Seoul for Kids
[Downloads: May's Suggested Itinerary for Seoul]
I left the husband and son in Singapore for this holiday in May with Faye. A girls' trip and with us, two other pairs of mom and dot which made it a party of six. We had a one year old [Emmabella], four year old [Faye] and six year old [Danielle] tag-a-long. All girls, so our initial plan of a ladies' trip wasn't thwarted. It was still a LADIES ONLY holiday.
I left the husband and son in Singapore for this holiday in May with Faye. A girls' trip and with us, two other pairs of mom and dot which made it a party of six. We had a one year old [Emmabella], four year old [Faye] and six year old [Danielle] tag-a-long. All girls, so our initial plan of a ladies' trip wasn't thwarted. It was still a LADIES ONLY holiday.
It was unfortunate that Faye fell ill a couple of days before our departure but thank goodness she was recovered very quickly. Emmabella and her mom had the flu and fever just before we flew. Then halfway through our flight to Seoul, I started feeling achy all over and ran a temperature. Seriously? I was just thinking a week prior to our trip that it would be perfect because I was done with my period! As if things couldn't get any better, Daniella took a dive in health half way through our trip and had to visit the hospital twice.
I cannot stress any further how important travel insurance is!
Although we still had fun this #SeouloGirlTrip, it was exhausting. Babysitting sick children while trying to keep ourselves strong was a test of our strength as mothers. We ended up more sapped than we already were before the holiday. The good thing was, we took a less punishing schedule heading out of our hotel only at 1200 hours every day.
I took a look at us moms, Diana, Priscillia and I. One thing I learnt was, no matter how fatigued we might be in the inside. No matter how much we wished we could take this holiday to rejuvenated our overworked selves, we were all smiles whenever we witnessed our daughters having a ball of a time. I was all feverish the whole of Day Two but love had me trudging on the streets of Seoul. By dinner time, I wished we weren't so far from my bed. I needed to crash. However, while we were having fun and while I was photographing them, I had forgotten all about the aches reverberating in my body.
The same goes with Diana and Priscillia - they trudged on and showered their daughters with all the attention they needed to make them feel better from being sick. Even though they themselves probably felt like their bodies were breaking apart from weariness.
There are a few big tips about Seoul that every family should know:
1. The pavements aren't always stroller-friendly. I reckon a baby carrier would work better if you are going out for long hours of walking. The cobbled-stoned pavements were a challenge even for our luggage. You wouldn't want to damage the wheels of your strollers.
2. Airport Bus Transfer. The airport bus is affordable and convenient. It drops you at major hotels and streets in Seoul. To add to that, staff are on stand-by where the bus queues are to help tourists load up their bags. Did I mention there is also free wi-fi on board? It costs just S$12.50 [children are free] as compared to a private taxi at S$90 for our family of six.
3. Koreans Speak Mandarin. They are probably more proficient in mandarin than English because of the influx of Chinese market in their country. In case you are having troubles communicating, try mandarin!
4. Don't Be Intimated By Subway Station Maps. I was so afraid when I saw it prior to our trip! It is the most confusing subway map I've ever seen with a million lines crossing one another! Yet, do not be intimidated by it because when you are in the thick of things, it is really quite easy to get from Point A to Point B. There are no station controls manned by humans but just ticketing machines. Do not forget to insert your single rider cards after you leave the gantry to retrieve your deposit refund. Or really, just get T-Money [the likes of Ezlink cards in Singapore] from convenience stores where you can use it for all your transportation needs.
1. The pavements aren't always stroller-friendly. I reckon a baby carrier would work better if you are going out for long hours of walking. The cobbled-stoned pavements were a challenge even for our luggage. You wouldn't want to damage the wheels of your strollers.
2. Airport Bus Transfer. The airport bus is affordable and convenient. It drops you at major hotels and streets in Seoul. To add to that, staff are on stand-by where the bus queues are to help tourists load up their bags. Did I mention there is also free wi-fi on board? It costs just S$12.50 [children are free] as compared to a private taxi at S$90 for our family of six.
3. Koreans Speak Mandarin. They are probably more proficient in mandarin than English because of the influx of Chinese market in their country. In case you are having troubles communicating, try mandarin!
