Korea - Free & Easy (Part 5)

12:25:00 AM Unknown 16 Comments

I decided to combine my 2 day-trip in just 1 post and that will sum up my Korea trip. It's end July now and I'm still blogging about my trip in end April. *palm face*  Same as my previous trips, just email or leave a comment if you are keen on my itinerary. =)

Gapyeong Day Trip - Peitit France + Nami Island

Direction: From Cheongpyeong Station, take exit 2 to the bus stop to catch Gapyeong City Tour Bus. If you're lost, don't worry, there is a Tourism Center at exit 1, so you can ask the staff there. Really, the bus stop is right outside the exit, so cant really miss lah..

You can refer to the bus schedule below. For me, I followed the schedule in orange colour.  So refer to the schedule depending on which station you alight (either Gapyeong or Cheongpyeong station). 
(click to enlarge)
The City Tour Bus passes several stops including Petite France, Nami Island, and the nearest subway stations and bus terminals. You can hop on and off at every stop you want by using single ticket, which costs 5,000 KRW per adult. Ticket can be purchased from the bus driver. You need to keep the ticket and show it to the driver every time you hop on to the bus.

Petite France
Entrance Fee : $8000 KRW per adult

Petite France is a French cultural village set in the Korean countryside.  There are exhibitions, performances, dining and even guest house.  A pretty place to take a stroll and relax.

A problem with working people nowadays is ~ we don't how and when to slow down! Everyday, people are in a rush to go work, meet deadlines etc. We should REALLY REALLY take concerted effort to learn to appreciate bits and pieces of our lives ~ take time to smell the roses, admire the drifting clouds..  Just my 2 cents worth after reading this article called " The Day I Stopped Saying 'Hurry Up'".  

Anyway, that also give me an idea! I shall share nice reading articles in my newsletter as well! What are you waiting, faster sign up with me leh..  *chuckled*

Ok, back to Korea ar.... if you are a Korean drama fan,  this is the place where Ju-Won meets Ra-Im for the first time in the drama "Secret Garden".

Nami Island
Entrance Fee : $8000 KRW per adult

It's quite "ulu" at Petite France *wind breezed by*.. So the best and most economic way is to hop back to the Gapyeong City Tour Bus! Only 20mins and we reached Nami Island .

It's quite interesting to know that the entrance fee for Nami Island is more expensive for the locals! Funny hor?

The entrance fee includes a round-trip fare. If you feel richer, you can also take the zip-wire to Nami Island, at $38,000 KRM.

Nami Island is a super big park, known for its pine tree lane ~ stretch of super tall pine trees, which will give a different ambiance in different seasons.  I think it's better to come here in autumn or winter, so that the place will be donned in red autumn leaves or pure innocent snow.  It's just green in spring/summer, so less romantic.

Oh, this is also one of the scene for the drama "Winter Sonata".

Mt Sorek Day Trip - Abai Village + Mt Sorek

Direction: From Gangbyeon station, exit 3 or 4, cross the road to Dongseoul Central Terminal to take the bus to Sokchon.
(click to enlarge)
There are 2 options - Level 1 : For the normal bus (3 hours ride, blue card) and Level 2: For the express bus (2.5 hours ride, yellow card). Pricing is $17,300 KRW and $17,200 KRW respectively.

At Sokcho, there's a information counter on the left side of the exit of the bus terminal where you can get a map of Sokcho. We wanted to go Abai Village for lunch, so the info counter auntie told us to follow the map and walked there. It was farrrrr lor...  Do this instead, walk towards the direction to the sea (on the same side of the bus terminal) to the nearest bus stop (probably just 10 mins) and take Bus No 7-1. Abai Village is 2-3 bus stop away, the same bus will also go to Mt Sorek (last stop).

Abai Village

We took the Gaetbae boat to cross the river, which is not operated by any powers but by the hands of the passengers aboard.  Ya lor, you got to pay $200 KRW (per trip) to board the boat to be the "laborer". Haha

This place is famous because it's the filming location of the drama "Autumn in my Heart". It's quite obvious now that my Korea trip is either shopping or pursue the scenes in the many drama shows. =p
This was the 'highlight' of the day! We loved the grilled sotong stuffed with rice and coated with egg. Super nice especially when it was served piping hot!  We loved it so much that we even tabao (packed away).

Mt Sorek

Entrance Fee : $3000 KRW per adult
Cable Car : $9000 KRW per adult

We took Bus No 7-1 and continued our journey to Mt Sorek.  You can choose to hike along the contour line, like the local aunties and uncles who are super strong, or just take the easy way up via the cable car, like what we did.

