South Korea is no stranger to Chinese tourists. As one of the first countries to open self-funded travel destinations for Chinese citizens, even if you have never been to South Korea, I believe many people are already familiar with South Korea’s many tourism resources. If you plan to travel to South Korea, you may be more concerned about some details of traveling in South Korea, such as communication, exchange, travel reception, etc. Although it is just a trivial matter, it can already affect the quality of your trip. Our reporter personally conducted interviews in South Korea and introduced you to some details of traveling in South Korea. We hope it will be helpful to you during your trip to South Korea.
Rent a mobile phone to keep in touch
Chinese mobile phones can enjoy roaming services in many countries and regions around the world, but not in South Korea. The mobile phone network standard in South Korea is different from that in China. Whether Chinese mobile phones are GSM or CDMA, they are deaf-mute in South Korea and can only be used as watches and alarm clocks. In this way, communication for Chinese tourists in South Korea is not so convenient.
Actually, making phone calls in South Korea is very convenient. You can choose to buy a phone card. There are card phones in the streets and alleys of Korean cities. To make international calls, just dial 001 first and then add the country code to make a direct call. Or you can call a payphone, but the trouble is, carrying a handful of coins in your pocket is uncomfortable, and payphones are sometimes hard to find. The best way to ensure uninterrupted communication is to rent a mobile phone. In many international airports, there is a business of renting mobile phones, and tourists can apply for it as soon as they arrive at the airport. You can use a credit card or cash as collateral, and the rent is equivalent to more than 10 yuan per day.
I would like to say that surfing the Internet is not easy.
Many tourists who are unable or unwilling to bring a laptop may also need to go online frequently to check emails.
When you get off the plane at Incheon International Airport, you can easily see that the airport’s public phones have screens and are equipped with mice and keyboards. These public phones can provide Internet services. Of course, this requires coin input. Or insert a card to use it.
In Incheon International Airport, Jeju International Airport and other places, you can also see computers with the logo of the Korea Tourism Organization. These are the "unmanned travel service guide" system established by the Korea Tourism Organization. In addition to querying In addition to travel service information, you can also access the Internet for free. In addition, at the tourist information center set up by the Korea Tourism Organization in Seoul, tourists can not only consult various travel issues about South Korea, but there are also more than a dozen computers for tourists to check information and access the Internet for free. These facilities greatly facilitate tourists, because for people who do not have high Internet requirements, these public facilities are enough to meet their Internet needs.
In the streets and alleys of South Korea, just like China, you can see many Internet cafes labeled "PC Room" and "GAME Room". Although they usually serve teenagers, you can also access the Internet. The price is not expensive. However, the initial interfaces of these computers are all in Korean, requiring tourists to guess and set language settings to browse Chinese information. This can only be done by people who know computers well. Moreover, these computers cannot input Chinese, which is not convenient enough for Chinese tourists.
Several major markets in Seoul
Itewon is a famous open-air market in Seoul, attracting many tourists to hunt for treasures. Since there is a US military station nearby, most of the shop signs here are written in English. The shopping street is centered on the Hamilton Hotel and extends east to west. If you like leather products, this is more suitable for you; if you like jeans, sweaters, hats, furs, shoes, bags, jewelry, sporting goods, and handicrafts, this is more suitable for you. If you are very interested in traveling, you can even stay until midnight because the business hours of entertainment industry facilities have been extended since Itaewon was designated as a tourist zone. Itaewon is a paradise for bargains and sales. There is no fixed price for everything, it all depends on your own words.
Korean people prefer to go to Namdaemun and Dongdaemun markets for daily shopping. There are many clothing stores in Namdaemun Market. You can shop around and buy what you like at affordable prices. Dongdaemun is a huge collection of eight markets, collectively called "Dongdaemun Comprehensive Market." When bargaining in Dongdaemun and Namdaemun, pay attention to the "40% off principle". Generally, the price of the original product is 40% off, which is already the limit. Otherwise, the merchant may think that you are deliberately causing trouble.
Another shopping place is Myong-dong. The Myong-dong commercial area is 700 meters long from east to west and 800 meters wide from north to south. More than 1 million people visit it every day. The Myeongdong area is also the fashion leader in Korea. Although it is a little more expensive to buy there, the styles are more fresh and beautiful.
