Korea

[puppylove888]

leeyan
wow u stay 2 nite at hanwah resort..tink u do spa till shiok shiok
me onli stay 1 nite
ya ..outdoor hot spring is shiok shiok

ya thks ....will take note abt this Noblesee Hotel

 

[eugo]

puppylove,

aquaworld is in hanwah ah? I thot Hanwah Resort one is Sorak Waterpia?

 

[puppylove888]

aquaworld and sorak waterpia no same?
mixed up

 

[lili05]

Lee Yan,

You bought 1 yr supply of mask?? So many?! 1 wk u do 1 time mask or alt day? I only bought a few pcs there & at myungdong bought a few too...
May I know where u place the mask, do we need to store it in fridge?

 

[lili05]

The whole journey was quite tiring...everyday had our dinner around 8.30pm (korea time)...not much time to do shopping too....The only time tat we can slowly walk & see was at jeju...the underground shopping mall...I saw the Face shop & bought my mask there, since, it's only 2nd day therefore I dare not buy much....who knows the subsequent days I did not dump on to any Face Shop liao!

We were given 4hrs to play at Everland, wow....super cold....actually my body is ok but the hands & the toes....really cannot tahan!
All the 5 or 6 stars r just normal rooms to us...nothing special too...everyday got to sleep late.
During the days in korea, we donno wat's e degree, but at yongpyeong...there's a board indicating the degree...when we reached there at nite it's -17.6 deg! The nx day morning was -11.1 deg.
The day b4 we arrived at jeju, there's a heavy snow & plane to jeju was stopped! Lucky we were not affected....
We were given 2hrs to shop at myungdong & Namdaemum! Where got time....so in e end nv go to Namdaemum at all! Even myungdong can only visit 1 shopping centre!
The last day we went to Lotte World, worst still! Only give us 2 hrs to play there (include having dinner there)....rush like mad...didn't even take any rides...the place too big, b4 knowing where to search for the entrance...the site closed....Watched a bit of the laser show, nothing impressive.....

 

[cottoncandy7681]

Hi Gals,
i am going korea on 7th Jan.
Any advise n things to do ? I am going with Hong Thai.

 

[eugo]

PuppyLove,

I also blur le.. all similar names one.. haiz

 

[eugo]

LiLi05,

Wah.. so packed ah.. Any delay in any of the destination? like to the ski resort or hotspring?

 

[lili05]

Eugo,

No delay....only 1 time, got traffic jam...journey took extra 1 hr to reach..

 

[eugo]

LiLi05,

icic...did u go to Nami Island? How's the foods they have provided?

 

[lili05]

Eugo,

Yes, we went to Nami Island & it snow there.

 

[eugo]

LiLi05,

Icic.. so lucky! Hope that I will be able to go Nami Island wor..

 

[lili05]

Eugo,

Nammi is included in ur package rite? But i felt tat the time given there too short....the 2 rows of tree were so inside....on the way need to take pix too....then go toilet, the q so long...wasted a lot of time....if can, better don't go toilet! I only took the 2 rows of tree when I saw them & didn't got time to go further down already....

 

[eugo]

LiLi05,

I was afraid if the lake is frozen then cannot go there already mah.. hard to say wor..

Its okie lah.. cos i went there to take photo le.. ^^

 

[summersnow_ger]

Hi Lili,

R u feeling better now? I miss Korea weather if compared to Sg hot weather.. i bought 50 pieces of mask like dat.. so if every week i do once, got 1 yr supply already... hehe

i thinking if next time i go Seoul, maybe will go F & E. den can consider to stay at Noblesee hotel. I checked the price, is SGD126 per night for Noblesee hotel. sounds reasonable. i think i'm quite lucky to be able to see snow on 25th Dec. u also see snow in Nami Island. Also very lucky.

