Seoul, Korea --- Travel Tips

1. Where to Stay

Over the years, I’ve learned that the best place to stay in a big city like Seoul is the city center, where public transportation is easily accessible.

I don’t mind staying in a hostel instead of a hotel—it's cheaper and gives me the opportunity to meet travelers from all over the world. I used to think hostels were only for young backpackers and solo travelers, but that’s not true. I’ve seen older travelers and couples staying in hostels as well. Most of the time, hostels have excellent locations, usually near metro stations and major attractions.

I stayed in a hostel in Myeongdong, just a few minutes’ walk from Myeongdong Station (Exit 3). I had a private room since this hostel didn’t seem to offer shared rooms. I paid more than a typical hostel price but had my own bathroom. The room was very small—just enough space for a double bed. There was no TV, only a projector on the wall (which I didn’t bother figuring out). It had a small fridge and a compact bathroom where the toilet and shower are together, similar to typical European-style bathrooms.

2. Transportation From the Airport to the City Center

There is an airport limousine bus right outside the terminal that takes you directly into the city center without transfers.

As soon as you exit the terminal to the ground transportation area, you’ll see ticket machines. You just enter your destination (in my case, Myeongdong Station). The ticket shows your bus number and stops number. The bus stops are lined up right in front of the terminal, similar to a taxi line—just all buses instead of taxis.

The ride to Myeongdong takes about 1.5 hours. It’s the last stop on that line and makes around five stops before reaching the final destination.

There are other ways to get to Myeongdong—like taxi or train—but the bus is the most convenient and not too expensive.

3. Public Transportation (Metro Experience)

I walked to Myeongdong Station, Exit 3, to get a metro card. What I thought would take five minutes turned into a whole adventure! Here’s what happened:

1) First machine:

I stood in line and watched a young man using it. I learned this machine does NOT sell metro cards.

2) Second machine:

The woman next to me said she was buying a single-ride ticket using cash. I tried using my credit card, but it wasn’t accepted—two other women said their non-Korean cards didn’t work either.

3) Third machine — the "WOW PASS" machine:

This machine accepts foreign currencies like USD and CNY. The man in front of me used his passport.

But I didn’t bring mine—so I couldn’t complete the purchase.

4) Back to the hotel:

On my way back to get my passport, I stopped by a money exchange shop. The minimum exchange was $100, and I only had about $60, so I skipped it.

After getting my passport, I returned to the WOW PASS machine. I loaded $50 (the minimum) onto a WOW Pass card (the card itself costs 5,000 KRW). Only later did I find out that WOW Pass cannot be used for the metro or buses—only for store purchases.

I had to withdraw the money from the WOW Pass to get Korean won so I could buy a metro card. I withdrew 30,000 KRW.

5) Back to the metro machines:

I lined up again, hoping to buy a T-money card.

But the machine only offered top-ups, not new cards. I tried buying a single-trip ticket with my 10,000 KRW bill, but the machine didn’t accept it—probably too large for change.

A local woman suggested I buy a T-money card at a convenience store.

6) SUCCESS — at 7-11:

I walked into the 7-11 right outside the station and finally got a T-money card! The card cost 4,000 KRW, and I added 10,000 KRW.

After about 1.5 hours, I finally had a working metro card.

Lesson learned:

It’s MUCH easier to get a metro card at a convenience store like 7-11, CU, or GS25.

The machines inside the station were confusing, and not all of them sell cards. In many other countries, the station machines are straightforward—but not in Korea.

A young couple I met at the station was also frustrated, and the man said Korea feels “old-styled” in some ways. I agreed. In many modern metro systems, you can tap a credit card directly—no need for a transit card. But in Korea, you still need a T-money card.

Around the World in 115 days

In 2025 from August to December, in a 115-day trip I traveled across 4 continents and 18 countries/territories, traveling by bus, boat, airplane and train, beginning in the U.S. and sailing up the Atlantic coast into Canada, then crossing to Greenland and Iceland before flying into mainland Europe. From Germany, my journey continued to Africa for a 16-day overland safari covering South Africa, eSwatini, Zimbabwe, and Botswana.

After Africa, I traveled into Asia—Qatar, mainland China, Hong Kong, several destinations across Indonesia, Malaysia, and South Korea—before returning home to the United States.

Along the way, I crossed the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Labrador Sea, Denmark Strait, and multiple regional seas.

It was a full global loop—a true round-the-world adventure.

