Chicago to Seoul Flights

  About Chicago

Located on the West coast of Gujarat is the quaint little city of Porbandar. The city is highly regarded for its pilgrimage as it has a strong mythological relevance. Many pivotal incidences from the tales of Mahabharat and Ramayana have taken place in the city, or so says the folklore. As the city is on the Saurashtra's coastal side, the city is blessed with a brilliant climate and geography. There are hills, coasts, rivers, lakes and more such geographical benefits that make Porbandar a beautiful city. Historically, the city adds another feather to its illustrious cap by being the birthplace of freedom fighter Mahatma Gandhi. With such intriguing stories that the city has to tell, it easily becomes one of the most visited places in Gujarat.

The flight connectivity to Porbandar from other major cities is also excellent. The coastal town connects with the rest of India through popular routes, making travel easy and convenient. Booking hotels in Porbandar are also useful as the city comes with exciting accommodations.

Best time to visit Chicago

Porbandar enjoys fair weather throughout the year. The temperature is mostly at a pleasant range between 23 degree Celsius to 36 degree Celsius. Depending on the year and the humidity, the temperatures do see some changes, but mostly, it's sunny positive. The winters in Porbandar are quite enchanting as the cold breezy air adds quite a romantic charm to the place. The temperatures usually range from 10 degree Celsius to 36 degree Celsius. When you do plan for your Porbandar trip, try to choose this season. The pleasant weather will make sightseeing more comfortable. Not to mention how the flight tickets to Porbandar are also cheap and affordable, irrespective of the peak season. December and January are considered as best months to visit Porbandar.

The monsoon months in Porbandar are just as enjoyable as the winters. Between July to September, the monsoon drenches the city with a cool but humid atmosphere. While the humidity does increase during monsoon, the strong winds that pass through the city during the season help normalise the temperature to a pleasant level. You can book a hotel in Porbandar during this time and take in all the monsoon magic. You certainly wouldn't regret it.

Summers, though, could be a little hot. In comparison to the pleasant weather the city experiences throughout the year, the summer winds come with high temperatures that sometimes reach 40 degree Celsius. While it is not ideal for visiting Porbandar during summers, if you are already used to such temperatures and climate, you wouldn't have much trouble. Not to mention how the flight tickets to Porbandar during summers see a drop in prices.

Places to visit in Chicago

Porbandar does not have many tourist attractions as such. The place is a pilgrimage with many temples and shrines. During your trip, you can visit some of the temples, namely, Sri Hari temple, Krishna-Sudama temple, Kirti temple, to name a few. These temples have strong connections with the Hindu mythology tale Mahabharat. The city also has some relics from the Harappan civilisation which could add to a good historical venture.

One of the big highlights of Porbandar's tourism is the Huzoor Palace, built in the early 20th century by Rana Natwarsinhji, the last Maharaja of Porbandar. The structure has derived architectural inspiration from European styles and is quite beautiful. The vicinity also has fancy fountains and well-maintained gardens.

Things to do in Chicago

The city might have only pilgrimage as the most prominent tourist attraction, but you can tweak your itinerary and add some personal excursions of your own. Located a little away from the city are the Jambuvan Caves, known to be the resting place of the famous warrior Jambuvan, who has played an essential role in the mythological tales of Mahabharat. The caves are also known to have Ramayana relevance with Hanuman spending time in the caves. You can also visit the Porbandar Bird Sanctuary and indulge in some photography. The sanctuary has a scenic setting which adds to the charm and beauty of the place. The biggest attraction of the bird sanctuary is how it inhabits migratory birds such as jacanas, little cormorants, whistling teals, avocets, coots, grebes, pelicans, terns, to name a few.

Food and Restaurants in Chicago

Porbandar is famous for its Gujarati cuisine. The city, much like the rest of the state, is rich in vegetarian Gujarati delicacies. From lip-smacking dhokla with green chutney to divine khandwas, one can never get tired of these dishes. Porbandar also follows the Jain-style cuisine by eliminating potatoes, onions, etc. from their dishes. They substitute potatoes with bananas which manage to do the job perfectly well. In fact, Jain cuisine is just as tasty as a regular vegetarian cuisine. You should probably give Jain food a try when in Porbander.

Travellers with a taste for vegan and vegetarian food can head to Flavours. The restaurant is famous for its take on vegan-friendly dishes as well as a slew of global cuisine. You will definitely be happy and satiated with their take on international cuisine. The place is extremely healthy and something worth considering. If exquisite fine dine is in your itinerary then you should head to Blue Coriander and book a table. The place with its classy interiors has great food reviews. You can get some lovely Gujarati thalis here or even the sweet daal that they're fans of. The food is known to be fresh and tasty with a plethora of choices for vegetarians. You can also get a spicy vada pav at Goli Vada Pav. Mumbaikars know their vada pavs well, and they sure love Goli Vada Pav.

