Jean WongKorea is known for being a popular food and shopping destination, so it may not occur to most that there are plenty of other activities available that the typical tourist can undertake. Well, you may be pleased to find out that there is more than meets the eye when it comes to Korea — beyond their scrumptious food and high-quality cosmetics, Koreans do also take pride in their sports culture as well!
The Hangang (Han River) Park is one such example. As one of the best places in Seoul for sports lovers to hang out, it offers a plethora of activities that’s sure to keep you entertained. The government initially built Hangang park to create a space for locals and tourists alike to enjoy recreational activities — and they have certainly succeeded. With our list of possible activities you can do in Hangang Park, it’s sure to make you reconsider the notion that Korea is merely a destination for foodies and shoppers.
Biking Trails
Image credit: Ken Eckert
For those who would like to start mild, or just enjoy the view that the Han River has to offer, there are good hiking and biking trails for this purpose alone. There are 80km worth of biking trails all along the Han River — 40km on each side — so having a path to cycle on is not an issue. With bike rental kiosks all around Hangang Park, visitors can start biking at any point around the Han River!
The most well-known biking trail, however, is the Yeouido Bike Ride, which spans 15km around a section of the river. The trail starts from and ends at Yeouido Park, which is coincidentally where the annual Cherry Blossom Festival is held at as well. So if you’re in Korea during spring season from March to May, you’ll be treated to glorious views of the cherry blossoms as you cycle along the river!
Of course, the trail offers more sights than just the cherry blossoms. Even if you happen to be in Korea in a different season, there are still plenty of attractions to admire. A sculpture of the monster from the famous Korean movie, “The Host”, can be seen along the biking trail. There is also the Jeoldusan Martyrs Shrine, a memorial dedicated towards the thousands of Korean Catholics executed and thrown into the river in 1866.
Before ending the trail, riders can stop by Seonyudo Park while crossing the Yanghwa Bridge, which is a small island situated in the middle of the Han River. There is a cafe on the end of the island which visitors can stop at and rest before finishing their journey. Depending on your speed, the trail might take 2-3 hours to complete.
Outdoor Swimming Pools
Image credit: Republic of Korea
There are a total of six outdoor swimming pools around Hangang Park. These include Ttukseom Swimming Pool, Gwangnaru Pool, Jamsil Swimming Pool, Jamwon Swimming Pool, Yeouido Swimming Pool and Mangwon Swimming Pool.
Each of these pools offer different attractions, so it depends on what kind of experience you’re looking for. The Ttukseom Pool, which is the most widely-visited of the eight, boasts a 450 metre-long water stream, as well as slides, fountains, mazes, and an air bounce for children to play in.
Meanwhile, the Yeouido Pool is the largest pool in Hangang Park. With amenities like an Aqua Ring, which pours water from a height of 4 metres, as well as a tunnel in which the water forms a swirling vortex, it is definitely a favourite of the locals’. While Yeouido Pool is more suited for adults children can splash about in its animal-shaped pools as well.
Water Activities
Image credit: Jonathan Tommy
Beyond the swimming pools, there are a wide variety of water sports offered in Hangang Park. These include wakeboarding, waterskiing, windsurfing, flyboarding and more! If such activities are too exhilarating for your tastes, visitors can also opt to rent a tubester or a swan boat to peddle in the Han River. Alternatively, there are water taxis to ride in or, better yet, river cruises with various themes catered towards different interests! If you fancy exploring the Han River in a relaxing manner, these water taxis and river cruises might be the way to go.
Banpo Bridge
Image credit: Travel Oriented
Arguably the most famous bridge in Hangang Park, the Banpo Bridge is definitely a visual delight — particularly when it comes alive at night. With its mesmerising rainbow fountain show every night, hundreds flock to Banpo Bridge just to get a glimpse of this spectacular light show. As the world’s longest bridge fountain, Banpo Bridge holds a Guinness World Record for its nearly 10,000 LED light nozzles that run along both sides of the bridge. These nozzles are the star of the rainbow fountain show, shooting out 190 tons of water per minute.
With an endless list of activities offered at Hangang Park, visitors will never feel bored while there. In fact, one day is just not enough to explore all that Hangang Park provides! Perhaps it’s time for an extended trip to Seoul…
Also read: The Beginner’s Guide to Banchan
