Nice Little Hotel in Seoul – Not Expensive but Not Cheap Either
The Nine Tree Hotel is located in Myeongdong. One of my favorite fun neighborhoods in Seoul. Not only can I find great Korean restaurants, but also the nicest affordable hotels in South Korea’s capital city of Seoul.
I found Nine Tree Hotel while doing a search for hotels in Myeongdong/Dongdaemun areas via Agoda.com. Seoul’s a big city with a lot of budget and mid range hotels so don’t worry you can easily find a place to stay within your price range. It certainly did for me.
The Nine Tree Hotel lobby is on the 3rd floor…
What I like about Nine Tree Hotel Myeongdong
The hotel is very close to a subway station. It is near Subway Line 4 and the closest entrance/exit is #8.
The hotel location is right in Myeongdong near a lot of good Korean restaurants, hip cafés and trendy Korean dessert shops.
For me it’s the perfect location for a walking tour of Seoul on your own. You can easily explore most of Seoul’s amazing palaces without spending money on train fare.
Nine Tree Hotel is located right next to Myeondong Station (Line 4), just a few minutes walk from Exit #8…
Standard Double Rooms are Small but Clean
I stayed in room 502, a standard double room…
On my most recent stay in Seoul at Nine Tree Hotel I booked a standard double room. It cost about $80USD a night with taxes included. Breakfast was not though.
Standard double rooms are around 16 square meters…
For me the important thing about any hotel I choose the rooms have to be clean. Nine Tree Hotel’s rooms, particularly room 502 which I stayed in was clean enough. Which was no surprise to me whatsoever. Korean hotels particularly in this price range are well maintained.
Clean toilet, shower and sink. Can’t ask for anything else…
The bathroom was not tight at all and had ample sink and shower space. I like the Japanese styled toilets, it was a nice touch.
Nice spacious shower…
Not Much to Complain About
The Nine Tree Hotel Myeondong quality wise is decent. But for $80USD a night some might consider the price a bit high. Because there’s no pool or fitness room. Every hotel I review I write up I try and choose some thing to really nit pick at.
Though essentially if you’re deciding to stay at the Nine Tree you’re pretty much really paying for a comfortable bed in one of Seoul’s most popular tourist areas.
One last tip while checking in make sure you ask for a room with a view on a high floor if one is available. Room 502 was facing an adjacent building. So ask for a street view if possible I believe a room high up will have a good view of Myeondong and beyond.
HAVE AN ANT PROBLEM IN THAILAND? HERE’S WHAT WORKED FOR ME
Even If You Don’t Live in Thailand
My wife and I recently bought a home in the suburbs of Bangkok. After living in apartments and condos for years, one thing I thought I would never have to deal with is an ant problem.
So I searched around for different ways on how to get rid of ants. There are lots of information out there and one of them has got to work for my situation.
But I specifically needed something that was non toxic; as we share our living space with three cats inside our house.
Ants thrive in Thailand’s hot and moist environment. And there are plenty of food sources as well for them. So when they find something they like they get determined like the Terminator.
So I came across a few non toxic to cats and humans ant deterrents. But there are lots of ant species. And discovered that one method might not work on certain ant species.
FIRST STEP – IDENTIFYING THE CULPRIT
So far I’ve come across 3 types of ants..
There are 3 methods that was the solution to my ant problem. However, if you don’t want to read through all this, my biggest tip is to keep your home clean.
Keep Your House Clean
Talcum Powder
ARS Chalk
1. DON’T GIVE ANTS ANY FOOD…
Okay, so I wish it was that simple. But mother nature has made the ants one of the best sanitation workers on the planet. Those little suckers will find that piece of donut that dribbled out of your mouth and rolled under your couch.
Now if you’re a cat lover you will know that cats are not the tidiest eaters. Bits of kitty kibble and canned tuna typically end up on the floor near the food bowl after every single meal. So for my wife and I, keeping our house clean all the time is not that simple.
Cleaning up after your furry pals is important for an ant free house…
Ants being the little food seeking missiles will always find our cats’ leftovers. Matter of fact right after the first night inside our brand new home when we got back we found a bunch of ants surrounding our cats’ dry food bowl.
We even got the ant-proof food bowls where you can fill the edge of the bowl with water. Kind of like making a moat that ants can’t get pass. However, it’s the little bits of crumb or wet food that attract ants outside of the moat.
