Just An Ordinary Girl: Itineraries

[Busan, Korea 2024] 8D7N Busan Trip Itinerary + Overview

By Elin Chow - Monday, April 15, 2024

Photo By: Elin Chow

Busan is the second largest city in South Korea. Often overshadowed by Seoul, the port city of Busan is well known for its beaches, mountains and temples. We chose to visit Busan during the cherry blossom season, which usually takes place around end of March to the beginning of April every year. The exact blooming time of the cherry blossom is very hard to predict as it largely depends on the local temperatures during the winter and early spring. We were lucky enough to be able to see the cherry blossom in full bloom when we were in Busan.

EXPENSES

Below shows the cost breakdown of the expenses of our 8D7N Busan trip. Hopefully this will give you a rough idea how much money you would probably need for a 8 days trip to Busan.

TOTAL COST BREAKDOWN FOR 2 PERSONS
Expenses	Korean Won (KRW)	Malaysia Ringgit (RM)
Airfare		RM 3,218.12
Accommodation
Avani Central Busan (7 Nights)		RM 2,410.28
Transportation
Cashbee Card	8,000 KRW	RM 27.59
Subway & Local Buses	100,000 KRW	RM 344.87
Bus to Jinhae & Back to Busan	24,400 KRW	RM 84.15
Danubi Train	8,000 KRW	RM 27.59
Haeundae Beach Train	24000 KRW	RM 82.77
Taxi to Airport	18,400 KRW	RM 63.46
Others
Food & Drinks	564,680 KRW	RM 1,947.38
Shopping	544,310 KRW	RM 1,877.13
K-ETA	20,000 KRW	RM 69.06
E-Sim * 8 Days		RM 121.60
Travel Insurance		RM 146.00
TOTAL		RM 10,419.97

For our 8 days trip to Busan, we have spent a total of RM 10,419.97. If you exclude shopping, that will be RM 8,542.84, which works out to be RM 4,271.42 per person.

FLIGHT

We flew with Vietnam Airlines for this trip. This was the first time we flew with Vietnam Airlines. However, We didn't really have a good experience with the airline due to constant rescheduling and delays. The rescheduling of flights resulted in longer transit time as we had to transit between Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi before flying off to Busan. In the end, it took us about 17 hours in total to fly from Kuala Lumpur to Busan. This was the same amount of time it took us to fly from Kuala Lumpur to Switzerland last year.

Apart from the constant rescheduling and delays, I am generally quite satisfied with the flight. The seats were comfortable and reasonably spacious. There was plenty of space for us to stretch our legs throughout the flight. The cabin crew were always professional and friendly. The inflight meals were pretty decent. Surprisingly, the airline also serves meals with pork.

Common amenities like pillows and blankets were decent quality. However, it have a more limited inflight entertainment selections than other international airlines.

METHODS OF PAYMENT

Credit cards, cash and travel debit cards are widely accepted in South Korea, with cash becoming less common as the country is slowly moving towards a cashless society. However, small stores and restaurants often don’t accept credit cards, so you will still need to carry a bit of cash on you. You will also need cash to top up the local transportation cards.

Using a foreign credit card is not 100% reliable for payments. Thus I would recommend using a prepaid travel debit card instead. There are dozens of merchants offering prepaid travel debit cards in Malaysia. Among them, we chose the Wise card, which is a multi-currency travel debit card that allows you to hold and manage over 40 different currencies in one account and use in more than 175 countries.

ESIM

We prefer using an e-SIM whenever we travel abroad. It is more convenient and usually much cheaper than data roaming plans. You can easily buy an e-SIM from Shopee or Lazada.

I bought 8 days unlimited data plan with 2GB high speed per day. The e-SIM connects to SK Telecom network with 4G LTE and 5G speeds while I was in Busan. The e-SIM allowed us to enjoy fast and seamless internet connectivity while travelling in the country.

K-ETA (KOREAN ELECTRONIC TRAVEL AUTHORISATION)

A K-ETA, or Korean Electronic Travel Authorisation, is required for all foreign visitors entering South Korea from visa waiver countries or visa-free countries. Travellers from countries that require a K-ETA must apply for a K-ETA at least 72 hours before their flight. The application can be made on either the official K-ETA website or the K-ETA mobile app. As of April 2024, the cost of K-ETA is 10,000 KRW per person.