I also v blur on Aquaworld n Seorak Waterpia. Dunno is it the same. The outdoor hot bath really v cool. I like the ginseng bath also. The event bath for the day i went to spa is ginseng bath. My package actually quite relax compared to urs. For my package, we didn't go LotteWorld. So we have more time at other places. Like 5hr at Everland, so at least i tried snow sledging, safari. saw the fireworks. n we have 3 hrs each at Dongdaemum n Myeungdong. and we had dinner at 7pm everyday n back at hotel at 8 plus depends on traffic condition. So maybe my package will be good for families with kid or anyone tat like package tat are not so rush.

There are The face shop at Dongdaemum also. Maybe u miss it out? Cos i bought 30 masks when i was at Myeungdong, den the next day i went Dongdaemum i bought another 20 sth masks.. hehe.. cos bf scold me for buying too little ( first time got scold for buying too little) hahaa..

How's the food tat Hong Thai arrange for ur tour? for my trip, i think the food so so only except for 3 meals which is Bulgogi(Dry BBQ), Wet BBQ & Ginseng Chicken. there also arrange steamboat for us. but it was a bit dissapointing as it was not kimchi soup base. its normal soup. so not v nice...

 

[viavia]

Hi, can one wear swimsuit to the hot bath at Aquaworld and Seorak Waterpia?

 

[lili05]

Lee Yan,

Me still having flu & cough...
as wat u stated...yours really got a lot of time...back hotel at 8plus wow....ours, still travelling to dinner place for dinner!
Actually i bought 10 mask at Face shop but gave 5 to my sis...then at myeungdong, costmetic shop I bought another 10 so altogether i got 15.
At everland, we hv 4hrs there, didn't try the snow sledging...initally wanted to but felt like so risky then nv try...the hands & toe too cold to try anything adventure! Safari we went too. Never see any fireworks, we left at 6.30pm.
Yours so gd got 3hrs each at Dongdaemum & Myeungdong! We nv go Dongdaemum (so unable to see the Face shop), we went Namdaemum & Myeungdong...we start off with Myeungdong 1st..didn't even walk so in, stop at the shopping centre for 1hr+ becoz inside onsales....no time to go Namdaemum & times up for dinner(chinese meals)....

As for Food, BBQ, ginseng chicken,streamboat..we hv all these std one like yours...

ps: do we need to store the mask in fridge??

 

[lili05]

Viavia,

For the Seorak Waterpia, u can choose the outdoor(like swimming pool) where u can wear swimsuit...The outdoor still hv 2 sections, 1 with cover & the other one really outdoor. I went for the outdoor with cover...actually didn't felt so great...the most is the water is very hot...nv get to try any ginseng bath....

Lee Yan,

Your ginseng bath need to be naked??

 

[eugo]

LiLi05,

Aiyo.. HT one like very packed leh.. haiz..

Take care wor..

 

[lili05]

Eugo,

Ya lor.....everyday sleep late...tat time when we want to take plane back fr jeju, our morning call was 4.30am leh! Catch the 7am+ plane...

tips for u :

There's 1 emart nearby the oriental hotel...so u can shop there...at the last hotel there's 1 emart just opp the hotel too, but when i discovered it already too late....no time to run over to do last min shopping!

 

[eugo]

LiLi05,

Aiyo.. like that like not enjoying leh..

Emart? the large supermarket? walking distance?

 

[lili05]

Eugo,

Hei hei of course walking distance...need to take bus or wat i donno how. The Oriental one, when out of hotel, walk to the right side, u will see the emart opp of the road tat u walk...easy easy....The other one, fr my hotel rm I look down, I can see the emart.

 

[eugo]

LiLi05,

Icic..thanks! but the emart is big supermarket or small one like 7-eleven?

 

[lili05]

Eugo,

emart big supermarket, bigger than NTUC.

Can see the korean buy the goods in a full trolley.

 

[eugo]

LiLi05,

Haha.. that's the supermarket I am looking for! Thanks wor!! ^^

 

[lili05]

Eugo,

U gg to korea soon hor....so be super cold.

