Seoul

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Seoul, South Korea

 

• Seoul is the capital city of South Korea. Together with its title of being the largest city in the country, it is also among the financial and cultural centers of East Asia.

The Life:

• Seoul boasts of its beautiful palaces, sumptuous food and a super exciting nightlife. Visiting this place is like experiencing old and new Asia.
• City life can really be busy which makes traffic jams very common in Seoul. This should serve as a warning to US tourists to take extra care during their trip.
• Its nightlife is especially filled with fun – live music of various styles and quality. Bars and clubs in Seoul can be extremely expensive but there are also cheap ones.

Cost of Living:

• It’s reasonably cheap to live in Seoul. Typically, fast food meals cost about $6 each and a meal from an inexpensive restaurant can cost around $7. Dining in a midrange restaurant will cost about $46. The cost includes three courses good for two persons.
• Single-room apartments have a price range of $480 to $600. If traveling with friends, US tourists can expect to pay about $1270 and $1650.

Poker:

• Seven Luck Casino features poker tournaments. Casinos are exclusive to foreigners as gambling is illegal for Koreans.

Internet Access/Speed:

• There are abundant internet cafes in Seoul. The internet speed is pretty fast as these internet cafes are primarily for gamers.

Weather:

• Winter time in Seoul can be long, cold and dry with January being the coldest month throughout the year. The summer season is usually short, hot and humid. The rainy days start in late June and ends in late July.

U.S. Visa/Entry Difficulty Level:

• No visa is necessary for US tourists when traveling to Seoul. The stay can last up to three months. The usual requirements of a valid passport and other travel documents apply.

Language:

• The official language in Seoul is Korean. US tourists who intend to stay longer may consider learning the language in written script. It is easy to learn and will be very helpful to get around.
• Other languages spoken in the city include: English, Chinese and Japanese.

Language Schools:

• Seoul is home to many language schools catering to the needs of US tourists who are interested to learn Korean.

Banking:

• Banking in Seoul is easy. In fact, US tourists can choose to open an account if planning to stay for quite some time.

Food:

• Korean cuisine is famous for its spiciness on top of being healthy. Food in Seoul comes in many varieties too. In fact, the city is full of restaurants but will normally have menus in Korean. To ensure the right order, US tourists can opt to pick through pictures. Street food is available and really affordable.
• Besides Korean cuisine, Japanese and Chinese restaurants are known to serve excellent food. The few Italian restaurants are few but are worth trying as well.
• Beers and coffee have the same prices with US big cities.

Recreation:

• Seoul has at least five major palaces such as Gyeongbok-gung and Changdeok-gung. These are some of the attractions that US tourists must include in their list of sightseeing.
• Mountain hiking is one adventure offered in the city with a number of excellent opportunities. Bukhasan provides the best opportunities to hike in Seoul. This place tends to be very crowded during the holidays.

Safety:

• With the huge size of Seoul, it is quite surprising to know that it is a remarkably safe place. There is not much pickpocketing incidents. Violent crimes are very low too.
• There are no curfews in the city but US tourists must bring their identification all the time, especially in cases when military police will need such.