Continued from the last post!

Day 10 (Seoul)

Alpaca World (2 hrs) [blog post here]: Alpaca World was the first stop for the first of three day trips we did out of Seoul. The park is unique for its collection of alpacas, and that you can go up close and personal with these very friendly if also extremely hungry/greedy fellows! You’d probably need just 2 hours to cover the entire park – it’s not that big. But if you’re pressed for time and can only spend an hour, then spend it just on the Alpacas. There are other inhabitants of the park -including rabbits, capybaras – but they are in enclosures and you can’t interact with them.

Nami Island (3 hrs+) [blog post here]: This was our second visit to Nami Island, and while the island continues to have its charm with its landscaped areas and flora themes, the place is today so popular for tourists that the crowds made it hard to enjoy the place. This was also coupled with the fact that we only had an hour – i.e. not nearly time to really get far from the dense areas. So, if you are going to visit this place, then avoid the peak hours and days, and allocate at least 3 hours for the visit.

Garden of Morning Calm (2 hrs) [blog post here]. Our last stop for this day trip. I feel we got to the park too late at 6PM: night had already set in, and it was difficult to make out the landscaping features of the garden. The winter illumination and LED lighted objects were OK but I didn’t not finally find them special. It also didn’t help that the place was pretty crowded with the usual noise that comes along with having so many people congesting one location. So, at the risk of repeating myself: if you’re visiting to see the winter light-ups, then time it such that you get to the garden at least while there is still some light for you to have the visual reference of where things are and how the park actually looks like when you can see things!

Day 11 (Seoul)

Changdeokgung Palace (1 hr) [blog post here]: I liked Changdeokgung Palace: the size, open spaces and arrangement of the buildings gave me a visual sense of how the country’s ancient royalty met its court and their system worked. There is a small admission fee to get entry into the Palace compound, and many visitors will be in their rented hanboks posing for pictures – which really added to the charm of the place. On the other hand…

Secret Garden (1 hr) [blog post here]: the Secret Garden felt a little less interesting, though this is likely also because I’ve been thoroughly spoiled by the sheer beauty of gardens in Japan, like this here, or here, or here, or here, or here, or here, or here. You get the idea! Strict rules apply to visitors to this garden and the admission fee while affordable is itself higher than admission into the palace compound, which I thought was more interesting. So, my feel of it is that do the castle, but don’t feel like you’re missing out a lot if you skip the Secret Garden. There are English guided tours at specific timings, but feel free to wander around in the compound your own.

Bukchon Hanok Village (1 hr) [blog post here]: Let’s face it: you’re visiting this village in Seoul not only to see the traditional houses against the backdrop of a cosmopolitan and modern city, but also to get those Instagrammable pictures! So, time it right before the crowds come – because once they do, it’s really tough to get those pictures without doing a generous amount of cropping/photo editing/magic-erasing. Take note also of the permitted hours for public visitors, as you can be facing fines if you break those rules.

Insadong (2 hrs+) [blog post here]: If I had to rate the shopping streets of Hongdae, Sinchon, Myeongdong and Insadong, I’d rate Insadong to be my favorite., followed closely by Hongdae. Insadong felt the least congested and touristy of the four places, and I liked the cultural vibes of the shopping street. Especially don’t miss the Ssamzie-gil and its dozens of small artisan and handicraft shops.

Winter Illumination at Gwanghwamun Square and Cheonggyecheon Stream (1 hr+) [blog post here]: the stream looks OK during the day time. But it really comes to life at night with its winter illumination. The stream and paved walkways on either side of the stream is plenty of space for everyone, so don’t feel like you need to be there ready to go when the illumination comes on. Gwanghwamun Square also has a large and very lively night Christmas market, and at least surpassing the one we went to in Shibuya Blue Cave last year in Tokyo. There was also an energetic – both visually and audio-wise by way of how loud the music was blasting in sync with the visual bits – light projection show at Gwanghwamun Gate. For the best view, you’d want to cross the road to right in front of the gate.

