Travelling to Korea for the first time? Want to go explore Seoul city like never before? You definitely wana get this pass – it’s easy, convenient and save you all the hassles!
I got mine from Klook.com for only MYR180 (price might vary due to exchange rate). In this post, I am going to show you the attractions visited and costs saved by using this pass! They offer three types of passes – 24-hour, 48-hour and 72-hour.
Let’s go!
Well, as I’m not really a k-pop and theme park fan, this itinerary does not include them. Bear in mind I’m using this pass in the most effective way I can within 48-hr.
1) Airport Express Train (AREX)
The first stop before boarding AREX to Seoul, I collected my Discover Seoul Pass from a designated counter at the airport Terminal 1
This 48-hour pass basically allows me to enter most of the major attractions by showing the pass itself, while paying a discounted prices for some other attractions.
Well, to get into the town from the airport, there is no way faster than the AREX train. To take the train ride, exchange for your ticket at the counter. Pay a refundable fee of 500 won, get the refund once you reach Seoul Station.
For this ride, the 48-hour Seoul pass did not kickstart the 48-hour countdown, which is good so I can go check-in and unload my luggage first!
2) COEX Mall Aquarium
The first attraction of my first day in Korea, I chose to visit the COEX Mall Aquarium which is the furthest from Seoul city. Why I say that? Because instead of taking me 35-minutes to reach there, I travelled 30-minutes in the opposite direction before I realised it ðŸ˜.
Luckily I was ahead of time, the aquarium is still open. With the Seoul Discover Pass, getting the entrance ticket is just so easy. I instantly got my ticket and brochure and start exploring!
Well, generally it took me about an hour to finish visiting the aquarium. If you have visited the KLCC Aquarium and Langkawi Underwater World, both in Malaysia, you may see a little more species in COEX Mall Aquarium.
3) Hop-on Hop-off Seoul City Tour Bus
On my second day, I took the City Tour Bus ride to get to the other attractions. For this bus ticket, I just need to show the Discover Seoul Pass at the ticket counter and vola!
The timing of the bus departing from one stop to another is pretty on-time. Unless the traffic is heavy, I have no problem getting on and off the bus at the designated stops. They provide 11 different languages to explain the historical of each landmarks while you passing them by.
I definitely enjoyed the open air ride with the cool and breezy wind blowing onto my face.
4) Changdeokgung and Changgyeonggung Palaces
These two palaces are just next to each other. You can literally walk from one to another buying different tickets for different Palace entrance.
With the Seoul discover pass, you can exchange your ticket without hassle at the counter together with your preferred language brochure.
You won’t be surprised to see some locals or tourists wearing traditional korean clothes known as the Hanbok. With the Hanbok, you can enter into any of the palaces in Seoul, free of charge.
Although the Discover Seoul Pass includes a Hanbok rental experience, but the distance and the allowable timing is not enough for me to make a fruitful visit of the palaces. Plus, the day I visit Changdeokgung and Changgyeonggung Palaces, the Gyeongbukgung Palace was closed.
5) Grévin Museum
Never got a chance to we-fie with an international star? Afraid not! Here in Grévin Museum you will have them all! Here you can take as many as you like with the wax-figured-well-known celebrities and people!
To mention a few, you will see some K-pop star, K-drama celeb, Queen Elizabeth, President Obama and much more! Again, you just need to show your Discover Seoul Pass to get your entrance ticket.
6) N Seoul Tower
No Seoul trip is complete without visiting the N Seoul Tower for all Korea first-time visitor. Although it is not the highest building in Korea, but it’s iconic and distinctive in Seoul!
Interesting fact : Did you know that the color of light at the tower is reflective of the air quality in Seoul? There are blue, green, yellow and red lights, no joke! See here.
There are plenty of things to do at N Seoul tower. You can shop, eat, and take a lot of pictures. Depending on which season, Seoul can always surprise you with its wonder!
I was welcomed with a raining and foggy summer so my view was not as amazing but it’s okay. I love rain in a foreign land.
7) Gyeongbukgung Palace – National Folk Museum & Changing of Royal Guards
The next morning, I have about 7 hours left to use my pass. Of course I will not miss my visit to Gyeongbukgung Palace!
Gyeongbukgung Palace is a must visit in Korea, almost just like visiting the Buckingham Palace when you are in London!
This Palace is way way bigger than the two palaces visited earlier that it has a National Folk Museum in it!
Basically, the crowd in Gyeongbukgung Palace is bigger and it might not be easy to take a selfie with clean background. I was one of the earliest tourists, 5th in line, even before the ticket counter is open.
At 10am on the day it opens, there will be a 20-minute royal guard changing ceremony. You can also take picture with the guards after the ceremony.
8) Hanbok wearing Experience
This is my final experience using Discover Seoul Pass. I walked about 20-minutes from Gyeongbokgung Palace to this place to try-out their traditional Hanbok!
There is an advantage when you visit and travel solo when comes to this place. And if are a guy even better. Haha..why? Coz at peak hours there might be a lot of tourists trying on Hanbok.
You will need to be aware of many queuing to do – Q to register, Q to choose your Hanbok (variety of size and colours), Q to put on Hanbok, for ladies, extra Q for hairdo and light make up. By the time you are done, half day might be gone!
For me, I was fortunate enough to came in earlier before a troop of guided tourists! It took me less than 20-minutes to start wandering around town with my first Hanbok ever!
9) Sightseeing Tour Bus
Oops, there is one more thing I do with the bus after my Hanbok experience. I took another ride on the city tour bus! Yes, there are two different one.
This one started their tour at Dongdaemun Design Plaza with shining bright yellow buses!
I took the bus to other attractions like Tongin Market and Namdaemun market. Be sure to check out my other posts and see what other funny things I did in Korea!
Conclusion : Savings overall
Overall, I am satisfied with this pass given the timing and the places that interest me. My first day in Korea is a Monday and it’s really important to check which attraction is available on which day.
Below you can see the comparison of the normal price of the places I have visited and how much money I have saved!! Here, we assume KRW1000 = MYR3.50
|
Retail price |
|||
| Attractions |
MYR |
KRW |
|
|
1 |
Arex |
31.50 |
9,000 |
|
2 |
COEX Aquarium |
98.00 |
28,000 |
|
3 |
Seoul City tour |
63.00 |
18,000 |
|
4 |
Grevin Museum |
63.00 |
18,000 |
|
5 |
N Seoul Tower |
35.00 |
10,000 |
|
6 |
Changdeokgung & Changgyeonggung Palaces |
21.00 |
6,000 |
|
7 |
Gyeongbukgung Palace |
10.50 |
3,000 |
|
8 |
Hanbok Rental |
35.00 |
10,000 |
|
9 |
Sightseeing bus |
52.50 |
15,000 |
|
409.50 |
117,000 |
||
Overall, without the pass, it would cost me about RM410 but with the pass, it only cost me RM180!! A saving of RM230 (~USD 54)!! Amazing right?? I was so impressed with this pass! And you should get one too when you visit Seoul, South Korea for the first time! It’s really convenient and friendly to your wallet!
Make sure you do all your homework and research, then you are good to go!