For the first part of our 12-day South Korean trip itinerary, click here.

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These mounds in the historical city of Gyeongju are of both historical and cultural relevance. Some of them are the graves of the kings of the ancient Silla dynasty. The quaint city of Gyeongju once served as the seat of power of the aforementioned dynasty.

Day 7: Off to the South! Gyeongju Historical Tour

7:00 AMWake up call
Fix things for checkout
8:00 AMBreakfast
9:00 AMDepart for Seoul Station
Book Korean Rail (KTX) ticket for Singyeongju Station
10:50 AMBoard KTX
11:00 AMDepart for Gyeongju
1:10 PMArrival at Singyeongju station
Seek assistance with the tourist information
1:30 PMRide the bus to Gyeongju
2:00 PMCheck-in at the hostel
Settle down
2:30 PMLate lunch. Jjajangmyeon!
3:00 PMRide the bus to Gyeongju city center
Walk around the Daereungwon Tomb Park
5:00 PMBuy a kite at the park and try to make it fly
5:30 PMProceed to Cheomseongdae Observatory
6:30 PMTour around the various excavation areas
6:50 PMBegin a walking tour of Gyeongju
7:00 PMOpening of Donggung Palace and Anapji Pond
Tour around Donggung Palace complex
8:30 PMPurchase a ticket for Anapji Pond
10:00 PMArrival at hostel
11:00 PMLights out
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It didn’t escape me that ponds are an architecturally significant part of Korean architecture. Nearly every building complex of historical significance possesses one, including the UNESCO heritage site, Bulguksa Temple.

Day 8: The Bus to Busan

7:00 AMWake up Call
8:00 AMBreakfast
8:30 AMRide bus to Bulguksa Temple
9:20 AMArrival at Bulguksa Temple
9:30 AMTour around Bulguksa Temple complex
12:00 NoonBuffet lunch
1:00 PMRide the bus to Bulguksa Temple
1:40 PMArrival at Gyeongju city center
Tour around the Mounds Park
3:00 PMExplore the Gyochon Village
3:45 PMRide the bus to Gyeongju city center
4:30 PMGo to Gyeongju Bus Station
4:45 PMReturn to the hostel and retrieve baggage
5:00 PMDeparture for Busan
6:30 PMArrival at Busan Bus Terminal
Proceed to Haeundae Beach Area. From Busan Subway Line 1, transfer to Busan Subway Line 2
7:30 PMRide the bus to Gyeongju city center
8:00 PMDinner
10:00 PMLights Out
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Gamcheon Village was once a pandemonium, a city planner’s nightmare. But with ingenuity, art was fused with the bedlam, creating what is now one of the most visited sights in Busan.

Day 9: When The Slum was Turned Into a Cultural Village

7:00 AMWake up call
7:30 AMRide the bus to Yonggungsa temple
8:00 AMTour around Haeundae beach
8:30 AMArrival at Gwangalli Beach
9:10 AMArrival at Yonggungsa temple
Tour around Yonggungsa temple complex
10:20 AMReturn to Haeundae Station
12:00 NoonLunch at Seomyeon Station area (Busan Subway Lines 1 and 2)
1:00 PMBreakfast
Ride Busan Subway Line 1
1:45 PMAlight at Toseong Station
Arrival at Gwangalli Beach
2:00 PMTour around Gamcheon Cultural Village.
Look for and collect stamps
5:45 PMArrival at the last stamp station
6:00 PMDepart for Busan Central station
7:20 PMArrival at Gwangalli beach
Take picture of Gwangalli Bridge
8:00 PMReturn to hotel
10:00 PMLights out!
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This art installation on the coast of Busan’s Taejongdae Park, as was mentioned by our tour guide, serves as a reminder of the concept of Yin and Yang. South Korea, like its East Asian neighbors, also believes in balance.

Day 10: Busan Tour Day 2

7:00 AMWake up call
8:00 AMBreakfast
Prepare baggage for departure
9:00 AMCheck out
10:00 AMLeave baggage Seomyeon train station locker
10:30 AMDepart for Taejongdae Recreation Area
11:00 AMArrival at Taejongdae Park
Ride a cab to and check in at Hanok Stay
Tour around Taejongdae Park
1:30 PMDepart for Busan Tower
2:00 PMArrival at the BIFF Square
Check out the different boutiques in the area
2:20 PMArrival at the Busan Tower.
Tour around the tower area
3:00 PMRetrieve baggage Seomyeon subway station
3:30 PMDeparture for Busan Bus Terminal (Nopo Station, Busan Subway Line 1)
4:15 PMArrival at the bus terminal
Ride a cab to and check in at Hanok Stay
4:30 PMDeparture for Jeonju
8:00 PMArrival in Jeonju
8:30 PMRide cab to and check in at Hanok Stay
9:00 PMPurchase a ticket for the Danubi Train Course Tour
10:00 PMLights out!
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Pungnammun Gate tells the story of Jeonju. Built in the late 14th century, it is one of four original city gates. It was able to withstand time and invasions. Of the four original gates,  it is the only one that it is left standing.

Day 11: Jeonju Hanok Village

8:00 AMWake up call
8:30 AMEarly morning tour around the surrounding area
Breakfast
9:00 AMTour around the famed Jeonju Hanok Village
10:00 AMPurchase ticket for Gyeonggijeon
Tour around the Gyeonggijeon
11:00 AMVisit the Jeondong Cathedral
11:20 AMVisit the Pungnammun Gate
12:00 NoonLook for a food shop
12:30 PMLunch. Try Jeonju’s famed Bibimbap!
2:00 PMCheck out from the Hanok Stay
3:00 PMDeparture for Seoul
6:30 PMArrival in Seoul
7:30 PMCheck out the Hanok Stay
11:00 PMLights out!
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Busan’s Haeundae Beach is one of South Korea’s more famous beaches. It gave us a warm welcome, in stark contrast with the cold reception it gave us the evening we arrived. Dynamic Busan indeed it is!

Day 12: Annyeong Kyeseyo Daehan Minghuk!

8:00 AMWake up call
9:00 AMBreakfast
10:00 AMRide Airport Express to Incheon International Airport
1:00 PMBoard the plane to Manila
4:30 PMWelcome back to reality!

Below is a visual guide, provided by Wanderlog, for a better appreciation.

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Map courtesy of Wanderlog, an itinerary planner on iOS and Android
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This 12-day South Korean escapade is a learning experience for me. It pains me to look back as the plane ascends toward the skies. For numerous reasons, South Korea will remain a treasure in my heart, its beautiful places, its wonderful people, and its colorful history and culture. I will always look forward to that day when I will get the chance to visit it again. For now, I have to go back to my quotidian existence.