Tag Archives: spa

48 Hours in Seoul: Day 2

24 Feb

48 Hours in Seoul: Day 2

An Itinerary for Getting the Most From A Too Brief Trip

See the introduction here.

See Day 1 here.

Note that all directions & prices were true as of mid-late 2012; I haven’t check back since then. I’m headed back this summer, so I’ll look and see then if I can. 🙂

Itinerary Summary–Day 2

  1. 8:00 a.m.-9:30 a.m. *** Breakfast at Myeongdong 
  2. 10:00 a.m. -11:30 p.m. *** Namsan Tower and the Cable Car
  3. 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. *** Lunch in Coex Mall
  4. 1:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m. *** Shop and visit the Aquarium in Coex Mall 
  5. 3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.***  Korean National Museum
  6. 5:30 p.m.- Whenever you leave *** Shop and enjoy Dondaemeun 

I tried to leave enough time for travel between each stop, but this means you may have a little more or less time depending on how long it takes you to move from one place to another.

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Breakfast/Shopping: Myeongdong

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Why?

Most touristy places in the city aren’t going to open up this early, so this is a good time to wander around and grab some  breakfast if you’re an early riser.  Myeongdong actually opens up pretty early because it caters to tourist shoppers; in fact you may hear people calling out in Japanese, since most of the tourist come from Japan.   Myeongdong is traditionally considered a shopping central for all fashionistas.  It’s got purses, clothes, glasses, beauty supplies, shoe stores, beauty parlors, etc.  Honestly, I preferred some other places more for actual bargain shopping (note that this is where the upper crusts shop as well; we’re talking Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana stores) , but it is an awesome place to grab coffee of a morning.  They have plenty of pastry/coffee shops like Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, etc.  Plus, the stalls are fun to wander if they’re up before you leave, and you can sometimes walk away with a handful of free stuff from the hawkers. If you’re low on funds, maybe save your shopping $$ for later though. Continue reading

48 Hours in Seoul: Day 1

5 Feb

48 Hours in Seoul: Day 1

An Itinerary for Getting the Most From A Too Brief Trip

See the introduction here.

See Day 2 Here.

Itinerary Summary–Day 1

  1. 8:30 a.m. -1:00 p.m. *** Gwanghwamun Square
  2. 1:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m. *** Lunch in Itaewon
  3. 2:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m. *** Shop in Itaewon
  4. 5:30 p.m.-7:45 p.m. *** Dinner at a Korean BBQ (It’ll be 5 before you get there)
  5. 8:40 p.m.-9:10 p.m. *** Take the Hangang Ferry Cruise
  6. Head in for a good night’s sleep/Party all night.

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History: Gwanghwamun Square

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Why?

Gwanghwamun Square is both amazing and one of the most important things to see while in Seoul.  You don’t have time to visit every major palace and museum in Seoul, but this palace both palaces and museums in one spot.  The Square itself is fascinating; because this is such an important place politically and culturally, the streets are lined with different political protests.  When I was there, you saw a long row of cages marked with signs protesting North Korea’s treatment of its citizens.  It is quite literally a square,  in the center is a long grassy strip with two large, very famous statues.  Then at one end you will find Gyeongbokgung Palace.   Continue reading

Dragon Hill Spa

13 Jan
Dragon Hill Spa

Dragon Hill Spa entrance

Traveling abroad is no picnic in the park, as even the most seasoned travelers will tell you.  Between figuring out your way around, trying to understand the foreign language, and constantly participating in the activities and events that brought you there in the first place, life gets incredibly hectic.

Then, you have to add in the fact that you are living in a strange place.  No bed that you recognize, often times (especially in Asian hotels) no bath to soak your weary bones, no familiar comforts of the home you’ve left behind.  After awhile you just need a break.

Well, it took much bravery on our parts, but this past summer, me and three other friends decided to try out one of Korea’s famous relaxing “Saunas” (also called the “Baths”).  One of us had been given a coupon to the Dragon Hill Spa, and, after looking at pictures online, we decided to try it out.  In the end, I would highly recommend the Dragon Hill Spa to visitors to Seoul.  It is an amazing experience, and it truly was the most relaxing thing I did.  As an introvert, I greatly needed a place to rest, and this was exactly what I needed.  Great place!! Continue reading

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