#kolokoytravels Hong Kong 2016 - Nan Lian Garden

Disneyland, check.

Avenue of the Stars, check.

Tian Tan Buddha, check.

Now, what?

When one thinks of Hong Kong, you can surely bet that images of those three would definitely top the list. More often than not, those three will also eat up a huge chunk of your itineray, leaving you exhausted to the point of just calling it a day.

Since my first trip in Hong Kong was via a package tour, I only get to appreciate the city when I went DIY and searched various guides online. The Internet is really a very powerful tool when planning your travel itinerary. I only came across the Nan Lian garden while doing some research via my Sygic app on less popular but worthy (read: instagrammable) places to visit around the city. Thank God I did.

The garden was literally a breath of fresh air. A wide patch of greens amongst concrete. The very thing that I remember is how tranquil and quiet it is once you’re inside the walls of the garden. Maybe it helps that the weather back then was a gloomy one so walking is a bit easier to take. If not for the skyscrapers in the background, you may forget that you’re actually right in the middle of the city. The highlight of the garden is a spectacular golden pavilion in the middle of a pond crossed by a bright red bridge. There’s also  a big koi fish pond in the middle and a platform beside it where one can sit and rest. Watching the koi fish is fun, but no feeding allowed. Here re some pic I have taken, and hopefully would be able to post more.

Nan Lian Garden

Admission free

60 Fung Tak Rd, Diamond Hill, Hong Kong 

Opening hours: 7.00 to 21.00

http://www.nanliangarden.org

MTR Station: Diamond Hill (Exit C2, then follow the signs to the Garden)

#kolokoytravels - Hong Kong 2016 - Hello Kitty Chinese Cuisine

So as I mend my broken heart over my self-imposed hiatus from booking a piso fare flight via Cebu Pacific ongoing promotion, I decided to just reminisce about my previous travels. Since I'm not yet keen on blogging about my already not-so-recent Seoul trip, I'm blogging about a way more not-so-recent trip to Hong Kong way back April 2016. It was my second time in the city, though my first time to have it in DIY mode, and one thing I very much remember is the Hello Kitty restaurant in Canton Road.

I'm not a huge Hello Kitty fan, and neither my companions, but we all loved themed cafes and decided to give this one a try. Note that though there's a lot of Hello Kitty themed restaurants and cafes all over the globe, this they say,  is the world’s first Hello Kitty restaurant that serves Chinese cuisine.

Getting There

Basing from Google Maps, it looks like it is very near Austin Station. However, the exit (F) leading to Canton Road from the station itself was a challenge and we learned the hard way that it is actually nearer if coming from Jordan Station. Here's the complete address:

Shop A-C, G/F, Lee Loy Mansion, 332-338 Canton Road, Jordan, Kowloon

Now that I'm a bit wiser, the should be accessible via MTR Austin Station Exit B2, walk about 3 minutes; or MTR Jordan Station Exit C2, walk about 5 minutes. Why have I not found out about it before? Tsk.

I'm not sure if it's because we got there way past dinner time, but the actual vicinity is not that enticing itself. Located on a corner dilapidated (for lack of better term) building where alleys are not well lit and few pedestrians can come across, the restaurant itself is a breath of fresh air or view. The huge iconic pink bows is a telltale sign that you reached the right place.

Going in by the gift store at the side, you will be greeted by Hello Kitty itself?, herself?, offering a steamed bun. Don't you dare refuse.

The restaurant itself explodes with everything Hello Kitty (duh) but with a strong ancient China feel. Old school Chinese wooden tables, chairs, and lanterns all engraved with Hello Kitty’s face. Every single detail from the windows, chopsticks, table napkins, teapots and tea cups were branded. There are also ancient style paintings of Hello Kitty depicted as some kind of deity, I think.

Foodgasm

It was late dinner time when we reached the place so we were seated almost immediately even though the restaurant itself is still almost full of customers. Ordering took some time, not because of language barrier (I'm not really sure if there was an English menu back then, there is one now, and we rely on pictures) but because there are so many options to choose with so little budget. Haha. Waiting time is standard 20-30 minutes, of which we took the opportunity to go around and be the shutterbugs that we are. When our food were brought out, instagrammable was the first word I thought of. The details are perfect and I don’t think I’ll ever had such cute food for a few months or so. I’m not sure of how many photos we took of our food before we started eating it but it was definitely a lot. 

