Korea 5/11 - Nami Island, Petite France, The Garden of Morning Calm

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing” 

– Helen Keller

Day 5 - Monday, 24 Oct 2016
As usual we started our day in early morning, at night I will leave for Jeju Island so I left some of my stuff with my friend since she will stay in Seoul while I am in Jeju. Heading to Gapyeong Station Exit 1, almost the same route like yesterday with different stop. We are going to take Gapyeong Shuttle Bus in front of Gapyeong Station, I suggest you queue directly when you arrive at the station because there will so many people going to Nami Island. We heading directly the shuttle bus stop and wait there. The bus will come and leave as per schedule 09.10, click here to see timetable of the bus and how to go to Nami Island in details. Gapyeong Shuttle Bus ticket is KRW 6,000/day, so keep your ticket safe.

my saviour wherever I am in Korea haha ;p

Kimbab only KRW 1,200

Gapyeong Station

People queuing to get in the Gapyeong Shuttle Bus

inside the bus before people start packed inside

this will happen if you're not hurry :)

Keep this ticket carefully for one day, Gapyeong Shuttle Bus KRW 6,000/day

This Gapyeong Shuttle Bus will stop at some place attractions such as Nami Island, Petite France and The Garden of Morning Calm, since I will fly to Jeju at night so we thought we will go only to Nami Island and Petite France for that day. It took about 15 minutes from Gapyeong Station to Nami Island Bus Stop. From Bus Stop, you will passing parking lot and you need to pay admission fee KRW 8,000 at immigration because it feels like we will go to Nami-nara, nara means country in Korean, the admission fee already included round trip Ferry. Ferry will run every 10-20 minutes when we arrive there, it's really close, you can see Nami Island already from there, in 10 minutes you will arrive at Nami Island, the place that really popular to visit in Korea especially in Autumn or Winter. If you ever heard Korean drama Winter Sonata, this place is getting more popular because of that drama.

arrive at Nami Island Bus Stop

take that Zip Wire for fastest way to Nami Island :D

Immigration, get your ticket and ready on-board

The Ferry, only took 10 minutes ride

inside the Ferry

still on ferry, outside part

Arriveeed ^^/

Our main destination are Winter Sonata filmed spots and of course the beautiful tree lined roads that really famous to take pictures. So, once we arrive at Nami Island we rushing heading to those spots, since we were early so we decided to take this chance before it's getting more crowded. It was crowded enough for us in that morning, lol xDD Nami Island is beautiful and I love the part when I see trees which each has different colours, like green, yellow, orange and red. I am still amazed about how come the colours can change like that. The weather is really nice, cool and I can portrait myself staying there for hours, relax, lying down, take a nap or reading books.

Apa Kabar - How Are You, Terima Kasih - Thank you, it's Bahasa

Winter Sonata First Kiss spot

the icon of Nami Island picture

all the scenes in Winter Sonata

the famous statue in Nami Island

I spotted Pre-Wedding Photoshoot there :)

My Lunch :) yummy! Chicken & Tteok KRW 5,000

Going back to Nami Island Bus Stop with Ferry around 11 AM so we can heading to next destination, Petite France. Waited the shuttle bus 11.25 to Petite France and the journey took around 25 minutes. The Admission Fee for Petite France is KRW 8,000 but we got discount from our coupon book so we only need to pay KRW 6,000. Petite France is one of the place that usually people wouldn't missed especially if they are planning to go to Nami Island. It's a French Cultural Village Set in the Korean countryside and as usual some Korean drama or variety show filmed here such as Beethoven Virus, Secret Garden, My Love from the Star and Running Man. Some of building also put the sign where they actually filmed in drama. The ambience will feel the same like Edelweiss Swiss Theme Park but in diferent culture, that one is Switzerland and this is France, with the colourful buildings that really nice to see.

Welcome to Petite France

I love the color <333, anyway that's the spot of My Love From The Star

Ahjussi playing that instrument, so nice!

Drama or Reality Show filmed there

another information for what Drama already filmed there :)

Beethoven Virus

Jang Geun Suk signature, actor of Beethoven Virus

Remember this? Hyun Bin in Secret Garden :)

Our Shuttle Bus to Garden of Morning Calm

We wander around and take our shuttle bus at 12.50, planned heading back to Seoul but when we are inside the bus, the guide which usually can speak english told us if we go to The Garden of Morning Calm it only took less than an hour. So we think at that time, why don't we give a try to The Garden of Morning Calm. We still have time before my flight :) So on last minute we changed our plan and alight at The Garden of Morning Calm.

The Garden of Morning Calm (아침고요수목원) read : Achimgoyo Sumogwon, it's another garden which so big 30,000㎡, the view is marvelous, each part has a theme. Admission Fee for this garden KRW 9,000 and got discount for KRW 7,000. We found out on the spot where this garden is one of filmed site Korean Drama that recently aired in Korea, Moonlight Drawn by Clouds. We are watching that drama and when we found that news, we were so happy and decided to go to that spot :) Kind of blank which part and we were guessing the place. 

