Explore Seoul (서울탐험),  Travel Planning (여행 계획)

10 Ways To Enjoy the Han River

The Han River, known as the Hangang in Korean, is an iconic natural symbol that runs through the center of the capital city of Seoul, South Korea. The construction projects that began in the 1980s to give the Han River a needed makeover have been extremely successful and now there are plenty of things visitors can do to enjoy the scenic waterway. Throughout the year the Han River parks beckon with bike paths, pedestrian friendly walkways, concerts, and more.

There is a ton to do for solo travelers, couples, and families from picnicking in one of 11 Han River Parks to swimming, sailing, and games along the banks of this massive river. However long your trip to Korea is, you need to have at least one visit to the Han River.

ELand Cruise, Han River, Seoul, Korea

Don’t be left out. Here are 10 ways to experience and enjoy the Han River from summer to winter:

(This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase after clicking at no cost to you. Thank you for your support.)


What to know about the Han River

The Han River is a large body of water that flows through the heart of Seoul. An iconic symbol of the capital of South Korea, it’s beautiful but also holds historical value. When people talk about the Han River or where they live in Seoul, they often talk about it in reference to the river, north of the Han or south of the Han. North of the river you’ll find older buildings and establishments while south of the river is newer but the entire city embraces this central waterway.


What to do at the Han River 

1. Visit one of the beautiful parks

If you don’t want to actually touch the water but you’re just looking for a good place to view the river from, there are eleven parks that provide the scenery from a nice dry place. Though the river is lined with greenery, these eleven parks provide sporting facilities, ecological education zones and other specialty areas. Try to visit all eleven if you can.

The 11 Han River parks include: Gwangnaru Hangang Park, Jamsil Hangang Park, Ttukseom Hangang Park, Jamwon Hangang Park, Ichon Hangang Park, Banpo Hangang Park, Mangwon Hangang Park, Yeouido Hangang Park, Nanji Hangang Park, Gangseo Hangang Park, Yanghwa Hangang Park. Learn more about these parks and see which is the best one for you to start out in by checking out this massive guide with all of the info and directions: The Hangang Parks: A Guide To The 11 Han River Parks in Seoul, Korea

Han River Bike Rental Map, Seoul, Korea

2. Take a bike ride

Join the bike enthusiasts, bike club members and everyone else on a bike cruising along the waterfront this summer. The paths are paved and the tires have been pumped so, what are you waiting for?

With 80 kilometers, 40 on the north side and 40 on the south side, of bike paths along the Han River, biking is a must experience when visiting the Han River. There are also numerous bike rental kiosks along the river if you don’t have a bike of your own.

Han River Swimming Pool Map, Seoul, Korea

3. Enjoy a dip in the water

No, I’m not promoting swimming in the Han River. In fact, let me clarify for anyone that may misunderstand. Due to a strong current, I am not saying anyone should take a dive in the Han River. However, that being said, there are seven swimming pools on the banks of the Han River that provide good clean fun along with a great view of the quick moving river nearby and there is where you should be swimming during the summer.

For a pool that is a bit lesser known but offers that infinity pool experience on the Han River for cheap, check out the Nanji Han River Infinity Pool. This is an awesome budget friendly swimming pool that we love to frequent in the summer but there are plenty to choose from! This is a very small kid friendly pool as well as it slopes out and isn’t too deep.

Nanji Water Playground, Mapo-gu, Seoul, Korea

If you really do want to dip your toes in the Han River, you can though! There are some water sports that happen right on the river. In the Ttukseom Han River Park, visitors can kayak! From the same park, you could also try windsurfing or paddle boarding and those aren’t even all of the options. Because the riverside is so accessible, water activities like swan boats, water skiing, and wake boarding have become popular too.

ELand Cruise, Han River, Seoul, Korea

4. Take a ferry river cruise

What better way to see the river than taking a ride on it? The cruise service offers everything from a general back and forth no-fuss-no-muss tour to a romantic dinner-with-your-lover cruise which is perfect for Valentine’s Day in Seoul. From morning into the evening you can see the city under the shining sun or watch as the city lights start to glimmer underneath the dark sky above.

With cruises that range in price from just W12,000 to W65,000, there’s a ship for anyone from the budget traveler to the big spender.

How to book a Han River Cruise

Get tickets: Reserve tickets on Klook or on Trazy. Not only do you get a discount when you book here, but you can also make sure the date you want isn’t booked up. 

PRO TIP: Birds often fly behind these boats and if you toss some of the snacks they have on board up, you’ll be able to get a fun shot of the birds above you on the back of the ship. If you don’t like birds.. maybe don’t go to the back of the ship where others will likely be doing this.

