When we think of South Korea, Seoul is what immediately comes to most people’s minds. It was actually kind of funny when we think that the gateway to Seoul is the often overlooked city of Incheon. Incheon lies about an hour from Seoul via subway and is the country’s third largest city next to Seoul and Busan. But its proximity to the airport makes it an ideal starting point for exploration or a more humbling finale to your week-long wanders in the capital.
My friend and I found ourselves intrigued with what Incheon has to offer. Our first visit to Korea were both with different people so it made the prospect of discovering a new place together even more exciting. When I googled ‘places to see in Incheon’, we were instantly hooked! Autumn is truly a beautiful season to visit Korea right? With the cool weather and all.
We only had hours to explore the city as we had a late start on our first morning. Though we both wanted to visit Wolmido Island and Jeondeungsa Temple, we agreed to just have a quick tour around Incheon’s Chinatown and Songwol-dong Fairy Tale Village.
Incheon Chinatown
Incheon Chinatown is easily accessible via the subway as it is just across the Incheon Station. The main street lies on a hilly terrain and going up can be quite a challenge. We spent a leisurely walk around the main and adjacent streets taking quick snaps and wondering how many cafes this country actually has. 🙂
Of all the other stores and stalls open at the time of our visit, this one store stood out because of its long lines. We figured that its product become a popular delicacy as there were posted pictures of it being featured it TV shows. We found this stomach-filling and truly delicious snack for only KRW 2000. It’s a Chinese mooncake with bean paste filling but other flavors were also available.
Songwol-dong Fairy Tale Village
It was nearing six in the evening when we finished touring Chinatown that I almost wanted to give up visiting the fairytale village. But since the sun was not yet setting, I told my friend to hurry up so we can still take clear shots of the village. Good thing that it was easy to find since it was just adjacent to Chinatown.
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Never lose the child in you. . #autumn #korea #themermaidtravels
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What a happy place! . #korea #autumn #themermaidtravels
In the late 1800s, the opening of Incheon Port led to migrants settling in this part of the city. Soon, the area became a place for the rich but the young people eventually moved out, leaving the area to be in state of stagnation. Since then, the government has made efforts to revive the place by painting the walls and decorating the streets with classic children’s stories or fairy tales.
As a child at heart, I was happy walking along its narrow alleys and hanging out with the princesses. I got to ‘meet’ Ariel too! However, I failed to see the Little Mermaid painting in the village itself. Next time na lang.
Travel Tips
There is a Tourist Information Booth right outside Incheon Subway Station. They’ll gladly assist you with your questions. They gave us a map when we inquired on how to get to the fairy tale village. I admit feeling a little envy on how things were made for visitors in Korea. How I wish it would be like this in the Philippines!
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How to Get Here from Seoul
Seoul Subway Line 1 and alight at Exit 2. Fare depends on where you will be coming from.
