01

Getting there from KL: non-stop flights and fares

Incheon Airport's timetable for the season ending in late October 2026 lists four airlines flying non-stop from Kuala Lumpur:

• Malaysia Airlines: a daily overnight flight plus a daytime one five days a week, from KLIA Terminal 1.
• Korean Air: daily from KLIA Terminal 1.
• Batik Air Malaysia: most days, also from Terminal 1.
• AirAsia X: four weekly flights from KLIA Terminal 2 until 23 October 2026, after which AirAsia takes over with daily A321LR flights from 25 October, so bookings may show either name.

The overnight flights leave KLIA between about 11.20 and 11.35 pm and reach Incheon between about 6 and 7 am local time, so move your watch one hour forward. Timetables allow roughly five and a half to six and three quarter hours, depending on the airline. The Malaysia Airlines daytime flight lands around 9.15 pm. At the time of writing Korean Air uses Incheon Terminal 2 and the others Terminal 1, worth remembering on the train back.

At the time of writing, Amaboxly's KL fare scan puts the cheapest one-way ticket at about RM 609 on Scoot, changing in Singapore, then RM 622 on Vietjet through Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi. The median fare was also about RM 622, and the dearest we saw was about RM 945. Those are connecting fares; non-stop seats were not among the cheapest, so compare both.

02

Incheon Airport to the city

Incheon sits on an island west of Seoul, about an hour from the centre by any method, and the airport suggests allowing one to two hours after landing for immigration before any booked onward transport. Prices are indicative, at roughly 333 won to RM 1.

• AREX Express: non-stop to Seoul Station in 43 minutes from Terminal 1 or 51 from Terminal 2, for 13,000 won (about RM 39), with reserved seats.
• AREX all-stop: the commuter train, 4,750 won from Terminal 1 or 5,350 won from Terminal 2 (about RM 14 to RM 16) with a transit card, and roughly an hour to Seoul Station. It also stops at Hongik University for Hongdae. Buy a T-money card at an arrivals convenience store first.
• Limousine buses: coaches serving hotels in Myeongdong, Dongdaemun, Gangnam and beyond, for 17,000 to 18,000 won (about RM 51 to RM 54) on the central Seoul routes. Buy tickets at the arrivals counters and allow at least an hour.
• Taxi: very roughly 60,000 to 100,000 won (RM 180 to RM 300) on the meter to most of Seoul, about an hour's drive, with 20 to 40 percent extra between 10 pm and 4 am. The airport's International Taxi has foreign-language drivers and flat fares of 70,000 to 95,000 won for a standard car, depending on the Seoul zone; book it ahead. Use only official ranks, since call vans posing as taxis overcharge.

With toddlers or heavy suitcases, the bus or a taxi beats subway stairs.

03

Where to stay in Seoul

Seoul spreads across both banks of the Han River, so pick a base on a useful subway line.

• Myeongdong and Jung-gu: the classic first-timer choice, close to K-beauty shops, evening snack stalls, Namsan and many airport bus stops. Rooms at every budget, though crowds last until late.
• Hongdae (Mapo): younger, cheaper and louder, with indie boutiques, buskers and cafes. The airport train stops here, which keeps arrival day simple for backpackers and groups of friends.
• Jongno and Insadong: the old royal quarter, with palaces, tea houses and hanok guesthouses near Gyeongbokgung, Bukchon and Gwangjang Market. Calmer evenings suit parents and older relatives.
• Itaewon (Yongsan): the most practical base for Muslim families, with Seoul Central Mosque and the largest group of halal restaurants within walking distance. Streets are steep and some blocks become nightlife strips at weekends, so choose a quieter lane.

For the quickest airport link or a KTX run to Busan, stay near Seoul Station; Gangnam and neighbouring Jamsil suit trips centred on COEX and Lotte World.