Ps: when go up to dragon peak, our tour guide also went up with us...he helped us to buy ticket & pay for us 1st, at the 2nd last day of our trip we paid him back.

 

[eugo]

LiLi05,

Yeah.. I am going on this thurs...yeah lor.. but i like the coldness.. hehee ^^

hey..your tour guide nice or not?

 

[lili05]

Eugo,

Our tour guide, how to say....is good in a way but we r not happy of his arrangement until we did not hv much time to shop & in Lotte world(although I know our package got not much shopping time)....the 2nd last day, he brought us to ginseng shop, crystal shop & also dong chong chao shop (this is additional), wasted a lot of time there....
He's very professional & claim tat he's 1 of the "jin pai" dao you zhi yi. He knows S'pore very well...those artist like chen han wei, chen xiu lee, lin yi ming...dj like anna,liang ping....he appeared in our S'pore tour prog & radio prog b4...came to Sg many times...

 

[eugo]

LiLi05,

Icic.. they bring us to ginseng shop etc is because they want us to bring those stuffs as they will earn some commission mah. Normally from day 1 of the tour, the tour guide will tell us stories lor.. then later like day 5 or 6 when we are going to those ginseng shop then i realised that the motive behind those stories is to tell us how gd ginseng is and so some of us may buy them lor. And some of them will treat us nicer if you buy ginseng lor. hehee..

 

[lili05]

Eugo,

ya ya, they will tell stories, how gd is ginseng etc...I know it's compulsory but xian when he added another place lor...
As for the seafood dinner which puppylove mentioned, those pp like us nv take the special dinner waited for those for more than 1hr to finish (maybe 2hrs more can't remember.)We just sit there doing nothing or if not went downstairs to see other pp play fireworks or u play yourself...they drank, take photos upstairs...after tat came down still want to play fireworks.....

 

[king_kong]

Can anyone advise what is the weather like on feb & more about the casino there?

 

[eve21]

HiHi...
I'm back from Korea, just started work. Share some of my experience with you all...
- Things there are quite expensive. A jumbo hotdog cost SG$4, A cup of coffee or hot chocolate cost SG$4
- Bring along hand/feet warmers will be good, as your body will not feel tat cold with 3 layers clothings.
- Buy seaweeds from jeju e-mart somewhere near Oriental (For those joined Hong Thai) or Family Marts... Its cheaper there, abt 1,200won for 3 packs. We didn't buy from jeju cos tot still early & dun want to carry everywhere. In the end we bought from a shop which the tour guide brought us to, cost 3,000won for 3 packs.
- For those join Hong thai, ski & gondola are not included so remember to set aside 42,000won (ski) & 12,000 (gondola). Its optional.. but since there just give it a try.
- Do not buy the 100% wool longjohn cost ard $60/set, it doesn't keep you warm at all & quite uncomfortable. Buy the one with polyester & wool cost only $20++. Comfortable & can keep you warm warm.
- For Hong Thai tour, there is a dinner which you need to top up 30,000won for seafood (Optional). I find it quite worth it, include live octupus, live prawns, raw fish.
- Our tour guide, KEN, added additional itinerary to Seoul Hard Rock cafe as a reward for us as we were always on time.
- I bought those handphone strips with korea dolls at 5,000won at Namdaemum undergound shop. Dun buy from other places which can cost from 10,000 - 7,000won.
- Must try the snow sledging at everland... cool experience!!!
- We didn't have much time at Lotte world, 2hrs for dinner, 3 rides & phototaking... where got time!!! In the end, we only had our dinner & some phototaking. Given up all our rides.
- Communication is a great barrier, had a hard time to get what we want.
- I went to the outdoor "Wen Quan" at Waterpia, great experience also, although weather was freezing but you will not feel cold at all. There are abt 7 different types of "Wen Quans". We kept jumping in & out, trying different types. The whole amosphere is like smoky & cool, as like heaven. Our bodies are full of smoke/mist when we get out of the tub.
- For those using canon camera, MUST bring additional batteries. Most of my tour mates using canon have problems... Battery run out very fast, last only like half an hour while outdoor as the weather is too cold for canon camera. Mine is sony, not that bad. 2 batteries can last about 3days.