We received approval for our K-ETA application within 24 hours. Once it is approved, the K-ETA is

valid for 3 years. However, even if your K-ETA has not expired, you are required to apply for a new K-ETA if there are any changes to your information, such as name, sex, date of birth, nationality, passport information, infectious diseases or criminal record. If there are any changes to your purpose of travel, address in Korea or contact information, you are also required to update such information through K-ETA website. Do note that foreigners without either a K-ETA or a valid visa will not be permitted to board the plane to South Korea.

However, from 1st April 2023 to 31st December 2024, passport holders from 22 countries are temporarily exempted from applying K-ETA. You can check the list of 22 countries eligible for temporary exemption of the K-ETA on their website.

Although Singapore is also in the list of exemption, I still applied for K-ETA as this will exempt me from submitting the arrival card upon entry.

NAVIGATION

When it comes to navigation, Google Maps is known to be pretty unreliable and inaccurate in South Korea. Its functionality is partly restricted in the country due to national security regulations. The app does not provide driving and walking directions, so it is almost impossible to navigate around the city with Google Maps.

For navigation, I would highly recommend you to download Naver Map or Kaokao Map from Apple App Store or Google Play Store before you visit the country. Both are navigation apps that provides public transportation information, walking and driving directions, as well as restaurants reviews and information

I prefer Naver Maps to Kakao Maps because I find the app to be more tourist friendly. However, you can try downloading both and see which one you prefer more.

Despite being developed by Korean tech giants, both Naver Maps and Kakao Maps remained largely untranslated, including locations details, restaurants reviews and information. Most of the time, I have to screenshot the restaurant details and reviews on Naver Maps and then use the Google Lens to translate the texts.

TRANSPORTATION

The cheapest and easiest to get around Busan is by using the public transport. It is easy to get almost anywhere in the city by using the subway or bus. The public transportation system in Busan consists of five subway lines and plenty of bus lines.

The subway system is fast, reliable and easy to navigate. All station stops are announced in Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese. As of April 2024, the basic fare for public transportation in Busan is 1,450 KRW for trips up to 10 kilometres if paid by credit or transportation cards. Additional fare will be charged depending on the distance travelled.

As the attractions in Busan are pretty spread out, you will need to spend a lot of time getting from place to place by public transport. Although the subway system enables you to access many areas in Busan easily, you will often still find the need to use buses to get to your destination. As of April 2024, the adult fare for regular city buses is 1,550 KRW while the adult fare for Express buses is 2,100 KRW.

Prepaid Transportation Card

In order to use the public transportation in Busan, you will need to purchase a T-money card or Cashbee card from any convenience stores. The T-money card or Cashbee card are prepaid transportation cards that you can use to pay for public transportation in cities across South Korea, including subways, buses and taxis, as well as payment at convenience stores. Although you can purchase single journey tickets fro the ticket machines at the subway stations, it can be quite a hassle to buy a ticket each and every time you use the subway during your trip. Furthermore, buses in Korea no longer accept cash payments. This means that you can only pay your bus fare with a transportation card or credit card.

By using a transportation card, you can also transfer for free, or at a discounted price discount when you transfer from one bus to another, from one subway line to another, or bus to subway and vice versa. The transfer discount is limited to four time a day, within a transfer time limit of 30 minutes.

However, you can only top up the transportation card at the top up machine at subway stations or convenience stores with CASH, not credit card. So it is advisable that you bring some cash with you. You might also want to download the EZL Corp app from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app will allow you to check your card balance and view your transaction history anytime, anywhere you want.

Taxi are plentiful and relatively affordable in Busan. You can pay the fare either with a credit card, prepaid transportation card, or in cash. However, many drivers don’t speak English well, so it will be good to have the address or destination in Korean to show to the driver.