So it’s not perfect. But I have to admit if I didn’t have this there would be a continuous line of ants having a buffet of kitty kibble. Also be sure to place your dry cat food in an airtight container.
2. Talcum Powder (a.k.a. Baby Powder)
Ants don’t like walking on talcum powder supposedly. So they try to avoid it. I throw talcum powder on the areas where the ants make their port of entry. For me the ants usually come in through the gaps of my window frame.
On the picture above you will see some reddish brown stuff. That’s cinnamon. I read somewhere that cinnamon makes a great non toxic ant repellent. However it seems to work part of the time and I don’t know why.
But I’ve given up on cinnamon. It makes your place smell great. But gram for gram ground cinnamon is too expensive for my ant problems.
Talcum powder acts great as an ant deterrent. Cheap too and quite effective. But again not effective for too all types of ants.
Sometimes you just have to use something a bit stronger. Preferably something I can use outside of my home so I won’t poison my house kitty cats.
3. ARS Chalk
This chalk works great for small red ants, carpenter ants. But not so much for much larger black ants…
Like it says on the box, this little item is a cockroach and ant killer. I had a little ant problem on my second floor where I kept another set of dry cat food. It looked like small field ants. I used this ARS chalk in the morning after applying it where the ants were coming in from.
When I got back in the afternoon all the ants were gone. All I did was simply draw a line of ARS chalk around the small little crack under the stairs where I guess the queen ant was holed up. And by night time when I got home not one ant was in sight. ARS is some powerful stuff.
I decided to test out ARS chalk on some small red ants near the entrance of my home. As you can see on the second video after applying ARS chalk the ants seemed disoriented instantly. Eventually they died off. So ARS is quite the effective ant killer
From my short ant exterminating and prevent experience, not all methods work for all ants. As you can see on the video below, the larger black ants looked like they were not affected at all. Matter of fact the next day they were still around. Even right after I dumped talcum powder on top of them.
Luckily these types of ants haven’t found its way inside my house yet. They seem to stick mainly on the pavement sidewalk. Because as of writing they’re still there.
I haven’t tried this one out yet. But from my research this type of ant killer is the most effective…
Now there is something I’ve read somewhere that is quite effective at eliminating a small ant colony. It’s the one pictured above. And it contains boric acid. Ants take it back to the queen and thats how the entire nest gets a one way ticket to ant heaven.
Seems kind of drastic and I probably won’t resort to using it until I get into a real bad ant issue.
All kinds of pest control can be purchased easily at your local Tops Supermarket…
You can purchase all these over at your local Tops supermarket, Big C and maybe the 7 Elevens.
In Thailand it’s not difficult to locate bug killers and they usually charge 6000THB a year. And the exterminators will visit once every few months to spray around your property and check for termites.
Keeping your home clean is the best and most effective way to deter ants from invading your space. But if you find none of these solutions working for you, then you’ll have to go find a good exterminator.
Have any of my tips worked for you? Do you have any recommendations to handle an ant problem? Drop a comment below, thanks for reading!
I came across my first ever bowl of Chilli Pan Mee when I went on a “Shutter Therapy” with Robin Wong. That was a few years ago. Since then I have made it a mission to get myself a nice bowl of traditional Malaysian Chilli Pan Mee in Kuala Lumpur whenever I’m there.
Chilli Pan Mee is a real working persons meal. It’s got carbs and protein all in a bowl. The eggless flour noodles are thick, yummy and filling. It’s got crunch from fried anchovies. Some extra savory tastes from the fried shallots and seasoned minced beef.
And depending on which restaurant you go or which area you’re in; Chilli Pan Mee is one of the cheapest meals in Kuala Lumpur.
This bowl of homemade spice is what makes Chilli Pan Mee so special…
But the real kicker on any proper Chilli Pan Mee is the nice poached egg. Wait, I take it back. The real kicker is actually the homemade chilli!
For me this kind of chilli is spicy, but not fiery spicy. You can add 3 or 4 heaping tablespoons and you’ll get that enjoyable heat. But it won’t burn your mouth to the point your eyes start watering and your nose becomes super runny.
You mix everything up with your chopsticks and spoon together and enjoy!
There are many Chilli Pan Mee restaurants all over KL. And my friend Robin showed me a restaurant located in Chow Kit called Restoran Kin Kin.
