Incheon Songdo’s Central Park And The Tri-Bowl Are A Must See
If you’re looking for a cool area to spend the day in Incheon, Korea, look no further than Incheon Songdo, not to be confused with a few other Songdo’s in the country. The area of Songdo in South Korea is interesting as it’s a smart city, but for visitors like you and me, there’s still plenty to see and do. Get ready to spend a day in Songdo Central Park seeing the architecturally inspiring Tri Bowl and then visit the National Museum of World Languages between boat rides and walks.
Plan a trip to the Songdo Central Park:
- How To Get There
- Where To Stay
- What To Know About Songdo Incheon
- Songdo Central Park Itinerary
- What To See & Do
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How To Get There
Address: 160 Convensia-daero, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon (인천광역시 연수구 컨벤시아대로 160)
By Subway: Take the subway to Central Park Subway Station and go out exit 3
Where To Stay
Gyeongwonjae Ambassador Incheon
Stay right on the Central Park waterway in a luxury traditional Korean hotel. The 5 star luxury Hanok hotel is one of the finest in the country and has the gorgeous waterway just behind it.
The rooms are comfortable and lush and has all of the amenities both traditional and modern and visitors.
Book a stay here on Booking.com or on Agoda.com
Oakwood Premier Incheon
Stay in this modern apartment style hotel that is a 5-star stay. Every room has a washing machine, work desk, full kitchen, and a great 24 hour front desk. There is a restaurant with amazing views on the 36th floor as well as a kids’ club open all day. Get this stay with all of the views.
Book a stay here on Booking.com or on Agoda.com
What To Know About Songdo Incheon
Songdo, also known as Songdo International Business District (IBD), is a smart city situated on reclaimed land along Incheon’s waterfront, spanning 1,500 acres of modern and picturesque landscape. This vibrant city is a part of the Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ), envisioned to transform Songdo into a hub for logistics, international business, leisure, and tourism. It is a self-contained living and business district that seamlessly combines cutting-edge technology and environmentally friendly living.
Connected to Incheon by five beautiful bridges, including the magnificent Incheon Bridge, Songdo offers an air of sophistication with its eye-catching architecture. Among its highlights is Songdo Central Park, a recreational haven for residents and tourists alike, making it an enticing destination for both work and leisure.
The development of Songdo began in the early 2000s, a collaborative effort between the South Korean government, the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority, and private developers. This planned city was designed to be sustainable and high-tech, serving as an international hub for business, education, and residential living. It boasts advanced infrastructure, including an efficient transportation system and ubiquitous high-speed internet access.
With its allure, Songdo has attracted multinational corporations, educational institutions, and research centers, solidifying its status as a thriving economic and cultural center in East Asia. Whether you’re seeking business opportunities or leisure activities, Songdo offers a dynamic and sophisticated environment to explore and enjoy.
Songdo Central Park Itinerary
What To See & Do
The park is a great place to spend the day and there is plenty to do. Get ready to see it all!
Songdo Central Park (송도 센트럴파크)
Songdo Central Park is the centerpiece of Songdo IBD’s green space plan. From the name you can gather that the park was inspired by New York City’s Central Park and is pretty popular with families and couples coming out from Seoul and people that live in the area. Even with the popularity, we’ve never visited and found crowds. There’s plenty of space to spread out.
The waterway is serene and there are canoes and motorized boats available for rental. Built in 2009, the park is Korea’s first to use water that is withdrawn from the sea. There are deer that will eat from your hand and an island solely populated by bunnies out in the water. If that doesn’t make you want to go, this will…Not only is the natural beauty spot on, but there are some pretty amazing marvels of design as well.
The waterway and canals, which everything else in the area is wrapped around, are home to an array of differently designed bridges and statues. The paths also lead up to some look out points and different plots of flowers. When we visited we found a large plot of sunflowers and it didn’t seem like many people even realized it was up there. Be prepared to walk, take it all in and see what you can see. There are hidden spaces around each corner.
