Nami Island

Nami Island is the most popular day trip from Seoul for a reason: it is easy, pretty and completely different from the city. A small, half-moon-shaped island in the Bukhan River, about an hour and a half northeast of Seoul, it was turned into a landscaped park decades ago and became famous across Asia after the 2002 drama Winter Sonata filmed its romantic scenes here; fans still come to walk the avenue where the leads met. Today the island markets itself playfully as an independent republic, Naminara, with its own whimsical branding, and it is designed around gentle wandering. The signature sights are its tree-lined lanes: the tall metasequoia avenue, straight as a cathedral nave; ginkgo and maple lanes that blaze yellow and red in autumn; pine and birch groves; and the riverbank paths around the island's edge. Animals roam freely — squirrels, rabbits, peacocks and a small flock of ostriches — and there are galleries, a picture-book playground, craft workshops, a small museum, cafes and restaurants, including spots serving the regional specialty of spicy stir-fried chicken. You can rent bicycles, including tandems, or ride a little tour bus, and in winter the island's snow scenes are a draw of their own. The arrival is part of the fun: most visitors take the short ferry from Gapyeong wharf, but the more adventurous fly in on a zip wire that launches from a tower on the mainland and drops across the river onto the island. It is touristy, and on autumn weekends it is very busy, but it delivers a relaxing, scenic day that most visitors remember fondly.

The island is open daily from early morning until evening, and ferries run frequently from Gapyeong wharf throughout the day, with longer hours during the spring blossom, summer holiday and autumn foliage seasons. Admission is paid at the wharf and covers the ferry crossing; the zip wire costs considerably more and includes admission and the return ferry. Arrive early in October and November, when the foliage is at its peak and weekend crowds can mean queues for the ferry; weekdays are far calmer.

Getting there by public transport is straightforward. Take the ITX-Cheongchun express train or the Gyeongchun Line commuter train from Seoul to Gapyeong Station, then a short taxi or the Gapyeong city tour bus to the wharf. Shuttle buses from central Seoul run as well, and many visitors book a packaged day tour that combines Nami with the Garden of Morning Calm, Petite France or the Gangchon rail bike, which saves transfers if you want to see several places in a day.

Give the island at least three hours, longer if you cycle or eat lunch there. Wear comfortable shoes, bring layers in spring and autumn, and in winter dress warmly — the river valley is noticeably colder than Seoul. Nami suits families, couples and drama fans especially well; travelers wanting authentic rural Korea may prefer a hanok village or temple, but as a light, pretty escape from the city it is hard to beat.