Restoran Kin Kin is a dive restaurant that is popular with local Malays…
Restoran Kin Kin in Chow Kit
Address: 40, Jalan Dewan Sultan Sulaiman, Kampung Baru, 50300 Kuala Lumpur
There are plenty of famous Chilli Pan Mee restaurants all over KL. Restoran Kin Kin in Kuala Lumpur’s Chow Kit neighborhood is one of them. And this was actually the first restaurant I ever had my first bowl.
Afterwards I’ve tried several other places on my own. Many places came close to Restoran Kin Kin’s style. But it could never replace it.
Restoran Kin Kin is also very easy to find. You can get there by taking the KL Monorail to Medan Tuanku Station. The immediate area surrounding the restaurant may look run down to some but it’s quite safe.
A cook preparing a sheet of dough ready to be sliced into noodles…
I don’t think there is a menu but the staff inside can speak English and I know the owner inside can speak Cantonese and most likely Mandarin too.
But they know if you step foot inside you’re looking for Chilli Pan Mee. The real question is how many bowls you want to order.
And if you have a healthy appetite like me it’ll be more than one!
You can’t just have one bowl…
To me the portions are not too big. But one bowl is enough for a snack I suppose. So if you really want a full on meal I guess you have to order two bowls. Like most customers do. Every time I’m there when I look around Restoran Kin Kin customers usually have extra bowls on their tables.
Besides, a bowl of Restoran Kin Kin’s Chilli Pan Mee only cost 8RM. That’s $1.80USD a bowl. Also a small bowl of spinach egg drop soup is included.
And a Much Anticipated Visit to Suwon’s Fried Chicken Street (수원 통닭거리)
After my first ever Suwon day trip from Seoul last year I was so excited to go back as soon as I could. As much as I enjoyed exploring Suwon’s Hwaseong Palace (화성행궁) and its magnificent fortress, I missed out on a place I should’ve visited the first time. And that is Suwon’s Fried Chicken Street!
This year I had a chance to visit South Korea earlier than usual. And also my wife tagged along with me. It’ll be her first ever trip in South Korea. So I had to make it special.
With her in hand we headed back to Suwon for another day trip from Seoul. But will we be feasting on some of the best fried chicken this side of South Korea?
(Chi-maek) Chicken and Beer is a popular combination in Seoul. I got this from a restaurant in Myeongdong.
A Little Background on Korea’s Fried Chicken
First off in South Korea; fried chicken, which is usually enjoyed with a frosty mug of Korean draft beer is not unique to Suwon. Particularly in some of Seoul’s neighborhoods. If you randomly threw a rock in Myeongdong or Namdameun, chances are you’d hit a chicken and beer restaurant or “chi-maek” (치맥).
The fried chicken and beer combination is not just unique and famous in Suwon. What is unique however is that Suwon has a street dedicated to chi-maek restaurants with hordes of loyal local customers often waiting on queues to feast at their favorite local joint.
Now I have no clue about which chicken and beer restaurant is the best one in Suwon. So I googled and came across several travel blogs like this blog and on a few South Korean travel information websites. I quickly browsed through the info and found a lot of recommendations for the best fried chicken restaurants in Suwon.
It was only 5pm at Jin Mi Chicken and the restaurant was fairly busy…
As much as I respect other bloggers’ opinions I also like to do my own culinary explorations. There’s no secret to how I find good restaurants in unfamiliar territory.
I peek into a restaurant and if I see no local customers, I leave. If I peek inside and see a fair amount of locals I proceed. It’s as simple as that. It has always worked. Well most of the time…
Jin Mi Chicken Restaurant in Suwon
According to several travel bloggers, Jin Mi is the place to be for the best of Suwon’s fried chicken…
With a little detective work I deduced that that Jin Mi Chicken first opened back in 1981. Or rather I just read it from the store front sign. Anyways, it seems like many of the most popular fried chicken shops in Suwon all have a long history in the business of providing fried chicken to the hungry masses.
And what’s supposed to be unique in Suwon is the restaurants fry their birds outside where onlookers can smack their lips while waiting on queue.
Seasoned (sticky spicy sweet sauce) and unseasoned are the choices…
I did not see such a thing happening. But then again we were visiting in late November. And the temps was a chilly low 50°F (10°C) degrees with wind. Not ideal for frying chickens I tell you. So no surprise to see them frying chickens in a kitchen. But I can imagine the spectacle and fanfare of cooking outdoors.