04

Things to do in Seoul

• Gyeongbokgung Palace: the first royal palace of the Joseon dynasty, founded in 1395, with a changing of the guard ceremony twice a day. Visitors in hanbok enter free.
• Bukchon Hanok Village: tiled-roof homes on the slope above the palace. Residents still live here, so since November 2024 tourists may enter the core lanes only from 10 am to 5 pm, and quietly.
• Changdeokgung: a UNESCO-listed palace whose Secret Garden is partly seen on booked tours.
• N Seoul Tower: ride the cable car or walk up Namsan for the city lights at dusk.
• Gwangjang Market: stalls frying bindaetteok (mung bean pancakes) and rolling mayak gimbap. Fillings often include pork, so Muslim travellers should ask.
• Seongsu-dong: former factories turned into cafes, plus the pop-up stores Korean brands use for launches.
• Hongdae after dark: buskers, photo booths and small fashion shops.
• Lotte World Tower: 555 m and 123 storeys, with an observation deck, beside the Lotte World theme park.
• Han River parks: ride a Ttareungyi public bike or picnic at Yeouido.
• Nami Island: the Winter Sonata island near Gapyeong, an easy day trip for K-drama fans, with a zip line over the water.

05

What to eat in Seoul

Seoul eats late and spicy. Many headline dishes involve pork or non-halal meat, so Muslim readers should also see the halal section.

• Korean barbecue: samgyeopsal (pork belly) is the icon, but beef and dak-galbi (spicy stir-fried chicken) are everywhere. Grill houses often insist on at least two portions.
• Bibimbap: rice with vegetables and gochujang, best in a sizzling stone bowl.
• Tteokbokki and eomuk: chewy rice cakes in red sauce and fish cake skewers from Myeongdong carts and markets.
• Samgyetang: a small whole chicken stuffed with rice and ginseng, traditionally eaten on the hottest days.
• Naengmyeon: cold buckwheat noodles in icy broth.
• Korean fried chicken: crunchy, glazed and made for sharing.
• Hotteok: syrupy stuffed pancakes from street carts once the weather cools.

Gwangjang Market is the classic makan stop for eating on your feet, while Myeongdong's evening stalls cost more but are handy. A simple neighbourhood lunch is roughly 10,000 to 15,000 won (RM 30 to RM 45), barbecue more. Banchan side dishes are free and usually refilled on request.

06

Halal food and prayer spaces

Seoul has more halal choice than anywhere else in Korea, yet eating outside Itaewon takes homework. The labels you will meet fall into four rough levels:

• Halal certified: approved by a recognised body, mainly the Korea Muslim Federation (KMF), whose certification JAKIM recognises.
• Self-certified: a Muslim owner vouches for the kitchen.
• Muslim friendly: some halal dishes, but alcohol may be sold.
• Pork free: no pork, yet the meat is not halal.

Most halal dining clusters around Seoul Central Mosque in Hannam-dong, Itaewon, uphill from Itaewon Station on Line 6. Middle Eastern and other halal restaurants line the nearby lanes of Usadan-ro, and a few cook halal Korean food. Elsewhere, a handful of Muslim-friendly places have opened in tourist districts such as Myeongdong and Hongdae, but they come and go, so check recent reviews first.

The mosque holds Friday prayers. Incheon Airport lists 24-hour prayer rooms airside near Gate 24 and in the west transfer lounge of Terminal 1, and near Gates 231 and 268 in Terminal 2. In the city, a few large malls and attractions set aside prayer space, so ask at the information desk. Muslim Pro handles prayer times and qibla. Seafood and vegetable dishes are the usual fallback, but ask about meat stock and cooking wine.

07

Getting around Seoul

The subway is frequent, spotless and signposted in English. Since June 2025 a ride of up to 10 km costs 1,550 won (about RM 4.70) with a transit card, slightly more for longer journeys.