Day 12 (Seoul)

DMZ Peace Tour (4 hr) [blog post here]: This is an absolutely must do if you’re visiting Seoul, and you’d need to book your spot through a day tour agency that will handle arrangements for you. Do note that the Joint Security Area is closed to the public at this moment, so don’t go about booking the tour expecting to visit it. Do check the weather forecast too, as you’d want the weather to be as clear as possible in order to be able to have a good look into North Korea when at Dora Observatory: the full-glass windows there won’t be of any help if there’s fog! As for the Third Tunnel, going down is the easy part: but be prepared for a good workout when you climb back out. And finally, don’t forget the helmets: and all you tall fellows, remember to duck!

Gamaksan Suspension Bridge (1 hr) [blog post here]: On the other hand, this I feel you can skip unless you really have a lot of time. The bridge is OK, but also likely just a longer version of what you might have already experienced elsewhere in the world. There are some steps and inclined slopes that you’d need to get through before you reach the start of the bridge, but it’s not as physically demanding as the Third Tunnel.

Hongdae (2 hrs+) [blog post here]: my second favorite shopping street in Seoul. Not as congested as Myeongdong, and apparently the more favored shopping area by locals too. The shopping street is less crowded, feels a bit more upmarket, and also has the same range of retail and dining as Myeongdong.

Day 13 (Suwon – Ansan)

Irwol Botanic Garden (2 hrs) [blog post here]: The arboretum is large and contains a large number of plant species that would interest horticulture enthusiasts, and similarly if you’ve watched the ‘Queen of Tears’ K-drama. The indoor garden was also a welcomed relief from the chilly winter outside during our visit. Sadly, the park itself was largely devoid of flora of interest in winter, so I reckon you can skip the outside and just stick to the arboretum.

Seohaerang Jebu Marine Cable Car and Jebudo Island (2 hrs) [blog post here]: The cable car that connects the mainland to Jebudo Island is long, so cable car enthusiasts are at least going to get their money’s worth on a ride with return. There isn’t much on the island itself, though if you have an eye for natural life, the large mudflats would likely be of interest. Do remember to also check out the top floor of the cable car station on the island.

Sunset at Tando Port (1 hrs+) [blog post here]: This was our highlight activity for our day trip out of Seoul to Suwon and Ansan. If you’re planning a visit, do check when the sun sets and also tide-timings, so that you know for certain can you make use of the walkway to the wind turbines. If not, you can always observe the sunset from the port side. Highly recommended!

Day 14 (Suwon – Ansan)

Starfield COEX Library and Mall (3 hrs) [blog post here]: The Starfield Library is a must visit just to gawk at the library’s interiors and festive decorations: it’s, in a word, jaw-dropping. And the best part is that you needn’t spend too much time in the library itself: 30 minutes is more than sufficient, as you’d want to spend the most of your time wandering around the COEX mall itself: Asia’s largest underground shopping mall and its huge range of dining options. Keep your selfie sticks too in your bag if it’s a crowded place: nothing annoys other visitors more than your wielding an extended stick just for your IG pictures.

Dongdaemun Design Plaza (3 hrs) [blog post here]: the Colors Shapes Movements exhibit was really visually interesting, and you’d be trying to discover the right angle where the lines and shapes align correctly for your photos. But the best part of our visit to the DDP was the interactive media exhibits – I can’t find the right name for it – we saw during our visit. We spent more than an hour in this area alone, and could have easily spent more! Best of all, while there are other exhibits where admission fees are required, these two are completely free for anyone to enjoy.

Day 15 (Seoul)

Seoul Plaza Skating Rink (1 hr) [blog post here]: This was our first time ice-skating, and it was not easy for the kids! But at just 1,000 KRW per person, the cost of trying it out was next to nothing. Do remember to try going online to reserve your slots at your desired timing, and if you can’t get it to work, go extra early and try to reserve it in person. Perhaps in view that the rink is in a central location and also frequented by tourists, the rink is supported by staff who can speak English, and who were very prompt in assisting newbie ice-skaters.

Shinsegae Department Main Store (1 hrs+) [blog post here]: We’re not shoppers of luxury items, but if you’re one such, then this 12 floor mall would have a lot to offer. This couple of weeks there is a pop-up store for Squid Game Season 2 if you’re fans of the series. And also, the store hosts one of Seoul’s most talked about festive decorations. If you’re in the Myeongdong area in the late afternoon, do just take the short walk to the Shinsegae to check it out!