The Verdict
Does Jin Mi Chicken serve some really good lip smacking fried birds? I dug in first on the unseasoned fried chicken to check out the coating. For my own personal taste, the coating is too thick. And it needed some seasoning like salt. Okay, granted a small plate of salt and pepper is provided and meant for dipping solves the problem.
A little bit closer look and you’ll see a neck and gizzards…
We also ordered a half plate of seasoned chicken which was supposed to be a spicy sweet sauce. It was sweet but it certainly wasn’t spicy. Good news is the chicken wasn’t dry. Overall, it’s not bad fried chicken. We still managed to scarf down the two plates. It’s just not what I had expected is all.
Final Thoughts
You’ll also see that the chicken bits are all chopped up. Not all pieces are recognizable like you’d see at Kentucky Fried Chicken. There will even be a chicken neck in there. Even a handful of fried chicken gizzards is thrown in for extra protein.
No one speaks English inside. However there is this big menu board on the back wall with clear and simple prices.
One fried chicken restaurant down and many more to try the next time I’m back in Suwon for another day trip…
We didn’t have any beer because it was early evening and the meal came out to 15,000KRW or $13US dollars. A 500cc of Korean draft beer cost 3,000KRW or $2.50USD.
So I tried Jin Mi Chicken, one of the city’s most well known fried chicken joints. Sad to say I’m not crazy about their fried Chicken.
But there are many more fried chicken restaurants in Suwon to try out of course and I will certainly be back again to check them out!
The Cicada Market – A Place You’ll Enjoy Even When You Hate Shopping…
But that’s just me. I’m a big grump when it comes to shopping. However I do love taking a stroll through any of Thailand’s famous night markets like Bangkok’s Talad Liab Duan. And certainly around Hua Hin’s Cicada Market. Which technically isn’t a night market. But who am I to disagree.
Now there really isn’t that much to do in Hua Hin (in my most humble opinion). So checking out Cicada Market at night is most likely on your to do list. It’s a highly recommended must visit in Hua Hin by travelers on tripadvisor.com.
My wife and I always make it our mission to visit Cicada Market every time we stay several nights in Hua Hin. Because it truly is a lovely market to stroll around even when you don’t plan on buying anything.
The best thing I enjoy about Cicada Market is eating all the street food I can get my grubby hands on.
When the weather is cool in Hua Hin, Cicada Market is a pleasure to walk around at night…
Cicada Market’s Location and Hours
This popular Thai night market by the sea is just south of Hua Hin’s city center. About 4.11 kilometers from the city’s equally famous Hua Hin Night Market.
There are many budget, mid and high end hotels in Hua Hin. I’ve stayed in many of them. If you’ve never visited Hua Hin before and this is will be your first visit, be sure to book a hotel near Hua Hin’s beach because it’s a lot more affordable then you’d think.
Here are some hotels I reviewed near Cicada Market:
The Escape Hotel (3 stars)- This hotel offers guests complimentary scheduled shuttle service to the market.
Ibis Hua Hin (2 stars and pet friendly) – 5 minute walk to Cicada Market.
Amari Hua Hin (4 stars)- 2 minute walk to Cicada Market.
Cicada Market’s operating days/hours are from Friday to Sunday, from 4pm to 11pm (cicadamarket.com).
Please note on Sunday the market closes 1 hour earlier at 10pm. Hua Hin Night Market closes at 1am.
The fact that they’re not open past midnight to me hardly qualifies it as a night market. Because it’s not. Everyone has been calling Cicada Market a night market.
Even Cicada Market organizers don’t refer to themselves as a night market.
Though I have to admit, the market looks beautiful at night with all the cool incandescent lights placed through out the market. It’s a real shame they can’t stay open longer.
There is also a small amphitheater where plays and even stand up comics can be enjoyed. I haven’t purchased a ticket to catch a show inside so I can’t provide too much information on that.
Cicada Night Market in Hua Hin is a must to visit while you’re in the area. It is open Friday thru Sunday from 4pm to 11pm…
What to Buy in Cicada Market
You’re going to see a common theme while strolling around. And that theme is art. Cicada Market is the kind of place where local Thai artists gather. Whether they be amateurs or professionals they come to showcase and perhaps make a bit of cash selling their art creations.
All kinds of modern art paintings are sold from contemporary to modern. Art lovers will certainly appreciate Cicada Market even more.
In the center of Cicada Market are a few small buildings that double as art exhibitions showcasing local art talent.
