Travel simple, smart and safe

A few travel tips from a travel reporter for those planning a vacation abroad this summer

A convenient check-off list for the smart traveler

By Yun Suh-young

The air is holding on to a little bit of the spring and the first heat of the summer, which means it’s the time of year when you begin to think about your summer vacation. Here are some useful tips you should read before you book a flight, hotel room or vacation package that may help you travel smartly and safely.

Exchanging currencies

Exchange rates at the airport are frequently unfavorable so if you have enough time, exchange your money at the bank that you normally transact with because they will likely offer a favorable rate for their customers.

If carrying cash around is inconvenient, then try the Internet currency exchange service provided by the banks. You can register online in advance for currency exchange at the bank you transact with and receive the cash at the bank’s branch office at the airport. The online reservation offers a slightly more favorable rate than exchanging at the airport at the last minute.

If you have no choice but to exchange at the airport, then be sure to check whether or not the foreign currency is lower than the won.

When re-exchanging foreign currency back to Korean won after the trip, find a bank at the airport that offers a higher foreign currency than the won. Of course, the higher the price, the more favorable it is to you.

Another tip is to keep the exchange receipt until coming back from the trip because you can exchange at a more favorable rate at the branches of the bank outside the airport. Banks all have different preferential treatment for their clients so check them before leaving.

Data roaming

Check the roaming status of your mobile phone before leaving the country.

The three telecommunications companies in Korea have different systems for overseas roaming. In the case of KT and SK Telecom, travel to Asian countries does not require a separate registration for roaming. For LG U-Plus, it is better to check with the company’s counter at the airport because they have their own way of setting the phone to roaming status, which is quite complicated.

If the setting isn’t right, you could be charged lavishly for mobile Internet usage abroad. So check at the counter and take a how-to leaflet with you just in case roaming is disconnected abroad and you have to reset it.

Packing

When packing your luggage, there are two things to remember: be economic about what you take and remember to leave items that won’t be allowed on the plane.

When packing, place the heaviest items on the bottom so that the weight can hold the suitcase in balance. Clothes are better kept without creases if they are rolled up and this also allows more room inside the case. Liquid products should be wrapped with soft items like clothes or an air cap so that they don’t break inside the suitcase.

Items that aren’t allowed on aircraft include knives, nail cutters, scissors, flammable products or liquid products of over 100 milliliters. These items, excluding flammable products, which are banned entirely, must be packed inside the check-in baggage otherwise they will be thrown away at the airport. Make sure laptop computers or electronic gadgets that can break are not put inside check-in luggage in case of breakage.

Also, remember before packing the number of bags allowed and the total weight by airlines. In the case of Korean airlines, Korean Air allows check-in of only one suitcase of a maximum 23 kilograms for regions excluding the Americas, and two suitcases for the Americas (economy class standard).

For Asiana Airlines, the standards are same for the Americas but for other regions, one suitcase holding up to 20 kilograms is allowed. Preferential treatment is offered depending on the membership class so check the website in advance.

Smart phone applications

There are many smart phone applications that help travelers.

Different categories of information are provided depending on region and type of transport. Make sure to download them before going abroad because they can make life easier for you and help you log on to information without using the Internet.

Transportation applications for subways, trains or buses especially come in handy when trying to find your way around an unfamiliar city. A GPS navigation application may also help.

Some applications that offer overall information about the country or city are also useful to learn about the place being visited.

If you are a Korean national going abroad, download the Safe Overseas Travel application provided by the foreign ministry. It has information on who to contact in the case of an emergency and provides other useful emergency information.

Maps, travel books

Instead of buying travel books or maps on travel destinations, save money by visiting the tourism offices of the countries (if you live in Seoul or have time before leaving the country). Most of the tourism offices are located around central Seoul. They provide free leaflets or booklets and maps for travelers to browse and take home.

Another option to save money on travel books is to borrow them from a local library. But because the demand for travel books is high, it is highly unlikely that you’ll get the book that you need in time for your trip. If you have time, reserve it in advance. But remember, you have to bear the risk of paying for the book if you lose it.

Helpful items to bring on the trip

Without mentioning the obvious (like passport), here are a few items that may be helpful to bring with you on a trip.

*A copy of the passport- in case you lose your real one so that at least you can get your way around the foreign country

*Raincoat - it allows you to move around more freely than carrying an umbrella if you’re backpacking (a small umbrella can also tag along)

*Emergency medicine - Band-Aid, digestive medicine, diarrhea medication, pain killers and motion sickness pills (if taking a boat)

*Multi-purpose adapter - useful everywhere you go for plugging in different type sockets

*Plastic bag and foldable extra bag - has various usages

*Mist - Cosmetic facial mist is useful during the plane ride because it keeps the skin moisturized inside the dry compartment

*Wrist watch - in case the cell phone battery runs out

*Aqua shoes - good for the rainy season because they dry fast

*Mosquito repellant - useful in repelling insects during the summer though not using perfume may help avoid mosquitoes in the first place

Hotel & Airline:

Here are a couple of websites (that all provide English) to help you reserve hotels and flights.

Hotel reservations:

(most recommended)

(also in English)

(for house exchange)

Flight reservations