The previous blog post is dedicated to DIY public commute to Nami Island, Petite France, and Garden of the Morning Calm. Let’s continue our DIY trip to these three famous tourist spots.
Nami Island, Petite France, and Garden of the Morning Calm are famous tourist attractions near Seoul. Therefore, it is not surprising to see so many tourists visit these places every day. Photo taking has always been the top most activity to do in tourist spots – as such, this blog post will be a collection of photos. I will try to come up with a small list of activities you can try during your winter visit too.
Nami Island or Namiseom
Entrance Fee: KRW13,000 (KRW7,000 for kids). Entrance fee includes ferry ride to Nami Island.
Nami Island can be accessed through a ferry ride or zip line. We opted the ferry ride, like most tourists, as the zip line costs a lot and is not advisable in the cold weather.
What To Do During Winter?
- Take photos at the famous Songka Gingko Lane, where part of the Korean drama Winter Sonata was filmed.
- Read the banners with greetings in different languages.
- Look for the snowman with Filipino greeting and costume.
- Feeling cold? Try sitting near the many bon fires lit even during the day.
- Touring with kids? They can explore the playground.
- Hungry? Try the fish stew (KRW4,000; Php200) and steamed buns (KRW2,000; Php100).
- Shop for souvenirs.
Petite France
Entrance Fee: KRW10,000 (KRW6,000 for kids). You can get KRW2,000 discount for adults from a Coupon book found at Incheon Airport.
Petite France is a little French-inspired attraction in Gapyeong. It is the location of several Korean dramas like My Love From The Star and Secret Garden.
What To Do During Winter?
- There is not much to do in Petite France but to visit every inch of it, even inside the houses, and take photos.
- Go the to highest building and savor the beautiful view.
Garden of the Morning Calm
Entrance Fee: KRW9,500 (KRW6,000 for kids). You can get KRW2,000 discount for adults from a Coupon book found at Incheon Airport.
Garden of the Morning Calm is a botanical garden located in Gapyeong. It has a large collection of plants and flower species. The Garden of the Morning Calm changes into different shades of beautiful colors in each respective season: summer, spring, autumn, and winter. During summer, spring, and autumn different flowers bloom and thus giving the garden a vibrant vibe. During winter, when flowers and leaves falls and only stems and branches are left, the Garden of the Morning Calm turns into a festival of lights.
The Starlight Garden Festival is held at the Garden of the Morning Calm starting December until March of every year. During this time the Garden of the Morning Calm transforms into a sparkling light when nighttime falls.
What To Do During Winter?
- Visit the Garden of the Morning Calm around 5PM. This is the time when lights are open to begin the festival of lights.
- Take lots of photos.
This Do-It-Yourself itinerary of Nami Island, Petite France, and Garden of the Morning Calm is very easy to do and to follow. Since these tourists’ attractions are famous in South Korea, there is a very little chance of getting lost. Many tourists are opting this type of itinerary as it is economical and has more flexibility in your schedule. In fact, during our trip, we encountered quite a few Filipino families doing DIY like us. Such a nice experience 😊
