🇰🇷 Five days, four nights in Seoul for a girls’ trip | Besties don’t have to stick together every single day!
zoeeye
23 days ago
✈️ Preface
Hello everyone! This time I want to share my 5-day, 4-night DIY trip to Seoul. Compared to my first time in Korea, when I tried to cram every famous attraction into the schedule, this time I wanted to travel in a more relaxed way. Shop when we feel like shopping, stop to eat when we feel like eating, and we even had one day where we split up and each went somewhere we were genuinely interested in.
I think when you travel with friends, you do not necessarily have to be tied together at every single stop. Sometimes, keeping a bit of free time for yourselves, then meeting up at night to share what happened during the day, is actually more comfortable! On this trip we also planned Anguk, Hongdae, department store shopping, Seoul Grand Park, and we even ended up staying at Paradise City, to properly enjoy the final night of the trip.
💰 Day 1: Arrive in Seoul, first stop is Myeongdong to exchange money!
After arriving at Incheon Airport on the first day, we headed to our accommodation to drop off our luggage, then went to Myeongdong to exchange money. For me, the most important thing on day one is not rushing to attractions, it is getting cash, transportation, and lodging sorted out first, so the next few days go smoothly without stress.
Since we were already in Myeongdong, of course we had to eat our way through it. From convenience stores and street snacks to grabbing whatever looked good on the spot, there was zero pressure to “complete” any itinerary. We used the most laid-back approach to ease back into the happiness of being in Korea again.
🥯 Day 2: A stroll around Anguk, a Snoopy pop-up, and naengmyeon even on a cold day
On day two, we went to the Anguk area, one of my favorites. Besides its traditional hanok and old-street vibe, it is also full of unique little shops and cafes. It is perfect for wandering without setting a specific destination, browse as you go, and pop into any place you like.
This time we also happened to run into a Snoopy pop-up store, and as a Snoopy fan, I obviously could not miss it! Between taking photos and checking out the merch, you can easily spend a lot of time here.
For lunch, we planned something you simply have to eat in Korea, naengmyeon. Even though the weather was already a bit chilly, and my rational side told me I should probably eat something warm, I was in Korea, how could I skip naengmyeon! The icy broth with chewy noodles made it a super memorable meal, eating cold noodles on a cold day actually made it even more fun.
🐘 Day 3: Even on a besties trip, you can split up and still have fun!
Day three was a particularly special day of this trip, we split up and did our own thing!
My bestie and I chose to stay in the city, go shopping at department stores, eat and drink, and turn the day into a full-on shopping and chill day. The other group went to Seoul Grand Park to see animals and enjoy a totally different itinerary.
I used to think that if you travel abroad together, you should be together from morning to night, but later I realized everyone naturally has different travel styles. Some people light up at the sight of a department store, others have zero interest in shopping, so why torture each other (lol). Go where you like, meet up at night to swap photos and show off your purchases, and it actually makes everyone happier.
🛍️ Day 4: Shopping in Hongdae, then checking into Paradise City for a little treat
On day four, we first went to Hongdae for a stroll. This area is truly perfect for anyone who loves shopping, fashion, beauty, lifestyle goods, and all kinds of unique stores are packed together, and it is easy to lose track of time just wandering around.
And for the final night of this trip, we specially planned to stay at Paradise City! After spending the first few days walking all over the city, we switched straight into vacation mode and enjoyed the hotel facilities.
Since we were already staying there, of course we also had to check out the casino, something you do not usually get to experience. It was my first time stepping into a casino in Korea, and just seeing the environment and atmosphere felt really fresh, like, “Today I am here to experience the rich life” (lol). You do not necessarily have to gamble big, for me, the experience itself was already super fun, and it made our last night completely different from the earlier days.
🏠 Day 5: Heading home happily with all our shopping haul
On the last day, we did not force in any extra attractions. After sleeping in and organizing everything we bought over the past few days, we headed to the airport to go home.
This 5-day, 4-night trip was not packed to the brim every day, and we did not require everyone to move together all the time. Instead, it became a travel style I really loved. A trip is not “worth it” only because you visited a certain number of places, it is worth it when everyone traveling together can enjoy these days in the way they like best.
If you are also planning a DIY trip to Seoul with friends, try leaving some blank space in your schedule, or even plan half a day or a full day to go your separate ways. Let the shoppers shop, let the sightseers sightsee, then come back together for a meal and share the day’s stories, you might end up having even more fun than being tied together for all five days!