8D7N BUSAN TRIP ITINERARY

The below shows the places we have covered during the 8 days (29th March 2024 - 05th April 2024) we spent in Busan. You can use this itinerary as a guide to help you plan your trip to Busan. As usual, all the places in the itinerary below will be slowly linked to individual posts that will follow in the next few months. So be sure to follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to get the latest updates on my 8 days adventures in Busan!

As I mentioned earlier, the attractions in Busan are actually quite far apart from each other. Most travellers would usually spend 2 or 3 days in the city, but trust me, this is definitely not enough for you to explore all the top attractions in Busan. I would recommend spending at least 5 days in Busan in order to fully experience all the best things the city has to offer.

DAY 1

Kuala Lumpur International Airport > Gimhae International Airport > Avani Central Busan > Jangsusam 장수삼 (Lunch) > Check In Avani Central Busan > BIFF Square > Nampo Jjukkumi 남포쭈꾸미 (Small Octopus) (Dinner)

DAY 2

Avani Central Busan > Paris Baguette > Samnak Ecological Park 삼락생태공원 > Nasari Sigdang Restaurant 나사리식당 광안 점 (Lunch) > Gwangalli Beach Area (Shopping)

DAY 3

Avani Central Busan > Fresh Tofu Maeul 생두부마을 > Daejeon Ecological Park 대저생태공원 > Somyeon Shopping District > Heuksoe Somyeon 흑쇠 서면점

DAY 4

Avani Central Busan > Busan Sasang Seobu Bus Terminal > Jinhae > Yeojwacheon Stream > 여좌천 (벚꽃명소) > Gyeonghwa Station Cherry Blossom Road 경화역 벚꽃길 > Busan Sasang Seobu Bus Terminal > Lotteria

DAY 5

Avani Central Busan > Gamcheon Cultural Village 감천문화마을 > Sohaengseong B612 Cafe 소행성B612카페 > Taejongdae Yolo Grilled Shellfish 욜로조개구이 > Taejongdae 태종대

DAY 6

Avani Central Busan > Haeundae Sol Sot 솥솥 > Shinsegae Centum City 신세계 센텀시티

DAY 7

Avani Central Busan > Haedong Yunggungsa Temple 해동 용궁사 > 153 Gupo Noodles 153구포국수 > Haeundae Blueline Park 해운대 블루라인파크 > Cheongsapo Daritdol Skywalk 청사포 다릿돌전망대

This is basically my itinerary for my 8 days trip to Busan. I will be posting individual posts about the places we visited in Busan soon. So, be sure to follow me on my Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to get the latest updates on my 8 days adventures in Busan! Also, do not forget to share my blog posts with your family and friends if you find them helpful. In the meantime, you might also want to check My Wanderlust page for some of my other travel adventures.

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Itineraries

[Switzerland 2023] 11D10N Switzerland Trip Itinerary + Overview

By Elin Chow - Thursday, September 21, 2023

Photo By: Elin Chow

We have just completed an amazing 10 days trip to Switzerland. Switzerland has been on the top of our travel bucket list for years. From majestic snow-capped mountains to deep forest, azure lakes, quaint villages, and lush green valley, the picture-perfect country never fails to surprise us on every corner.

However, it’s no secret that Switzerland is an expensive destination to visit. In fact, it is one of the most expensive countries to visit in the world (I will explain why Switzerland is so expensive later). Planning a trip to Switzerland on a budget is no easy feat. However, with some careful planning and preparation, it will at least help you to cut down on many unnecessary expenses. In this post, I have shared some tips that might help you to prepare for your trip to Switzerland, including information on the transportation, weather, basic things to pack and how much to budget for this Switzerland itinerary.

COST BREAKDOWN

Below shows the breakdown of the expenses of our 11D10N Switzerland trip. I have tracked and recorded all the expenses on the note app on my phone every single day, so putting together a detailed cost breakdown was not difficult. Keeping track of travel expenses can be challenging, especially when you are not handed receipts for your purchases. But recording your expenses is very important because it helps to keep track of all your spending and manage your budgets. Hopefully this will give you a rough idea how much money you would probably need for a 10 days trip to Switzerland.

