Nami Island was one of the best attractions I’ve been to in Korea last January. It is a popular tourist destination with almost 3 million tourists visiting the island annually in the recent years.
It was still winter in Seoul that time. Coming
from a country which experiences summer practically all year round, boy, was it freezing cold!! Brrrr to the max! It
was my first time to experience up to negative 5 degrees temperature. When we were in Nami Island, it was
even MUCH COLDER. Forget your idea of a tropical sunny beach experience. A
Nami Island experience is not one of those.
Nami is also
called Naminara Republic or Namiseom, it is a little half-moon shaped island in Chuncheon,
South Korea.
Our group got there by train starting at Sangbong station using
the Gyeongchun Line and arrived at the Gapyeong station after about an hour of
travel.
At this time of the year, snow is no longer visible in downtown
Seoul so you could just imagine our happy faces when we had our first sight of
snow (FIRST in our lifetime!) along the streets of Gapyeong. Of course, we
stopped for a few minutes of ‘selfies'
and 'groufies' before
anything else.
From Gapyeong station, we took a taxi for a 10-15 minute ride that
would bring us to the ferry Station. The taxi fare was roughly Php 150 but
since there were 3 of us, it was just 50 pesos per person which is almost same
a bus ride would cost .
It is interesting to know that the island requires a visa upon
arrival because it declared itself is a micronation or a self-governing in
2006. The island has its own currency, stamps and telephone
cards as well. It was a funny thought that we were given a passport when we arrived
there! (It’s the ticket you receive after
paying the entrance fee, lol!)
If you have watched the famous Korean TV series, Winter
Sonata (also known as Winter Love Story or Winter Ballad) you would
know that this was shot in Nami Island. This is one reason why many tourists
flock to Nami Island. Indeed, there in the
middle of the island, I saw the statue of the
main characters, Kang
Joon-sang and Jeong Yoo-jin in a loving pose. *giggles**
Another thing that I love about Nami Island is the
beautiful very relaxing ambiance. Even though it was winter and snow was all
over the place, plus the presence of a lot of tourists, I felt right at home
the moment I stepped into what seemed like another world for me. There were
tall trees neatly lined up in a portion of the island that is very popular for
pictorials especially during spring or autumn. I was able to get a decent photo of it, though,
lols.
For nature lovers, you'd be happy to see ostriches, rabbits,
squirrels, chipmunks, ducks, and peacocks in the midst of flowers
and trees. I got a happy-kid moment when I saw a squirrel running around, whoa!
Another first!
Here's a video I took of my first squirrel encounter
You just need to be used to a lot of walking to
enjoy everything the island offers. A comfy pair of sturdy shoes is a must! For
the winter season, remember these 2
words I have for you: BUNDLE UP! I had 2 layers of socks in my
leather boots but my feet
still felt numb after a few hours of going around. Good thing there are several
open fireplaces to warm up us all throughout our day tour.
On one
side of the island is a wide lake. Since it was winter, it looked more like a giant skating rink to me. Again, it was my first
time to see a frozen lake.
I was ecstatic, obviously, and my
tour buddies were, as well. Philip, Aljohn,
Dave,
and Kristian had a frantic time goofing around the place and having a snow
ball fight. This left me and my only lady companion, Ate Beth to enjoy the scenery. Guess what, we lay down and felt the snow on our faces.
Pink cheeks, hahaha!
It seemed like tons of crushed ice were spread all over the ground. So this is
the feeling of a first-timer, huh? :)
You will never go hungry in Nami Island because there are several kiosks and restaurants within the area. Bean cakes, barbeque, and many more.
We had lunch in a cozy restaurant called Nammoon. It is
Nami Island's premier restaurant which serves sumptuous Korean cuisine filling
our tummies for the other half of tour.
For pasalubongs (souvenir gifts), there are plenty of souvenir gift shops scattered around the island. You can choose the souvenirs of your liking.
The place is relatively big. It is about 430,000 square meters. You can spend a whole day enjoying the attractions with friends and loved ones.
As for me, I am aiming to save up so I can come back and bring my family hopefully for autumn next year.
I am claiming it!
For travel inquiries and reservations, here are the contact information of Nami Island:
Location and telephone numbers:
1024, Bukhangangbyeon-ro, Gapyeong-eup, Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do
(Naminara Republic Immigration Control Office) 강원도 춘천시 남산면 남이섬길
For 1330 Travel Hotline, please dial: +82-2-1330 (Korean,
English, Japanese, Chinese)
Or call: +82-31-580-8114, +82-31 582 2186
4 comments
I want hiihihi :) Where to next Mommy Anna?
ReplyDeletemommy, tigom pa muna hehehe, pero I want to go back to Japan :)
DeleteThere really are a lot of things to see and do. I think I will enjoy the strolls and the food the most!
ReplyDeleteWonderful, you do have a great memorable visit in Korea..a nice place to see and to learn about their culture.
ReplyDelete