Budget Seoul Trip Itinerary - 7 days 6 Nights

Seoul was the first North Asia city that I visited. With the hype of Korean drama especially about the royal Korean food at that time, it is a interesting and wise destination choice. Seoul has a fascinating mix of old and new. Around the city, there are many old palaces which you can explore and I indeed spent 2.5 days just to visit all 4 major palaces in Seoul. You can purchase combination ticket with entrance to all 5 main attractions at just 10,000 Won (USD9.00). Seoul also have modern skyscrapers, mega human made river park, world's largest corporations and efficient subway systems. There are many districts which suits one interest to visit. From fashionable and young Apgujeong district to traditional and old Gwanghwamun district.


Get a T-Card if you stay a week in Seoul and plan to fully utilize their subway systems. Over the years, T-Card has integrated into many restaurant and shops around Seoul. So it can be use as cash card as well. Using T-Card provide you with convenience and you will also get discount of 100 Won on each subway ride. Seoul has become a success model in creating a cashless society.

Clean and spacious airport express train.

Changing of guards in Gyeongbokgung palace.

World famous Cheonggyecheon stream. Successful model of urban renewal.

Autumn foliage in Gyeongbokgung palace.

Busy shopping street of Myeongdong.

Cute teddy bears in Teddy Bear museum at Namsan Tower.

Seoul olympic park. They hosted the 1988 olympic games.

Trick eye museum nearby Hongik University.

Rainbow bridge fountain at Banpo Hangang Park.

Day	Morning	Afternoon	Evening	Night
Day 1 (Fri)	1. Arrival from Kuala Lumpur to Seoul via Malaysia Airlines on Boeing 777 flight. The journey takes approximately 7.5 hours. 2. Purchase T-Card from 7-Eleven located at Incheon Airport. 3. Check in at Kimchi Hongdae hostel near Hongik University Station.	1. Having eel bento set lunch at O Bento	1. Visit Gyeongbokgung the largest palace in Seoul. 2. Visit Cheonggyecheon the best model of urbal renewal. Great park to visit.	1. Dinner near Dongdaemun station. Good vegetarian bibimbap and cheap. 2. Explore around Dongdaemun area. 3. Explore Myeongdong shopping street. Many fashionable boutiques and street food stalls are available. Large crowd at night.
Day 2 (Sat)	1. Having bread as breakfast purchased from bakery from the night before. 2. Visit UNESCO world heritage palace of Changdeokgung. Historic palace with private garden.	1. Drinking shikhye drink (Korean rice fermented drink) 2. Having vegetarian bibimbap as lunch.	1. Visit Korean traditional old houses. 2. Took bus. Heading to Namsan Tower. 3. Visit teddy bear museum which is just located at ground floor of Namsan Tower. Take the combination ticket of Namsan Tower and teddy bear museum for extra savings.	1. Visit Itaewon and have handmade noodles kalguksu as dinner.
Day 3 (Sun)	1. Visit Deoksu palace for guarding changing ceremony and to view the westernized feature of the palace.	1. Visiting Jongmyo shrine and took their walking tour. You can't walk alone in Jongmyo shrine. Do follow the time of your preferred language tour. 2. Having pork chop as lunch	1. Heading to Samgakji subway station to visit The Korea War Memorial. This is the world largest war memorial with many actual planes and war ships on display.	1. Visit shopping area of Dongdaemun. 2. Chicken ginseng soup dinner at Dongdaemun
Day 4 (Mon)	1. Autumn colours view at Seoul Olympic Park	1. Yeouido Hangang park visit. You are able to view the colourful flowers in the park and the 63 building which is among the tallest building in Seoul.		1. Beef soup dinner near Seoul station. 2. Visit Seoul station Lotte Mart. This is a large Lotte Mart. 3. Night view of Cheonggyecheon river stream. 4. Late night supper of traditional Korean delicacy of haemul pajeon and makgeolli.
Day 5 (Tue)	1. Unique Trick Eye museum in Hongik University area.	1. Tried the banana milk drink. 2. National Museum of Korea visit. Many ceramics on display.		1. Visit COEX shopping mall. I don't recommend to visit this shopping mall as product are mostly high end. 2. Dinner of bibimbap at COEX Mall. 3. Check out the media poles at Gangnam area.
Day 6 (Wed)	1. Spicy pork stew breakfast.	1. Visit antique street of Insadong.	1. Visit Namdaemun market. Snacking at Namdaemun market.	1. heading to dongguk station to view Rainbow bridge fountain. This musical water fountain performance only available during autumn. 2. Tried Tteokbokki during supper.
Day 7 (Thur)	1. Going back home from Incheon airport to Kuala Lumpur via Malaysia Airlines flight.

