That day, I was planning to tour around Gapyeong using Gapyeong City Tour Bus. What's interesting in Gapyeong? Well, if you know Nami Island & Petite France, both of those places are in or nearby Gapyeong. Gapyeong is a county in Gyeonggi Province, surrounded by mountains and a river. You could reach Gapyeong by using bus or train from Seoul Metro lines you could transfer to GJ line and stop at Gapyeong Station. From this station, you could wait for the Gapyeong City Tour Bus to tour around the area. So, my first destination that day was Nami Island, let's check this post out and have some Winter Sonata moments.
I arrived at Gapyeong Station with friends around 8.30 in the morning at it was so freezing, apparently it was -5°C. No wonder. The tour bus should be arriving at the station around 9.10 AM, but since we couldn't bear the cold, we decided just to take taxi to Nami Island.
The fare was around KRW 3,700 from the station to Nami Island parking lot entrance, not bad. Across the street you could see Winter Sonata restaurant. I wonder if Nami Island would be so famous if that TV series never exist.
So, Nami Island is a half moon shaped isle, formed as a result of the construction of Cheongpyeong Dam. and on it is the grave of General Nami, who led a great victory against the rebels in the 13th year of the 7th king of the Joseon Dynasty, King Sejo - so the name Nami came from the General name. Actually Namisum is located 3.8 km from Gapyeong County, but belongs to Chuncheon in Gangwon-do. But still, it is one of the course for the Gapyeong Tour Bus.
To enter Nami Island, we need to buy the Naminara Republic Entry Visa for KRW 8,000. After purchasing the visa, we need to stand by and wait for the ferry to get across the river. Other than crossing the river by boat to reach Nami Island, you could also ride the zip-wire for KRW 38,000. It only took a few seconds to get across by zip-wire. So if you're not an acrophobia and willing to spend more, do try the zip-wire.
Nearby the ticket booth, there's a cozy cafe to sit and have a cup of tea or coffee while waiting for the next ferry to come.
Here comes the ferry! It only took around 5-10 minutes to get across.
Welcome to Nami Island! As you could see, there were still traces of snow on the rocks in the middle of March.
And you could see ice here and there. I even slipped on the icy ground once.
What's inside Nami Island? There are several themed gardens, exhibition galleries, performance halls, restaurants, and others. Let's take a look.
Hello ostrich!
So what do you think about Nami Island through those pictures? I think this place is quite pretty and photogenic with lines of tall trees, lake, where you could meet animals like squirrels and ostriches. A perfect place for those who enjoy strolling around the nature and breathe the fresh air. It is also a perfect place for couples I guess, this place has that romantic vibe.
Hungry while visiting this island? Don't worry, there are several restaurants here. And because it was quite freezing that day, we chose to eat something hot and soupy. So we entered this Korean Cuisine restaurant called Nammoon.
We were just so happy just to enter the restaurant, escaping from the cold air outside. Aah, finally it was warm.
We ordered all soupy dishes, and as usual, the banchan (side dishes) were served first. And not so long after that, our steamy soupy dishes were served.
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| Galbitang (Beef Ribs Soup) - KRW 12,000 |
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| Hanu Gukbab (Korean Prime Beef Soup with Rice) - KRW 10,000 |
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| Bulgogi in Hotpot - KRW 10,000 |
Everything I tried was good. I guess hot soupy beef dish is just perfect for such weather.
After filling my tummy with the food, I continued to explore the island. Well, if you're too lazy to walk, you could rent something like this, or maybe you could rent a bike.
Don't forget to take the mandatory pictures in between the lines of trees.
Maybe, because this island is so famous that people from all around the world visited this place, they display the snowman statue in different traditional clothing to greet the visitors.
Selamat datang!
I found an interesting scene. Winter stroller?
Overall, I think Nami Island worth a visit. You could spend around 3-4 hours here, strolling around, take some pictures, have lunch, and hop on the tour bus to visit another tourist site. You need to schedule your visit if you're going to use the Gapyeong Tour Bus, so you won't miss the next bus.
We left Nami Island around 1 PM to catch the next Gapyeong tour bus, but apparently the bus wasn't on time. It was 45 minutes late from the schedule, and the line was getting longer. Luckily we got seats as we were the front liners. Yes, you might have to stand on the bus if it is crowded. Next stop, Petite France! I'll meet you in Petite France on the other post. Ciao!
SOUTH KOREA TRIP SERIES
[2013]
[2016]
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