Lau Sa Bau

Har Gau

Stir Fried Glutinous Rice

 Saffron Fried Rice with Shredded Chicken in Apple Sauce. Whew.

Steamed Egg Whites and Prawns with Hello Kitty Rice

Hello Kitty Pudding with Milk

For die hard Hello Kitty fans, I believe It will take a lot of willpower to actually start eating as it all looked too good to eat. But I'm not one, so here's an obligatory I-ate-Hello-Kitty-and-I'm-not-sorry shots.

And here's one from our birthday boy Yuki:

Price

As far as I remember, we spent almost Php 5,000 (too lazy to check my credit card statement, and wise enough not to try) for all the above dishes, so yeah it's a bit on the pricey side. Be prepared to fork out some cash as these nice kitty dishes do not come cheap after currency conversion and all. But worry not, I just found out that my favorite online travel activity booking site is offering a voucher. For as low as Php 851, one can avail of the 1 person set which consists of:

1pc Hello Kitty Creamy Egg Yolk Bun

1pc Hello Kitty Shrimp Dumplings

1pc Hello Kitty Baked B.B.Q. Pork Cake

1pc Hello Kitty Pan Fried Turnip Cake

Inclusive of service fees and tea fees

Not bad. I wish I knew about this at that time. Oh well. 

Was the food, good?

I honestly don't remember, except that I enjoyed it. I would recommend for first timers and definitely for hardcore Hello Kitty fans. In my humble opinion, whenever going to themed cafes or restaurants, always keep your expectations to a minimum level. You came for the experience, the theme, the bragging rights to actually say been-there-done-that on Instagram or whatever social media account you have. Tasting good is just an extra icing on the cake. Most online reviews say that the food was meh, bland, too pricey, etc, but they are not thinking about that when uploading their pics, are they? Case closed.

More to come! :)

#kolokoytravels - Seoul - Arrival

As promised, this is an effort to create a chronicle of my day by day experiences in Seoul last September 13 -18, 2016. If one could remember my post, my day 1 is scheduled as below:

7:00 AM - Departure MNL
12:00 PM - Arrival ICN
Allot at least an hour or two to go through immigration, change currency, buy T-Money, pick up a WIFI device, and purchase a train ticket to Seoul
1:00 PM - Travel to Hotel
AREX EXPRESS/NON-STOP TRAIN take about 43 mins travel time
2:00 PM - Hotel
3:00 PM - Seoul Animation Center
4:00 PM - Namsam Cable Car / N Seoul Tower
8:00 PM - Myeongdong Dinner
11:00 PM - Back to Hotel

Both of my flights to Seoul back in November 2015 and September 2016 were via Air Asia, and I could not complain much. Travel time is four hours. I know airport food is bad, (at least for economy flights) but tried it anyway. Hate to admit it, but I did enjoyed Air Asia's Nasi Lemak, a Malay fragrant rice dish cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf. I've read that a traditional one consists of sambal, anchovies, peanuts and boiled egg. It is Malaysia's national food and would love to try the authentic version sometime in the future.

Expectation VS Reality. Haha!

Both flights were on time and I didn't experience any hassle during immigration. One should know by now that:

1. Although it is common practice to book an early arrival flight to your destination and a late departure going back, consider that most hotels, hostels and guesthouses have a standard check-in time of 2:00 PM and checkout time of 12:00 PM. It is best to check with your accommodation's terms on check-in and check-out times.
2. Be at the airport at least 4 hours before an international flight, especially if your flight is in the afternoon or during the rush hour. Everyone know what it's like in EDSA. You don't want to miss your flight, do you?
3, Check in online. In my experience, there are always a separate line for those who have already undergone the process of web check-in,
4. Have your travel documents ready. Make sure that your passport is more than 6 months before its expiration date, and have at least 2-4 blank pages.
5. DO NOT get over-baggage. It hurts. It will really hurt your pocket. I had my own little story but would blog about it sometime in the future. :)
6. Always pray for a safe flight. Enough said.