Cheers!!

 

[eve21]

Hi Lili05
I think we were with the same tour guide.... KEN!

 

[wyy]

HI eve....thanks for your sharing seems communication is a real prob....you are with Hong Tai.....

is the lodging good? is there a bathtub to soak after a cold long day? I am thinking of going Honeymoon there but hoping to go for the spring tour...does hongtai have one?

What is the exchange rate like?? seems like the costing there are charge in thousands...

 

[lili05]

EvE,

I was abt to tell u!! Same person! When did u go korea?
Goodness, he nv bring us to Hard rock leh!!

I want to know which day he brought u all there? We are not late either......
Same situation in Lotte World....so xian...even the photos taken not so clear as all dark dark or blur.....
I didn't see any seaweeds cost 1200 won for 3 packs, inside 1 pack is there any more packets? The one I bought was 1600 won for 1 pack (inside got 16 small packets) I only bought 1, thought I may hv chances to see other mart but no chance. The shop he brought u there was the one near airport right? 2nd last day?
How much time u hv at Namdaemum & Myeungdong? I don't even got time to step in Namdaemum!
The outdoor waterpia u went, isn't really outdoor without shelter on top?
b.t.w who is ur photographer?

 

[eve21]

Wong YY
Yes, I'm with Hong Thai. Most hotel rooms are with bathtub. 4 out of 5 ba... I dun think you got much time to soak in the bathtub. Most of the nites were too tired to do anything, dun feel like bathing also... cos very cold!! My room was in a mess once we step in...keekee! Cos we stay 1 nite in most hotel, once we stepped in, we will take out all the thick clothings on us & throw onto 1 bed & the other 1 for sleeping, dun need to pack nice nice. Anyway after a sleep, got to pack & go. Our morning call is like 6.30am to 7.30am (korea time)

 

[eve21]

Wong YY
The exchange rate in SG is SG$1 to 605-613won. I manage to change 612won at chinatown, heard raffles plc also has good rate. In korea the rate very bad leh.... SG$1 to 580+++won only.

 

[eugo]

Eve,

Welcome back wor!

Thanks for the informations wor..I am planning to make a trip to the Jeju's E-mart when I go there.. ^^ How's the weather? No snowing day?

Wah.. Hard Rock Cafe ah.. did you all requested for it? or he asked anyone wanna go?

 

[eugo]

Eve,

The price of the seaweed you mentioned 1,200 won for 3 packs is small packet or big packet? thanks!

 

[wyy]

snowing??

walau...snow lwh...never seen before...i mountain turtle leh.....i thought winter almost over why still snowing?

thanks eve for information.....so the things there can consider cheap lah...i mean can buy is it?

 

[lili05]

Eugo,

Since u r gg tomorrow....u already hv a lot of info & tips, can buy all the things in advance....not like us got regrets......must bring extra luggage har....

tat ken said our tour group,did we bring all our things fr home, so many luggage until the bus also cannot put in!

 

[eve21]

Lili05
We went to Hard Rock on the 5th day ba... We stayed in Intercontinental instead of Walkerhill. Maybe Hard rock nearer to Intercontinental ba... I find Ken not bad leh but quite bossy sometime. The shop not very near to airport ba... He claimed near to the Incheon Airport hotel, dun seem very near also leh... I rather he bring us to emart, but i think he will get some commission from the so-call "tu chan" shop ba...
The waterpia hotspring is really outdoor one, no shelter on top. That's really cool. But according to him, usually only 20-30% of the tour go for the hotspring, cos Sporean feel uneasy to wear little clothing like swimsuit. But our group about 80% went... caught he a surprise.
We went Namdaemum & Myeungdong separately. We went Namdaemum on the 2nd day once we touched down, cos our flight to jeju was at ard 1pm, we reached Incheon airport at abt 6am+++. After breakfast abt 8plus, we then headed to Namdaemum spend abt 2hrs there. Didn't buy anything there, communication break down. We went Myeungdong on the 7th day, the day we went to the ginseng & gem shop. Myengdong ppl can speak better, simple english/chinese. spend abt 2hrs there also.
I dun know the name of our photgrapher, but he quite poor thing, cos our tour group only bought little photos from him. They used left over won to buy from him, some buy 5 to 7 out of 20pics. I bought 8 out of 16pics. Quite a few he took while we were taking, those I didn't buy. Bought most of the ski ones.

