This will be a new type of post for me in which I review a country based on my own personal experiences and what I have heard from others, as well as giving some basic useful information. One thing to keep in mind is that I am not necessarily an expert on any of the countries, but I have actually been there and may be able to contribute my own personal experiences and more updated knowledge 🙂 If you have any ideas or criticisms let me know!
The first country I visited on the trip was South Korea, so I’ll review it first.
How easy is it to get in? Extremely easy. Most western visitors don’t need a visa and immigration tends to be painless. ICN airport is a major gateway with flights going all over the world
How easy is it to get around? Also extremely easy. Within Seoul, the metro is quite extensive and efficient, and many big sites are within walking distance. To travel around the country, there are fast trains and buses.
Can I get by if I only speak English? I personally felt that most people I came into contact with in Seoul spoke decent English, including restaurant employees, 7/11 cashiers, and taxi drivers. Of course, learning a bit of Korean will never hurt, and you may find that learning to read hangul is quite easy (I actually did it on the plane ride!)
How long did you stay? About 3 days
Was that enough? It depends on your goals. If you are content with just seeing the most major attractions in Seoul, I felt three days was alright. However, if you want to get a better feel of the city, or see other cities or sites in Korea, please stay much longer.
How expensive is it? Korea seemed expensive compared to Southeast Asia, but relatively cheap compared to the West. I tended to pay around US$4-5 for restaurant dishes and drinks, and maybe closer to $1 for water bottles at convenience stores as well as metro tickets. The N Seoul Tower was less than $10, which seems reasonable. An Agoda search shows that dorm rooms can easily be found for under $10 per night, though of course 5-star hotels will have no problem taking a lot more than that.
Can I use a credit card? I had no problem using American Express at every sit-down restaurant or bar that I went to, and presumably Visa and MasterCard would be accepted as well. I would expect very small hole-in-the-wall places and street stalls to not accept them.
Is there a Lonely Planet book? Yes. In fact, they even have one just for Seoul.
Steve’s Takeaway: Although I can really only speak for Seoul, I loved Korea. To me it felt like the way things should be – it is a safe, generally clean country where you can easily buy things late at night and public transit is easy to use and actually takes you to where you want to go. I didn’t notice any major problems in everyday life, though it was not squeaky clean in a bizarre way. Walking down the street to me really felt like I was in the USA or Western Europe. Korean food is also very delicious, and can be found cheaper here than in the US. There is really something here for everyone, whether you are interested in history, food, nightlife, or nature. I give Korea two thumbs up!