Arrival

Once you are in Incheon International Airport, allot at least an hour or two to go through immigration, change currency, buy T-Money, pick up a WIFI device, and purchase a train ticket to Seoul. In  that order.  Why? My friend and I happened to claim our AREX ticket to Seoul first and got caught up doing selfies on the train since we were one of the first ones there. 10 minutes before it departs, I suddenly remember that we still have not gotten our pre-booked WIFI devices. LOL. It slipped from our minds since we are enjoying the free WIFI of the airport and the train itself. It was really lucky for us to be allowed and were able to get off, exit the station and claim our WIFI devices and being allowed in again for the next train free of charge. Although we lost an hour of travel time, it is better than arriving in Seoul Station and then go back to ICN all over again.

Tips:

1. If you own a credit card, check with your issuer if there's an ongoing promotion. We scored a free AREX ticket to Seoul by just presenting our JCB Lucky Cat card. A discounted fare for adults is 8,000 won.  Lucky indeed. We would have gotten a free ticket back to Incheon if only we remembered using JCB on our expenses.
2. Buy Korean won while still in the Philippines. Never exchange all of your money at airports since they have the worst exchange rates and are always lower than local money changers in that country. Make sure to exchange just a small amount of your cash and then exchange the rest of your money once you find a local money changer. Czarina's and Sanry's are two of the most popular money exchange in Manila. I believe some banks also offer one but you need to have it reserved weeks before your intended flight.
3. Pre-book your WIFI devices. Even though many are available upon arrival, it would be less of a hassle filling in forms and conversing in English when you can just present a voucher and claim your device in minutes. I booked mine with WiFi Korea the first time I was in Seoul while my second one and almost all of my international activities with Klook.

To be continued.

#kolokoytravels - South Korea - My 6 Days 5 Nights Itinerary

For most people, including myself, drafting an itinerary is one, if not the best part of travelling. It comes along with the excitement of scoring a ticket from a seat sale and the anxiety brought about by applying for a Korean Visa.

First off, I really would like to write a guide about Seoul but do not have the time or enough expertise to create one. This is just based from my personal experience which I would like to put into writing.

This is how I drafted my Seoul itinerary for my September 13-18, 2016 trip. Although this is my second time being in Seoul, this is the first time that I'm travelling with a companion. I therefore considered including the basics even though I have already been there before. There's so much to see and to experience that six days are not really enough - one reason to get a multiple entry visa. Haha!

I will try my best to do a day by day report with tips and take aways but for now,  I will begin with a summary. My excuse to get this post updated sometime in the future.

Day 1 

7:00 AM - Departure MNL
12:00 PM - Arrival ICN
Allot at least an hour or two to go through immigration, change currency, buy T-Money, pick up a WIFI device, and purchase a train ticket to Seoul
1:00 PM - Travel to Hotel
AREX EXPRESS/NON-STOP TRAIN take about 43 mins travel time
2:00 PM - Hotel
3:00 PM - Seoul Animation Center
4:00 PM - Namsam Cable Car /
N Seoul Tower
8:00 PM - Myeongdong Dinner
11:00 PM - Back to Hotel

Day 2

7:00 AM - Train to Everland
10:00 AM - Everland
4:00 PM - Travel to Hongdae
6:00 PM - Explore Hongdae
10:00 PM - Back to Hotel

Day 3

8:00 AM - Gwanghwamun Square
9:00 AM - Gyeongbokgung Palace
11:00 AM - Lunch at Tosokchon Samgyetang
12:00 PM - Changdeokgung / Huwon Garden
2:00 PM - Changgyeonggung
4:00 PM - Bukchon Hanok  Village

Day 4

Korean Folk Village
Dongdaemun Design Plaza
Cheonggyecheon Stream and Cheonggye Plaza
Namdaemun Market
Banpo Bridge Rainbow Fountain

Day 5

7:00 AM - Travel to Gapyeong
9:00 AM - Gapyeong Rail Park
12:00 PM - Petit France
2:00 PM - Nami Island
6:00 PM - Travel to Seoul
8:00 PM - Explore Myeongdong

Day 6

Depature ICN
Arrival MNL

Resources:

Visit Korea
Pinoy Exchange Seoul City Thread
Korea Subway Map

#kolokoytravels - South Korea - How To Get Multiple Entry Visa via BPI and BDO Credit Cards

Back in November 2015, I was able to get the chance to travel to Seoul, South Korea with a single entry visa. It was for 6 day trip at during the early winter season.

I don't know if it was the weather but I told myself that I would returning to this country and experience its multiple seasons. A way to do that, is to secure myself a multiple entry visa. I'm not really an expert in visa processing but various reads from online forums, one can conclude that having multiple entry visa factors in your financial capacity and travel experience the most. So if you have an impressive bank account and have traveled a lot of places prior to your application, chances of snatching one is quite easy. But what about us poor budgeted folks and first timers?

