THEY say, one should never leave Seoul, the capital of the Republic of Korea, without visiting the famous Nami (Namiseom) Island.
Upon checking on photos showing the majestic view of the place, particularly during autumn, made me desire more to see it personally.
As a fan of Koreanovela, I was definitely excited to be in the place where some famous Korean TV series taped. Of course, "Winter Sonata" is on top of the list of these highly-popular shows shot here.
So, when Aurora and I arrived in Seoul from Incheon International Airport on October 29, we immediately started our journey to finally experience the beauty of the island.
After leaving our stuff at the concierge of our hotel in Namdaemun, we headed straight to Seoul Station, a subway line, to get to Gapyeong. As soon as we get off the train, we ran towards the bus that would take us to Nami Wharf. To our surprise, the number of people lining up to ride the bus was so long that we decided to take a cab instead. However, it appeared that it was not just our lucky day. There was no available taxi as well!
With no public transport to take us to the wharf, we had no choice but to walk. Yes, we had to walk for around an hour just to reach the docking area of the ferry that will bring us all to the colorful Nami Island.
And that was not the end of our adventure yet! Right at the wharf, we and our tired feet were once again challenged. We had to beat the cold weather while queuing for another hour!
Accordingly, the volume of visitors on that day was unusual. Well, considering that it was a Sunday and fall is the best season to visit it, one can surely expect such influx.
While the entire journey going there was not so easy, seeing the red, yellow and orange leaves of trees lined up all over the island was enough for us to forget about the battle we needed to experience few hours before.
By paying 8,000 won (roughly P370), we finally had the opportunity to see for ourselves how autumn looks with the colorful foliage covering the ground. The "entry visa" fee already includes the ferry ride back and forth.
The more than 500 square yards half moon-shaped island truly gives its guests some breathtaking views that someone from a tropical country will forever miss.
Aside from the trees, guests can also enjoy the Korean culture through the Handicraft Studio, Nami Eco-school, Nami Island Glass Workshop, and Picture Book Playground.
They likewise have several restaurants, exhibition halls, and other attractions such as the tandem bike, electronic car, and zipline to complete the experience.
And if you are lucky enough, you can see squirrels running around the area as well.
Tip
If you are planning to visit Seoul and experience Nami Island, make sure that before reaching Korea, you have already confirmed your booking for a bus going there directly. It costs higher, though.
Let me emphasize that doing so will save you time and energy, especially that you will no longer have to take at least two train and one bus rides to Nami Wharf.
You may check this website https://namisum.com/en/location/ for more information.
By the way, communication with the locales is never easy in Korea. They hardly speak English, so better bring a map and address of your hotel (in Korean characters, if possible) with you all the time. You can just point to the map or the address when asking for directions, or when talking to a taxi driver.
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If you have special events and fashion tips to share, or just want to discuss about any fashion-related concerns with me, you are always free to reach me at mendoza.jennygrace@gmail.com.