Ttukseom Han River Park, night in Seoul, Korea
Photo by Seoul Metropolitan Government/Penta Press

5. Cross as many bridges as you can

Thirty bridges span the Han River and wouldn’t it be fun to say you walked, jogged, biked, trained it or drove across every single one? Maybe that’s just a fun thing in my head. Either way, it’s something that can be done when talking Han River adventures. If you want to start with the oldest bridge in Seoul, head for the Yangwha Bridge and begin your journey.

One that is especially fun to cross especially at night is Banpo Bridge. If you visit at the right time, you can see the Banpo Bridge Moonlight Rainbow Show (반포대교 달빛무지개분수). The Banpo Bridge Moonlight Rainbow Show is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest bridge fountain in the world and measures 1,140 meters long. 60 tons of water is sprayed out into the Han River every minute that the Rainbow Fountain is operating.

Banpo Bridge Moonlight Rainbow Show (반포대교 달빛무지개분수), Banpo Han River Park, Seoul, Korea Banpo Bridge Fountain Show

The fountains are NOT small by any means. The water jets out 43 meters from the bridge before falling 20 meters back down to to the river. The fountain is programmed to play different shows during the day and the night. The program during the day shows a hundred different configurations to evoke waving willow branches and leaves while the program during the night features rainbow colored jets of water synchronized with music, which is why the bridge is the most famous.

6. Go camping

There are four major camping sites within Seoul but only one of them sits on the edge of the Han River. The Nanji Campground near Worldcup Stadium in Sangam-dong provides a nearby ecological park and swimming pool as well as baseball diamonds to enjoy while also camping out and enjoying the view. This is technically the only overnight camping site on the Han Riverside. Yes, most Koreans take a tent with them when they head to the river throughout the summer to be used for shade, but come evening, they pack up and leave.

7. Take a walk or jog

If biking isn’t for you, the paths along the Han River are just as friendly to the meandering walker or the go-get’um jogger. Bring some comfy shoes and hit the road. There are convenience stores right along the paths, children’s parks, skate parks, ecological parks and more to enjoy too so maybe taking your time and jogging or walking is the way to go in order to see all of the sights along the way. Or head to one of the parks that is outfitted with various art installations like Ichon Han River Park or the Yeouido Han River Park. There’s something to see while you run!

Bohemian Picnic: Picnic In Seoul

8. Have a picnic

The Han River is lined with parks galore. If you’re not so much into activity and you’d prefer to people watch, having a picnic is the way to go and in the summer the Han River is THE place to be. Everyone will be there and if you don’t want to pack the food to take it, not to worry, you can even have food delivered to you! It’s definitely something to experience.

Bicycle riding delivery men will be able to find you with little more than a, “we’re sitting next to the tree to the left of the children’s park near the Mangwon station entrance.” Take some friends and a blanket and you’ll be good to go for hours. Don’t have a tent.. a blanket.. or any camping necessity? Let Trazy help you out. They provide a tent, blanket, mat, chairs, lights and more if you want to have the camping experience without buying all of the stuff.

Want to have a picnic with an awesome view? Don’t miss the massive Yeouido Fireworks Festival which happens the first weekend in October each year. This is a huge festival, so if you want to check it out, make sure you know all of the tips and tricks so you don’t end up packed in a subway car like a sardine! The Yeouido Fireworks Festival is amazing, if you know how to see it.

9. Sail a boat

The 700 Yacht Club in Nanji, the Seoul International Yacht Club in Jamwon and the Seoul Marina in Yeouido provide boats, classes and even skippers for those with some cash to burn. If you wish to sail your own boat, make sure to sign up for lessons before you hope to  head out because not just anyone can hit the water with their very own ship. Take advantage of this lesser known activity on the Han River this summer!

From Some Sevit in the Banpo Han River Park, visitors can take a ride on a yacht, a limousine boat, a Cinderella boat, and more. There are plenty of options for an awesome ride with friends or family and unforgettable views.

Get tickets: Reserve your own yacht ride on Trazy and get a discount.

10. Take a water taxi

Places to go? People to see? Taxis aren’t always the most convenient form of transportation in this city of millions so when the roads are congested and the cars are moving at a snail’s pace, why not hail a water taxi? With 11 ferry points along the river, you could get from here to there and manage to enjoy the view on the way. The water taxis can seat up to 8 people and the more that ride, the less it’ll cost. The next time you want to get from here to there and you want to try something new, definitely hail a water taxi.