Thank God for BPI and BDO credit cards!

My Story:

I just learned early 2016, a few months after my first South Korea trip that BPI has an ongoing promotion for their card holders, and this, I believe was the real reason why I got pulled into the credit card world. I originally intended to only have a classic Blue Mastercard from BPI for my online purchases. While browsing BPI's current promos, I stumbled upon this banner:

Cardholders will be provided with multiple VISA with respective validity:

BPI Gold MasterCard - 3 Years

BPI Platinum  Credit Card - 3-5 years

Gold BPI Express Teller Debit Card - 3-5 years

And the rest is history. My BPI Blue credit card is only a secured credit card. What I did was to increase my hold out amount for it to be converted to Gold. At that time, you need to have a credit limit of Php 75,000 for your card to be converted.  It took one phone call and two weeks of processing including delivery, and I had my ticket to obtaining a multiple entry.

A friend's story:

What he had was a BDO Shopmore credit card. For a BDO card to be converted to Gold, we were told that a credit limit of Php 50,000 should be reached. Luckily, this was already his limit and all he had to do is to call BDO for his Shopmore be changed into a Gold one. In two weeks, he received his card. This was his first time in applying for a Korean visa and have only gone to HongKong once. He also received a multiple entry visa for three years. 

I know the promotion will end by December of this year, but guess what? It's extended until 2017!

I knew a lot of KPop and KDrama fanatics, and although I do not share their passion for such things, I really would love for them to experience it on South Korea itself. So for those who are wanting to finally go for that dream trip to South Korea and plans to visits multiple times in a year for three to five years, this is an excellent opportunity to increase the chances of getting a multiple Korean tourist visa by applying with BDO or BPI credit cards. Please note though that BDO and BPI does not guarantee a visa issuance, I've not heard of anyone getting denied yet. All of those I knew who tried were given multiple entry even for first timers.  

Hong Kong and Macau Series - Itinerary Draft

This is a continuation of my upcoming Hong Kong and Macau travel post. See first post here. It would be a 5D4N adventure for a 3 adult and 1 kid group. We will be staying at Noble Park Hotel from April 11 to April 14 then At Sun Ying Hotel  April 14 to April 15 (We extended 1 day! Haha!). My main references are still Pinoy Exhange's Hong Kong Guide 2014 as it is very informative, Hong Kong Official MTR website for fare calculations and Discover Hong Kong, (Hong Kong's official travel guide) for of course, official and updated information. This is actually a second draft after being advised to revise my first one by one of the top dogs of the forum.

Image from ING Group's Flicker page

April 11 (Day 0)

9 Arrival HKG
10-11 Travel to Hotel
12 Charlie Brown Café
1 Wong Tai Sin Temple
2 Nan Lian Garden
3 Back to TST Avenue of the Stars on the way to Star Ferry to Lower Terminus
4 Peak Tram
5 Wax Museum
6 Trams Museum
7 Victoria Peak
8 Return To TST / Symphony of Lights
9-11 Fa Yuen Street
11 Hotel

April 12 (Day 1)

7 Travel to Macau
8-3 Macau / City of Dreams / Venetian Hotel / St. Paul Ruins / Lunch
4-5 Macau Tower Sky Jump
6 Return To HK
7-11 Dinner / Night Market / Fa Yuen
12 Hotel

April 13 (Day 2)

8 Breakfast /Travel to HK Disneyland
10-9pm Hongkong Disneyland
10pm Back to hotel / dinner

April 14 (Day3)

8am Travel to Ocean Park
10-5pm Ocean Park
6pm Back to Hotel
7pm ?

April 15 (Day 4)
8am Breakfast
10am Central Mid Level Escalator
12pm Checkout from Hotel
1PM Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car / Tian Tan Buddha / Po Lin Monastery / Wisodom Path
6PM Travel to Airport
10pm Departure
12AM Manila

Will be back for more updates!