Here is the detailed Itineraries:

8/6 Baltimore, Maryland to New York, NY by bus

8/7 Borad NCL Star at New York (Manhattan), NY 

8/8 At sea

8/9 Halifax, NS, Canada

8/10 Sydney, NS, Canada

8/11 Corner Brook, NL, Canada

8/12 At Sea

8/13 At Sea

8/14 Nuuk, Greenland

8/15 Paamiut, Greenland

8/16 Prince Christian Sound, Greenland (Cruising)

8/17 At Sea

8/18 Isafjordur, Iceland

8/19 Akureyri, Iceland

8/20 Grundarfjordur, Iceland

8/21 Reykjavik, Iceland

8/21 Reykjavik to Hamburg, Germany by Air

8/21-8/26 Hamburg, Germany (Day trip to Lübeck)

8/26 Hamburg to Munich by Euro Rail

8/26-9/1 Munich, Germany (with day trip to Salzburg, Austra)

9/1 Munich to Frankfurt by Euro Rail (with side trip to Cologne)

9/1 Frankfurt to Cape Town by Air

9/2-9/16 -16 days South Africa with Robben Island, Victoria Falls & Botswana 

9/2-9/6 Cape Town, South Africa

9/7 Hluhluwe, eSwatini

9/8 Matsamo Village, eSwatini

9/9 Kruger National Park, South Africa

9/10-9/12 Johannesburg, South Africa

9/12 Johannesburg, South Africa to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe by Air

9/12-9/14 Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

9/14-9/16 Kasane, Botswana

9/16 Kasane, Botswana to Victoria Falls by Bus, Victoria Falls to Johannesburg by Air, Johannesburg to Doha, Qatar by Air

9/17-9/21 Doha, Qatar

9/21 Doha, Qatar to Chongqing, China by Air

9/21-10/13 Chongqing, China 

10/13 Chongqing, China to Hong Kong by Air

10/13-10/16 Hong Kong, China

10/16 Hong Kong to Bali, Indonesia

10/16-10/20 Bali, Indonesia

10/20 Bali, Indonesia to Yogyakarta, Indonesia by Air

10/20-10/23 Yogyakarta, Indonesia

10/23 Yogyakarta, Indonesia to Kuala Lumpur, Maylasia then to Chongqing, China

10/24-11/23 Chongqing, China

11/23 Chongqing, China to Seoul, South Korea by Air

11/23-11/26 Seoul, South Korea

11/26 Seoul, South Korea to San Francisco, US by Air

11/26-12/1 San Francisco, US

12/1 San Francisco, US to Baltimore, MD US by Air

Zagreb- Day 3 City Walk

Starting from the Hotel I stayed at right at the Zagreb Town Square, I walked through a colorful narrow street to upper town to St. Mark's Church again.  Took some obligated tourist photos.

From there, I walked to Lotrščak Tower, a medieval fortification built in the 13th century to guard the southern city gate.  Every day at 12:00pm noon there will be a cannon fired in the tower.  I paid a small fee and climb up to the town and in time to  witness this event.  

I continued leisurely walked around upper town and back to the Zagreb Cathedral and town square.

From there, I walked through Josip Juraj Strossmayer Park, then to King Tomislav Square (Trg Kralja Tomislava).

From there, I walked to Croatian National Theatre.

Zagreb Day 2- Zagreb City Walk.

It was a rainy day, but I still explored the Upper Town with an umbrella in hand. From my hotel, it was a short walk to the iconic Zagreb Cathedral, which is currently under restoration and closed to the public. The streets were quiet, and the air was damp yet refreshing. From there, I continued on to the Dolac Market.

Later, I took a tram to the bus terminal to snap a few photos. Afterward, I walked to the Zagreb Train Station, with King Tomislav’s Square conveniently located just across from it.

I eventually made my way back to the hotel, where I sat by the window with a glass of wine, watching people in the town square catch their tram rides — simply enjoying the moment and unwinding.

Zagreb Upper Town

Zagreb Cathedral

Dolac Market

Zagreb Bus Station

King Tomislav's Square

Zagreb train station

Town Square below my window

Zagreb Day 1-The Museum of Broken Relationships

While waiting for my bus ride to Ljubljana, I spent some time visited the Museum of Broken Relationships.

Located in Zagreb's historic Upper Town, the museum houses a diverse collection of items—ranging from everyday objects to more unusual artifacts—each symbolizing a unique story of love and loss. These items are accompanied by anonymous narratives that provide context and emotional depth, offering visitors a profound insight into the complexities of human relationships.

I enclosed few photos here, so you have some ideas the items displayed in the museum.  It was one of kind but I would not want to visit in the future.  The museum rooms are dark and depressing.

