8 Things to Do at Nami Island (Seoul)!
This is a list of 8 fun things to do at Nami Island! Every year, fans of the classic Korean drama “Winter Sonata” will make their pilgrimage to the picturesque Nami Island. Many of the scenes from this popular drama were filmed here, and we found many Winter Sonata tributes. To get to Nami Island, you can check out this shuttle bus package which brings you directly to the island and back to Seoul too. If you prefer more flexibility, you can check out this convenient 10-hour private car charter.
We spent a few hours here exploring the island and reminiscing about the tragic but beautiful love story of Min-hyeong and Yoo-jin. (Yes we are Winter Sonata fans!) If you wish to stay overnight here, you can book a room at the only hotel on Nami Island, the Hotel Jeonggwanru. Based on these reviews, it has cosy rooms with scenic garden / river views. The island gets pretty crowded from around 10.30am onward so if you stay overnight you can beat the crowd to take beautiful pictures and revel in the tranquility. Remember to check out my detailed article on how to get to Nami Island too. This article was last updated on 02 May 2020.
1. Revel in the Beautiful Scenery
Nami Island is beautiful. That’s all I can say. Words can’t really describe the beauty and serene nature of this island. We wandered around the island and found loads of awesome photo spots. We even found some cute squirrels that got really close to us. It seemed that they were not very afraid of humans.
2. Try the Famous Pan-Fried Rice Cake!
We had read about the famous Pan-fried rice cake on Nami Island and were really looking forward to trying it. The delicious rice cake is filled with red bean paste and goes for just KRW 1,000. The pancake was crispy and crunchy to the bite, combining with the velvety red bean paste to form a delicious blend of flavours. This was definitely worth the hype!
3. Take a Picture with the Redwood Trees
Every tourist going to Nami Island will take a photo with the majestic redwood trees lining both sides of Metasequoia Road. This was the backdrop for many romantic scenes in Winter Sonata.
I was forced convinced by Raevian that we had to take a photo here too. After several countless tries, we finally managed to get a nice shot without anyone in the background or walking into the camera frame.
Afterwards, I held Raevian’s hand and strolled leisurely along the metasequoia-lined path, reveling in the cool spring air and beautiful scenery.
4. Visit the Various Winter Sonata Tributes
The real couple snowmen!
As we walked around the island, we stumbled upon many Winter Sonata tributes. The most memorable one was the “Couple Snowmen”, which Min-hyeong and Yoo-jin made together in the drama during their courting period.
We came here via the “First Kiss Bridge”, so named because Min-hyeong kissed Yoo-jin here while building their snowmen.
Note that there are many replicas of the couple snowmen on the island. The “real” one is located by the lake after the First Kiss Bridge.
We also came across two life-size statues of Min-hyeong and Yoo-jin.
5. Tour Nami Island
Even though Nami Island is small, it still takes quite a while to get around on foot between places. It is possible to rent bicycles or take an electric car tour. For more details click here.
6. Take the Zipwire!
Yes, there’s a Zipwire to Nami Island! Instead of taking the ferry from Gapyeong Wharf to reach Nami Island, you can take the zipwire instead. The super fun ride takes less than 2 minutes. The cost is KRW 44,000, which covers the admission fee to Nami Island as well as the ferry ride back. Bulky bags need to be left in the lockers at the reception area. This is definitely a fun way to experience a different view of Nami Island! Find out more about the zipwire ride to Nami Island.
7. Visit Petite France
Petite France is a French-themed village located about 25 minutes away from Nami Island station by the Gapyeong Tour Bus. The design of the village is modeled after the French novella, “The Little Prince”, written by Saint-Exupery.
Even though this is not part of Nami Island, we decided to give it a visit as it is relatively nearby. It was also one of the filming locations for the super-popular K-Drama: My Love from the Star. (yes the one with that handsome guy who is an alien)
We saw many pretty pastel-coloured French architectural buildings over here. We also came across various art galleries, museums, as well as a memorial hall celebrating the life and work of Saint-Exupery. This was a nice place to experience European art and culture.
Directions to Petite France
It is easy to get to Petite France. Simply take the Gapyeong Tour Bus to Petit France bus station.
8. Garden of Morning Calm
The Garden of Morning Calm is a large garden with gorgeous colours, thick foliage, and pretty flowers. It is located about one hour away from Nami Island Station via the Gapyeong Tour Bus. It is beautiful all year round, with different themes for the respective seasons. Find out more about the Garden of Morning Calm in Gapyeong.
