Incheon – The Gateway to Korea

A sign saying Incheon in different shades of blue.

Anyone visiting Korea is probably coming through Incheon Airport, the country’s largest and best-connected airport. From there most people will head directly to Seoul to begin their travels, perhaps visiting other cities such as Busan or Gyeongju. But the city of Incheon has more to offer than just the airport. I was surprised to find so much to see and do in this city. If you have the time, Incheon can easily occupy a day or two of your Korean travel itinerary, and is definitely worth visiting.

Things to do in Incheon

Wolmido
- Wolmi Sea Train
- Wolmi Culture Street
- Wolmi Theme Park
- Wolmi Observatory
- Korean Traditional Garden
Chinatown
Fairy Tale Village
Jayu Park
Open Port Street
G Tower
Songdo Central Park

Wolmido

The Wolmi Culture Street, with shops on the left and the sea train on the right.

Wolmido, or Wolmi Island, is an island just off the coast of Incheon that is packed with tourist spots. It’s not far from Chinatown and is easy to reach. For most people, half a day on Wolmido is probably enough, but for young families it’s easier to spend a whole day on the island.

Wolmi Sea Train

The easiest way to reach Wolmido is via the sea train. This monorail begins at Wolmi Sea station and follows a loop around the island. The ticket allows you to hop on and off at the different stations before returning to the mainland.

The station for the Wolmi Sea Train on the mainland.

On the journey you can see some storage facilities at the port painted to look like books.

Storage facilities at Incheon port painted to look like books.

Also worth doing is heading to the station rooftops for some great views over Wolmido and the wider Incheon area.

A view of the Womi Sea Train from the rooftop of one of the stations.

Wolmi Culture Street

Wolmi Culture Street is the main area on Wolmido. On this street by the sea you can find cafes, restaurants, shops and amusement arcades. You might also see live performers here.

You can enjoy the view across the sea to Incheon Airport while the Sea Train passes overhead.

You can also stand at the site of the Incheon Landings, the military operation that ultimately led to the recapture of Seoul from Northern forces, turning the tide of the war in favour of the South and the United Nations forces.

A plinth detailing the Incheon Landings.

Wolmi Theme Park

Wolmi Theme Park is near the southern end of Wolmi Culture Street. This small amusement park is largely aimed at kids, with lots of children’s rides and fun things for them to do.There are a couple of more exciting rides, like the drop tower and pirate ship, and there is a large Ferris wheel to enjoy the view from.

Wolmi Observatory

Behind Wolmi Culture Street there is a small forested hill. Head up the path and you’ll find where an old fortress stood, and further up there is an old cannon on the hill.

Where the fortress on Wolmido used to sit, with a plastic cartoon tree now in its place.

The Wolmi Observatory is at the highest point in the forest. The rooftop of the glass observatory provides great views over Wolmido, the port, and Incheon Airport.

Looking out across Wolmido from Wolmi Observatory, with Incheon Airport in the distance.

Korean Traditional Garden

The Korean Traditional Garden is on the east side of Wolmido and features gardens based on different palaces of the Joseon Dynasty. It’s a quiet area to stroll around and see the different garden styles, plants and flowers.

The pavilion inside the Korean Traditional Garden.

There are also a couple of waterfalls, a small viewing pavilion, and a replica of Yangjindang, a hanok from the Joseon Dynasty.

A waterfall inside the Korean Traditional Garden.

The replica of Yangjindang inside the Korean Traditional Garden.

Inside the park you can find some deer and tiny rabbits too.

A deer inside the Korean Traditional Garden.

A tiny rabbit inside the Korean Traditional Garden.

Chinatown

The Incheon Chinatown is one of the oldest and largest Chinatowns in Korea. After heading through the large gateway opposite the train station, you’ll find yourself in Chinatown where Chinese characters become the dominant script as Hangeul shrinks on the signs.

A golden dragon statue behind three panda statues at the Incheon Chinatown.

You can see statues of dragons and pandas, examples of Chinese architecture, the zodiac animals, and Chinese shrines.

Zodiac animal statues in Incheon Chinatown.

A large Chinese gateway in Incheon Chinatown.

But most important is the food. Street vendors sell traditional Chinese snacks, while the restaurants offer some of the most authentic Chinese food in Korea. It’s a great place to stop for lunch or dinner in Incheon.

A bowl of beef noodles and pak choy at a restaurant in Chinatown.

Fairy Tale Village

The Songwol-dong Fairy Tale Village sits next to the Incheon Chinatown. This area underwent renovation in 2013, transforming it into what it is today. The village features many murals and statues, many depicting famous fairy tale and story characters, such as Pinocchio, Red Riding Hood, Alice in Wonderland, and the Wizard of Oz.

A statue of Pinocchio at the Fairy Tale Village.

A statue of the Chester Cat at the Fairy Tale Village, at almost the same size as the building behind.

Santa Claus also makes an appearance. It’s a bit of a bizarre area to walk around, but you can also find some tourist shops here.

A Christmas wall at the Fairy Tale Village, showing Santa and his reindeer.

Jayu Park

Jayu Park sits on the hill behind Chinatown and the Fairy Tale Village. In the park there is a memorial for the 1882 Joseon-United States Treaty which established formal diplomatic relations between the two countries. The memorial was built to mark the 100^th anniversary of this relationship.

Looking up to the sun through the memorial which marks 100 years of Korea-US relations.

Also prominent in the park is the statue of General MacArthur, the man who led the United Nations Command force to aid South Korea in the Korean War. He led the assault that became known as the Incheon landings, turning the tide of the war.

The statue of General MacArthur in Jayu Park.

Open Port Street

On the other side of Chinatown is the Incheon Open Port Street. This area houses a collection of modern historical buildings, dating back to the 19^th and early 20^th century. The area was used by the Japanese consulate, with other buildings like banks and the post office located here.

It’s an interesting area to wander, with some unique shops and cafes.

Some of the old wooden buildings on Open Port Street in Incheon.

Where this area meets back up with Chinatown is where you can find the Chinese and Japanese settlement border stairs. The lanterns on either side of the stairway represent the different architectural styles of each country.

The Chinese and Japanese settlement border stairs in Incheon, with the Chinese lanterns on the left and Japanese lanterns on the right.

G Tower

G Tower is a 150 metre tall skyscraper at the northwest end of Songdo Central Park. The building has a unique design, with a triangular wedge missing near the top.

At the 33rd floor there is a free observatory where you can get 360-degree views across Incheon.You can look out across all of Songdo Central Park and see Incheon’s tallest building, the Songdo POSCO Tower, at the opposite end.

Songdo Central Park

Inspired by New York’s Central Park, Songdo Central Park forms the centrepiece of Incheon’s and Korea’s first international city. Songdo International Business District is a smart city, and forms part of the Incheon Free Economic Zone. You can find many offices for international businesses in this area.

Some of the skyscrapers surrounding Songdo Central Park, as the sunsets beyond.

From G Tower at the north to POSCO Tower at the south, Songdo Central Park covers a large area and offers different amenities to enjoy. You can see the deer, rent a pedal boat or take a boat ride, and visit the cafes and restaurants in the area designed to look like a traditional hanok village.