Zagreb Day 1-A Day Trip to Ljubljana

Bus ride from Zagreb to Ljubljana

I woke up before sunrise, excited for my day trip from Zagreb to Ljubljana. It was just past 5 a.m. when I went online to purchase my FlixBus ticket. Everything was set. I took Tram #6 from the Old Town Square to the international bus terminal, eager to start my adventure.

I arrived right on time for the 7:15 a.m. bus. The driver asked to see my passport or ID. I handed him my driver's license, thinking that would be enough. He looked at it and firmly asked for a passport. That’s when I realized I’d made a mistake.

I had debated bringing my passport that morning while packing. But since I was already traveling within Europe, I figured it wouldn’t be necessary. I did bring a photocopy—just in case—but unfortunately, that wasn’t good enough. The driver refused to let me board. Defeated, I returned to my hotel. I checked the FlixBus schedule again and saw two options: a 7:55 a.m. departure (which I wouldn’t make in time), or a 12:15 p.m. bus. After a moment of reflection, I decided not to give up on the trip. I booked the 12:15 p.m. ticket.

With several hours to kill, I wandered the neighborhood. I stopped by a nearby market and bought some fresh blueberries, then made an visit to the Museum of Broken Relationships.

After a short rest at the hotel, I headed back to the bus station for the second time, this time with my passport.

I boarded the 12:15 p.m. bus without issue. Ironically, the driver didn’t even ask to see my passport! But just before we crossed the border into Slovenia, a border official boarded the bus. She carried a handheld device and photographed every passenger’s passport. One man was asked to get off—he may not have had his with him. In that moment, I was incredibly relieved I had gone back for mine.

Travel tip: always carry your passport when crossing borders in Europe, even within the Schengen Area. You never know when it will be checked.

We arrived in Ljubljana around 2:50 p.m., where my friend Metka was waiting for me.

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Ljubljana City Walk

Ljubljana is a charming and walkable city. We strolled from the bus station to Prešeren Square in about 15 minutes. From there, we visited the Triple Bridge, Dragon Bridge, and walked along the Ljubljanica River. We took the funicular up to Ljubljana Castle for a beautiful view of the city,  and later wandered through the Old Town. We visited City Hall and even had the chance to meet the mayor!

Around 5:30 p.m., Metka and I had dinner in a cozy restaurant in the Old Town. After dinner, she walked me back to the bus station. My return bus soon arrived, and we said our goodbyes.

On the way back, I chatted with a couple of young passengers—college-aged travelers from Belgrade. I complimented their excellent English, and they laughed, telling me they had learned it from watching kids’ cartoons. 

What began as a stressful morning turned into a memorable day filled with lessons, laughter, and meaningful connections. 

Statue of France Preseren

Preseren Square

Statue of Julija Primic

Me with Meteka in Front of Franciscan Church of the Annunciation

Inside the Pink Church

Triple Bridge

At the head of Dragon Bridge

At the Ljubljand Castle

View of Ljubljana from Ljubljana Castle

Dragons everywhere

Ljubljana Old Town

Ljubljana City Hall

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*The statues on Prešeren Square

 Prešeren Square (Prešernov trg) is the heart of Ljubljana and one of its most beloved public spaces. It's named after France Prešeren, Slovenia’s greatest poet. At the center of the square stands a large and striking statue of France Prešeren, created by sculptor Ivan Zajec and architect Max Fabiani. It shows France Prešeren was in a long coat, holding a book of poetry in his left hand. Above him, on a stone pedestal, is a nude female figure holding a laurel branch. She represents the poetic muse, often interpreted as Prešeren’s inspiration—particularly his unrequited love for a woman named Julija Primic. If you look across the square, you’ll see a building with a stone relief bust of a woman—that’s Julija Primic, the woman Prešeren loved. Their tragic, unfulfilled relationship inspired many of his most famous poems, including his epic Sonetni venec (A Wreath of Sonnets). If you stand in the right spot, you can line up Prešeren's gaze perfectly so that it looks like he’s forever looking at Julija’s image, across the square. It’s a subtle and poetic tribute to the story of lost love that defined much of his work.

**Ljubljana’s relationship with dragons:

Ljubljana’s relationship with dragons is deeply rooted in its mythology, symbolism, and identity—it’s not just decoration; the dragon is the official symbol of the city. According to local legend, the roots of Ljubljana’s connection to dragons go all the way back to Greek mythology. It is said that: Jason, the famous hero who stole the Golden Fleece, and his band of Argonauts were sailing back to Greece when they traveled up the Danube, then the Sava, and finally the Ljubljanica River. Near the area of present-day Ljubljana, they encountered a massive dragon in a swamp. Jason fought and slayed the dragon, making him (in myth) the first true inhabitant and hero of the area.  This dragon became a lasting symbol of strength, courage, and resilience.