Hong Kong and Macau Series - Reminiscing + Tips on Pre-planning a DIY Guide

I've already been to Hong Kong and Macau last January 2014. But looking back, have I really done so? It was a packaged tour, wherein every part of our itinerary have been accounted for. I don't know at that time why I didn't opt for a DIY experience. Yes, I've been to Disneyland Hong Kong, Avenue of the Stars, St. Paul Ruins, Venetian Hotel. That's it. I didn't get to use the MTR as transfers are included on our tour. I didn't experience the trams nor visited the Big Buddha. Heck, the only thing I appreciate now is the stamp on my passport because as of March 19, 2013, Hong Kong no longer stamps passport. Tourist are being given landing slips instead.

Don't get me wrong, I did enjoyed my stay there as it is my first time to travel outside the Philippines and I was with a close group of friends. The weather way back then was freezing since it was January, and I personally was not prepared for it. Hehe.

Anyway, I'm coming back to Hong Kong this April 2016 for my birthday! And this time, I'm hoping to really experience it DIY. To start off, I was tasked to create our 5 days four nights itinerary. I've been reading Pinoy Exchange's Hong Kong Guide 2014 and would like to share the below tips:

1. Hong Kong is much  more than Ocean Park and Hong Kong Disneyland. But hey, I am still including these two destination as we have a ten year old kid travelling with us (it's his birthday too!).

2. Hong Kong is synonymous to walking, prepare for long walks so bring comfortable shoes. This is what I never experienced the first time I was there so I gotta prepare my self. 

3. A 5 minute walk for Hongkongers means 10 minutes walk for Filipinos (since most of them are briskwalkers). This is not a problem for me as I'm one. I'm not sure about my companions though. 

4. Octopus Card vs Airport Express Travel Pass. The consensus for this is that the travel pass is not worth it. You won't be able to maximize the ride-all-you-can. For those staying for 3-4 days, 150-200HKD is enough (including 50HKD deposit). If you are taking the Airport Express to the city, purchase it separately (preferably as a group so you will have discounts). The Airport Express has free shuttles to selected hotels. 

The Travel Pass is only recommended for travellers who will keep traveling back and forth using the MTR multiple times in a day. This is the only time you can take advantage of the unlimited MTR rides. If you are doing the usual first-timers itinerary which includes theme parks, this will not be worth it.

This is noted. 

5. Golden Crown Guesthouse has the cheapest tickets for everything. So for those who have enough time to buy from them on your first day, just get it from them. I'm actually looking into this as I'm also eyeing Klook.com for discounted tickets (more on this on my next post). 

6. Unless you plan to exhaust yourself, don't go to Disneyland, Ocean Park and Macau in a 4D3N trip. We're on a 5 days 4 nights trip so I guess it's ok. Haha. 

7. Get a WIFI device or a 3g/4g SIM. Every travel abroad requires one. Good for sharing your experiene in real time and helpful when you gt lost. :)

TOP 10 Things to Do in Hong Kong

1. The Peak (includes Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum - BEST SEEN AT SUNSET/DUSK)

2. Ocean Park

3. Disneyland

4. Star Ferry

5. Century Old Ding Ding Tram

6. Nan Lian Gardens and Chilin Nunnery *No Tripods Allowed*

7. Tsim Sha Tsui Waterfront (Avenue of Stars)

8. Ngong Ping Village and Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car (Giant Buddha)

9. Causeway Bay and Mongkok Districts

10. Stanley and Aberdeen (Jumbo Floating Restaurant)

Aside from Pinoy Exchange Hong Kong guide, I also use an app called Tripomatic. It is available in iOS and Android. It helps you plan your trip strategically by plotting points of interest like hotels, attractions, and restaurants on a map. It shows you distances between points, enabling you to wisely plan which attractions to visit on which days, and in what order (more o it on a future post).

This is is for now.  

While strolling in Macau

Figuring out on what to order. :)

WiFi dependent. 

Getting Denied For a Korean Visa for Filipino Tourist in the Philippines

Image from giecvisa.com

For some, being granted a visa to visit their dream location abroad is one of the best feelings in the world. However, not all applications get approved, and being denied for anything is also one of the worst feelings one would have to endure for a time. This post is merely specualations, or should I say, wild /smart guesses based on my own experience, and what I've read or heard. The only ones who definitely know are the consuls and they are not talking. :) I believe this is done so no attempt to override their process would be done. Much like credit card companies, they won't tell and would just ask you to retry after a certain number of months, which in this case, you can only reapply for a Korean visa after 6 months.

Sad life, I know.

