Nami Island

Nami Island is a small, crescent-shaped river island about 60 kilometres east of Seoul, and it has spent the better part of two decades living down its own fame. The 2002 Korean drama Winter Sonata was filmed here, and the resulting wave of tourism — particularly from Japan and China — turned a quiet recreation spot into one of Korea's most-visited attractions. What surprised people when they arrived was that it actually deserved the attention. The tree-lined avenues that run the length of the island are genuinely beautiful: tall metasequoias in summer, a corridor of yellow ginkgos in autumn, bare-branched symmetry in winter that has its own kind of appeal.

The island is car-free and compact — walkable end to end in under an hour — which gives it an unhurried quality that's rare for somewhere this popular. There are cycling paths, open lawns, sculpture installations, and a small cluster of cafes and restaurants near the ferry dock. Halal food options are limited on the island itself; visitors should eat before arriving or bring their own. The ferry crossing from Gapyeong Wharf takes five minutes and runs throughout the day.

Nami Island works best as a day trip from Seoul, ideally combined with a visit to the nearby Petite France or Garden of Morning Calm. Spring and autumn are the peak seasons for a reason — the colour is genuinely worth timing your visit around. Come on a weekday if you can; weekends bring crowds that work against the island's quieter appeal.