Day 16 (Seoul)

Hangang River (1 hr+) [blog post here]: Hangang River is the major river that intersects Seoul city, and there are several river side parks. The one we went to was hosting winter festivities, including a Christmas market, and also snow sledging. Unfortunately, the latter activity was delayed because of later winter and would only start on the day when we’d be flying home. Still, if you’re visiting the city in late December onward, then the park is worth a check for you to try the winter activities that should be available at that time.

The Hyundai Seoul (2 hrs+) [blog post here]: This is the mall to go to if you’d like to feel posh and rich, even if you don’t have an intent to buy anything from the many branded luxury good stores inside it! The interiors are also architecturally interesting, and there’s a very large basement floor of restaurants and also a food court.

IFC Mall (2 hrs+) [blog post here]: We thought this smaller mall is less ostenacious and more down to earth. As it’s adjacent to The Hyundai Seoul, it’s worth checking it out if you’re in the vicinity.

Day 17 (Seoul – Incheon)

Gossi Strawberry Farm (1 hr) [blog post here]: There are actually numerous farms that offer fruit picking experience: we found and chose the Gossi Strawberry Farm because it was en-route to Incheon. The farm is fairly easy to get to: about a 10 minute walk from Gyeyang Station. Our haul was just over 2 kg of freshly picked strawberries – which was a lot for the three strawberry lovers to finish in one evening before we flew home! Importantly too, did our pickings pass the taste test? From the missus and two kids, they certainly did: and said the fruit was juicy and tasty. Or maybe we were just lucky to pick well?!

Jung-gu (1 hrs+. ) [blog post here]: Our transit district in the city of Incheon, and only because we didn’t want to head out of Seoul at 5AM in the morning. We didn’t see enough of Incheon to have a conclusive opinion of the city. But suffice it to say that if you’re like us i.e. you feel safer spending the night at a transit city before you depart on an early morning flight, then Jung-gu will meet your needs. The area in front of Unseo Station has many hotels, and a wide range of dining options you’d not be left wanting. For Daiso lovers, there is also a three level Daiso near the Starbucks outlet.

Day 18 (Incheon – Singapore)

Returning home [blog post here]: Our flight home!

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Next, like always, we take the list of places we visited in the trip and categorise them into ‘Must See’, ‘Should See’, and ‘Add only as Filler’:

Category	Places
Must see/visit	Gamcheon Culture Village, Songdo Marine Cable Car, Songdo Yonggung Suspension Bridge (Cloud Bridge), Running Man Busan, Busan Tower, Skyline Luge Busan, Busan X the Sky, Busan Yacht Tour G, Donggung Palace, Wolji Pond, Woljeong Bridge, Suncheon Bay National Garden, Suncheon Bay Wetland Reserve, Myeongdong Shopping Street, Insadong, Dora Observatory, The Third Tunnel, Wind Turbines at Tando Port, Starfield COEX Library, Dongdaemun Design Plaza
Should see	Gwangali Beach, Gwangalli M Drone Light Show, Gwangbokro Culture and Fashion Street (Shopping Street), BIFF Square and Nampodong Street, Bulguksa Temple, Daereungwon Royal Tomb, Hwangnidan-Gil, Jukdobong Park, Suncheon Drama Film Set, Ewha Street, Ewha Woman’s University, Sinchon, Myeongdong Cathedral, Nami Island, Garden of Morning Calm, Bukchon Hanok Village, Gwanghwamun Square, Cheonggyecheon Stream, Irwol Botanic Garden, Hongdae Shopping Street, Seohaerang Jebu Marine Cable Car, Gangnam Style Sculpture, Starfield COEX Mall, Seoul Plaza Skating Rink, Shinsegae Department Store, Hangang River Park, The Hyundai Seoul, IFC Mall, Gossi Farm – Strawberry Picking
Add only as Filler	Jagalchi Fish Market, Gukje Market (Street market), Yongdusan Park, Spa Land Centum City, Gyochon Traditional Village, Nagan Eupseong Folk Village, Gamaksan Suspension Bridge, Jung-gu

That’s it for our itinerary and visitation notes. Next post: posting the wife’s (many) pictures of flora in South Korea!