At this time, last year, I was in South Korea. Although the Philippines’ Centennial Airport, and the new Terminal 3 Airport are both beautiful, I was really impressed at Incheon’s International Airport. It’s on an island and it’s HUGE!
Arrivals
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After getting off the plane, passengers have to ride a sort of a train to get to the next building. I haven’t left the Philippines in the past ten years, so I can’t really compare it to other modern airports, but I can definitely say that this experience was wonderful. |
Baggage Claims
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When I was a kid, I hated waiting for my luggage, because it usually took forever. At the ICN, there were so many conveyor belts… and I got my luggage within five minutes. |
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Restrooms
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The restrooms are very nice and clean. And there is this strange device inside every cubicle, and the only thing written on it is “Etiquette Bell”. Later on, I found out that these things are really found in nearly all public restrooms (restaurants, malls, train stations, etc.). So I tried one out at the train station – apparently it’s for asking for help 
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There’s also a huge cubicle for the disabled, with buttons to easily open and close the doors. I wish we had these in Manila. |
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Are you one of those people who buy toilet bowl sprays so that you could sit down without having to worry about germs? Don’t you hate it when you see shoe marks on the toilet bowl? These toilet bowls should make you happy. (Yes, I’m fascinated by clean rest rooms!) |
Stores
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Most stores (e.g. Dunkin Donuts) at the airport are closed late at night, but some are always open, like Mini-Stop. Very useful if you’re waiting for someone. I couldn’t resist buying Starbucks coffee! |
Restaurants
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Duty-Free Shops (Departures Area)
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The duty-free shops aren’t as many as I had expected, but that’s alright. 
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Transportation from the Airport to Seoul
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As far as I know, you can take a cab, the bus, and the train to get to Seoul. I think buses and trains are not available when it’s very late at night.
There is an information booth near the exit though, and they can give you a guide book and a map of Seoul. They can get you a cab, too. The cabs come in different sizes (kind of like small, medium and large vehicles), and they all have different rates. |
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I was surprised when the lady at the booth suggested that we try to fit all our luggage (for three people) into a normal-sized cab, so that we could save money. I am more used to being talked into SPENDING MORE money! This kind, little gesture from a customer service representative set the tone for my entire trip. It really gave me a very positive outlook on the South Korean culture. As they say… “First impressions, last.” |
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