TOTAL COST BREAKDOWN FOR 2 PERSONS
Expenses	Swiss Franc (CHF)	Malaysia Ringgit (RM)
Airfare		RM 6,998.00
Accommodation
Kobi Boutique Studio Hirschenplatz (Lucerne) * 2 Nights	248.69 CHF	RM 1,296.00
City Tax (Lucerne) (4.50 CHF/Pax/Night)	18 CHF	RM 94.77
Valley Hostel (Lauterbrunnen) * 5 Nights	439.80 CHF	RM 2,334.10
City Tax (Lauterbrunnen) (2.40 CHF/Pax/Night)	24 CHF	RM 126.12
Ferienwohnung Uf dr Liwwi (Grindelwald) * 2 Nights	280.26 CHF	RM 2,067.14
City Tax (Grindelwald) (4.70 CHF/Pax/Night)	18.80 CHF	RM 98.79
Holiday Inn Express Zurich Airport (Zurich) * 1 Night		RM 711.91
City Tax (Zurich) (2.50 CHF/Pax/Night)	5 CHF	RM 26.28
Total (Accommodation)		RM 6,755.11
Transportation
Half Fare Card – 120 CHF/Pax	240 CHF	RM 1,190.00
Train & Bus	278.40 CHF	RM 1,464.43
Mountains Excursions:
Jungfraujoch (Good Morning Tickets)	170 CHF	RM 895.05
Mannlichen	65.60 CHF	RM 344.73
Grindewald-First	64 CHF	RM 336.96
Oeschinensee	30 CHF	RM 157.65
Boat:
Lake Brienz Cruise (Day Pass)	60 CHF	RM 315.30
Rhine Falls Cruise (Rock Tour)	40 CHF	RM 210.92
Total (Transport)		RM 4,915.04
Entrance Fee
Blausee	22 CHF	RM 115.61
Trümmelbach Falls	25.20 CHF	RM 132.68
Glacier Canyon Grindelwald	34 CHF	RM 179.01
Rhine Falls	10 CHF	RM 52.55
Total (Entrance Fees)		RM 479.85
Food & Drinks	406.80 CHF	RM 2,141.07
Souvenirs	210.35 CHF	RM 1,107.27
Misc – iPhone Cable	24.95 CHF	RM 131.11
ESim * 12 Days		RM 219.60
Travel Insurance		RM 488.00
TOTAL		RM 23,235.05

For our 11 days trip to Switzerland, we have spent a total of RM 23,235.05. If you exclude souvenirs and miscellaneous expense, that will be RM 21,996.67, which works out to be RM 10,998.34 per person. The average exchange rate for Swiss Franc (CHF) to Malaysia Ringgit (RM) was 5.2643.

WHY IS SWITZERLAND EXPENSIVE?

Switzerland is expensive because of the strong Swiss Franc. The country's currency has appreciated significantly against nearly every other major currencies over the last decade, making it one of the strongest and most stable currencies in the world.

In addition to that, Switzerland has one of the highest standard of living in Europe, which naturally results in the higher prices of goods and services in the country. Compared to its neighbors in Europe, the cost of goods, such as food, clothing, accommodation and transport, is far higher than in the rest of Europe. To give you a rough idea, a McDonald's McChicken burger in Switzerland costs 6.90 CHF. If you make it a meal, it will cost you 12.30 CHF. A set lunch typically costs 25 CHF to 35 CHF.

CURRENCY

Switzerland is not a member of European Union (EU), and the Swiss franc (CHF) is the official currency in the country. Some merchants in Switzerland may accept Euros, but you will probably receive any resulting change in Swiss franc. Furthermore, it would cost you more if you pay in Euro as you will usually get a terrible exchange rate from the merchants.

The most commonly accepted payment options in Switzerland are cash, credit cards and debit cards. Credit cards and debit cards are widely accepted almost everywhere in the country. Compared to America Express and Diner Club, Visa and Mastercard are commonly accepted throughout the country. However, using credit cards to pay in Switzerland is normally rather pricey due to multiple foreign transaction fees and charges.

