Thursday, May 31, 2012

South Korea: Jeju - Jeju Greenday Guesthouse and Backpacker review

Nah this is not the backpacker review that i mentioned in the last entry. Because i'm lazy, hahaha.

So, with this i shall start my post about the Korea trip in March.

John, Elaine, Kuan, Sui and I went to Korea for a week, and i was the planner + organizer + budget controller for the whole trip. 

I consider i done it quiet well, and i was thinking of to post the plan and budget out here, but i just have too many detail to find out, so maybe in the end of the travel post :D 

Short say about the plan, we reached Incheon Airport (This is in Seoul, if you take asiasia, here is the destination) and immediately go to Gimpo Airport (40 minutes by tram from Incheon airport, smaller airport for domestic flight) to catch up the local flight, Easter Jet to Jeju-do. 

We spend 3d2n in Jeju, and spend another 3d3n (midnight flight) in Seoul, after consider we don't wanna carry all the stuffs that we shop in Seoul to fly to Jeju, so we go to Jeju once we step into Korea. 

Alright, to kick start the korea post, I decided start with a backpacker review in Jeju, Greenday Guesthouse and Backpacker.

Because Greenday is one of the best backpacker hostels among all that i have been. 

Greenday is located in Jeju-si, 15 minutes away from the airport, and an hour plus to the Seogwipo district, which is the main attraction area of the city. 

Red is Jeju-si, green is seogwipo

The map above is the whole island, which red circle is Jeju-si and Airport, and the green circle is Seogwipo, almost all the attractions, resorts, museum are there.

To decided to stay in Jeju-si, because of the better offer of Guesthouse (Seogwipo District is hell expensive), and unlike Seogwipo, Jeju-si is the town of local.

And no matter which area we're staying, the best transport to visit all the places is rent a taxi or rent a car, there have no tram and very limited buses on the island.

Since we decided to rent a mini van for whole day tour, the price are about the same no matter pick up in Seogwipo or Jeju-si, that make me decided to stay in Jeju-si.

And I'm feel so blessed that i choose Greenday in Jeju-si.

Ok, now we start about Greenday.

Greenday is like 15 minutes to 30 minutes from the airport, Greenday doesn't provide pick up service (as all the other guesthouses) so get a taxi and show him the address and tel number, the driver will find out by their GPS, just by inset the tel no!

One way taxi fare is about 8000 kw (about RM 24).

Distance between airport and Greenday. 

I have to admit that, Greenday is not easy to find, it hide in the end of an alley, just like local people house, you hardly find it out if you're not local.

Even you are local like our taxi driver, you need a GPS too, haha.

Ok, greenday is not located right in the center of the town, yet not too far, as you can see from the below map.

Green is Greenday, Red is DongMun market.

But that is within walking distance, like 20 minute to reached the famous Dongmun Market and Black Pig BBQ Street, which i will tell more in the coming post. 

The address and map near by.
Greenday is not located in the main market, but i consider a very handy place, there are convenience store within walking distance, and some of the good local restaurant in nearby (ask Andy to bring you to the Spicy Fried Pork Restaurant! Yummy!)                                     

As i told earlier, Greenday is located inside an alley of the main road, and the host, Andy and Simmy know that the place is difficult to find, they put a bunting on the main road side. 

Big pink bunting, pay you attention when you're nearby.

2 minutes walk from the alley

In the end of the alley

Tata! Fairy tale-look-alike guesthouse! (Copyright of John)

Damn this is so korea drama isn't?

They put a piano in the garden 

Winter turn Spring moment

I love this place!


Elaine pretending. 




The fact is the temperature is so damn low! (Copyright of John)

Ah sui pretending, but good shot (Copyright of John)

Every single place of the guesthouse is color and cute!

The guesthouse is not big, but bigger than family-run guesthouse. I'm not sure about the rooms in the upstair, but there is only 1 guestroom in downstair, which also the biggest 6 beds dorm room.

I will post the price and website of the guesthouse in the end of the post, so stay on.

But i would say the price that paying is worth, because unlike the rest of the guesthouse, Greenday provide super nice breakfast.

Of course you have to cook la, but this is good enough!

Andy or Simmy will cook a big pot of soup and rice in the night, and keep it warm for the breakfast in net morning. Because traditionally, Korean has rice and soup as their breakfast.