I came across this artists creating glass-blown art at Cicada Market…
You’ll also find handmade arts and crafts. Many are run by young enterprising Thai entrepreneurs. Need a bedazzled iPhone case? You’ll find it there. T-Shirts with unique graphic designs? You bet, you’ll see it there.
Amongst the arts and crafts is a family I came across making glass-blown figurines of animals. They can create a lot of animals with glass like giraffes, elephants, tigers and even all types of fish, right on site.
This guy is a master craftsman of glass figurines. His son is learning the art too…
And you can watch the process from start to finish. And it involves a blow torch. In my opinion nothing else is more entertaining then watching a guy wielding a blow torch to work at night. The glass figurines they create are also very affordable and a wonderful souvenir to take home.
Cicada Market is a haven for Thai artists in Hua Hin…
A caricature souvenir of yourself. Check. Many artists are available to paint a caricature of you starting at 300THB, depending on the size of the portrait. That’s a reasonable price. Plus you’ll be helping to feed a starving artist. Speaking about food…
The Food at the Cicada Market
When is it never about food?
Any self respecting market anywhere in the world has got to have an area where people can sit back and enjoy a meal.
I know there are people not keen on eating Thai food because they’re worried about consuming spicy foods. And we all know children are fickle eaters when they don’t recognize a food.
Cicada Market has a smorgasbord of international food selection. Don’t be surprised if you see Italian pizzas and pasta stalls selling next to a stall with American BBQ pork ribs and steaks. Even sushi is available. Halal food is also well represented.
There is a food court with an impressive array of Thai food to recognizable Western foods…
Cicada Market has quite a vast assortment of offerings. And because you’re in Hua Hin seafood is the specialty.
But I would skip the seafood inside Cicada Market because even though I know it’s fresh it’ll be more expensive. I know of a really good seafood restaurant right across from Cicada Market that I highly recommend. I’ll write a post on that restaurant really soon.
But if you find the seafood prices reasonable for your budget then go ahead and enjoy your seafood feast. Giant grilled prawns are available and sold by the kilo. A cook grills the prawns over a bed of hot coals while you wait and enjoy a nice frosty beer.
Lots of grab and go food are sold. But there is a big area with tables and chairs to sit down and enjoy your meals…
I haven’t really tried all the food in Cicada Market because I already have a couple of favorites nearby. But it’s a good place to grab desserts as there is a decent variety.
During peak hours, about 7pm to 9pm Cicada Market’s food seating area is filled to capacity so finding a seat could be difficult.
But with a bit of patience and perseverance you’ll eventually get a table. Plus standing over a seated table while glaring at the current occupants that have finished eating usually helps.
Western style food is hugely popular in Hua Hin and most certainly at Cicada Market…
The Atmosphere
Cicada Market is a fun place to just chill out. The atmosphere is non rushed and less crowded as other major bazaars and markets in Thailand, for example Chatuchak Weekend Market in Bangkok.
And because the beach is nearby you get this nice ocean breeze during the evening.
This kid is quite amazing with what he can do with empty bottles of beer…
In a way it’s one of the biggest attractions in Hua Hin. Which is why many hotels in Hua Hin with shuttle services offer rides to Cicada Market. And spending an evening wandering around there is a perfect way to end a night in Hua Hin.
Like I always say, Cicada Market has a great chilled vibe. It’s a great place for locals to hang out too. Even for local folks in Hua Hin there’s not much to do except coming to these places.
Many festivals take place on the grounds particularly during seasonal holidays like Songkran Thai New Years and especially Western New Years Eve for the big countdown.
Don’t Forget to Check Out Tamarind Market Too – It’s Right Next to Cicada Night
Tamarind Market opened right next to Cicada Market. It’s a totally separate and new to the “night” market scene in Hua Hin. It’s so called because of the location of the market is surrounded by tamarind trees.
However, because both are super close together I think most would think it’s Cicada Market the same. One big difference though is that there’s more local Thai food sold inside Tamarind Market.
Tamarind Market also opens a day extra and an hour earlier: Thursday – Sunday 5pm to 11pm
Cicada and Tamarind Market are both easily the best areas to spend 2 or 3 hours in Hua Hin.
Tamarind Night Market offers Hua Hin visitors more food variety and plenty of seating to eat…
So it’s not perfect. But I have to admit if I didn’t have this there would be a continuous line of ants having a buffet of kitty kibble. Also be sure to place your dry cat food in an airtight container.