4. Don't Be Intimated By Subway Station Maps. I was so afraid when I saw it prior to our trip! It is the most confusing subway map I've ever seen with a million lines crossing one another! Yet, do not be intimidated by it because when you are in the thick of things, it is really quite easy to get from Point A to Point B. There are no station controls manned by humans but just ticketing machines. Do not forget to insert your single rider cards after you leave the gantry to retrieve your deposit refund. Or really, just get T-Money [the likes of Ezlink cards in Singapore] from convenience stores where you can use it for all your transportation needs.
ARIRANG HOUSE
We booked a Hanok, traditional home, to experience the ways of living for a Korean. It was one of my highlights of this trip.
After doing some research, we agreed on booking Arirang House which provides us with a three bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, two toilets and an extremely cosy courtyard for Soju nights and take-out dinners.
The home is conveniently located in the heart of Bukchon Village where the traditional houses and heritage walk is. There is a convenience store, Starbucks and Paris Baguette right at its doorstep. Take a five minutes walk to Anguk train station and we even gave a shot at walking the girls from the famous Gyeongbokgung Palace!
It costs us about S$400 a night, split amongst the three of us, it was about S$133 per mother and child. I think that was quite alright to experience how living is like in a traditional home.
While there are three bedrooms, two of which are floor beds where you will have to roll out your own traditional [thin] mattresses and comforters provided. The last bedroom boasts two thick floor mattresses for those who may not be accustomed to the traditional Hanok ways.
The kitchen is awesome! It is well-equipped with utensils, washing liquid, a huge refrigerator and best of all, spick and span.
The amenities were great with shampoo, soap, toothpaste [no disposable toothbrush], towels, wi-fi, television [which has a lot of kids channels but in Korean], hair-dryer, heating, air-conditioning, water dispenser which dispenses hot and cold water, washing machine and if you are travelling with a baby, there's even a baby tub! Simply let Jaeun know in advance what you require and she will have it arranged at best.
Our only complain was probably the easily-chocked toilet but thank goodness there wasn't just one toilet bowl. One of the bedrooms had a small attached toilet which could flush a lot better than the common one.
This Hanok is owned by a lady, Jaeun, and she had been helpful with all our requests and queries during our stay at her place. There came a point where Danielle was so ill, we were texting her for assistance. We wanted to know which clinic or hospital we could get Danielle to for medication. Instead of just helping us call for a taxi, Jaeun brought her nine year old son along to our accommodation and brought Danielle and Priscillia to the hospital! She became their personal translator, chaperone and I must say, the best host one could ask for for going beyond her call of duty. As a mother herself, she most likely felt the need to lend a helping hand not only to her guest but to another mother.
Would I recommend this Arirang House? Of course, I would!
After doing some research, we agreed on booking Arirang House which provides us with a three bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, two toilets and an extremely cosy courtyard for Soju nights and take-out dinners.
The home is conveniently located in the heart of Bukchon Village where the traditional houses and heritage walk is. There is a convenience store, Starbucks and Paris Baguette right at its doorstep. Take a five minutes walk to Anguk train station and we even gave a shot at walking the girls from the famous Gyeongbokgung Palace!
It costs us about S$400 a night, split amongst the three of us, it was about S$133 per mother and child. I think that was quite alright to experience how living is like in a traditional home.
While there are three bedrooms, two of which are floor beds where you will have to roll out your own traditional [thin] mattresses and comforters provided. The last bedroom boasts two thick floor mattresses for those who may not be accustomed to the traditional Hanok ways.
The kitchen is awesome! It is well-equipped with utensils, washing liquid, a huge refrigerator and best of all, spick and span.
The amenities were great with shampoo, soap, toothpaste [no disposable toothbrush], towels, wi-fi, television [which has a lot of kids channels but in Korean], hair-dryer, heating, air-conditioning, water dispenser which dispenses hot and cold water, washing machine and if you are travelling with a baby, there's even a baby tub! Simply let Jaeun know in advance what you require and she will have it arranged at best.
Our only complain was probably the easily-chocked toilet but thank goodness there wasn't just one toilet bowl. One of the bedrooms had a small attached toilet which could flush a lot better than the common one.
This Hanok is owned by a lady, Jaeun, and she had been helpful with all our requests and queries during our stay at her place. There came a point where Danielle was so ill, we were texting her for assistance. We wanted to know which clinic or hospital we could get Danielle to for medication. Instead of just helping us call for a taxi, Jaeun brought her nine year old son along to our accommodation and brought Danielle and Priscillia to the hospital! She became their personal translator, chaperone and I must say, the best host one could ask for for going beyond her call of duty. As a mother herself, she most likely felt the need to lend a helping hand not only to her guest but to another mother.