From entrance we took the bridge, so excited when seeing the left and right with spectacular view in Autumn, too beautiful. We also seeing another Eulalia Grass and there are some part that I love in that park. The bridge is one of them, the humble blue house, blooming flowers, the filmed site and too bad we couldn't explore all of it since the garden is really huge and we have limited time. I still can't believe I could see the blooming flowers in autumn because the flowers are too pretty. We planned to be in the garden until around 3 PM and heading back with Gapyeong Shuttle Bus to Cheongpyeong Station, the journey in the bus is really entertaining. The guide was asking the passengers to sing together and the passengers seem enjoy and laugh together during the journey.

The bridge is too lovely

Nice!

Found Eulalia Grass again :)

I loveeeee it!

The flowers are too pretty! feels like in Holland? haha

I love having that kind of house :)

Moonlight Drawn by Clouds scenes in the garden

The Scene was filmed there :) yay! we found it by luck, called Pond Garden No. 22

So beautiful

Heading back to Seoul, made a quick stop at You Are Here Cafe in Hongdae, this is also my bucket list because I heard this cafe was built from collaboration between TTMIK team and their friends. I learnt a lot from their website and their website is really helpful so I kind of expect to meet one of teachers but failed. From Hongdae Station, I walked to the cafe, around 15 minutes by walking. When I arrive at the Cafe, pretty excited and feel bit strange since the You Are Here Cafe sign was slightly change to another name. The Cafe was so quite, I think this place is good for people who wants to study or need quite place. I met an Indonesian there and talked a bit because I was in a rush to airport.

You Are Here Cafe

So calm inside this Cafe

Do you spot someone there? :p

Starbucks Tumbler New Edition KRW 17,000

Previous Edition, KRW 16,000

Back to guesthouse to get my stuff and go to Gimpo Airport directly, luckily the airport was pretty close from Hongdae, took about 15 minutes to airport, so I leave around 6.45 PM to airport, My flight to Jeju at 8:25 PM so I think I should arrive at airport around 7 PM. I got travel mates in Jeju so lucky me :). We can share cost for rental taxi, there were 3 of them and we will meet for the first time in Gimpo Airport.


Actually the recommended route is actually you go to Jeju then from Jeju fly to Busan. So you can save cost, at first I want to do that when knowing I will go to Jeju alone but plan changing because I get travelmates, so I booked my flight followed their schedule but I stay one night longer since the flight is cheapest for the next day in the morning. Took Jeju Air with round trip cost is KRW 58,000. I think this is a pretty good deal because I can get below KRW 100,000. Anyway if you book far from the dates you set you can get below KRW 50,000 but at that time my schedule is not fixed yet so I didn't book at that time.

Maybe since this is local flight they didn't check your bag thoroughly, it's okay for you to bring mineral water. Even if you didn't bring it, you can still go to 7 Eleven inside the airport and bought couple things. I bought mineral water and another Kimbab for snack, luckily they have 7 Eleven inside and the price was okay. The journey from Gimpo to Jeju will take around an hour. The service is good, and at that time Song Joongki is this plane ambassador so another Song Joongki is everywhere on the banner, check in counter etc. haha. He is getting more famous since Descendant of The Sun drama.

Gimpo Airport

Check in with Song Joongi haha

drink for free using paper glass

inside Jeju Air to Jeju

Hello Song Joongki!

Arrive in Jeju Island and yay they have free wifi, wifi is important to check some information, some of you might need it to check in on your social media? hehe. We are planning to stay at Jimjilbang for tonight and we already look for a Jimjilbang, called Burimland and located not far from the airport, around 15 minutes by taxi, KRW 5,900. When we arrive at Jimjilbang we are heading to Burim Land jimjilbang (부림랜드) and surprised when we found out the news that Jimjilbang only open until 2 AM and not 24 hours @_@. We tried to ask the staff whether there is a nearby jimjilbang that open 24 hours and they tell me about Lotte Bulgama Sauna, tried to get there by taxi but since it's late night already, around 10.30 PM so there was no taxi and we decided to walk. We walked slowly to Lotte Sauna, took about 20 minutes and yeayy it's really 24 hours! *happy* I am also glad my map is working because actually I don't know the place very well and only using my feeling, glad it worked ^^;;

Jeju Airport

waiting for our taxi :)

asking directions to Lotte Sauna from a Korean guy

Paying Jimjilbang for KRW 9,000/person, got 2 small towels, changing clothes, shoes locker and bags locker. This is my second experience trying out public bath. First put your shoes in the locker then heading to the shower/sauna place, there you need to take off your clothes if you want to take shower. The locker is pretty big to put your stuff. 

Shoes Locker

Got this clothes with 2 towels

I tried Sigye there (rice water) and ramyeon because we are starving that night after I took a shower. At first, of course we feel ashame and still not get used to it but nevermind, we just took off our clothes and heading to shower place, warm water are there, sauna and some pool with hot temperature according your preference and also cool water. It was so refreshing to take warm water after you felt so exhausted since morning.

Had late dinner after you take shower is nice and 2 of my friends already heading to the jimjilbang area to sleep. We finally heading there too to sleep. There were some people there and slept already. They provide sleeping mats and pillow, I took some and then sleep. It's just another experience to try while you in Korea :) There are 2 reasons why I sleep in Jimjilbang, first, I do want to have Jimjilbang experience in Jeju and second, sleeping in Jimjilbang is cheaper than hostel or guesthouse, so we could save some KRW hoho.

Sigye (rice water)

Our late dinner :)

time to sleep zZZ..ZZZ

Tomorrow I will take you to some places that I explored in Jeju :) thank you very much for reading my blog! Cheers!