Budget stay at Nobel Hostel @ Istanbul, Turkey

Near to Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. Located just behind those landmark. Good breakfast, clean bedroom and wifi function well. I went there during winter and the heater is water based which is good. Around the hostel has many restaurants to hang out. However, you may watch out for narrow stairs. Need to be careful when carrying heavy luggage via the stairs in this hostel. I was lucky to get first floor which only need a short stair walk. There is also not enough power plug in the room. The room that I stayed have 4 beds but only have 3 power plugs. Due to this, I have problem to charge my electronics items as all power plug were occupied. The bathroom is limited with only one bathroom with toilet together on each floor.

Rating:8/10(Recommended. Good for budget and solo traveller. A clean room is all you need to enjoy istanbul).
Price: The price that I paid is around MYR50/EUR12 a night. Its quite reasonable as the location is good and near to many attractions and eating places.


Nobel Hostel.


Breakfast provided. Cheese are provided.

Simit or sesame bread ring provided as breakfast.

Very healthy breakfast. Olives and cucumbers. Very fresh and sweet.

Very sweet and tasty green grapes.

4 beds in a room.

Double decker bed.

Good view of Blue Mosque if you walk up to the top floor of Nobel Hostel.

Street view nearby Nobel Hostel.

Overlooking New City of Istanbul.

Be careful with the stairs.

GPS/Coordinate: 41.005163, 28.978767
Address: Mimarmehmet Aga Sk. No:16 Sultanahmet, Fatih, 34112 Istanbul, Turkey
Public transport: 10 minutes walk from Sultanahmet tram station.

Budget stay at Adelaide Hostel @ San Francisco, USA

The hostel is located near Union Square and quite easy for us to take bus / cable car to anywhere else in San Francisco. Privacy on each bed in the dorm as there were. The environment is quiet in dorm and respecting each other. The breakfast provided is the best that I have in any hostels that I have stayed in. They have varieties of bread, bagels and fruits. Good ambiance comfortable lobby close to metro station and bus stop. The disadvantage is the top bed is quite high when compared to other hostels that I have stayed in. Quite difficult to get up there. Limited number of bathroom.

Rating:8/10(Recommended for everyone either solo traveller and budget traveller. The location, service and wifi is great. The place is quiet and you can rest well at night after whole day of travelling in San Francisco).
Price: 55 USD a night per person in 4-bed dorm. Of course the price is not cheap for a dorm but this is San Francisco where accommodation is so expensive.


Adelaide hostel located at small alley nearby Union Square.

Most jam variety offering from a hostel. I have stayed in many hostel around the globe but never seen such an extensive jam/bread spread selection.

Fruits offering were great as well.

Nice kitchen with many types of breads to select as well.
Common area to have breakfast.

Nice and clean bed room but the upper bed is too high. Huge locker provided at the bottom of lower bed.

Bathrooms and restrooms.

Coordinate/GPS: 37.787453, -122.412100
Address: 5 Isadora Duncan Street, Union Square, San Francisco, CA 94102, United States of America.

Triple Tiger Hostel @ Taipei, Taiwan

The location of this hostel is at Ximending area which is good for shopping and food. MRT station is within 10 minutes walk. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The food recommendation were great! However, there is only one bathroom for 6 beds dorm. Usually dorm have a few common shared bathrooms outside. There will be waiting time especially during morning and night.

Rating:8/10(Recommended. Good for budget and solo traveller. A clean room is all you need to enjoy Taipei).
Price: The price that I paid is 580 TWD a night. Its quite reasonable as the location is good and near to many attractions and eating places.


This is how the dorm look like complete with locker.

The room is a bit small for 6 persons dorm.

Welcome sign to the hostel.

Look out for this signboard - Triple Tiger hostel. Located at 3rd floor.

