When someone plans a vacation in South Korea, they immediately make a beeline for Seoul and Namiseom Island, among other famous places, but the city that often goes under the radar and remains less visited is Incheon, the third largest in the country. In case you are making plans to visit South Korea at any time in the near future, here are four reasons as to why Incheon should be on your travel route.
The Unique Islands of Incheon
The islands of Incheon are unique and they are one of the prime reasons as to why you should visit the region. Muuido Island with its famous seafood offerings actually has a zip line on the beach, but it is Deokjeokdo Island that takes the cake with its ancient pine trees, mud flats, and beaches dotted with beautiful pebbles. Also, the vistas from these islands are so innately grand and oriental that you have probably not experienced anything of the sort if this is your first trip to the Far East.
Visit the Future at Songdo
Songdo is a smart city within the city of Incheon, built on 1,500 acres of land. Being one of the first smart cities in the whole world, it’s a technological marvel that stands as a tribute to how advanced the Koreans are in terms of smart living, and also offers a glimpse into the not-so-distant future. Songdo monitors everything from the temperature in the city to the constant flow of the traffic, and lets the police or other emergency services know automatically if there’s an emergency. The most exciting part is that the best hotels in Incheon are located inside the smart city, so you would actually be able to experience everything Songdo has to offer without venturing too far.
China in Korea!
While there are fundamental similarities between the two cultures, they are very different in practice and that difference is made profoundly visible once you enter the largest China Town in the country at Incheon. Everything from the restaurants and decorations on the streets and buildings, to the Chinese history museum, makes you feel like you just left Korea and entered China.
Incheon International Airport
One might be tempted to wonder why anyone would want to “visit” an airport, and they would be right if it weren’t for the fact that Incheon has the biggest and the best airport in the whole country. If you can manage it, you should make sure that at least one of your flights land or leave from this airport. There is a spa, a casino, a cinema, an eco-garden, an ice-skating rink, and even a full-fledged golf course here!
While we are not telling you to skip Seoul because that would be silly, you should not skip Incheon either because it’s not every day that you take a flight to South Korea after all, and the city does have a lot to offer that you won’t find anywhere else in the country.