Now, I personally was not denied one, but my nephew was, and we applied at the same time. As mentioned here, his wife was sent to Seoul for a business trip, and she invited us to tagged along. All we have to spend is the airfare and pocket money as the accommodation is shouldered by the company. And guess what, its The Westin Chosun. :)

So here's our profile:

Me:
32 y/o
Single
Applied as a employed tourist
employed in a private company (BPO)
working for 3 and a half years in my current company as a Team Leader
Bank account: 4XX,XXX
Average daily balance: 2XX,XXX
Complete requirements

My nephew:
31 y/o
Married
Applied as a student (He's studying as a caregiver)
Enrolled in a school for caregivers
Unemployed
Complete requirements
Bank account: 7X,)XXX (a chunk of it placed on his bank account 2-3 weeks before as mentioned by his wife)
Average Daily Balance: ?

At a glance, one would think that I have a high chance of being approved because of my high bank account. But was it that really the case?

Personally, what I think the mistake my nephew made is that he only placed a huge chunk of money 2-3 weeks before his application.  I believe ADB for 6 months is more important for Korean consuls to consider rather than the actual current balance of your account as anybody can have an amount be deposited on their account just what my nephew did.

Was it because he is an unemployed 31 y/o student? Though he submitted his school records and it was verified by the Korean embassy, is being an unemployed adult a no-no when applying for a visa?

Was is because he is a student caregiver? Maybe they mistook him as a caregiver accompanying his wife?  I've read somewhere that caregivers are frowned upon on Korea as they found it arrogant to have someone to attend to you  during your travel period?

Maybe somehow he left a blank space on his application form? It is important that all fields have entries and ones that do not apply to you should be marked as N/A (not applicable).

Or was it because of he placed conflicting information that the Korean embassy couldn't verify? On my part,  the Korean embassy did called our HR department and I was asked to return their call. I did and was just asked a few questions about my job, tenure and my position.

At the moment, these are the reasons I could think of that made him be declined from being granted a visa. We could only comfort him at that time.

Appeals

I personally have not heard or read that one could appeal the denial. Heck, they couldn't or should I say wouldn't disclose the exact reason, much more review your appeal. But I guess one could try and just hope for the best. 

Anyway, I will be applying for my second Korean visa this August 2016 and I'm still very nervous about it. Will keep you updated. :)

How to Apply for a Korean Visa for Filipino Tourists in the Philippines

Let me share a journal entry I did last December 2014.

Wishes indeed do come true. Although I’m not a member of KPop or Koreanovela hysteria that is still felt here in the Philippines since Winter Sonata days, South Korea has become a popular travel destination for Filipinos including myself. For me, it was the uniqueness of their culture. From kimchi to KPop to hanbok,  it all screams KOREA! It also helps that there are a lot more cheap flights available all year round with increasing number of budget airlines even though  South Korea have kind of tightened up their visa requirements recently.

 I visited Seoul in November-December, 2015. My nephew's wife was sent to Seoul on a business trip and she invited her husband and I  to tag along. It was November 4, 2015, but the tentative dates were by the end of November. In such short notice, I didn't even think twice. I thought, this is it, let's go! Imagine the scramble I took to apply for a Korean visa. With the APEC summit looming ahead, I immediately went to my bank to have my bank certificate and personal statement be processed. I also went to my company's HR to have me sent a copy of my ITR and a certificate of employment. We applied November 16 a day before the APEC summit and were asked to go back by November 25. The target date was November 28. Imagine that!! I know there are a lot of guides out there, but I just want to share my personal experience.  So here it is, your guide on How to apply Korean Tourist Visa in the Philippines. :)

Let me tell you that I was so nervous about this at first. I could not decide whether to purchase a ticket even before being granted a visa and take a gamble or to just wait until my visa gets approved. The plane tickets and accommodations  rates are getting more expensive each day into the target date. Yes, I decided not to risk it and just wait until I get approved before purchasing a ticket. I do not have the time to worry about the possibility of my application getting rejected. Making it worse, it’s my first time to apply for a visa directly at any embassy. All I have was a Hong Kong stamp on my passport back in 2013. Images of sweaty,  long, snaking lines and persistent travel agents flashed through my mind, making me the dread the whole thing even more. To my surprise and relief, the application process for a South Korea tourist visa turned out to be one of the quickest and least painful queue that I’ve ever had to endure. It was so organized that I must have spent no more than 60 minutes there total. I bet it took me much longer just to go to the embassy and back! Imagine if we can have the same to our government agencies (think: NBI)!  There’s nothing to worry about provided that all your documents are in order and complete. Single-entry tourists visa are good for 3 months from their date of issue, so I suggest applying 1-2 months before your trip. :)

To apply South Korean tourist visa in the Philippines is very easy and straight forward. That is, if you have the funds to show and complete requirements. I've even read that is even easier if you are have travelled to an OECD member countries for the last 5 years as you are no longer required to submit an ITR. For a list of OECD countries, you can check it out here.