And different soup everyday, one day i had slightly spicy kimchi soup and the next day i had soy bean paste soup.

Image in the hell cold morning you got warm soup and rice in your stomach!!!!

If you're ang mo, they provide free flow egg (of course you have to cook la!), bread, butter and jam, coffee and tea and salad.

Just like breakfast at home.

Kitchen with everything you need. (Copyright of John)

Rice, soup and toast for your choice

Seasoning and everything!

The other side is living room, pretty small of very cozy, very much like home too!

Greenday has their green time every night, but no longer provide beer as stated in the website, but anyway, friend of Andy who live nearby are always here, bring sorju (rice wine) as well! We had great time with them and other backpacker. 

Small yet cozy living room (Copyright of John)

Big window with sunlight, my favorite (Copyright of John)

Love everywhere! (Copyright of John)

Love is what makes you smile when you're tired :)  (Copyright of John)

Night time with warm lighting. 

I like this very much! Elaine looks like Korean here. 
I have some green time photos with another camera, i'm lazy to take it out, but you can see all the guests photo in their facebook, which i will post the link later in this post.

I mentioned that the rooms in this guesthouse is not much, the biggest is 6 beds dorm, we decided to take up all 6 beds to make the room us.

Regret that didn't take much photo of the room, but you know what, the room provide almost everything. Imagine guesthouse with cotton pad and cotton butt, hair dryer.

Don't forget Korea is a very high living standard country. If you stay in hotel, they charge you everything, including shampoo.

The room wasn't big but comfortable enough, although no heater in the room but we got very warm electronic blanket!

My bed and John bed. Their bed is in other side. 

Staying in Greenday is one of the best thing of Jeju trip. Simmy speaks very fluently English so no worries about communication.

If you need to rent a taxi for day trip, you can ask their helps, just let them know where and what do you want to see, they will help to arrange you plan and let you know where and when is the best time to go to the places that you require, also they contact the driver and let him to pick you up in the guesthouse too.

Greenday don't have a website, i found them from a backpackers website, but they're active in facebook nowsaday, with all the contact detail and prices of the room.

Here is the website link http://www.facebook.com/jejugreenday

Contact them by email in advance, jejugreenday@gmail.com because their room is very limited. Simmy and Andy check mail everyday, they reply quick.

Oh yea! did i told you? You enjoy free wifi in the guesthouse, if you don't have a device with you, they let you use the laptop for FREE.

If you're really staying in Greenday, please let them know that i miss them very very much! and find our photos and message leave in the testimonial book!

Hope you enjoy the stay in Greenday :)






Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
120531, 0933am
Rach in credit card duedate is next week mood.














4 comments:

  1. Hi Rachel
    Do u remember the flight time from Gimpo-jeju? Cos im going to take AAX 1am from KL to Incheon and my transfer flight to Jeju via gimpo is 11.30am. Do u think we could manage to reach Gimpo before 10.30am from Incheon? Headache. Lol

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I took AAX and the flight time was midnight as well.

      I reached there bout 6 / 7-ish am, then i took flight from Gimpo to Jeju at 1pm. I actually had plenty of time to enjoyed my breakfast before flew to Jeju.

      So, if AAX take off on time, should be ok to catch up the flight in 11.30am. FYI, from Incheon to Gimpo by airport express train is bout 40 minutes, do count in the time for custom clearance (a lot stricter than malaysia) and check in 2 hours before your next flight.

      I'm kiasi so booked in by 1pm, just in-case flight delay and i don't really enjoy to rush for my life just for catch up the transfer flight.

      My advice, if you haven't book your Gimpo-Jeju ticket, make it to 12nn-ish or 1pm for safe, as Gimpo-Jeju is just an hour flight. If you fly by 1pm, you can check-in to guesthouse/hotel right after you land, the accommodation check in time usually is 2pm.

      If you already booked, you've to be real quick to jump out from the plane and clear custom and take train and check in! FYI, the custom people is arrogant and take forever to check your identity.

      Well, wish you luck! just drop me a comment if you need more info!

      Good dai!

      Delete
  2. Thanks for the info.

    I've changed the itinerary to 1.35pm flight.

    ReplyDelete