Would I recommend this Arirang House? Of course, I would!
METRO HOTEL MYEONGDONG
Metro Hotel at Myeongdong seemed to be what we family travellers might need! It is not a luxury hotel but for a three-star property, I personally feel they cleaned up well.
Not only do they provide a Handy Phone during your stay where you can get connected to wi-fi to navigate your way around Seoul, there are children facilities like a playroom on level two. It is a very humble playroom, a little too dim, but it provided some kind of fun for our girls as we packed our bags to prepare for another day of adventure. It is not manned so obviously one mom has to kid-watch for a while. Better than keeping them occupied with the tele!
The hotel also has a gym, meeting room and coin laundry room. I was impressed with this three-star hotel!
We booked the Family Flex Room where there are three double beds, perfect for our party! Room size was comfortable at 40sqm but there was only one bathroom to share. At least there were two basins and a bathtub which the children loved.
Location-wise, it is in Myeongdong! It couldn't get any wrong and we didn't take too long to locate Metro Hotel from the airport bus station. Do note that if you are taking the airport bus, hop onto bus number 6015 and alight at the Ibis Hotel bus stop. It takes about an hour from the airport and costs 10,000 won [S$12.50] per adult. Children ride for free!
The house-keeping cleans the room once a day and there is no turn-down service. Even with that, they do take pride in their jobs and cleaned our room well. The bins are emptied, floor vacuumed and towels replaced.
No complains! Not even when the breakfast is just a very simple affair of cereals, milk, bread and a section of hot food including Korean delights.
We paid S$780 for three nights in total which stripped down to S$86 per Mom and Dot per night. Money well-spent for a good sized bed and clean room.
Not only do they provide a Handy Phone during your stay where you can get connected to wi-fi to navigate your way around Seoul, there are children facilities like a playroom on level two. It is a very humble playroom, a little too dim, but it provided some kind of fun for our girls as we packed our bags to prepare for another day of adventure. It is not manned so obviously one mom has to kid-watch for a while. Better than keeping them occupied with the tele!
The hotel also has a gym, meeting room and coin laundry room. I was impressed with this three-star hotel!
We booked the Family Flex Room where there are three double beds, perfect for our party! Room size was comfortable at 40sqm but there was only one bathroom to share. At least there were two basins and a bathtub which the children loved.
Location-wise, it is in Myeongdong! It couldn't get any wrong and we didn't take too long to locate Metro Hotel from the airport bus station. Do note that if you are taking the airport bus, hop onto bus number 6015 and alight at the Ibis Hotel bus stop. It takes about an hour from the airport and costs 10,000 won [S$12.50] per adult. Children ride for free!
The house-keeping cleans the room once a day and there is no turn-down service. Even with that, they do take pride in their jobs and cleaned our room well. The bins are emptied, floor vacuumed and towels replaced.
No complains! Not even when the breakfast is just a very simple affair of cereals, milk, bread and a section of hot food including Korean delights.
We paid S$780 for three nights in total which stripped down to S$86 per Mom and Dot per night. Money well-spent for a good sized bed and clean room.
PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION
Recommended by a friend, I contacted Young to pick us up on our last day in Seoul to the airport. He has two different types of vans:
- Seven Seater at 85,000 won
- 15 Seater at 150,000 won
Price stated above is for one-way and one of the more affordable ones I've found. If you require a baby seat for the car, no harm checking availability for it. Images of the vans can be found on the website. We agreed on a seven seater, he sent us a Jumbo Taxi which accommodated our party of six pretty well.
Young was always available on WhatsApp and called me via WhatsApp as well when his driver had arrived [10 minutes before departure time]. Punctuality is of utmost importance and I'm glad they took that seriously.
Contact: +82 1096991925
Website: www.koreavantour.com
ONE
TRY ON HANBOK
Price for Hanbok Rental:
2 hours - 15,000 won [normal] | 25,000 won [premium]
4 hours - 21,000 won [normal] | 31,000 won [premium]
All Day - 39,000 won [normal] | 59,000 won [premium]
Price for Additional Items:
Underskirt - 3,000 won
Hair Styling - 5,000 won
Ribbon - 1,000 won
Hair Accessory - 1,000 won
Locate: 서울특별시 종로구 사간동 69 영정빌딩 B1
2 hours - 15,000 won [normal] | 25,000 won [premium]
4 hours - 21,000 won [normal] | 31,000 won [premium]
All Day - 39,000 won [normal] | 59,000 won [premium]
Price for Additional Items:
Underskirt - 3,000 won
Hair Styling - 5,000 won
Ribbon - 1,000 won
Hair Accessory - 1,000 won
Locate: 서울특별시 종로구 사간동 69 영정빌딩 B1
Web | Instagram
We had beautiful photographs to keep!