Jaksal Chicken (이수)
Direction: Seokchon Station, Exit 7, walk straight about 50m, turn right on the 1st side street and just look out for the small resturant

I came here because it was owned by Kim Hyun Joong! Lol  

Somemore it was really "on the way" from Mt Sorek since Seokchon is only 3 stops away from Gangbyeon. Heh, I planned my route well ok, so that I dun spent time travelling unnecessary route! And I'm pretty proud with myself when it comes to planning itinerary, come hire me! Hehe

In case you are wondering what they have at Jaksal, well the name says it all rite... chicken and more chicken! We ordered the mild chicken + rice cakes and crackers and salad was served free. The mild chicken was still very spicy for us, in fact, we gulped down so much water that we were feeling bloated lor. If you are non-spicy eater like us, I would recommend chicken with garlic.

Dongadaemum 

Direction: Dongdaemum History & Culture Park, Exit 14. 

If you still have the stamina to go on,  continue the night, or should I say dawn, with shopping at Dongdaemum.  The shopping malls are opened till early morning, so "evil", trying to make us shop until broke.

For me, I just went Goodmorning City, APM and Migliore, coz cheaper lah. Doota is nice but more expensive lor.

Doota: 10.30am - 5am (closed on Sunday)
Migliore: 11am - 11.30pm (closed on Monday)
Hello APM: 10.20am - 5am (closed on Tuesday)


One more place you should go is Lotte Plaza at Seoul Station for snacks! They make great souvenirs too.  If this is your first time, dun be surprise if the staff do not give you plastic bags for your purchases.  Instead of plastic bags, customers can pack their purchases in carton boxes, tapes are provided also. What a great idea to recycle the carton boxes! 

Can you guess which luggage is mine?  Keke... The pink one lor... My hubby's luggage looked so tiny beside mine.

Finally it was time to go home! Check with your hotel receptionist for the bus schedule and be there earlier (in case the bus arrives early).  Bus number 6015 will go to Incheon International Airport (KW 10,000) and 6001 will go to Gimpo Airport (KW 70000).  You can buy the tickets from the driver.

There are 2 tax rebates counters (side by side) at the Incheon Airport (near Gate 28),  one orange colour and one blue colour.  If you have tax rebates forms in both colours, you have to go to both counters.  We thought it was the same at first, but ended up got to queue twice, so get your travelling partner to queue the other counter to save time ya?

Ok, that's all! I hope I've given enuff information to convince you that travelling in Korea is as simple as ABC! ^_^ (V)

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16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi,

Can i have your Korea Itinerary and send to peiyun_goh@hotmail.com? I am planning to travel during Nov.

Regards
Pei Yun

Sherlyn said...

Hi,

Am glad i come by and to realise your v comprehensive planning ;) could u share with me your itinerary?
My email quekquek_85@hotmail.com.

Thanks for sharing!

Sherlyn

Anonymous said...

Hi,

Can you send your Korea itinerary to conniet73@hotmail.com? Thanks.

Regards,
Connie

Anonymous said...

Hi,

I'm going to Korea in Jun with my kids. Can u share your itinerary with us? My email is gerteng@hotmail.sg.

Thanks & regards,
Geraldine

Unknown said...

Hi Connie,

Itinerary sent. Please check your mailbox! =)

Anonymous said...

Hi,
Enjoying reading your blog. My family and I are going to Jeju and Korea end of April, do you mind to share your itinerary with me.
My e mail is siow.annie66@gmail.com

Thanks and hope to read your3 tour blog again for your coming oversea holiday trip ;)

Anonymous said...

Hi!

I like your itinerary in Seoul! Can you kindly share the itinerary with me?

youngkid1412@hotmail.com

Thanks!!

Unknown said...

Dear all, I have already sent you the itinerary. Pls check your email!

Have lotza of fun in Korea!

Anonymous said...

Hi,

I enjoyed reading your blog very much as there's a lot of good tips n info.

I'm currently planning my family trip for this June, can you kindly share your itinerary with me.

My email: sfong2@yahoo.com

Thanks in advance. ^.^

Anonymous said...

Hi! Can share with me your itinerary? Thanks!
jazmineth@gmail.com

Unknown said...

Dear all,

Itinerary sent! Please check!

xoxo,
Ash

Anonymous said...

Hi Ashley,

Received your email.

Thanks!! ^.^

Sfong2

Anonymous said...

Hi Hi

I am going in 2 weeks time. Your itinerary is amazing. And hor, I think you a good planner. Can you send me your itinerary to omichan.corgi@gmail.com

thank you!!

Anonymous said...

Hi Ashley,

I planning to have a free and easy tour to seoul and jeju on sept, can you please share your itinerary with me? my email is evelynlsc@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Hi Ashley,

I enjoyed reading your blog.

Could you share your itinerary, please send to theng_li_yun@hotmail.com.

Thank You
Li Yun

Unknown said...

Can you send the korean itirenary to dutunk@gmail.com