RMB exchange is very convenient
Chinese tourists can solve the problem by bringing RMB when they go to South Korea, because Korean exchange shops can accept RMB exchange, and exchange shops are at the airport, shopping There are many places such as places, so it is very convenient. However, those who have the urge to shop should be careful not to get carried away when they go to the currency exchange office at the airport. It is better to live within their means. If there are a lot of Korean won left, they will suffer some losses in terms of exchange rate when they exchange it for RMB when they return home. In addition, exchanging at the airport exchange shop is not as good as going to a bank in the city, as the exchange rate at the bank is better. Therefore, tourists going to South Korea can exchange an appropriate amount of Korean won at the airport. Exchanging large sums of money at banks in the city can reduce losses. In addition, please note that banks in the city are closed on weekends.
Don’t forget to get a tax refund when shopping
When Chinese tourists shop in South Korea, it is naturally very cost-effective to buy things from duty-free shops. However, it should be noted that many duty-free shops in the city cannot take away the items directly after purchasing. You need to issue a shopping receipt and go to the branch of the airport duty-free shop to collect the purchased items before leaving the country. In addition, even if foreign tourists do not shop in duty-free shops, they can enjoy cash tax refunds as long as they purchase more than 30,000 won in designated stores. Currently, this tax refund service is provided by two companies, Global Refund and Korea Refund, and there are about 900 member stores a day. Therefore, tourists must keep the shopping invoices with the tax refund mark after shopping in designated stores. When you arrive at the airport before departure, you can go through the tax refund procedures at the airport window marked CASH REFUND. The cash you receive can be Korean won, US dollars, and Japanese yen.
Classic souvenirs
Doll accessories: Dolls dressed in traditional Korean costumes can be said to be one of the most representative souvenirs of traveling to Korea. For easier collection, you might as well buy mobile phone charms or refrigerator magnets packaged in sets. The price of a single product is about 1,000 to 2,000 won, and it is more cost-effective to buy it as a set.
Jeju Earth God: The stone doll named "Dolharubang" is said to be the patron saint of Jeju Island. If the stone carvings are too heavy for you, there are many key rings, pendants, coffee spoons, etc. that are designed based on this and are available in various and cute shapes. The price ranges from about 1,000 to 3,000 won.
Idol-endorsed clothing: For Koreans, in addition to going to the mall to buy clothing that suits them, South Korea is also a good place to collect idol posters, packaging bags, and catalogs.
Playing in a fairy tale world
Korea’s amusement parks are very interesting. These amusement parks have many entertainment projects and are built full of whimsical ideas. Entering here is like entering a happy amusement paradise. If you travel to South Korea with your children, amusement park projects are absolutely essential, even if adults come to play, it feels good.
Lotte World is located in the center of Seoul and is known as the world's largest indoor amusement park. No matter it is windy or rainy outside, it is always like spring here all year round. The entire amusement park is composed of indoor and outdoor parts. The indoor Lotte Adventure World is 5 stories high. The bottom floor is a huge ice rink, and the other floors are filled with various entertainment projects. Without a map, it would be really confusing.
Everland is located in the suburbs of Seoul, surrounded by green mountains and has beautiful scenery. In addition to the four-season celebrations and various thrilling entertainment projects in the 14,000-square-meter large garden, there are also the world's The largest indoor and outdoor water playground - Caribbean Bay.
Going to Everland, the twice-daily float parades are very exciting. More than twenty large floats more than 10 meters high, carrying fairy tale characters played by handsome men and beautiful women with blond hair and blue eyes, passed by singing and dancing. Even adults seemed to have entered the fairy tale world of their childhood fantasy.
The package ticket for Lotte World is about 26,000 won, which is equivalent to more than 200 yuan. Everland’s package tickets are about the same price, and there are so many games that you can’t finish them all in one day. Of course, Caribbean Water Park requires a separate ticket, which ranges from 15,000 won to 55,000 won depending on the weather.
Naturally beautiful Jeju Island
Jeju Island is famous for its three things (many rocks, many winds, and many women). It is also the largest island resort and tourist city in South Korea. If you want to appreciate the natural scenery of Korea, Jeju Island is definitely a must-visit. There are not only clear blue waters and vast sandy beaches that stretch thousands of miles, but also strange black rocks that extend straight from the cliffs into the seabed, making the water near the coast turn black.
It turns out that the entire island of Jeju Island is a huge volcanic crater. Over thousands of years, the sea breeze has weathered the black volcanic rocks, making it not only windy but also rocky. The heroic haenyeo wearing diving suits is another feature. The so-called haenyeo are coastal women who rely on diving into the sea to catch seafood as their main source of livelihood.
In addition to the most famous "Shigong" gifts with Jeju Island characteristics, there are also coral decorations, simple folk crafts, and seafood. There are four duty-free shops in Jeju City and one in the Jungmun Recreation Area. In addition, there are many leather accessories stores and clothing stores in the city.