Korean Job Discussion Forums

[nicholas_chiasson]

Need to know. Going to Vlad and Xa6apack in August via ferry out of Sokcho.

[soviet_man]

For a specific Vladivostok-only trip on a straight tourist visa I would reccommend www.luckytour.com

They email you the visa invitation (for a fee) and then you take it to the Russian embassy in Seoul. Pay them a fee and get the visa back usually within a week. Then you register the visa at your accommodation in Vladivostok within 48 hours of arrival in Russia.

It is usually advisable to get a visa sponsor from the city in which you wish to visit (eg. I would not reccomend a foreigner get a Moscow based visa sponsor if they are going to visit Vladivostok, and vice versa).

Vladivostok is not easiest or cheapest place in Russia to visit. But worth it, yes-uhh!

[nicholas_chiasson]

thanks. I'l get started on that at once.

[bacasper]

That sounds like a great plan. How will you go from Vladi to Khabarovsk?

Sovietman, how does the expense of Vladi compare with Khabarovsk? I see there are a few smaller cities between them. Are there any you'd recommend? It would be my first trip to Russia, and I speak very little Russian. Any more info you could give would be greatly appreciated.

[soviet_man]

Although I have lived in Korea for some years now, my home town Vladivostok is more interesting than say Khabarovsk. Prices are higher as some degree of price corruption exists with taxis, hotels, apartments, adult entertainment and many other functions.

3 or 4 days would be adequate for Vladivostok.

Let me give you some approximate prices for Vladivostok:
- Seoul-Vladivostok return on vladivostokavia.ru (currently 851,0000 KR won incl tax).
- Entry to nite club, 100-200 roubles ($4-8 US).
- Strip show, 150-700 roubles ($6-30 US).
- Bottle of vodka, 100 roubles ($4-5 US).
- 1 litre beer, 50-100 roubles ($3 US)
- Hotel $100 US per night minimum for foreigner, up to $300 per night.
- Taxi Vlad airport to city $50-70 US for foreigner.
- Bus Vlad airport to city, 50 roubles, $2.50 US.
- Vizit to local точка (lets call it "salon") in Vlad, 2000+ rbl, $80+ US.
- Museums in Vlad, free or only a equivilent to a few US dollars.

Worth a trip yes, if only to get out of Korea for a while.

[bacasper]

Just out of curiosity, is everything so expensive there because it is so far from everything?

What about homestays? Would you recommend that to get to know better how people really live and practice (really learn) one's Russian? And they could help with all the everyday things, too.

[soviet_man]

In Vladivostok there is a general level of organised crime and low level mafia activity.

There are also a lot of soldiers, police and militsia too who are only too happy to approach foreigners to check your passport and visa (looking for bribes to prop up their tiny wages).

Prices are high as the local mob influences a lot of the local economy (apartments, hotels, taxis, brothels, local media, export cars from Korea and Japan and most other things).

There is also a general shortage of hotels and there are no youth hostels.

Homestays are few and there is an elevated chance you will get visa problems on your exit with immigration so they are best avoided.

But it is worth going. Seedy Russian nite clubs, drinking vodka from open air kiosks, experiencing the local female hospitality, the hills everywhere ... summer in Vlad is an experience

[Stevil]

How much does the ferry from Sokcho cost? How long does it take? Sounds like a cool trip.