Hop On/ Hop Off Bus: If you’ll be traveling via the Seoul City Hop On/Hop Off Bus, know that it also stops here. You can buy the ticket for this bus here. And to get more information about the bus, here is a guide to the Hop On/ Hop Off Bus In Seoul.


10 Ways to Enjoy The Han River: A helpful infographic with 10 things you can do at the Han River in Seoul, Korea.

These are just some of the ways that you can enjoy the Han River in the spring, summer, winter or fall. Get out there and take advantage of the beauty that the natural symbol of Seoul offers.

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25 Comments

  • Alamin

    Owo, i just got so much Information about han river just reading this article. I ddint know many things about han river like water taxi, ferry travel, water surfing and so on, though have been there over three times.
    Thanks foe righting in depth of Han river.

  • Agness of eTramping

    The Han River seems like a once in a lifetime experience, Hallie! Thanks for motivating and inspiring with each post!

  • Sarah Kim

    When I first read “swimming”, I immediately thought, “What? Ew. No way, really?” But then you clarified it! Swimming in a swimming pool right off it sounds like fun.

  • Veronica

    I grew up near a really wide river, it was just across the road from the building where I lived. I love cities that have some water bodies. And I love spending my time near water. One more reason to visit Seoul!

  • Paige Wunder

    I love that Seoul saw the value in the river and started cleaning it up and giving it a makeover. I would be all about biking and picnicking by it! I looks like it’s a nice quiet place to escape from the city!

  • Stephany

    The Han river at night is also really nice. I went on a tour with a local agency called onedaykorea to see the best nights view of Seoul and i saw among others the Han river. It was stunning, so don’t hesitate and go there at night it is more quiet and you enjoy the view.

  • Dianne

    Hi Hallie. I saw some pictures of the Hangang bridge from above. The night view is particularly amazing. I did some research and found a short clip on youtube where some people went up to a look out point behind what looked like a residential area. The night view of the Hangang bridge and Seoul was beautiful from that spot. I can’t find any information on where that spot is or even how to get there. I plan to visit Seoul sometime in the fall and would love to go there if I could. Do you happen to know where I’m talking about? Can you please help me? Thank you very much and I’ve enjoyed reading your posts!

    • Hallie

      Do you have a link to the clip you’re talking about? It would give me a better idea of the location. If I had to hazard a guess, since the neighborhood to the north of the bridge is Yongsan-gu and Yongsan is set on a mountain, I would imagine it’s from a look-out in that neighborhood but any other info you have would help me narrow it down.

      • Dianne

        Hi Hallie,
        I found out the name of the place is Dragon Pavilion Park Observatory. However, I still can’t find any information about it or how to get there! 🙁

      • Hallie

        Hi Dianne, yeah, I hadn’t gotten a chance to watch that video, but it actually says in Korean where they are at the bottom when they first arrive there. ^^

        There really isn’t much info about it in English, but the pavilion sits in a little park with some Korean traditional buildings just outside of Heukseok subway station, exit 1. The park area is called Hyosajung which you probably won’t be able to find much info for in English either. But if you walk straight out of exit 1, it’s a rather short distance and will come up on your right. It looks like you’ll see some traditional buildings or a temple/shrine area first and then you walk up a bit to the pavilion to get that view that you’re seeking. Hope that helps.

      • Dianne

        That’s wonderful! I’m sure I’ll be able to find it with your directions. Thank you so much for your help!!!

  • ligynnek

    Do the water taxis still run. I live near one dock and don’t recall having ever seen one. That linked article is from way back in 2007.

    • Hallie

      Sorry for the late reply. Meant to look up info last week. After a quick naver search, they are running but it seems some locations work on the same system as a call taxi. So they aren’t just waiting around there. They’ll be at the high frequency locations but can come to any of the docks available for the taxis.

  • Yasmin

    Wonderful tips, Hallie! I’m a bike lover so I’ll definitely give it a try! But I’ve never heard of water taxis – what I’m thinking about now are those gondolas and I guess that moving with such a water taxi will be quite a fun!

    • Hallie

      I think the water taxis are more like propellor boats. I don’t think gondolas would have an easy time crossing the Han River. It’s pretty massive. That would be interesting to see though.

  • Shelley @Travel-Stained

    Great list! Biking and running next to the Han are 2 of my all-time favourite activities. Honestly, I don’t know how I survived living so far from it before. 🙂

    • Hallie

      I agree. I’ve lived within a 10-15 minite walk of the river for 7 of my 8 years here. I can’t believe I haven’t taken a ferry yet. I did not realize they were so reasonably priced. ^^

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