Korean Job Discussion Forums

Sapa · Joined: 05 Nov 2007

I'm trying to think of where I could spend my weeks holiday next month but there are just too many great destinations in Asia. I'm wondering where people go for a cheap getaway, similar to just hoping on easyjet and going to eastern europe from the UK.
Somewhere like Mongolia would be cool but i'm also happy just going to beach destinations too.

ps. which are the local budget airlines?

lokog · Joined: 22 Apr 2008

tax and fuel surcharges will scupper any chance of cheap flights for the time being.

Either way there won't be much too left now and all flights will be overpriced due to holiday time. I've always found Taiwan to be the cheapest flight out of here.

soviet_man · Joined: 23 Apr 2005 Location: Seoul

Japan and Taipei are the cheapest and least hassle. South Asia is fun but expensive. China is reasonable value but you will have to contend with the olympics and visa delays next month. Russia (Vladivostok and Moscow) are excellent choices but come at a price. Guam and Saipan seem good value at the moment.

All of these fares are for travel next month on a Saturday and they are available (return, including tax, US dollars):

Fukuoka = $400
Osaka = $530
Taipei = $570
Tokyo Haneda/Tokyo Narita = $650
Qingdao = $670
Okinawah/Naha = $700
Guam = $710
Ho Chi Minh = $730
Kota Kinabalu = $770
Saipan = $790
Sapporo (Japan North Island) = $810
Beijing / Hong Kong / Shanghai / Manila = $850
Bangkok / Kuala Lumpur / Singapore / Phuket = $900
Jakarta = $950
Mongolia = $980
Vladivostok = $1000
Moscow = $1020
Istanbul = $1130
Dubai = $1450

Source: expedia.com

Sapa · Joined: 05 Nov 2007

wow, they do seem pretty pricey. it wouldn't cost much more than that to fly from the UK to those places!

sojourner1 · Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2008 6:13 pm Post subject:

Wow, I'm getting much higher prices on American sites like Expedia.com and Kayak.com vs. Korean travel agents. Kayak.com searches all the American sites, but flights are a whopping $800 to $2000 more!

This goes to show that you have to use local travel sites or agents where you are, not where you're from.

myamata · Joined: 16 May 2008

travel agencies :

www.whypaymore.co.kr
www.nextour.co.kr
www.tourcabin.co.kr
www.onlinetour.co.kr
www.tourexpress.com

sojourner1 · Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2008 9:47 pm Post subject:

If trying to go to Bali, make sure it's NOT Balikpapan as you will be way off of your intended destination.

Balikpapan is all I'm getting on www.onlinetour.co.kr

Thanks for listing those sites. I guess I just don't know how to use a Korean site as I would think it's self explanatory to search for a flight, but the layout and process is totally different than the way I know travel sites to function.

I'll see I can get help. It's too bad they don't have English as English is the world aviation language. There's a few English words, but they still don't have translation. I've noticed that Korean websites are usually low quality with many broken links and errors. It's too bad they don't get help from the USA and Europe on software and web development. There's also 1 million Koreans in the USA who could translate it all too.

kkrumrei · Joined: 19 Jan 2007 Location: Yangji

it would be really helpful if someone could post a list of basic vocab to help navigate through korean travel sites.

I can read hangeul (as i think most english teachers here can) and i know enough vocab to put in location, number of people, etc, but i'm never sure the results i get are really what I'm looking for. things like one way, return, do you need special help, discount, package tour, customer service, fuel surcharge and taxes not included in price, etc. It'd be great to have a translation even for some of the options i'll never want to click.

I could ask a co-teacher, and if i was going to book right away i'd get help or call/email somewhere with english service as i've done in the past. but i suspect i'm not alone in not always wanting my co-teachers to know exactly what i'm planning or considering. i like to be able to do the research myself, and knowing the prices on websites is great background knowledge for when i do talk to travel agents. and those electronic dictionaries seem to be hit and miss when it comes to short technical phrases off web pages.

anyways, if anyone with the skill to do so is bored enough or feeling generous enough to do so, it'd be great. if this is covered in another thread, i'd be delighted (and a little sheepish) if someone could direct me to it.

enchoo · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 4:47 am Post subject: Try tourcabin.co.kr

I have been outside of Korea for at least 3 years, but you can try tourcabin.co.kr if you speak Korean. They used to have some good deals.

sojourner1 · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 12:53 am Post subject:

All the Korean sites are giving me quotes to Bali, but when I click on them, they say everything is overbooked and no seats are available.

The only thing available is a stand by for 920,000 won. Yes a Space A standby ticket. Korea is definitely lacking an adequate supply of Summer time flights. Like food and all other resources, flights are also kept in limited supply.

It's just bad timing to not have purchased your Summer time air tickets by May. People I know going to the states in 2 weeks from now purchased back in April. Yes, April! And all my dreams of having the best Summer holiday are going up in smoke. darn.

I'm going to Seoul this weekend to go shop around in person.

DCJames · Joined: 27 Jul 2006

You need to get on the phone ASAP and start making some reservations or you're not going anywhere.

Toon Army · Joined: 12 Mar 2007

travelled last year to Shanghai and it was fairly cheap (about 380k) incuding the visa. Not sure how it is now with the fuel charges and the small matter of the olympics (although it is in Beijing) etc

kiwikid · Joined: 28 Mar 2003 Location: Seoul

Sojourner... if you are going to Seoul I would recommend going to KISES tour in the YMCA building in jongno-3ga. They are the STA travel people. I have consistently got the cheapest flight quotes fom them. At least one woman speaks good English (Lee young I think her name is )and had no problem with me mucking around and asking about alternative routes and destinations etc. She's not always the best at answering emails (sometimes had to send them twice) but is really good in person for the initial consultation. I usually email at least 3 agents recommended on here Kangsan /Xanadu etc and Kises has always been cheapest. Xanadu sent me a quote that was 1 million more than the others!