Yeouido Hangang Park여의도한강공원

Yeouido Hangang Park runs 8.4 km along the Han River around Yeouido, Seoul’s finance, politics and broadcasting island. Locals spread a mat on the lawns, cook instant ramyeon from the convenience store, order fried chicken to the park and ride rental bikes along the water.

The riverside also has the Mulbit Plaza fountain, a floating stage and a pier for the Hangang Bus river boats.

It was Korea’s most-searched tourist attraction on the T map navigation app in September (Korea Tourism Data Lab), and fall is peak picnic season by the river.

One thing to know: this year’s Seoul International Fireworks Festival was held early, on Sep 5, so there are no fireworks here in October and November.

Take Line 5 to Yeouinaru Station: Exits 2 and 3 open onto the center of the park in about a minute. The Hangang Bus also stops at the Yeouido pier inside the park. The park is open 24 hours, all year.

Tips: delivery riders can’t come into the park, so set one of the marked Delivery Zones as your drop-off. Take all your trash with you, and put up sun-shade tents only in the two marked zones (allowed until Nov 30). Through Oct 31, a free outdoor library, ‘Reading Hangang Park’, opens at Multi Plaza every Saturday.