Korea Travel Packages in Malaysia

Since AirAsia X started flying to Seoul and, in July 2013, to Busan, Korea Travel Packages from Malaysia have been doing great business. Every year, more Malaysians pick Korea and Japan as their main travel destinations.

Back in the day, Korea was popular only because of Winter Sonata, but over the years, much has changed, and Korean dramas and the K-pop music scene have taken the world by storm. In 2012, when Korean superstar Psy shook the world with his Gangnam Style, Korea became one of the most popular places to visit.

In Malaysia, many locals are keen to visit Korea, and the demand has even spread into the Muslim market, where Muslim Korea Packages are on the rise.

However, the capital of Samsung is one of the must-visit places in North Asia if you haven’t been there before. Below is my personal experience visiting Seoul in early 2013.

These days, with the growing budget airline industry, Korea is no longer a dream destination to visit, as many travel companies are heavily promoting the destination.

Many agents in Kuala Lumpur have been promoting Korea Tour Packages for ages and have now embarked on more interesting creations to their packages.

I visited Seoul in early February 2013 to experience the Korean culture firsthand. Learning the language is difficult, as many people still do not speak English.

However, the food and overall culture are something that everyone should experience. I stayed in one of the most popular areas in Seoul, Myeongdong, a massive shopping district. Access via subway is hassle-free, as everything is in dual language, so moving around Seoul was not an issue.

Best Time to Visit Korea

Most of you will ask when the best time to visit Korea is. Since I visited in February, winter has been there, and it can get cold. The best time to visit Korea is in spring or autumn, when the weather is nice and not too hot or cold. Unless you love the cold, January and February would be nice months to explore. Get those winter jackets ready!

What to do in Korea

Korea generally offers heaps of shopping, among many other things. But for sightseeing, there are a number of unique places to visit there. If you are a city lover, Seoul and Busan are highly recommended as there are unlimited shopping, food, and entertainment choices.

Korea is well known for its fashion, so areas like Dongdaemun, Myeongdong, and Namdaemun are dedicated to this. In these three places alone, over a hundred shopping centers and malls offer the latest Korean fashion in retail or even wholesale.

Even underground shopping malls link the subway stations, so you can shop until you drop here. You should be pleased to know that this year, too, it is the Korea Grand Sale 2013, and sales are just about everywhere.

For the ladies, beauty products are a must-buy when you are in Seoul. Trust me, when I say it is cheap, it is cheap here, as Korea is the land of BB Cream. You can find these in almost every city corner, including subways.

Top brands like Misha, Nature Republic, Skin Food, Face Shop, and Tony Moly dominate the skin care industry here. BB Creams for men are also available. Face masks are among the top sellers here, so check these out. One of the popular places for these products is the Myeongdong Shopping District.

Apart from Seoul city, one can explore the world-renowned Jeju Island. There are national parks, nature, and scenic sights to explore here, so do not expect another city there.

This place is more suited for nature and adventure lovers. Getting here requires either a ferry or flights, so one needs to plan well unless you are taking a tour package.

The must-visit DMZ, or Demilitarized Zone, borders North Korea. Half-day trips to the DMZ start from around US$50 per person. If you have the free time, go and visit this place. I was on a tight schedule, so I missed the chance.

Eating in Korea

Korean food. Who hasn’t tried this before? Well, let me say that what you have eaten so far is nothing compared to the real thing in Korea. I kid you, but not when I make this statement.

Speaking to a Korean lady who has been working in Kuala Lumpur, she, too, acknowledged that Korean food in Malaysia, even when run by Koreans, is simply not the same as back home.

So, Korean food is one of the highlights here. Try the local street food, which can be found at many night markets. Korean BBQS are a must-try, and I picked one of the smaller restaurants located on the first floor of a building, only to rediscover the authentic Korean food.

The bottom line: When you visit Korea, try the food, and you be the judge. You will be surprised. Note that the food is not cheap, though. It is slightly on the high side, too. (For Malaysians, think of it this way: eating Nasi Lemak in America will not be the same as back home, right?)

Places to Visit in Seoul

My trip in February was pretty quick, and in three full days, I managed to visit several interesting places. One of them was Namsan Hill in the heart of Seoul. A walk there took me about 15 minutes, and then I took a cable car ride up the hill. The view of Seoul was spectacular from the mountain, and the Namsan Tower, where you can go even higher, offers a view.

Teddy Bear Museum in Seoul

If you are into cute teddy bears, the Teddy Bear Museum has hundreds of classic teddy bears. After exploring on foot, we took a train to visit the Changgyeonggung Palace, which reminded me of the palaces in China.

An interesting twist is that the palaces resemble strongly to Chinese-styled palaces. But since it was winter, snow covered most of the area, which was nice. A small stream by the palace was also frozen, and this was my first time seeing this, so it was an eye-opener.

Gangnam Style? 

Since I was in Seoul, I made it my utmost priority to visit Gangnam. Psy sold this to the world with his hit song, Gangnam Style. So what was Gangnam? A 30-minute train ride to the district answered all my questions on my last and final stay day.

I’m sorry, but you must go there alone to experience it, as I will not disclose what I saw here. Let the mystery remain. One tip: The coffee cafes here are not too bad.

Planning a Korean Holiday? 

Overall, I recommend visiting Korea now because flights and packages there are getting cheaper by the month. What used to cost RM7000 in those days now costs half the price per person, including some decent travel deals, including four—to five-star hotel stays.

Tours and meals are included with English-speaking guides, so you will not have to buy that Korean dictionary.

Conclusion

For the independent or adventurous traveler, there are always promotional flight tickets from AirAsia, allowing you to explore Korea independently. As mentioned above, moving around the country is simple, as English notices and signs are available.

It is not difficult to move around, and basic accommodations can be found for around RM100-RM150 a night. On my February trip, I stayed at a guesthouse with air conditioning, a heater, an attached bathroom, and a TV in the heart of Myeongdong for RM140 a night and for two people!

Getting a full-board package to Korea is recommended for the group or family traveller as it will be hassle-free. Also, don’t forget the Matta Fair Korea packages, as there may be special packages on sale during the travel fair, where you can get some interesting Korea travel packages in Malaysia.