If you’re short on time, you can travel around Yeongjongdo Island, where Incheon International Airport is located, and Songdo, which is connected by Incheon Bridge. There are many hotels with convenient facilities at reasonable prices, as well as restaurants where you can enjoy a satisfying meal. You’ll be able to find not only Korean food, but also Japanese, Chinese and even Western restaurants to satisfy your cravings. There is also an observatory where you can see the scenery of Incheon at a glance, and a spacious park where you can take a walk while enjoying the sea scenery.
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Trekking courses to enjoy Incheon’s mountain & sea scenery
There are many good hotels and travel destinations around Incheon International Airport for travelers to stay. Paradise City on Yeongjongdo Island is a resort complex with casinos, spas, theme parks, and galleries, and is a great hotel for both entertainment and relaxation. If you choose Paradise City as your lodging, you’ll be able to drive along the coastal road that leads to Masian Beach, Seonnyeobawi Beach and Wangsan Marina. Visitors can enjoy the sunset view at the Masian Beach and Seonnyeo Beach, while Wangsan Marina offers a yacht experience for sailing to the islands off Incheon’s coast.
Songdo, which is just across the Incheon Bridge from Yeongjongdo Island, is a good area for travelers with tight schedules. The Tri-Bowl is a cultural space with a performance hall and exhibition hall, and stands out for its curved structure that expand upward. In the evening, colorful lights light up the exterior of the building, which is excellent for taking pictures of the evening view.
The night view of Songdo International City is a must-see, and if you climb the G Tower Observation Deck on the 33rd floor of the G Tower, you can take a look at the stunning sight of Songdo International City from above. If you will be spending the night in Songdo, it will also be a special experience to use the "Hanok Hotel in the City" - Gyeongwonjae Ambassador Incheon - as your accommodation. Not only is the building designed as a hanok, a traditional Korean house, but they also offer a variety of services to experience traditional Korean culture, such as wearing hanbok (traditional Korean garments) and experiencing traditional games. The Startup Park was built to be used as a major facility for the 2009 Incheon Urban Festival, and is now used as a space for young entrepreneurs. It is equipped with a cafe, conference room, and a multipurpose hall, so it is also worth checking out if you come to Incheon for on a business trip.
※ Recommendations: (Yeongjong Island) Paradise City, Masian Beach, Seonnyeobawi Beach, Wangsan Marina /
(Songdo) Tri-Bowl, G Tower Observation Deck, Gyeongwonjae Ambassador Incheon, Start-Up Park
Activities
Enjoy the coastal scenery & leisure indoor sports
Yeongjong Seaside Park is a park where you can enjoy various activities in nature. It is equipped with camping grounds, basketball courts, tennis courts, futsal courts, and badminton courts. Above all, Yeongjong Seaside Park has a 5.6km-long rail bike facility along the coastline, so you can enjoy the panoramic coastal scenery while riding a rail bike.
There are many other facilities where you can enjoy other interesting sports. Songdo Canal Walk has Real archery cafe where you can enjoy real archery indoors. You can experience archery like a real player, and the staff members will kindly serve as guides for those who are new to the activity. There is also an indoor climbing area, B-Block, where you can enjoy climbing regardless of the weather outside. It is also a great place to visit with children, as it has an 8-meter climbing zone for kids, and even holds a class where you can get help from a professional instructor.
※ Recommendations:
(Yeongjongdo Island) Seaside Park rail bike / (Songdo) Real Archery Café, B-Block (indoor rock climbing)
Accommodation
The best value hotels near the airport
Hotel ORA in Yeongjongdo is a boutique hotel built with a unique design, and is located right near Incheon International Airport’s Passenger Terminal 2. If you choose a room with a view of the airport, you’ll be able to see the planes taking off and landing from right inside your room. And on the first floor of the hotel, a business center equipped with high-speed Internet, laptops and printers is available for use for free. Best Western Incheon Airport Hotel is also located close to Incheon International Airport, and operates free shuttle buses between the airport and the hotel. The hotel itself has facilities such as the Incheon Business Center, a fitness center, an indoor golf course and a massage room. Days Hotel & Suites by Wyndham Incheon Airport is another hotel close to Incheon International Airport, and is convenient because it has various facilities such as restaurants, convenience stores and pubs inside of it. In the rooms, there are kitchen facilities such as microwave ovens and kitchenware, so simple cooking is possible; and breakfast, lunch and dinner are also available at the hotel's buffet restaurant, Rise & Dine.