 

[eve21]

Eugo
The seaweed is 3 small & thick packs cost 400won each, packed 3 in 1 so cost 1,200won lor. It snow on the 2nd & 3rd day while we were at jeju. The snow is heavier on the 3rd day early in the morning where we headed for breakfast like 5am++ to catch 7am flight back to Seoul, that is freezing cold...

As for Hard Rock, the tourguide suggested it. Bcos our group, mostly are youngsters & no one objected. He say if anyone objected then he will drop the idea. So must really depend on your group.

If you intend to ski, get a hat that can cover your ears as well. Also get a sport glove, needed for ski. If not can buy from the shop where we rent the ski clothing & equipment. I bought the sport glove 10,000won, abt SG$16. The hat they are selling abt 10,000-20,000won. they also sell ski mask... some of our tourmate bought. I find not really neccessary cos the goggles already cover almost half of your face. But if you can't tahan the freeze on your face for the 1st few days then have to get the ski mask lor. As the ski temp is colder.

 

[puppylove888]

EUGO
finally u are leaving for korea liao...
u should be well-prepare as gather so much info over here liao
so in the end u opt to extend?

 

[eugo]

LiLi,

hehee.. yeah lor.. must thanks all of you for sharing the information.. ^^

By the way, how big is tour group?

 

[eugo]

Eve,

How big is your tour guide? really 40+?

And how is the food?

 

[eugo]

Eve,

Icic..Thanks! now shd be freezing cold.. yeah.. i like it! hehee..

Puppylove,

Yeah.. finally the wait is over!! hehee.. shd be well-prepared le.. must thank all of you! ^^

Nope..that time I asked for extension.. its like they charged alot not only $110 wor.. more than that.. plus i dun think i can extend le.. pile of works waiting for me to clear! haiz..

 

[eve21]

Eugo
My group 43nos ppl. Food is ok, consider above average ba... at least my appetite not bad.

Another important thing. If you have ATM card with the Cirrus logo, you will be able to draw money from their ATM. Find their ATM with Cirrus logo... the exchange is better than their money changer. I withdrew 200,000 won but you would not know the rate until you come back and check your bank balance. My exchange rate is ard 598won to SG$1. Their money changer rate was 585won to SG$1.

 

[eugo]

Eve,

wah..alot of pple wor.. but you all still managed to be punctual...good leh..

icic..okie.. thanks.. will take note of that! ^^

 

[lili05]

Eve,
How come u nv stay in walkerhill, did he give u any reason? The shop is not near airport, but on the way hor....it's underground rite? Buy 5 get 1 free with the same price. The keychain or magnet or hp accessories at 1000won. Sure he earns commission there!
The hotspring all of us went except 1 nv go.
So ur jeju flight was in the afternoon. Ours at 8.30am & we rushed like mad! Reached Korea also ard 6am but some of them their luggage came out late, so waited until 6.30am+ then hv to walk a distance to the bus...load the luggage..then speed to domestic flight airport, reach there almost 8am, all run for the flight...need to check in luggage within 1/2 hr...board the plane at 8.30am sharp!
How much is ur photo cost per pc? Ours 4500won, cheaper than pupplelove if I'm not wrong. I guess becoz he's still a student cannot consider quite professional so he chrg lesser.