GPS/Coordinate: 25.043642, 121.504605
Address: 3F, No.39 Lane 25 Kangding Road, Wanhua District, 10845 Taipei, Taiwan

Bent Prop Inn Hostel @ Midtown Anchorage, Alaska

As a solo traveller, I booked 1 bed dorm for 4 nights in Bent Prop Inn Hostel. As I check in the hostel, I am the only one to stay in 4 beds room suite since its entering low season in Anchorage. The room comes with kitchen and living room. Its great and value for money. The general manager were very friendly, helpful and he ensure that I have a comfortable stay. They provide airport free transfer to their customers. The advice given were very helpful especially on food recommendation around Anchorage. Nearby the hostel, there were Walmart and Outback Steak restaurant which is just 2 blocks away. Internet provided were good and important to me since phone coverage is limited in Alaska. I was fortunate to find a hostel which the owner himself fetch me to Anchorage Downtown on one of the day that I stay as I need to get to Downtown very early in the morning to catch my cruise tour. They are flexible and have the best customer service experience that I had so far. The location to Anchorage Downtown is within 10 minutes by car. You will need to take bus number 2 or 75 to reach this hostel but should not have problem since the bus service is reliable to Downtown Anchorage.

Rating:10/10(Highly recommended for solo, family or budget traveller. The location is still manageable with good bus transport system. The customer service here is top notch with the owner of the hostel making sure that you stay comfortable and airport transfer provided. The hostel is near proximity to the best superstore in America which is Walmart, Costco and Fred Meyer).
Price:The price of the 4 bed dorm is quite cheap for Anchorage standard where the things tend to be expensive here. The charges for one night start on dorm is at 25 US Dollars. Good for budget traveller who set Anchorage as a base to visit other places within Alaska).


Living room with sofa and television.

Full equiped kitchen.

Comfortable bed.

Toilet and bathroom.

Do stay here. Highly recommended stay when you visit Anchorage, Alaska.

GPS/Coordinate: 61.191948, -149.889571
Address: 3104 Eide Street, Anchorage, Alaska 99503 (Midtown).
Public transport: People Mover Bus 2 or 75. Stop at intersection of C street and 32th avenue street. USD2.00 each ride.

Beijing Sanlitun Hostel @ Beijing, China

The location is about 10 minutes walk from Dongsi shitiao station. Nearby there are many restaurants and eating place. The staff are helpful and speak good English. Nearby to the subway station which connect directly to the airport. Please don't confuse between Dongsi Shitiao station and Dongzhimen station.

However, this hostel has no wifi except on the lobby area and bar. The only Internet connection in the room is via the LAN cable. Fortunately I have laptop with me and I am able to have the Internet. No elevator in the building. You have to carry your heavy luggage up the stairs. The locker can only fit one medium sized luggage. The water temperature of the shower is inconsistent.

Rating:7/10(Recommended for solo traveller or budget traveller. The place is happening with many international traveller and they have a small bar).
Price:I paid 58.5 Chinese Yuan or MYR30.50 for a bed in 6-bed room per night. Good for budget traveller who just need sleep and shower. At this price, this is the cheapest hotel I ever stay so far.


This is how the hostel outside look like.


Nice bar.

In the bar, traveller can enjoy themselves with some of the gaming machines provided.

Many drink available.

Beijing Sanlitun hostel lobby.

6-bed room dorm.

GPS/Coordinate: 39.934372, 116.443995
Address: No.1 Chunxiu South Gongti North Road , Beijing
Metro Station: Dongsi shitiao station on line 2 (inner loop line).

Shanghai Blue Mountain Bund Youth Hostel @ Shanghai, China

The hostel room is clean and its near to the famous Nanjing road. About 5 minutes walk from East Nanjing road station. The staff is polite and good at providing essential information on food location. Good environment for socializing with other guest. Nearby is very convenient to have food as there are many restaurants and cafes. The ticket counter to book train ticket for travel within China is just opposite the hostel. The sleep quality is good as the guests in my room sleep quite early.

However, the hostel is hard to find in the first place as it is located on the 6th floor. The toilet always blocked by paper and unable to flush properly. This makes that toilet sometimes dirty and smelly. Better if wifi is accessible from the rooms instead of just in common area.

Rating:8/10(Recommended for solo traveller or budget traveller. The location and wifi is moderate. The place is noisy during evening and you can socialize with the guest which mostly international).
Price:The price of the 4 bed dorm is quite cheap at 75 Chinese Yuan or MYR40 for a dorm bed per night. Good for budget traveller who just need sleep and shower.



My dorm room with 4 beds.

The locker size is good as I can put in my bags and luggage.

The hostel lobby.


The hostel lobby provides many tips of the attractions around Shanghai.

GPS/Coordinate: 31.239564, 121.481290
Address: 6F, No350, South Shanxi Road, Huangpu, 200001 Shanghai
Metro station: East Nanjing Road station.