Faye wanted to do this when she heard she was going to be turned into a Korean princess. We searched high and low for this particular shop which was recommended by @ahjoomahan who recently went to Seoul for a holiday.
To make your life easier, here's a map pinpointing exactly where you should head towards to if you want to visit Try On Hanbok. Yup! That's the name of the shop.
We got out of the wrong exit from Gyeongbokgung subway station. Instead of the East Wing, we were wandering about at the West Wing and nearly gave in to one of one hundred Hanbok rental shops along the street. Thing was, not all boasted the photography studio that @ahjoomahan said Try On Hanbok had!
It was Spring. The weather was cool and beautiful. It had to be that fateful day when we were lost around Gyeongbokgung Palace that the sun was shining down real hard on us. By hook or by crook, we decided to locate Try On Hanbok because photographing us in Hanboks in an air-conditioning studio sounded way better than carrying our can-can skirts all around the palace grounds that didn't look like it had any shade.
Many rental companies were offering only 10,000 won for a 2 hour rental. It gets cheaper as you walk the street but they were pale-looking pastel coloured Hanboks which I didn't quite liked. It had no punch to the costume and I didn't want to look like the next ten girls on the street. Besides, not all Hanbok rental shops come with an in-house photo studio.
We found Try On Hanbok, which was situated just at Geonchunmum Gate of the palace [East Wing]. The staff weren't exactly the friendliest but they allowed us to use the studio with our own cameras. We were our own photographers and they did not put a cap on how long we used their studio. Rental prices of the Hanboks were cheaper since we didn't bring them out at all.
Best of all, they had Hanboks from aged one! We walked into another shop prior to finding Try On Hanbok and they couldn't cater to Emmabella's size. Nor were their headgears traditional looking.
Just one thing I'd like to advice though - I feel the money spent on hairstyling wasn't quite worth the while. All they did was put your hair in a plaid.
We had beautiful photographs to keep!
TWO
PLAY IN MUSEUM
Cost for 2 hours: Adults 4,000 won | Children 12,600 won [2 years and above] | Babies 9,000 won [under 2 years old]
Opening Hours: 1400 to 2200 hours open to the public | 1000 to 1400 hours open to field trips
Locate: 683 Olympic-aero, Seocho-gu, Seoul
How to Get There: Alight at Express Bus Terminal Station, Exit 6 and take a Free Shuttle Bus or just flag a cab!
How to Get There: Alight at Express Bus Terminal Station, Exit 6 and take a Free Shuttle Bus or just flag a cab!
Instagram
Again, recommended by @ahjoomahan, we put this on our Day Two itinerary. It wasn't too difficult to locate and we spent the full two hour allocation at P.I.M with the kids having the time of their lives!
An infinity ball pool overlooks the waters on a floating island. The designer had the most exquisite taste ever and took over one of the most beautiful location for a playground! Translucent balls look so much classier and instagrammable than coloured ones. It blends into the sea!
Next to the ball pool is the sand pit filled with coloured pebbles by floor to ceiling windows that welcomed natural light into the playroom. P.I.M. has much to flaunt in terms of play in its two level premise - magnets, foam construction, sensory play, art and crafts and a cafe. Definitely one to put into Seoul for Kids itinerary.
When I returned to Singapore, the first thing Ewan said when he saw me was, "When you bring me to Korea, I want to visit that ball pit too!"
I am not a fan of indoor playgrounds as shared many times because of germs lurking in the space where there is no sunlight. So if there is a worthy indoor playground to go to, the first thing I will notice is the hygiene level of that place. P.I.M did not sanitise every kid and adult who went it. There is a sanitiser at the counter and the onus is on parents to sanitise their family before playing. Don't forget to sanitise before and after play!
Next to the ball pool is the sand pit filled with coloured pebbles by floor to ceiling windows that welcomed natural light into the playroom. P.I.M. has much to flaunt in terms of play in its two level premise - magnets, foam construction, sensory play, art and crafts and a cafe. Definitely one to put into Seoul for Kids itinerary.