Since it is my first time to apply for a visa, I'll only be tackling Tourist Visa Requirements for Filipino Employees. So if you are applying as otherwise, this post would not be helpful for you.

Tourist Visa Requirements for Filipino Employees

1. Application Form (You can download it from here.)
2. 1piece of Passport size colored picture (II don't think they have a rule on what color should the back ground is but I chose the ever classic white background. LOL)
3. Original Passport (Should be valid for more than 6 months. Attach your photo on the form with a glue. Never tape or staple your photo as the embassy won't accept this. Luckily, the embassy provides glue.)
4. Photocopy of Passport Bio-page (Page 2)
5. Original & Photocopy of valid visa/s and arrival stamps to OECD member countries for the past 5 years (If applicable, and Korean Visas will not be counted)
6. Original Certificate of Employment
   (must include applicant's position, date hired, compensation, office address, HR landline number(cell-phone number is not allowed), HR e-mail address. This is important I believe. Miss one and it's goodbye visa!)
7. Original Personal Bank Certificate
   (Must include account type, current balance, account opening date, average daily balance (ADB). I also believe that this is very important. They actually call your emplyer to verify)
8. Bank Statement
   (Original or certified true copy of bank statements/passbook for the last 3 months)
9. ITR(Income Tax Return) or Form 2316 Copy
10. Copy of PRC Card or IBP Card (If applicable only)

Being the obssesive-compulsive that I am, I even made a hard copy of this list so I can literally check it off.

Where to Apply Korean Tourist Visa in the Philippines?

Address : 122 Upper McKinley Road
McKinley Town Center, Fort Bonifacio
Taguig city 1634, Philippines

There's no need to schedule an appointment. Just walk in and hope for the best. :)
Monday-Friday 08:30-12:00nn only

I personally took a taxi from Eastwood City to get there. Just inform the driver to pass along C5. Its right after the SM Aura Mall.  Those who are coming via EDSA, I must warn you, don't. But if you must allot at least two hours of travel time and expect more because of the eternal traffic. For those who are driving themselves there, I highly recommend that you go early since parking is pretty limited.

As you get to the Korean Embassy, you will be asked to log on their visitor's monitoring form at the entrance and to leave an ID to get your gate pass. You then head inside and follow the path towards the visa office, and get a number from the front desk nearest to the door.

There are three windows for visa application, Windows 1 and 2 are for those who are first-time traveler (those without a visa from any of the OECD countries) and Window 3 is dedicated for all those with visas issued by any of the OECD. countries.

As mentioned, the wait was short, maybe because we got there early and I made sure to have all my documents needed ready. Heck, I double, even triple check my documents while waiting and this includes going through the form again making sure I didn't leave any blanks.

As soon as your number flashes on the screen above the window or when you hear your number being called, head over and hand all documents to the embassy staff. He/she will check if you got everything complete and you will be handed a white claim card that contains the date of your passport's release.

Whew, that was fast!

How long is it to Apply Korean Tourist Visa in the Philippines?

First Time Applicants: 5 working days
Frequent Travelers: 3-4 working days

How much is the visa fee of Korean Tourist Visa?

59 days (or less) stay in Korea — GRATIS (free)
60 to 90 days stay in Korea — PHP1,800.00

We were asked to go back November 25, 2016. Imagine the agony I have to endure thinking whether I will be granted one or not. When the day finally came, I just head over to the same window and was given back my passport.

WOOOOOOT! Imagine my joy! I was very very very over the top happy, I could have cartwheeled  my way out of the embassy. Korea it was! Will do a separate article of my Korea trip last December as I only had the time now.

Unfortunately, this post would not have a really happy ending. It turned out, my nephew got denied. I will do a separate article about that although there's little to say as the embassy does not disclose the specific reason why you got denied They just provide you a paper with a check on the vague reason you got rejected. More on that in a few. :)