Incheon happens to be the island (technically it?s Yeongjougdo Island, and Incheon is the area) where South Korea?s new airport resides but is actually turns out to be a pleasant suburb of Seoul. Our weekend journey started with an hour long subway ride to Incheon station and a short taxi ride to Wolmido boardwalk. I don?t think it?s actually called a boardwalk, but it reminds me of Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. It has a well developed beach front and pier with restaurants and small amusement park. We were there to catch the 20 minute / 2000 won ferry to Yeongjougdo Island and Eulwangni Beach.
Eulwangni Beach is a small weekend getaway town for Koreans. Justin and Kate were the only Caucasian looking people around. Our hotel room was basic and the seafood dinner was really good but expensive. The beach lights up at dusk when everyone comes out with fireworks. It?s like the fourth of July except I think it happens every weekend. Anyway, Justin and I light off our fare share of fireworks.
The next day we headed to Jamjindo pier, just a few kilometers from Eulwangni, to catch another short ferry to Muuido. With fishing villages and beaches the island is worth a visit. At low tide you can walk out to a neighboring island called Silmido (apparently the place where a couple of motion pictures were filmed). Access to Silmido is via the Keunmuri Resort so bring 2000 won. The walk from the ferry drop off is under 30 minutes.
On the journey back to the apartment we stopped at the Haesupia Spa, a 5 minute shuttle ride from the airport. It?s a Korean style spa but well worth it if you have a long stopover in Icheon Intl Airport. The facilities are split and most westerners will probably feel slightly awkward with free displays of nudity. There are several salt water hot tubs (and cold tubs), saunas, and showers. Each sauna is different and each of the baths offers something unique (for example one was an herbal bath to cure the soul).