When I returned to Singapore, the first thing Ewan said when he saw me was, "When you bring me to Korea, I want to visit that ball pit too!"
I am not a fan of indoor playgrounds as shared many times because of germs lurking in the space where there is no sunlight. So if there is a worthy indoor playground to go to, the first thing I will notice is the hygiene level of that place. P.I.M did not sanitise every kid and adult who went it. There is a sanitiser at the counter and the onus is on parents to sanitise their family before playing. Don't forget to sanitise before and after play!
THREE
ARRIATE
Opening Hours: 0900 to 2200 hours
Opening Hours: 0900 to 2200 hours
Locate: 30, Hongik-ro 6-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
How to Get There: Alight at Yeoksam Station, Exit 7, ast the gas station
How to Get There: Alight at Yeoksam Station, Exit 7, ast the gas station
Instagram
Visit this flower cafe not for food but for photos. That's all it can really offer at Arriate [fortunately/unfortunately]. I had read that the food is not good and I told my girlfriends about it before our arrival. Diana commented, "Huh? But they only sell cakes here. There's no food menu what. How wrong can a cake get?"
Well, bad!
*hahah* We ordered two cakes and they were as reviewed - not good. I had a hot camomile tea and it was exactly how camomile tea should taste like. How wrong can it get with a teabag right? But I didn't dare try their coffee. Anyway, I was on medication and didn't want to risk a reaction from Panadol and caffeine.
The cafe was beautiful though! I saw some patrons walking in just to snap some shots without sitting for a drink *clever buggers* If you are cool with that, do it!
FOUR
LOTTE WORLD
Cost: Adults 52,000 won | Children 41,000 won [3 to 12 years old] | Babies 13,000 won [12 to 35 months old]
Stroller Rental: 3,000 won with 10,000 won deposit
Opening Hours: 0930 to 2200 hours
Cost: Adults 52,000 won | Children 41,000 won [3 to 12 years old] | Babies 13,000 won [12 to 35 months old]
Stroller Rental: 3,000 won with 10,000 won deposit
Opening Hours: 0930 to 2200 hours
Locate: 240, Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul
How to Get There: Jamsil Train Station, Exit 4
How to Get There: Jamsil Train Station, Exit 4
Web
Pororo Park and Kidzania Seoul are both in Jamsil where Lotte World is located. We put them as options too and knew our kids will enjoy them but decided to spend our time only at Lotte World because Singapore has Pororo Park and Kidzania.
Lotte World is like Seoul's Disneyland or Universal Studios. I remember my last visit vividly. I was 17 and spent most of my play time in the outdoors of Lotte where I rode the tower drop for the first time in my life one cold wintery night. As we rose higher, the full moon came closer! The air thinned and with my heart thumping out of my mouth by then, I could hardly breathe! I screamed silently three-quarters down the ride because no voice could be projected from all that fright. But it was fun alright!
To think we spent all our hours in the inside this time because of the kiddy rides! The indoor rides for children are abundant and you would probably spend a good half a day in there. By the time you are ready for outdoor play, it would have been evening.
There were so may restaurants and cafeterias in Lotte World but we settled for T.G.I Fridays on the main floor. Surprisingly, the food was delicious! I had a Pork Chop set and gobbled through my lunch while Faye took her afternoon nap in my arms.
It's a play land for the children and I was pretty impressed with the indoor hot-air balloon ride. Although it was just a ride around the top, it gave a beautiful overview of Lotte World in the inside.
To think we spent all our hours in the inside this time because of the kiddy rides! The indoor rides for children are abundant and you would probably spend a good half a day in there. By the time you are ready for outdoor play, it would have been evening.
There were so may restaurants and cafeterias in Lotte World but we settled for T.G.I Fridays on the main floor. Surprisingly, the food was delicious! I had a Pork Chop set and gobbled through my lunch while Faye took her afternoon nap in my arms.
It's a play land for the children and I was pretty impressed with the indoor hot-air balloon ride. Although it was just a ride around the top, it gave a beautiful overview of Lotte World in the inside.
Downloadables
Our little Travel companions
May 2018 - Faye at 4 years old
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A stay at home mum, blogging to widen her social life.
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That's wonderful stuff you've written up here. Been searching for it all around. Great blog
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Vacation with children is indeed a very appropriate choice, besides being able to vacation can also have fun. Thank you for sharing your experiences and knowledge about holidays. theapartmentsumalas.com
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