)
- Lotte Department Store (Main Branch) is directly connected to the station.

Things to buy:
a. scorched rice candy
b. tteokbokkic.
c. real brownie by orion
d. seaweed snacks
e. banana flavored milk by binggrae


DAY 4

1. Tapgol Park
Getting there:
- JJongno 3(sam)-ga Station (Subway Line 1, 3, 5), Exit 1
- walk 5 minutes toward Jonggak.

2. Insa-dong / Ssamziegil mall
Getting there:
- Anguk Station (Seoul Subway Line 3), Exit 6.
- Go 100m straight, then turn left
Or
- Jonggak Station (Seoul Subway Line 1), Exit 3.
- Go straight 300m, and turn left at the 4-way Intersection
- Go straight 100m, and take the left road towards Insadong-gil Road
Or
- 5 minutes walk from Tapgol Park

Tip:
- Starbucks is only branch in Korea where outside signage is written in hangul

3. Jogyesa Temple
Getting There:
- Jonggak Station (Subway Line 1), Exit 2.
- Go 70m forward, then cross the street.
- Go 100m more to arrive at a path to Jogyesa Temple.
Or
- Anguk Station (Subway Line 3), Exit 6.
- Go 50m forward, then cross the street in front of Dongduk Gallery.
- Go 50m more to arrive at a path to Jogyesa Temple.
Or
- Gwanghwamun Station (Subway Line 5), Exit 2.
- Go 150m forward to arrive at a path to Jogyesa Temple between YTN Parking Tower and Hana Bank
Or
- 5 minutes walk from Ssamziegil mall

4. Gwangjang Market – dinner
Getting there:
- Jongno 5-ga station (subway line 1), exit 8
Or
- Eujiro 5-ga station (subway line 2,4), exit 4

Tips:
- Best place to buy silk, fabrics
- Shops close at 6pm then food stalls open up
- 12,000 per meal (can be shared)

Things to try
a. Bindaetteok
- pancake made from ground mung beans with various meats and vegetables
- 4000-5,000 each
b. makgeolli (traditional Korean rice wine)
c. mayak gimbap, literally “drug gimbap,” bite-sized rice and dried seaweedrolls
d. Sundae, or Korean-style black pudding (made of pig’s intestines stuffed with cellophane noodles, barley and pork blood)
– 5-6,000 per serving
e. Tteokboki (chewy rice cake) and fish paste in seaweed soup


DAY 5

1. Bank of Korea Museum
Getting There:
- Namdaemun Market

Admission Fee:
- Free

2. Shinsegae Mall
Getting there:
- Hoehyeon Station (Subway Line 4), Exit 7


Additional Places to See:

1. Dongdaemun – shopping/ street food tripping
Tips:
Zone 2 – recommended for shopping/ best to go after 10pm
Regular top – 20-30,000
APM mall and Migliore mall – cheaper clothes

Things to Try:
a. Giant sausage coated with fries
b. Oksusu Cha (roasted corn kernel tea)

2. Nami Island
Getting There:
a. BUS – recommended*
Shuttle Bus Schedule:
- Insa-dong, Jamsil Station → Namiseom Island: 09:30
- Namiseom Island → Insa-dong, Jamsil Station: 16:00*

Bus Stop:
1) Insa-dong (Jonggak Station, Subway Line 1, Exit 3): Next to Tapgol Park
2) Jamsil Station (Subway Line 2, Exit 4): In front of Lotte Mart
Round Trip:- 23000 won for round trip ticket + entrance visa to Nami Island + ferry ticket.
- 50 minutes from port to Gapyeong wharf

b. SUBWAY – too many transfers
- go to Sangbong Station (line no.7) and take Gyeongchun Line. It takes about 45 minutes to reach Gapyeong Station (1800 won one way).
- Get off at Gapyeong Station, take a taxi to Namiseom parking lot (travel time: 10-15min, 3000 won).
- Take the ferry from Namiseom Dock to Namiseom Island. (travel time: 5-6min)

3. Tongin Market
Getting there:
- From Gyeongbokgung Station (Seoul Subway Line 3) take exit 2 and contniue straight for about 700m. The market will be on your left.