Prepaid Travel Debit Card

Instead of using credit cards, we opted for a prepaid travel debit card when we are travelling in Switzerland. Just like credit cards, prepaid travel debit cards are normally issued by Visa or Mastercard. There are dozens of prepaid debit cards issuers offering cards in Malaysia and abroad. Among them, we chose the Wise card (formerly TransferWise), a multi-currency travel debit card that allows you to hold and manage over 40 different currencies in one account and use in more than 175 countries.

All we need to do is to top up our Wise account with Ringgit and convert the money into the foreign currency we need for spending. Wise uses a mid-market exchange rate, which makes it cheaper than most banks. However, a nominal conversion fee will be charged when you convert the money in your account into another currency. The fees associated with Wise are low and transparent, with no hidden fees to worry about. The small conversion fee is the only fee that you will need to pay.

Even though credit cards and debit cards are widely accepted in Switzerland, it is always good to have a few options for paying. Other than credit card and debit card, I would also suggest that you carry a small amount of cash with you as well.

FLIGHT

We flew with Singapore Airlines for this trip. The entire journey took 17 hours, including a layover of 3 hours at Singapore Changi Airport. The flight costs RM 3,499 per person, which included seat selection fees for our flight from Singapore to Zurich, as well as Zurich to Singapore. If you don't mind where you sit on the plane, you can save on the seat selection fees.

We actually booked the flight about 10 months before the trip. I really recommend that you book as early as possible. The later you book, chances are, the more expensive the flight ticket will be.

Food was nothing amazing, but their quality were below our expectations. The in-flight meals usually consists of a main course of our choice, a small bread roll with butter, an appetizer (usually a cold salad), a dessert such as cut fruits, ice cream or cake, a packet of milk, cheese and crackers. They served yogurt for breakfast, and some between-meals snacks like nuts, potato chips and chocolates. While it is not that bad, we definitely expected the in-flight meals to be better from Singapore Airlines.

On our flight from Zurich to Singapore, there was no bottled water provided to passengers for a 12 hours flight. Instead, they only served water in small plastic cups every hour throughout the flight, which we felt was a bit insufficient.

Complimentary In-Flight Wi-Fi & In-Flight Entertainment System

Free unlimited Wi-Fi has been offered to all passengers who are Kris Flyer members on all routes. In order to access to the free WiFi service on the flight, you just need to enter your Kris Flyer membership details either at the point of booking or during check-in.

I have nothing to complain about the in-flight entertainment system. The screen is big and has a high resolution. We had unlimited access to more than a hundred-in flight movies ranging from latest blockbusters to unforgettable classics.

Overall, our flight experience with Singapore Airlines was great. I was comfortable enough to sleep for hours (I usually have trouble sleeping on flights). The flight attendants were generally friendly, attentive and professional.

TRANSPORTATION

Switzerland has one of the best-developed public transport networks in the world. Trains are by far, the fastest and most convenient way to get around in the country. They are fast, clean and highly efficient. The public transportation in Switzerland has excellent infrastructure, connecting even the remotest valley in the country.

Unsurprisingly, Switzerland also has one of the most expensive public transport systems in the world. While doing my research about planning a trip to Switzerland, I have come across many recommendations for getting a Swiss Travel Pass. The Swiss Travel Pass is an all-in-one pass that gives you unlimited travels on all modes of public transport in Switzerland (except cable cars and mountain railways - but you will normally get a 25% to 50% discount), as well as free admission to 500 museums. The Swiss Travel Pass is available for purchase for period of 3, 4, 8 or 15 days. The cheapest 3 days Swiss Travel Pass (2nd class) is priced at 232 CHF.

Although expensive, many foreigners enjoy the convenience and numerous benefits that comes with the all-in-one pass. With a Swiss Travel Pass, there is no need to purchase individual train or bus tickets. You can simply hop on the train and show the ticket inspector your Swiss Pass when there is a ticket inspection. Yes, there will be ticket inspectors (especially long distance trains) conducting frequent ticket inspections on the trains. If you are caught without a ticket, or in the wrong class cabin, you will be asked to pay a fine.

Half Fare Card

Instead of buying a Swiss Travel Pass, we purchased a Half Fare Card from Klook. The reason is we realized that the Swiss Travel Pass will not pay itself off after doing the math. We will actually spend more on transportation if we purchased a Swiss Travel Pass instead of a Half Fare Card.