This article is part of our completely free and fantastic Ultimate Seoul Travel Guide. Why spend days researching when all your holiday information is simply a click away?
Rough Map of Gapyeong
44 Comments and Questions
Which month did you visit in?
Hi Nova, we visited in late March.
You give a very good guide on getting to Nami Island; I will be going to Seoul on Sept 26th. I will certainly follow your guide, it is easy to understand. Thanks so much again, I will be following your other travel tips too.
Thanks Francis! Have a fabulous time in Seoul.
Hi Evan! May I know how much time you spent at Nami island and Petite France?
Hello Germaine, I spent about 2 to 3 hours at each location.
The pancake is now 2000 won per piece. Maybe cost more during winter.
May I know roughly how many hours will one spend at Nami Island?
Hi Chiou, we spent about 3 hours on Nami Island!
You stated in the “How to get to Nami Island” post that for KRW 6,000, it gives you unlimited bus rides between Nami island and Petite France. Do I need to take the bus back to Gapyeong Station and ITX train to Yongsan Staton?
Hi Tiffany, from Nami Island Station, you need to take the Gapyeong tour bus for one stop to Gapyeong Station Terminal. It will take about 5 minutes. From Gapyeong Station Terminal, you can take the ITX train back to Yongsan station.
Hi! Thank you for this! I would just like to ask since I am also planning to visit Nami Island, Petite France and Garden of the Morning Calm. How do I transfer from one place to another? From Nami Island Station, do I still have to go back to Gapyeong Station to ride a tour bus going to Petite France? Or is there a tour bus from Nami Island Station going to Petite France? And same for going to Garden of the Morning Calm.
Would really appreciate your reply. Thank you!
Hi MJ! No you do not need to go back to Gapyeong Station. The Gapyeong tour bus goes to all the three locations you mentioned. Therefore, you can continue taking the tour bus directly from Nami Island Station to Petite France. From Petite France, you can also take the tour bus to Garden of the Morning Calm. The KRW 6,000 fare for the Gapyeong tour bus allows you to ride the bus unlimited times.
Hi,
Did the cherry blossoms bloom when you were there? I’m going to Nami Island next week in April, so I was wondering if there will be cherry blossoms.
Hi Phil, I don’t remember seeing Cherry Blossoms on Nami Island when I visited in late march. However, they will usually be in full bloom by mid April, so I think you should see the cherry blossoms when you visit =)
Thanks for the very informative write up on Nami Island!
Hi Evan, may I know where you stayed? I plan to visit Nami island, but I will be staying in Myeong-dong area. How far is Myeong-dong from Nami Island?
Hi Nie! Myeongdong is roughly about 1.5 hours away from Nami Island. You can refer to this article for exact instructions on how to get to Nami Island! https://www.eatandtravelwithus.com/2016/04/how-to-get-to-nami-island-and-back-to-seoul/
Hi, is it possible to go to Nami Island, Petite France and Garden of Morning Calm all in the same day? Thanks in advance for the reply! =)
Hi Mio!
Yes it is definitely possible to do so in one day. You just need to ride the Gapyeong Tour Bus to these three places. The bus fare is KRW6,000, and you get to ride the bus unlimited times. But you will need to start early in the morning. Ideally, you should reach Nami Island around 10am. You can click here for more details.
If you are travelling with young children or prefer convenience, you can check out this Nami Island tour that brings you to all three places comfortably.
Hi, are we really able to cover all 3 places in one day? I do not plan to stay overnight as I have already paid for full boarding in Myeongdong.
Hi Nat! Yes it is possible to cover Nami Island, Petite France, and The Garden of Morning Calm in one day. If you prefer convenience, you can click here to see a tour that covers these 3 places.
Hi, may I know where is the Gangchon Rail bike located? Because I will be at Nami Island on 17 Nov 2018 on free and easy.
Hi Jin! Gangchon Rail bike is located near Gimyujeong Metro Station. From the station, get out from Exit 1 and walk for about four minutes to Gangchon Rail Park.
If you prefer convenience, you can consider this day tour package which will bring you to Nami Island, Petite France, and Gangchon Rail Park.
Hi, may I know how do you go around Nami Island? Do they have a bus that travels around? I will be going there during winter.
Hi Xuan! The island is very small and you can just walk around on the foot trails. Vehicles are not allowed on the island.
Hi there, I’m going to Seoul on 25th with my 6 year old daughter and plan to go straight to Elysian Gangcheon ski resort.
How do I get from the ski resort to Nami Island? And which hotel stay would you recommend?
And from Nami Island, how do I get back to Seoul?
Hi Diana!
