Nami Island, or Namiseom Island, is a half-moon shaped isle near Seoul. If you are fond of watching famous Korean dramas, you’ll surely be familiar with this destination. Nami Island features beautiful woodlands, tree lanes, riverside walks, each one breathtakingly picture perfect. What sets Nami Island apart from other sought-after destinations is that each of the four seasons promises their very own mystical ascendency, assuring visitors of coming across nothing less than utter beauty in scenery all year round. That is not something that can easily be achieved, but Nami Island swiftly does that with flying colors.
Nami Island is also known for its rich history. It is famous for being the final resting place of General Nami, who led a victorious campaign against a rebellion in the mid-1400, during the Joseon Dynasty. It was told that General Nami was honored and given the top government position by King Sejo, only to be falsely accused of treason by King Sejo’s successor. The said accusation led to General Nami’s and his family’s execution, which took almost 400 to finally exonerate. Some people might think that this history has something to do with Naminara Republics’s declaration of cultural independence from South Korea, but that is not the case at all; it was done simply to boost tourism.
We went to Nami during summer there, at a certain time when the island has an abundance of lush greenery all over. A perfect part of the island to marvel at such a sight would be the various types of Tree Lanes. If you stroll down the Central Plaza and head south, you will discover the Songpa Gingko Tree Lane, and on the island’s southeastern shore, the Riverside Lovers’ Gingko Tree Lane as well. Other tree lanes include the Metasequoia Lane, the Cherry Tree Lane, the Korean Pine Tree Lane, and Cornel Tree Lane. There are meters upon meters long of perfectly lined trees, full of rich green leaves proving its worth as one of the most photographed areas in the entire island. Nami Island also has animals that roam freely. Ostriches are particularly loved by the tourists, graceful deer love to roam around to play, and the most adorable squirrels always wonder about the island. Also, there are countless variations of rabbits, moles, birds, ducks, geese, turkeys, and even the black woodpecker, which is known to be one of South Korea’s natural monuments.
Because it is one of the most visited tourist spots in South Korea, Nami Island attracts huge crowds of visitors seeking natural beauty from the scenery. While it is famous for its serene attractions, the island also offers a lot of fun food experiences. If you’re in the mood for Asian fusion, Dongmoon Restaurant is the way to go. Dongmoon Restaurant is also the only halal-certified restaurant in the entire island, which makes it the perfect choice for Muslim and vegan visitors, just as well as it is for Asian fusion cuisine enthusiats. If you’re looking for Korean cuisine that can be enjoyed at a cheaper price, look for Yeonga Lunch Box and try their Dosirak. For desserts and snacks, the Snowman Hotteok (sweet pancake) and Mayak Oksusu (roasted corn) are the must-tries.
There are also numerous other ways to go around Nami Island rather than just by foot. There are many rental packages to choose from like bicycles and electric triways. I personally enjoyed going around in an electric triway which cost 7,000won for an hour’s use. It was definitely a day well spent in Nami Island, surrounded by awe-inspiring sceneries of nature.
This ends the second part of my blog about South Korea. Stay tuned for the third and final blog coming very soon.
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