A Half Fare Card costs 120 CHF, and is valid for one month. The card will entitle visitors to purchase trains, bus, boats, and most mountain railways at half price. However, Half Fare Card is less convenient than Swiss Travel Pass as you will still need to buy individual tickets each time. For us, this is not really a big issue since the Half Fare Card will provide us with greater savings than the Swiss Travel Pass.

SBB Mobile App

In order to decide which pass is best for your trip, some calculation must be done. To do that, I highly recommend that you download the SBB Mobile app, which is the official app for Switzerland's transportation systems. It will be one of the most useful app that will help you plan your trip to Switzerland. The SBB app not only shows the timetables for all trains across the network, but also buses, cable cars and boats, as well as fares. Therefore, it will be a great tool that will help you to plan your daily travels.

Simply input your departure and arrival points in the app. It will show the fares for each journey. Do note that the fares shown in the app are half fare price. To decide whether the Swiss Travel Pass or the Half Fare Card is better, you need to add up all the transport fares for your trip and compare which one will give you greater savings.

If you decide to purchase the Half Fare Card, all your major journey should adds up to more than the cost of the card. Otherwise, it will not be worth it to purchase the Half Fare Card.

ACCOMMODATION

The second biggest expenditure for our Switzerland trip is accommodations. For this trip, we tried to book accommodations that comes with a kitchen (or at least a kitchenette) so that we can cook our own meals, which helped us to save quite a lot of money on food costs.

We stayed in hostel, apartment hotels and standard hotel rooms during our Switzerland trip. The cheapest accommodation that we have stayed in Switzerland was a private room in a hostel with shared facilities like kitchen, bathrooms and dining area. It costs 88 CHF per night (including taxes) for a double private room. Although it is quite expensive if you compare to other Western European countries, staying in a hostel is still more budget-friendly than a standard hotel room.

A hostel dorm room would be the cheapest option. However, you will have to share your room with other people. If you have a higher budget, I would really recommend booking a private room in a hostel as it will offers more privacy and greater comfort.

Airbnbs are equally expensive in Switzerland as well. However, they are perfect if you are travelling with a group of friends or family. We usually stay in Airbnbs when we travel because they are cheaper than hotels. However, this isn't the case in Switzerland.

City Tax

Do note that city tax is applicable for all types of accommodations, and in all cities, towns and villages across Switzerland. The amount varies in different towns and cities, as well as different types of accommodation. It is determined by the local authorities, not by the accommodation owners.

City tax is used to finance tourist related infrastructure. The accommodation rates usually do not include the city tax. Most of the time, you have paid the tax directly to the accommodation when you check in. It usually costs 2 CHF to 7 CHF per person per night. Although it is not a lot of money, but it can still adds up to a considerable amount.

Guest Cards

Most Swiss cities and towns will usually provide a guest card to every guest who stay overnight in the region. The guest card will be given by your accommodation upon check in. Remember to request it from your accommodation if they forgot to provide it to you.

Almost all the guests card will allow you to use public transport for free, and entitle you to small discounts on numerous attractions and activities. Although the discounts are small, it will still help you save a few pennies.

FOOD

Eating out in Switzerland is expensive. With meals costing between 25 CHF to 35 CHF for lunch, and 30 CHF to 50 CHF for dinner per person, the costs of food can add up quickly and burn a hole in your pocket. Cooking our own meals and packing lunches on day trip have helped us save a lot of money on food.

For lunch, we basically live off supermarket foods like bread rolls, pastries and ready-made sandwiches, sometimes packing food that we have prepared and cooked the night before. As for dinner, shopped for groceries at local supermarkets like Coop and Migros (but we prefer Coop to Migros), and cooked most of our meals. Other than buying from local supermarkets, we also brought some basic food supplies from home, such as instant noodles, energy bars, rice, noodles, cereals, meal replacements and biscuits.

Of course, we also dined out four times when we were in Switzerland - twice at McDonald and twice at local restaurants. So we didn't really miss out on the Swiss food experience.