Finding a non-vegetarian restaurant in Porbandar might be challenging as the city primarily has a vegetarian population. However, there is one place where you can get some lovely Indian spin on dishes, including seafood. SaltWater, located on the Dwarka Porbandar highway, has the best seafood that you should certainly try. As for those who are tired of all the spices and want something savoury, you should check out Shiva Baker's Point and Midday Munchies.

How to reach Chicago(Transportation)

By Air

Porbandar Airport is located along the coast of the state of Gujarat. The airport is open for commercial use but also has a military presence. The city's airport is well-connected with some of the big cities in India such as Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Chennai, June, Jaipur and Bangalore, to name a few. Thanks to the consistent infrastructural development, the city has managed to find great connectivity with other cities in India. The flight connectivity to Porbandar is excellent as many flights from big cities have direct flights. SpiceJet and TruJet are the two airlines with dedicated flights flying to Porbandar. Even though it is a domestic airport, there are provisions of duty-free shops within the airport that one can avail goods from at a reasonable cost.

The airport also provisions a slew of restaurant chains and fast food shops to keep the passengers entertained. The most popular route to Porbandar is from Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Delhi as these three cities have regular flights flying in and out. The location of the airport is also convenient, enabling easy access to the city centre. You can hire a taxi cab from outside the airport, or if you have booked a hotel in Porbandar, they will probably send the airport shuttle, if you request it.

By Rail

Porbandar Railway Station is perfectly connected with major cities within Gujarat. There are dedicated daily trains to and from Porbandar to Rajkot, Ahmedabad, Somnath and more. The railway also connects well with other domestic routes from Porbandar to big cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Jaipur. Weekly trains to cities in the South such as Hyderabad and Kochi are also available. It is essential to know the train schedule before booking the tickets. Specific express trains are not reserved for Porbandar so you might end up spending a lot of your time in transit. The station is around 5 km from the city centre.

As frequent trains are entering and leaving the city regularly, transport via train is also considered to be a good and affordable option. Flight tickets to Porbandar could be expensive sometimes depending on the season in which you are booking your flights.

By Road

Major cities are connected to Porbandar through the domestic route of NH 8B. The national highway brings cities such as Ahmedabad and Rajkot closer to Porbandar. Public buses are also available to connect Porbandar to the rest of the cities in Gujarat. You can find them at the bus station where buses to Vadodara, Jamnagar, Surat and even Mumbai are available. Many travellers opt for roadways to reach Porbandar, especially if they are travelling from the coastal areas of Maharashtra. Tourists even drive down to Porbandar from Jaipur and other cities in Rajasthan as it is a good drive. From the bus station, rickshaws and buses are also available that can take you to the hotel you have booked in Porbandar. Taxi cabs are also present in the city, so transportation in the city is extremely convenient for travellers.

  About Seoul

The affluent city of Seoul is one of the largest cities and capital of South Korea. Defined by its vibrant culture, flourishing economy and striking infrastructure and architecture, the city easily becomes one of the best places to live in. Right from the clean and convenient Incheon airport to the towering yet scintillating structures of the skyscrapers in the city, Seoul is a city that you should definitely visit. From the city's nightlife fervour to the relics of ancient history, Seoul caters to the likes of all types of tourists.

Flight bookings to Seoul are decently priced from India. It also falls under one of the top places to visit for a budget-friendly experience from India. The lively and dynamic city life will certainly leave an impression on you. Not to mention how they have exquisite accommodations and hospitality too. You can book some lovely hotels in Seoul and enjoy the garden views of the city.

Best time to visit Seoul

Seoul enjoys multitudes of seasons, making some months perfect and others best avoided. Spring in Seoul between March to May is when the city witnesses the best of nature's delights. From lovely trees turning into beautiful shades of green to the blooming of the cherry blossoms, Seoul's Springtime is the best season to visit the city. The temperature is also at a pleasant 10 degree Celsius to 23 degree Celsius. It is recommended that you pack some parkas or winter jackets during your visit as the evenings will get quite cold. The flight tickets to Seoul is cheap during springtime, making travelling viable. Not to mention how the hotels also drop their prices. If you do a little scouting, you might even find some snazzy flight deals online to Seoul as well as affordable accommodation. Best would be to book hotels to Seoul in advance as the locals of South Korea might flock over to the city to experience the charming season. Since this is also the time when there are festivals celebrated, crowd from other parts of South Korea might travel to the city.

The second wave of season that would work in your favour is the autumn. Between September and November, the autumn season envelopes the city with scintillating atmosphere and lovely weather. Compared to the flight ticket prices to Seoul during summer or even winter, autumn will get you the best travel deals. Hotel prices also see a pleasant drop, enabling travelling convenient for travellers who wish to explore the city of Seoul. There are various high-priced and quaint hotels in Seoul that you can check into.

