Seoul is too beautiful that you will have the urge to come back (and yes, every season has its own glory or pros and cons).  If you’re wondering what this city offers, you may check my 1st Seoul blog which is one of my first travel write-ups.  This time, we were lucky enough to see Seoul at its most awaited time – autumn (or as I would love to call it, the colorful fall)

Day 1 – Garden of the Morning Calm, Nami Island, Railbike, Myeondong

Should you do a DIY or go for a tour to Nami and Garden of the Morning Calm?

DIY is very doable especially if you want to save, which we did on our first summer visit (click here if you choose to DIY your trip).  As for our recent one, we decided to take a tour since my parents were with us (we practically didn’t do anything – even buying of entrance tickets was done for us).  The tour for Morning Calm, Nami and Railbike costs 65 SGD (includes roundtrip bus tour and all entrance fees) which was on promotion when we purchased from Klook.

Nami Island is my personal favourite place in South Korea — I was even more in awe when I saw the Metasequoia trees all in yellow.  Same as before, we took the UNICEF Charity train (3,000 won each) going to the island so my parents can conveniently experience the pretty autumn sights while in motion and we then walked going out of the island.

Myeong-dong – It’s a good thing that the tour ended at this area, hence, we were able to buy pasalubong already on Day 1 haha.  This is a tourist spot so restaurants are more pricey, however, there are cheap finds here (look for the sale goodies you can bring home) such as Market O Real Brownie and Lotte chocolate marshmallow.  Makeup products and luxury bags such as MCM though are actually cheaper at Incheon airport so try to come early before your flight back.

Day 2 – Hanbok at Gyeongbokgung Palace, Lotte World, Hongdae Market

Hanbok Experience – To be able to wear a traditional Korean dress is quite fun and a good way to immerse in their very rich culture.  As usual, we purchased this online from Hanboknam via Klook for only 8.3 SGD for 1.5 hours (this also includes free Korean hairstyling).  This is walking distance to Gyeongbokgung Palace (note that you no longer need to pay entrance to the palace since you rented from Hanboknam).

Seoul City Pass – Is it worth purchasing this?

We bought this 24-hour Discover Seoul Pass from Klook which costs 34.2 SGD (at a discount).  It covers Lotte World entrance ticket (36 SGD alone) along with 41 other attractions.  It is indeed good value for money, but if you would want to take some time at one attraction, you might as well purchase 48 or 72 hours or probably just buy the tickets separately, especially if you are not planning to see Lotte World.

Hongdae – (alight at Hongik University Station) This is my second favorite shopping area as it showcases Korean fashion at its best.  You’d find the trendiest trenchcoats and jackets at reasonable prices

Day 3 – Seoul City Tour, Insadong, Hanok Village

Yellow Balloon City Bus – We started the 3rd day by joining the Seoul City Tour Bus which was still part of the 24-hour Discover Seoul Pass.  However, unlike City Sightseeing Tour Bus where you can hop on at any stop, for Yellow Balloon (as part of the Seoul Pass), you would need to redeem the wristband ticket at the ticket booth in front of Dongdaemun Design Plaza.  Nevertheless, taking the hop-on hop-off is always a good idea (especially if you are travelling as family) because the landmarks are strategically planned and you also get to save on transportation costs.

Insadong – It’s funny because on my first trip to Seoul, the only market I knew was Myeondong.  Little did I know that there better markets (well, different markets to cater your needs) and this is when I discovered that the vibrant Insadong is my favourite!  If you are looking for pasalubong (something to bring home for family and friends), this is the place to be.  So yeah, all those traditional Korean souvenirs are just too pretty that this was where I’ve spent all my remaining KRW haha.

We met this very nice Korean couple where we bought some good finds like Korean mirrors (store name is Insanaduri) and I fondly told them how I like buying their products are these are locally made whereas when we travel to other places, it’s disappointing to find out that the souvenirs we buy from that country are made from somewhere else.

Bukchon Hanok Village – If you want to see traditional Korean houses, walk a little farther from Insadong and you will be able to see the 600-year old Bukchon Hanok village.  It is so worth it to be in this area since it’s also near Gyeongbokgung Palace and Changdeokgung Palace (nearest subway: Anguk Station – Seoul Subway Line 3). Please be reminded that most of them are still residential houses so please be respectful by lowering down your voices when speaking.

Where to Stay?

The An Hostel – We stayed at this hostel for 4 nights (one night only costs 66.86 SGD) and we surely are going back here because of the strategic location (walking distance to the nearest subway, Insadong, food stalls and, to our great surprise, for craft beer enthusiasts here, we stumbled upon Goose Island Brewhouse (which was very near), clean bedroom and toilet and very accommodating staff (they made sure to book us a taxi since we had to go back to the airport very early in the morning).

 

Which is the best season to visit Seoul?

People would always want to visit Seoul during spring for the cherry blossoms (this is still on my bucket list) and autumn for the vibrant fall colours – both of these, however, are relatively touristy.  We visited during summer and believe it or not, I had a photo of Nami’s Metasequoia foothpath with no single person in the background!  During winte, flight tickets, hotels and entrance fees are way cheaper but, of course, you have to endure the cold and packing heavier luggages for the coats.  Basically, each season has its pros and cons, depending on your ultimately goal, but no matter what season it would be, Seoul is too charming that definitely makes you want to go back.