A tip for grocery shopping on a budget in Switzerland is to look for 50% off items at Coop in the evening. We were able to get marinated chicken wings, marinated pork skewers, pre-made sandwiches and pastries at 50% off. You can also save by buying products from Coop's low cost product line called Prix Garantie.

e-SIM

To stay connected in Switzerland, we purchased e-SIM from Shopee. In the past, I would usually rent a pocket Wi-Fi in Malaysia before jetting off overseas, but nowadays I mostly use e-SIM cards to stay connected. e-SIM offers a more convenient, efficient and less expensive way of staying connected when travelling.

I bought 12 days unlimited data plan with 2GB high speed per day. The e-SIM connects to SALT network with 4G LTE and 5G speeds while I was in Switzerland. We have enjoyed fast and reliable connectivity when we were travelling in the country, without having to worry about data caps.

However, do note that your phone needs to be connected to Wi-Fi network in order to activate the e-SIM on your device.

WHAT TO PACK

Here are some of the essential things to pack for your trip to Switzerland. Do note that this is not a travel packing list as I will not cover everything that you will need to pack for your trip. Rather, I would list out the items that are often overlooked.

Power Plug & Socket

Switzerland uses two different types of electrical outlets and power plugs - Type C (2-pin) and Type J (3-pin) plugs. Most of the power sockets in the country are designed for three pin round plugs, so you will need an travel adapter to plug your electronic devices in. Type J plug socket is used almost exclusively in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. This means that you will not be able to use an European plug, or European travel adapter, in the majority of Swiss power outlets.

In Malaysia, you can buy a Type-J travel adapter from Lazada or Shopee. I bought it from Lazada, and they are compatible with every socket in Switzerland.

The voltage and frequency of electricity in Switzerland is 230V at 50 Hz while Malaysia operates on 240V and 50 Hz. The voltage is not exact, but the difference is usually tolerable by electrical devices. Therefore, it is mostly safe to plug your electrical devices from Malaysia in Switzerland without using a voltage adapter.

Hiking Shoes & Sneakers

The Swiss lifestyle involves a lot of walking. I really recommend investing in a good pair of waterproof hiking shoes, especially if you are planning to visit the countryside and mountains. The mountain paths often involve steep, rocky and uneven terrains. A good pair of hiking shoes will cushion your feet against rough surfaces, and offer excellent grip and traction on rugged, steep and rocky trails.

Sneakers are sufficient for exploring Swiss cities. However, please leave your flip-flops and high heels at home. The cities in Switzerland often have cobblestone streets, which can be tricky to navigate in flip-flops and high heels. A stylish pair of sneakers will be ideal for traversing the cobbled streets of Swiss cities.

Sunscreen

It is essential to apply sunscreen everyday when you are in Switzerland. The UV index in Switzerland is very high, especially in summer during clear, sunny days. The UV index increases with altitude, with the Alps being one of the regions where the highest UV levels are measured in Europe.

The high UV index can result in a sunburn after 15-20 minutes of exposure. Thus, it is crucial to protect your skin by wearing sunscreen.

The rays were most intense between 2 pm to 6 pm when we visited Switzerland in early September. Although we tried to stay in the shade as much as possible during this time, we still got sunburned.

Hats / Caps

Wearing a hat/ cap is a way to protect your scalp from the sun. It is even better if it is labeled with an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF).

Sunglasses

Sunglasses are a must in Switzerland. They are the key to protecting your eyes from harmful UV rays and glare from the sun.

Reusable water bottle

The water in Switzerland are of very high-quality standard. Water in the country is so clean that it can be drunk directly from the tap (unless otherwise stated) without posting a health hazard. In every city and town, you will also find numerous drinking fountains and taps where you can get drinking water for free. Therefore, I would recommend bringing a reusable water bottle so that you can fill up for free. This will save you a lot of money from buying water. In fact, I personally feel that tap water tastes better than mineral water in Switzerland because it contains more minerals! Furthermore, it is usually refreshingly cold in most places.

Lunch Box

If you would like to pack lunches, remember to bring a lunch box or zip lock bags to store them.

TOILETS

Public toilets (often marked with WC) are shockingly clean in Switzerland. Most of the public toilets in Switzerland can be found at railway stations, cable car stations and in shopping malls.