• T-money: sold at convenience stores and station machines, usually recharged with cash, and valid on buses and many taxis too. Seoul has been adding machines at major stations that accept overseas cards.
• Climate Card for visitors: unlimited Seoul subway and city bus rides for 1 day (5,000 won), 2 days (8,000), 3 days (10,000), 5 days (15,000) or 7 days (20,000). It excludes the Shinbundang Line and airport buses, and you cannot board with it at the Incheon Airport AREX stations, so pay separately for the ride into town.
• Ride-hailing: forget Grab, which has no service in Korea. Koreans book through Kakao T, and visitors can use k.ride from the same company, Kakao Mobility, paying by foreign card, Touch 'n Go eWallet or Boost via Alipay+.
• Taxis: a standard Seoul taxi starts at 4,800 won, more after 10 pm.
• Maps: install Naver Map or KakaoMap, which locals trust for walking and transit routes.

Seoul has begun a gradual switch to tapping foreign contactless cards on buses and at subway gates, a rollout planned to run until 2030, so keep a T-money card for now.

08

Sample itinerary: 4 days in Seoul

This plan assumes a dawn arrival and a late-night flight home; on an afternoon flight, trim Day 4. Shuffle days around the weather.

• Day 1: Drop bags at the hotel and ease in with Myeongdong, browsing K-beauty stores until the snack stalls open in the evening. End with the cable car up Namsan and the night view from N Seoul Tower.
• Day 2: Rent hanbok near Gyeongbokgung and walk in free, then wander Bukchon before the 5 pm cut-off. Tea in Insadong, then dinner at Gwangjang Market, or halal Korean food in Itaewon.
• Day 3: Day trip to Nami Island, back in time for Hongdae's buskers and late shopping. City lovers can swap in Seongsu-dong cafes and Seoul Forest.
• Day 4: Morning at Lotte World Tower or COEX, where the mall holds the Starfield Library, then lunch in Itaewon (on a Friday, join Friday prayers at Seoul Central Mosque). Reach Incheon at least three hours before departure.

A fifth day fits the Secret Garden at Changdeokgung, a guided DMZ tour or a KTX day in Busan.

09

Money, SIM and practical tips

• Currency: the Korean won. At the end of September 2026 one ringgit bought about 333 won, making a 10,000 won note worth about RM 30.
• Paying: Visa and Mastercard work in most shops, restaurants and taxis. Carry some won for market stalls, street snacks and T-money top-ups.
• E-wallets: at the time of writing DuitNow QR does not work in Korea (PayNet's cross-border list is Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia). Touch 'n Go eWallet pays at some Alipay+ merchants.
• SIM and eSIM: install a Korean data eSIM before you fly, or collect a SIM or pocket Wi-Fi at Incheon arrivals.
• Electricity: 220V, and sockets take European-style round pins (types C and F), so pack a converter for Malaysian three-pin chargers.
• Tipping: not customary.
• Safety: Seoul is very safe at any hour. The traps are unofficial K-ETA websites charging extra fees and unlicensed call vans touting rides at the airport.
• Emergencies: 112 for police, 119 for fire and ambulance, 1330 for the multilingual travel hotline.

10

Shopping in Seoul: K-beauty, fashion and tax refunds

For many Malaysians, the suitcase home matters as much as the sights.

• K-beauty: Olive Young, the Korean health and beauty chain, has stores across Seoul including Myeongdong. Sunscreen, sheet masks and skincare sets are the usual hauls.
• Fashion: Hongdae and Seongsu suit young Korean labels and pop-ups. Dongdaemun's malls trade into the small hours, and some wholesale buildings open only at night for traders, with no fitting rooms.
• Department stores: luxury floors and food halls, useful on a rainy day.
• Tax refunds: shops with a Tax Free or Tax Refund sign return VAT on eligible purchases. Carry your passport; some shops refund on the spot, otherwise claim it at Incheon when you leave and allow extra time.

Prebook extra baggage rather than paying at the counter. On a heavy last day, the T-Luggage service carries bags the same day from staffed counters at Seoul Station, Hongik University, Myeongdong and Gimpo Airport stations to Incheon.