Yeongjongdo Air Sky Hotel is close to the beach, so you can fall asleep watching the ocean view from the comfort of your room. The night view of Incheon Bridge and Yeongjong Bridge is also visible from the rooms, and is a particularly beautiful sight.
If you stay at the Songdo Central Park Hotel, you can enjoy the fantastic night view of Songdo from your room. The luxurious exterior and interior of the rooms are highly satisfying to travelers, and is sure to let you enjoy a relaxing evening after a busy day of sightseeing. Holiday Inn Songdo is located in the Songdo International Business Complex. It is close to Incheon International Airport and has many amenities around it, making it a good hotel to stay during business trips or long layovers. The hotel also includes a business center equipped with office supplies, and a fitness center where you can use the latest exercise equipment. Sky Park Hotel is located right in front of Incheon University Station on Incheon Line 1, making it convenient for quick access to public transportation. A fitness room and coin laundry are available, as well as a dessert cafe in the lobby on the first floor.
※ Recommendations: (Yeongjongdo Island) Hotel ORA, Best Western Incheon Airport Hotel,
Days Hotel & Suites by Wyndham Incheon Airport, Yeongjongdo Air Sky Hotel /
(Songdo) Songdo Central Park Hotel, Holiday Inn Songdo, Sky Park Hotel
Food
The best restuarants in Songdo and Yeongjongdo Island
Ssambap is a food made by wrapping rice and ssamjang (spicy dipping sauce) in vegetable leaves. Haesong Ssambap on Yeongjongdo Island is a ssambap restaurant where customers can choose from and eat a variety of vegetables. The restaurant features its own signature ssambap, which, unlike the average ssambap, is made with up to 20 different ingredients. And your meal becomes even more delicious when you pair this special ssambap with salted cutlassfish. Donghae Makguksu is a restaurant specializing in makguksu (chilled buckwheat noodle dish), with their signature dishes being Mulmakguksu and Bibim Makguksu. The food is cheap, but you get plenty of delicious buckwheat noodles, so you’ll leave your table with a full belly and happy wallet.
Canal Walk and Art Foret are shopping streets near Songdo Central Park Station. Canal Walk is lined with shopping malls, restaurants, and cafes along the artificial waterway built in the middle, so there are many things to eat and enjoy. Art Foret is called "Little Europe in Songdo", as it is home to many village-style European street stores and shopping malls.
※ Recommendations: (Yeongjong Island) Haesong Ssambap, Donghae Makguksu /
(Songdo) Art Foret, Canal Walk
Shopping & Nightlife
Spend your night trips enjoying Incheon’s scenery
Masian Beach is a lovely place to enjoy the sunset on Yeongjongdo Island. You can choose to watch the sunset scenery unfold on the long sandy beach, or from the shaded pine forest. Eurwangni Beach is also a place where you can see a wonderful sunset view. Particularly, the sun setting with Seonnyeobawi Rock in the background creates a truly beautiful sight. If you climb the observatory to the 33rd floor of Songdo G Tower, you can see the whole of downtown Incheon at a glance. And if you go in the late afternoon, you’ll be able to see the sunset peeking through the forest of buildings. Solchan Park is also famous for its spectacular sunset views, as well as for walking and jogging while looking at the ocean scenery. You can also see the sunset view from Cafe Caisson 24 in Solchan Park. There you can settle down on their rooftop or outdoor deck with a cup of coffee and watch the Sun lower itself over the horizon.
※ Recommendations:
(Yeongjong Island) Masian Beach, Eulwangri Beach / (Songdo) G Tower Observatory, Solchan Park, Caisson 24