1. From the ski resort, you can catch a shuttle bus to Baegyang-ri Station. It runs regularly between the station and the resort.
2. From the station, take the metro for two stops to Gapyeong Station.
3. From Gapyeong Station, you can take the Gapyeong City Tour Bus, Intra-City Bus, or Taxi to Nami Island Station.
4. From Nami Island Station, walk for two minutes to Gapyeong Wharf, and take the ferry to Nami Island.
If you are referring to staying overnight on Nami island, you can stay at the only hotel there, the Naminara Hotel. It has decent reviews.
From Nami Island, you can either take the metro or ITX train back to Seoul city centre. For a detailed guide on how to do this, you can click here.
Since you are travelling with a young child, you may want to consider this day tour of Nami Island and Elysian Gangchon Ski Resort. It provides comfortable transport to and fro Seoul, and even includes a basic ski lesson.
Hope this helps and have a great trip with your daughter =)
Hi Evan,
May I know how much did you spend on this Nami Island trip including every transportation?
Hi Winnie,
Here’s a rough breakdown of the expenses for one person:
ITX Return Tickets – KRW11,800
Gapyeong Tour Bus – KRW6,000
Nami Island Ferry Return Tickets + Admission Ticket – KRW8,000
Nami Island Food – KRW2,000
Petite Island Food – KRW5,000
TOTAL – KRW32,800
Hi Evan,
Your blog is very on point & informative. Thank your for being so kind in sharing your experiences freely, made my travel plan a whole lot easier. And if you don’t mind, may I ask if cherry blossom really come into full bloom immediately? I will be visiting Seoul on 19-26 March, I’m still hoping that I can catch an ‘early bloom’ if there’s such a thing?
Hi Marjie!
You’re very welcome, glad you found my blog useful. Unfortunately I do not think there will be “early blooms”; the cherry blossoms usually appear between early to mid April. Personally I didn’t see any cherry blossoms when I visited in late March.
Hello. I’m staying in Incheon and I don’t know what to ride. Can you help me reach Nami Island?
Hello Marie, you can take the All Stop Train from Incheon which will bring you to Seoul Station. It costs about KRW 4,500 KRW and will take around 56 minutes. From Seoul Station, take the metro to Yongsan, then transfer to the ITX train to Gapyeong. From Gapyeong, you can take a bus followed by a ferry to Nami Island. For more details, you can refer to my two article below:
Getting to Seoul from Incheon
https://www.eatandtravelwithus.com/2016/07/getting-from-incheon-airport-to-seoul
Getting to Nami Island from Seoul
https://www.eatandtravelwithus.com/2016/04/how-to-get-to-nami-island-and-back-to-seoul
Hi there,
Im going to Nami Island on 31st Dec and planning an overnight stay there. Will there be snow at that time and any suggestions for hotel?
Hi Alex,
Yes I believe it starts snowing from November, but you can check the weather forecast to be sure.
There is only one hotel on Nami Island, which is the Hotel Jeonggwanru.
Hi! Can I see the bus schedule of Gapyeong Tour Bus to Petit France bus station? Thank you!
Hello Sab, the bus schedule is in the article above, under “8. Garden of Morning Calm”.
We are travelling to Nami Island on December 31, 2019. What do you recommend and what can we expect in Nami Island? Thanks.
Hi carol! It will be really cold (sub zero temperatures!), but the good thing is that there will be less tourists. There will be many pretty ice sculptures, and you will be able to take pictures without people getting into your shot. On the whole you can expect serenity and beautiful winter scenery.
hi Evan, may i know how to ride zipwire and may I know from which area does it start?
Hi caney! You can just proceed to Gapyeong Wharf and buy a zipwire ticket for KRW 44,000, which includes the Nami Island entry fee. You can click here for more details.
Hi!
I’m visiting Seoul this October, and am planning to dedicate a day for Nami Island. I will probably be staying in Myeongdong. Can I ask if it’s possible to visit Nami Island, Petite France and Garden of Morning Calm all in one day? If so, do you have a suggested time schedule for all three places? Would really appreciate your reply, thank you!
Hi Kimmy! Yes it is possible to visit all three places in one day. Below is a suggested schedule:
8am to 11am – Explore Nami Island
11am to 11.30am – Bus to Petite France
11.30am to 2pm – Explore Petite France
2pm to 3pm – Bus to Garden of Morning Calm
3pm to 5pm – Explore Garden of Morning Calm
5pm to 6.30pm – Bus to Gapyeong Station
6.30pm to 7.30pm – ITX to Yongsan