Before travelling to Switzerland, I have read that most public toilets are not free in the country. However, we have never spent a single penny to use a public toilet during our 10 days stay in Switzerland. In fact, there are a lot of free public toilets in big city like Lucerne (not sure about other big cities like Zurich, Geneva and Bern).

There are also toilet facilities on most medium to long distance trains (and boats as well), both in 1st and 2nd class sections. The toilets on the trains are clean and free of charge.

ITINERARY

The below shows the itinerary we have planned and covered during the 10 days we have spent in Switzerland. Hopefully, this will help you to plan your first trip to Switzerland. All the places on the itinerary below will be slowly linked to individual blog posts that will follow by in the next few months. So, be sure to follow my Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to get the latest updates on my 10 days adventures in Switzerland!

Our 10 days itinerary explores the idyllic Bernese Oberland (circle in red) in central Switzerland, particularly the Jungfrau region, which is situated in the heart of the Swiss Alps. The region is famous for its snow-capped peaks, numerous waterfalls, turquoise lakes, as well as alpine villages and towns. We prefer the nature to big cities, thus we spent most of our time exploring the alpine villages, iconic mountains, valley and waterfalls in the countryside. Do note that you will need a reasonable level of fitness to fully explore the Swiss mountains and countryside.

Even though we prefer the mountain villages to bustling cities, we still spent two days in Lucerne to get a taste of Swiss city life. Therefore, this itinerary will take you on a journey through the stunning Swiss countryside and charming medieval cities.

DAY 1 & 2: LUCERNE

Kuala Lumpur International Airport > Singapore Changi Airport > Zurich Airport > Lucerne Main Station > Check in Kobi Boutique Studios Hirschenplatz > Explore Lucerne

DAY 3: LAUTERBRUNNEN

Check Out Kobi Boutique Studios Hirschenplatz > Lucerne Main Station > Interlaken Ost Station (Golden Pass Line) > Lauterbrunnen Station > Check in Valley Hostel Lauterbrunnen > Explore Lauterbrunnen

DAY 4: JUNGFRAUJOCH

Valley Hostel Lauterbrunnen > Lauterbrunnen Station > Jungfraujoch (Sphinx Observation Deck + Alpine Sensation + Ice Palace + Glacier Plateau)

DAY 5: BRIENZ + GIESSBACH WATERFALL + ISELTWALD

Valley Hostel Lauterbrunnen > Lauterbrunnen Station > Interlaken Ost Station > Lake Brienz Boat Cruise (Brienz + Giessbach Waterfall Hike + Iseltwald)

DAY 6: KANDERSTEG

Valley Hostel Lauterbrunnen > Lauterbrunnen Station > Frutigen Station > Blausee > Kandersteg Station > Oeschinensee > Kandersteg Station > Lauterbrunnen Station > Restaurant Weidstubli

DAY 7: MANNLICHEN + TRUMMELBACH FALLS

Valley Hostel Lauterbrunnen > Lauterbrunnen Station > Mannlichen > Wengen > Lauterbrunnen Station > Trummelbach Falls

DAY 8: GRINDEWALD

Check Out Valley Hostel > Lauterbrunnen Station > Grindelwald Station > Drop Luggage at Ferienwohnung Uf dr Liwwi > Grindelwald Glacier Canyon > Explore Grindelwald > Check In Ferienwohnung Uf dr Liwwi > Barry's Restaurant

DAY 9: GRINDEWALD-FIRST

Ferienwohnung Uf dr Liwwi > Grindewald First

DAY 10: ZURICH

Check Out Ferienwohnung Uf dr Liwwi > Grindewald Station > Zurich - Rumlang Station > Check In Holiday Inn Express > Rhine Falls

This is basically my itinerary for my 10 days trip to Switzerland. I will be posting individual posts about the places we visited in Switzerland soon. So, be sure to follow me on my Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to get the latest updates on my 10 days Switzerland adventures! Also, do not forget to share my blog posts with your family and friends if you find them helpful. In the meantime, you might also want to check My Wanderlust page for some of my other travel adventures.

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Just An Ordinary Girl

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