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.

Namdaemun Market @ Seoul

Namdaemun Market is the largest street market in Seoul. You can get cheaper stuff here compared to other places in Seoul. There are many variety of items here and the price of some items may differ from shop to shop. I would recommend to buy your souvenir here and there are a lot of choices here and the price is reasonable. This is also a place for you to saviour Korean street food from seafood, pork knuckles, snacks and Korean dessert. Do come here during early afternoon or late evening. You can buy most Korean items here such as Korean cookware and souvenirs. You able to purchase the black clay bowl that all shops used to serve bibimbap here. This type of clay bowl able to maintain its heat at longer period. The side alleys are great places to eat local food and most menus are in English. The street food is fantastic and I recommend going in the evening if you want to see more unique foods although it can get quite crowded.


Stalls selling underwear and clothing.

You can get cheaper souvenir in Namdaemun market compared to other markets in Seoul.

Dried food such as squid and anchovies.

Plastic items and gloves also available.


Having vegetable pork bun.


Vegetable pancakes.

Street food - fried fish fillet.

Crowded with shoppers during late evening.

Preserved vegetables and food. There are one item which is very smelly here (bottom left) but I don't know what it is.

Souvenirs. Plates, pictures, chopsticks, mask, beauty products and much more...

This shop basically just selling all the photos and pictures of famous Korean actors and singers.

Key chains, letter opener and mirrors.

Nice dolls in Korean costume.

Variety of seaweed to choose from.

Abundance of selection of winter clothing and leather jackets available in Namdaemun market. These items however are unbranded.



Pork knuckles. It looks good but I don't have chance to try it as I don't know that they also serve single portion. According to my friend who went to the same shop, she said the pork is good and worth to try.

This is the stall selling pork knuckles.

If you like seafood. Sit down and order your favourite dish.

Another street seafood stall. You may get your soju alcoholic drink here as well.

Variety of Korean street food. Mostly are seafood.

Fish Cakes: This is a great snack. Fish cakes are cooked in a rich broth. After eating two or three, you are full. Plus, the broth that is served with the cakes is nice. Price range between 500 Won to 1000 Won per cake.

Variety of fried stuff and Tteokbokki.

Just pick which screwer that you want.

GPS/Coordinate: 37.558303, 126.977190
Public transport: Hoehyeon station (Subway line 4) exit 5.

Underworld of Basilica Cistern @ Istanbul, Turkey

Basilica Cistern which was built underneath the city of Istanbul is the largest surviving Byzantine cistern in İstanbul. It was constructed using 336 columns and built symmetry. Its an amazing feat to have such symmetry and built underground during the time back in 6th Century. It was built to store water delivered via 20km aqueducts from a reservoir near the Black Sea. It was closed down by the Byzantine emperors and was forgotten by city authorities until rediscovered in 1545 by scholar Petrus Gyllius. During that time, Petrus Gyllius was told by the local residents that they are able to obtain water by lowering buckets into a dark space below their basement floors. Some are even able to catch fish from there. Based on this discovery, Gyllius explored the neighbourhood and accessed the cistern through one of the basements. The cistern was cleaned and renovated in 1985 by the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality and opened to the public in 1987. Basilica Cistern is now one of the Istanbul most popular tourist attractions. When you walking along its raised wooden platforms, you will feel the water dripping from the vaulted ceiling and water ponds with swimming fishes below the platforms.


Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnici) dated back in 532.


Huge columns was built in symmetry. Water pond below served as a reservoir previously.

Write up about Basilica Cistern and Medusa.

Main attraction is the Medusa head. War weapon to turn enemies into stones?

90 degree rotated Medusa head. No one know exactly why the head were rotated that way. Its still a mystery until today.


Lighten up columns in Basilica Cistern.

Walking on the wooden platform.

Fishes underneath the wooden platform.

GPS/Coordinate: 41.008368, 28.977835
Address: Alemdar Mh. Yerebatan Cd 13 34410 Fatih/İstanbul
Entrance fee: 20 Turkish Lira for foreigner.
Public transport: 8 minutes walk from Sultanahmet tram station.

Beautiful Hagia Sophia @ Istanbul, Turkey

Hagia Sophia is a holy place which during the history of the building it was a church and a mosque. The architecture are impressive. Now it is converted to a museum. Hagia Sophia is one of the greatest surviving examples of Byzantine architecture. Its interior is decorated with mosaics and marble pillars and coverings of great artistic value. You can learn about the historical event by visiting here. I went there in the evening on weekday during month of December and the queue was short. The ticket cost 25 Turkish Lira. Hagia Sophia is just 5 minutes walk and easily accessible from Istanbul Tram Sultanahmet station.


Huge number of visitors in Hagia Sophia. The left section of the museum were closed for restoration work. Hagia Sophia is the second most visited museum in Turkey after Topkapi Palace.

Medallions and pendant chandeliers.

Interior view of the Hagia Sophia, showing Islamic elements.

Apse mosaic of the Theotokos (Virgin Mother and Child).

An artistic meeting of Christianity and Islam in the Hagia Sophia.

The architecture are huge and amazing.

Islamic elements on the dome.

Interior dome.

Walking thru building tunnel to second floor.


Hagia Sophia interior view from second floor.


The Deësis mosaic. This mosaic depicts the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child, who holds a scroll and makes the sign of benediction.

Another unique mosaic in the museum.

GPS/Coordinate: 41.008559, 28.980164
Address: Ayasofya Square, Sultanahmet, Istanbul, Turkey
Public transport: Sultanahmet Istanbul Tram station.