Places to visit in Seoul

As a city that witnesses approximately 10 million people from around the world, there are many beautiful tourist spots with off-beat city things. You will interestingly find a lot of gardens and parks interspersed with a fine culinary experience. The two famous things to see in Seoul is undoubtedly their well-maintained parks, temples, palaces and marketplace. Some of the perfect places to begin with in Seoul are from the serene gardens of Changdeok Palace, Bukhansan National Park and Namsan Park and N Seoul Town. While it might sound boring to indulge in garden-hopping as opposite to the possibility of seeing pristine structures and architectural delights. But you should know that these gardens have the power to transport you to a tranquil space amid a busy city. Bukchon Hanok Village would be a good neighbourhood to visit as it has some of the most expensive and private hanoks, basically traditional Korean-styled houses.

While in Seoul, do not miss out their UNESCO World Heritage site, one of the oldest royal shrines preserved by the city. Jongmyo Shrine is known to be the oldest and a well-kept royal shrine complex from the Joseon dynasty. The location is beautiful and definitely worth a visit. You can also check out their cute Korean version of Disney World at Lotte World. The theme park boasts Korean kitsch but also has some fun adventure rides suitable for all ages.

Things to do in Seoul

Within the Bukhansan National Park, there are towering hills and even valleys that would deem perfect for some of you adventure junkies. You can also trek up to the Buddhist temples and the Bukhansanseong Fortress, all by following the trails in the park. To engage in some of their party cultures, you can check out Hondae, a hub and that flaunts the fun youth culture of South Korea. Dongdaemun Market is another amazing place for all you shopaholics. It is Seoul's very own mecca of shopping with exquisite brands and over 30,000 shops, wholesale stores and much more. In fact, to peruse through the market, you will have to carry a map with you, so that you don't get lost in the premise.

Food and Restaurants in Seoul

Seoul's culinary delights are something that you shouldn't miss. Take that leap of faith and experiment with your palette by downing some of the traditional Korean dishes. Straight from the Korean kitchen are dishes like hansik, kimchi, gochujang and samgyupsal, galbi, to name a few of them. Much of Korean cuisine has grilled food that goes down really well with some soju. The setting for these dishes is mostly some of the quaint restaurants with tabletop grill. The sizzling meat in front of you would certainly leave you drooling.

It is essential for you to first learn about Korean cuisine before experimenting as some of their dishes might not go down well with you. While the sizzling meat could make you go weak in the knees, some of you might want to get a whiff of the lovely rice bowl with aromatic vegetables and meat. Seoul's famous Bon Bibimbap will serve you some of their legendary bibimbap. A bibimbap consists of a rice bowl topped with vegetables, fried egg (optional), marinated meat and chilli paste for taste. Not only will these dishes do you good but won't burn a hole in your pocket.

For the best street food experience in Seoul, you should simply head to the Gwangjang Market where you will find dishes such as mandu (dumplings with ground meat or vegetables, depending on your choice), bindaeduk (friend pancakes) and jokbal (pigs' feet tossed in boiling soy sauce and ginger). To experience the restaurant-like setting, you should visit places such as Gusto Taco, Jangseng Geongangwon, 853, The Griffin Bar, Jihwaja, Innisfree Green Cafe, Yang Good, to name a few. The Korean-style food and savouries are a treat, especially if you've been following the Korean culture for too long. Seoul's food expedition would be quite rewarding.

How to reach Seoul (Transportation)

By Air

From India, there is impeccable flight connectivity to Seoul. Major metropolitan cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, etc., have direct or layover flights to Seoul. To book a flight ticket to Seoul, you'll have to select Incheon International Airport, which is near the main city of Seoul. From the Seoul airport, there are inter-city buses that will take you to the main city. The city of Seoul is approximately 48 km away from Incheon airport. Hence, the provisions to facilitate buses from the airport has been made by the authorities. It takes close to 60 minutes to reach the main city of Seoul from the airport. Seoul-Incheon International Airport is touted to be one of the cleanest and best international transit airport globally. The efficiency of the airport can be witnessed as you take the international route to Seoul from India too. The flights to and from Seoul regularly fly in India. The demand for the South Korean city is quite high, making it one of the important international cities to connect for India.

The flight tickets from India to Seoul are also quite cheap and affordable. It costs approximately INR 37,000 - 40,000, round trip. Despite regular flight connectivity to Seoul, the flights from India do have to undergo layovers in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, etc. Air India is the only Indian airlines to have dedicated flights to Seoul from India. To enjoy cheap flight tickets to Seoul, you should opt for early booking. In fact, while you're at it, book your hotels in Seoul as well. You'll get the added benefit of booking flights to Seoul as well as accommodation. There are many flight deals online for Seoul as it is a popular city that sees decent demand from India. The flight duration to Seoul from India takes about 10 - 15 hours to reach.

By Water

There are cruises to Seoul by they are not connected from India. South Korea is an island country and hence, has cruises and ships as other modes of transport. However, the provision is not possible from India. There are regular ships and cruises voyaging to Seoul from Singapore, China and even Australia. IT should be noted though that travelling via waterways would take a lot of time. As long as you have the luxury of time and wealth, you can take up fancy cruises from the places mentioned. It is not a convenient mode of transport as you will have to change from flights to cruises or ships.