Travelling Seoul is one of the best things a person can do. However if you are visiting this tremendous city for the first time, you should know some essentials. There are some important things you need to keep in mind before visiting Seoul. Seoul is a huge metropolis where modern skyscrapers, high-tech subways and pop culture meet Buddhist temples, palaces and street markets.
Itโs always important to be prepared when visiting another country. Korea is no exception! However, there are a few things that are especially important to remember if you are visiting Seoul for the first time!
CLIMATE WHILE TRAVELLING SEOUL
The climate in Seoul can be quite extreme. Therefore, you need to keep this in mind while travelling Seoul. During winter the temperatures can drop far below zero (as low as -20 Celsius!) and during summer the temperatures can go up to 40ยฐC.
Destinations
Seoul has a humid subtropical climate with 4 distinctive seasons. The best times to travel to Seoul or Korea are in the middle of spring (April, May) and during Autumn (September, October). Unless you are looking to celebrate Christmas in Seoul or go skiing. Make sure to pack and dress appropriately for the specific season.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT FOR TRAVELLING SEOUL
Seoul has an amazing public transport system which makes it incredibly easy and cheap to get around the capital. When you arrive at the airport make sure to buy a T-Money card.
The card can be topped up in any convenience store and works on all public buses and subways all over the country. It will save you time and money because you receive discounts on rides when transferring. It is also easy to get around by taxi but this is way more expensive than pubic transport. Try not to take any black or deluxe taxis, which are more expensive than white or orange taxis.
The easiest way for travelling Seoul is by downloading Kakao Maps and the Seoul Subway app. You can also use the Naver Maps application for the most precise details of streets.
RESTAURANTS AND COFFEE CULTURE
When you walk around Seoul youโll see a restaurant or coffee shop every 5 steps. Going out for dinner can be quite inexpensive if sticking to local Korean restaurants.
You can get a decent meal for 5000 โ 7000 won. In Korea there is no tipping culture, so donโt feel obliged to pay extra when in a restaurant, but if you do decide to tip the amount is entirely up to you.Korea also has a very big coffee shop culture which keeps growing and growing.
All kinds of coffee shops can be found in Seoul like speciality shops, theme cafes, big chains, etc. Coffee shops are more expensive with prices starting around 4000 won for a simple americano.
SAFETY
South Korea is possibly one of the safest countries when it comes to crimes like pickpockets, theft, scammers, etc. This makes Seoul an easy country to travel to for solo travellers, families with kids or a group of friends looking to party.
One thing to remember is that if you would get in contact with the police or the law, itโs often unfairly biased against international visitors or residents. For example, if you get in a fight with a Korean (even if he/she started) and you hit that person, the law would likely be on the side of the Korean.
RESTROOMS AND BATHROOMS
When visiting a Korean house, guesthouse or traditional restaurant you might have to take off your shoes. So when going to the bathroom you can put on the provided bathroom slippers otherwise your feet/socks might get wet.
This is because the shower is located in the same room as the toilet and most often there is no shower curtain or enclosed shower. If you are peculiar about sharing slippers with strangers, donโt forget to bring your own pair.
Many toilets in South Korea do not have big pipes, which means that toilet paper should be thrown in the garbage bin instead of in the toilet. Most of the times there is a note on the wall to remind you of this.
OTHER ESSENTIALS
- Lots of people visit Seoul for the โcityโ aspect. However, there are a lot of great natural attractions also!
- If you are planning to visit a lot of the tourist attraction in Seoul, make sure to pick up a Discover Seoul Pass. It will save you a lot of money!
- Even though you can probably get around in English it is always useful to be able to read Korean for directions and when ordering food. You can learn this in less than 1 hour.
- The Korea power outlet is the same type as in Europe, if youโre from America, UK, Canada, SE Asia make sure to bring the right travel adapter.
REMARKS
Please keep it in mind, these are my personal opinions and not some rules. They are subject to criticism. Although, you are free to look for other options as well.
Thank you so much for reading my post and sharing my experience. Also, if you like this post, please share your reviews or you can read about my other experiences here. Have a good day and stay safe !