NOTA BENE: This itinerary has been scheduled this way to accommodate my elderly parents’ physical limitations and interests.

Suggested Itinerary for Siem Reap, Cambodia

 

Day 1

PM

745pm - flight to Siem Reap (3 hours)
930pm - arrive Siem Reap (Siem Reap is 1 hour behind of Manila)
1045pm - check-in at hotel

 

Day 2 (Angkor Wat & Angkor Thom)

AM

7am - bfast
8am - off to Angkor Wat
815am - buy Angkor Pass
825am - arrive at Angkor Wat
-Angkor Wat
11am - lunch

PM

12nn - head to Angkor Thom
1215pm - arrive at Angkor Thom
- South Gate
- Bayon
- Baphoun
- Terrace of the Elephants
- Terrace of the Leper King
- Royal Palace/Phimeanakas
- Ta Phrom
430pm - head back to hotel
6pm - Dinner buffet & Apsara Show

 

Day 3 (City Tour)

AM

715am - bfast
8am - off to Tonle Sap Lake
9am - arrive at Tonle Sap Dock
- Chong Kneas Floating Village
11am - lunch at Pub St.

PM

1pm - explore Angkor National Museum
4pm - checkout local supermarket
430pm - ice cream break at Swensen
530pm - souvenir & pasalubong (gifts) shopping at Old Market

 

Day 4 (Rolous Group)

AM

715am - bfast
8am - tour Rolous Group
- Lo Lei
- Bakong
- Preah Ko
- Banteay Samre

PM

1230pm - lunch
130pm - continue with temple hopping
- Banteay Srey
330pm - drop by Landmine Museum
4pm - head to Pre Rup for sunset
420pm - wait for sunset
530pm - sunset
7pm - dinner
9pm - souvenir shopping at Old Market

 

Day 5 (Grand Circuit)

AM

5am - off to Angkor Wat for sunrise
520am - wait for sunrise
6am - sunrise
730am - more temples!
- Preak Khan
- Neak Phean
- Tasom
- Bantay Kdei
11am - head back to Siem Reap
1122am - stop by hotel
12nn - lunch

PM

2pm - rest at hotel/late checkout
7pm - head to airport
10pm - flight to Manila

 

Day 6

AM

2am - arrive at Manila (Manila is 1 hour ahead of Siem Reap)

 

NOTA BENE: This itinerary has been scheduled this way to accommodate my elderly parents' physical limitations and to minimize temple fatigue.

 

 

 

Suggested Itinerary for Jakarta, Indonesia

 

Day 1

PM
755pm – flight to Jakarta (4 hours)

 

Day 2 (Jakarta)

AM
1155am – arrive at Jakarta (Jakarta is 1 hour behind of Manila)
115am – taxi to hotel
155am – arrive at hotel
7am - bfast
8am – busway to Monumen Selamat Datang
845am - photo op at Monumen Selamat Datang
850am - taxi to Sarinah Shopping Mall
9am - exchange peso for rupiah, souvenir shopping, buy lunch
11am - taxi to Monas
1110am - buy admission ticket/s, lunch, wait in line

PM
1252pm – start tour
220pm - walk toward the direction of Musueum Nasional
235pm – tour of Musueum Nasional
405pm - walk toward the direction of
418pm – photo op in front of  Istana Merdeka (Presidential Palace)
430pm - taxi to Old Town
445pm - arrive Old Town
450pm - street food trip
5pm - dinner
645pm - bargain shopping
720pm - taxi to Komplek Rasuna Epicentrum
810pm - malling
845pm - back to the hotel

 

Day 3 (Taman Mini)

AM
8am - bfast
9am – busway to Taman Mini
930am - arrive Taman Mini
1140am - lunch

PM
310pm - Mini Nonumen Selamat Datang
420pm - busway back to downtown
6pm – dinner
642pm - walk back to the hotel
8pm - freshen up
9pm – taxi to airport
945pm – arrive at airport

 

Day 4

AM
1225am – flight to Manila (4 hours)
525am – arrive at Manila (Manila is 1 hour ahead of Jakarta)