I originally wanted to bring them to Seoul for our summer vacation, but we ended up going back to California, so I made sure to take Asiana for a free transit tour for a short but always sweet stay. Sometime ago, I had to pay $50 for a Seoul transit tour, though there were a couple more sights included. There are several choices for Seoul City Tour, though via online Korea tour reservation, I could only book the afternoon Myeongdong and Namsan Tower tour. I was hoping to do morning tour that does more sights, like the palace and the Bukchon Hanok Village (where oppa Lee Min Ho’s Personal Taste was filmed).
 |
| Free Korea Transit Tour Desk at the Arrival Hall after Immigration |
While it’s recommended to do online reservation, they do accept walk-in on a first come, first served basis. Arriving 6am, there was a tourist counter before the immigration. We made our inquiry and reservations through her, she gave us the brochure and the tour details we can take. (Nope, we’re not early enough to join the Seoul City Tour that includes Bukchon.) We went through the immigration process to the arrival hall where the Transit Tour desk was located.
For more details, visit the official site for the visa-free entry for transit passengers.
We have more than 10-hours layover, we were booked for a morning and an afternoon tour. The morning tour, which is inclusive of lunch, requires upfront payment of $10 or 10000 KRW. Won is cheaper, but we didn’t plan to spend as much so we didn’t change money so we paid by USD. By 8am, we’re ready to go. Unlike Taiwan’s transit tour, we have a bigger group, about 40 of us.
 |
| Hello, Seoul! 🤗 |
 |
| Ahjumma in Hanbok. I want. 🙋🏻 |
 |
| Out and about in Gyeongbokgung Palace |
We were given enough time to look around and do photo ops, but not enough time do to watch the Changing of the guards at 10 am.
Next stop was at Insadong for lunch and some free time for shopping.
 |
| Korean Tour Insadong Lunch at one of the restaurant. |
 |
| Bulgogi. 😋 Choices are either a Bibimbap or Bulgogi. |
 |
| Out and about in Insadong. Rent Hanbok here. 👰🏻 |
We were given some free time to look around and to shop. Insadong features mostly stores that sells traditional arts and crafts, and some beauty stores like Innisfree. If you want overload of fashion and beauty shops, Myeongdong is it.
Then we’re back to the airport. We were booked for an afternoon, Myeongdong and Namsan Tower tour. But we were tired since we had a midnight flight from Clark. We stayed at Matina Transit Hotel (click link for the review) for the rest of the day until our evening flight for Los Angeles.
Though, with my successive visits to Seoul, I can hold my own to host a city tour for them, but it will be more expensive, Limousine Bus to Myeondong already goes for 10000-15000 KRW per person. I do hope I can bring them for a longer visit soon, and hope they’ll love it as much as I do. (Hands down, Japan will always be destination we all love and would want to go back.) If we will have a vote, I’ll be outvoted for Taiwan Airport to transit, but what can they do, I’m a fan girl and hoard Korean Skincare products like crazy, so Incheon Airport is it! Saranghae! Cheers! ;-D
A Lifestyle Blog of Chic & Sassy Mom 