96 hours in Seoul, South Korea – 23 May 2026

I took the Air India flight from Bhuj to Delhi and took the Air India flight to Incheon, Seoul. The 7 hour flight was delayed an hour. Immigration was an exhausting process at Incheon International Airport with snaking queues and far too few counters to handle the holiday rush. After 90 minutes I passed through immigration and entered the 69th country of my tours.

After collecting the bag, I went to a convenience store and bought a T-money card and topped it up. The card can be used for public transport and convenience store shopping. Bought an airport shuttle ticket to get to my accommodation, which is about 90 minutes from the airport.

There are Airport Limousines from various terminals of the Incheon International airport to various parts of the city. It is one of the best modes of transport to the city. The bus was comfortable with adequate luggage space and a polite crew.

I had read in many sites and seen YouTube videos on how Naver is a better map assistant than Google in South Korea. I had downloaded the app prior to landing in Seoul and that remained my guide for the rest of my stay in Seoul. Using the app, I found out that the accommodation I had booked on booking.com is quite proximate to the bus stop and the metro station. I had some difficulty locating my accommodation despite the Naver Map indicating that I was standing right in front of it. I found some help and located the accommodation in the basement of the building.

I was truly disappointed with my choice of accommodation for there was strong smell of sewer in the area and the accommodation was quite musty. Moreover, the AC didn't work and there was no fan either. Being a basement accommodation there were no windows, to top it all. I considered shifting out of the place. But, being the start of a long weekend, finding budget accommodation was tough too. Later, thanks to the intercession of a friend, the owner agreed to provide a pedestal fan, till the AC was repaired the following day.

I left the accommodation as quickly as I could for the day's tour. My first target for the evening was the Namdaemun market, and it would be the first experience of the Seoul metro network. With just a wee bit of wobble I managed to get to the Namdaeumum market. Opened in 1964, Namdaemun Market is the largest traditional market in Korea with shops selling various goods.

Products are sold at affordable prices and this pulls crowds in, particularly tourists on the lookout for bargains. The market operates 24/7 with retail and wholesale stores downing their shutters by 6 pm. Thereafter the place comes alive with street vendors and food kiosks. and the stores in this area also function as wholesale markets for clothes, glasses, kitchenware, toys, mountain gear, fishing equipment, stationery, fine arts, accessories, hats, carpets, flowers, ginseng, and imported goods.

I walked through the market to Namdaemun, a.k.a. the Sungnyemun or the South Gate. The gate was originally built in 1398 and forms part of the eight gates of Seoul City. The Gate is a historic pagoda-style gateway, and is designated as South Korea's first National Treasure. Namdaemun was the oldest wooden structure in Seoul until 2008, when its wooden pagoda atop the gate was severely damaged by arson. Restoration work on the gateway started in February 2010 and the gate was reopened on 4 May 2013. The gate was closed for the evening and I proposed to return the next day to walk through the gate.

Near the Namdaeumum I met up with my friend, Joseph Youm. He became my guide for the rest of the evening. A short walk was from the Namdaeumum market is the other famous market in the area, the Myeongdong market. Transiting between the two markets I stopped to admire the Japanese era Bank of Korea building, which became the economics and numismatics museum in Seoul in 2001.

The historic building that housed the museum was constructed in 1912 and had been the head office of the Bank of Korea. Following the liberation of Korea from the Japanese rule, the Central Bank of Korea functioned in the building till 1987, when the Central Bank was shifted to a newer building.

The other building that stunned me is the Seoul Central Post Office, an iconic building known for its blend of traditional and modern architectural styles. Established during the late 19th century, it serves as a vital postal hub and reflects the historical evolution of communication in Korea. Visitors can appreciate its impressive facade and explore the surrounding area, which is bustling with shops and restaurants.

The building not only facilitates postal services but also stands as a symbol of Korea's connectivity and progress in the realm of communication. The Seoul Central Post Office goes beyond the capabilities of a regular post office by offering simultaneous interpretation to suit international business clients at its Sky Hall, and also comfortable and efficient conference rooms and reception halls available for a wide variety of functions.

The third magnificence of the Myeongdong Square is the humongous curved LED electronic display board "MCT" located in the building inside and outside the teacher's building near Euljiro Metro Entrance Station. The Square with its  brilliant curved led screen displays seeks to become a global New Year attraction. That is where the Countdown to bid goodbye to 2026 and usher in 2027 will happen. Plenty of excitement has already been engineered surrounding this forthcoming event. Plans are afoot to make this area a "city of light", comparable to Times Square in New York.

Myeongdong market is one of the primary shopping districts in Seoul. The two main streets of the market meet in the center of the block. Many brand names, retail shops and department stores line the streets and alleys. Common products for sale include clothes, shoes, and accessories. Unlike Namdaemun market, many designer brands are sold in Myeongdong.

In addition, several major department stores have branches here, including Lotte Department Store, Shinsegae Department Store, Myeongdong Migliore, Noon Square and M Plaza. The department stores carry many premium labels and other fashionable goods at reasonable prices.

Myeongdong also has family restaurants, fast food, plus Korean, Western and Japanese dining options. Many restaurants in Myeongdong specialize in dongaseu (pork cutlet) and kalguksu (noodle soup). Other businesses in the area include hair salons, banks and theaters.

The Myeongdong market was choc a bloc with endless streams of tourists and locals. The air was festive and there was food everywhere. Shoppers who had had their fill of shop till you drop experience, with popular brand names advertised on the bags they carried, were indulging in local delicacies served piping hot. Joseph and I had portions of Onigiri sticks, coconut shrimp tempura and strawberry mochi. To describe it as heavenly would be a shame as it was much more than that.

The day had been long and I could barely keep my eyes open when Joseph drove me around the City Hall and the Gyeongbokgung Palace before dropping me back to the accommodation.