- Address: 24-5 Songdo-dong Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, Korea (인천광역시 연수구 송도동 24-5)
- Amenities: canoe/boat rental, bike rental, restrooms, convenience store
- Admission:
- Stand up paddle boat: W10,000 for 50 minutes
- Canoe/Kayak: W25,000 for 50 minutes
- Water Taxi: W4,000
Tri Bowl (트라이볼)
What first drew us in was the Tri-Bowl installation which is actually more than just an artistically beautiful design piece. The Tri-Bowl is a culture and arts center built to appear as if it’s floating on water. The water beneath the Tri-Bowl is just 2 feet deep or so, so if it really was floating, that’d be pretty astounding. It is pretty impressive to look upon though.
The three bowls are meant to symbolize Incheon, a city in harmony with the sky, the ocean and the earth. After enjoying the cool exterior of these UFO like buildings taking up space in the park, be sure to head beneath them to find an entrance to a museum inside. In 2010, Tri Bowl received the 2010 Korean Architecture Award and it’s totally worth a stop to see the illusion.
- Address: 24-6 Songdo-dong Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, Korea (인천광역시 연수구 송도동 24-6)
- Website: http://www.tribowl.k/
Songdo Hanok Village (송도한옥마을)
While not a historically authentic Hanok village, this area is beautiful and is the best spot to find food if you want to eat in the park area without leaving. There are a variety of restaurants housed in the Hanoks and a cafe with a good view out over the canals.
Restaurant Options:
- Hanyang (한양 한옥마을점): This restaurant has bulgogi and other meat on the grill sets. We had a set for lunch and it was perfect and delicious. If you don’t want a full set though, they also have bibimbap, kalbitang, and a few other options.
- Gyeongbokgung (경복궁 한옥마을점): More expensive than Hanyang, Gyeongbokgung is a Korean beef restaurant that you can have with wine or champagne.
- Sapporo (삿뽀로 한옥마을점): If you’re in the mood for sushi, Sapporo is the place to go.
- Paljinhyang (팔진향 한옥마을점): The last option is a Chinese restaurant.
If you’re driving, you can also park here near the restaurants, or there is underground parking just up the street.
- Address: 180 TechnoPark-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon (인천 연수구 테크노파크로 180)
National Museum of World Writing Systems (국립세계문자박물관)
One of the newest additions to the Songdo Central Park area is the National Museum of World Writing Systems. Opened in July 2023, the museum is Incheon’s first national museum and aims to comprehensively examine the world’s writing systems and their historical value. The museum not only does a fantastic job of displaying information, but the information is available in nine different languages!
While the inside of the museum is fantastic introducing the history of 55 of the world’s most important writing systems, do be sure to walk up and around the exterior as the walls called “Pages” are meant to resemble an unfurled white scroll. Designed by Samoo Architects & Engineers, there are installations between the pages as you walk through.
- Address: 217 Central-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon (인천 연수구 센트럴로 217)
- Hours: Tuesday – Sunday: 10:00am ~ 6:00pm
Incheon Urban History Museum (인천시립박물관 컴팩스마트시티)
This museum showcases the past, present, and future of Incheon with three exhibition halls. There are both 5D and 4D theaters and two exhibition halls. The museum is just next to the Tri Bowl and you can’t miss the lines on the exterior.
- Address: 238 Incheon Tower-daero, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon (인천광역시 연수구 인천타워대로 238 (송도동))
- Hours: Tuesday – Sunday: 10:00am ~ 6:00pm
NC Cube Canal Walk (NC큐브 커넬워크)
If you want to go shopping or you’re done with the outside time, head to nearby NC Cube Canal Walk, a European style mall with a small watercourse with sculptures and art, too. This small shopping complex is composed of four buildings named Winter, Spring, Summer, and Autumn. There are major brands and shops as well as restaurants and cafes.
- Address: 131 ArtCenter-daero, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon (인천 연수구 아트센터대로 131)
Songdo Triple Street (송도트리플스트리트)
If you’re in the mood for more shopping, also nearby is Songdo Triple Street. You’ll find pictures of this spot all over SNS sites. There are boutique shops, entertainment zones, restaurants and a fun playground for people of all ages. Make sure to visit the rooftop of building D for the best vantage point of the place.
- Address: 33-1 Songdogwahak-ro 16-beongil, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon (인천 연수구 송도과학로16번길 33-1)
G Tower Songdo
G Tower is at the northwestern end of the park and is 150 meters tall. While it’s not the tallest in the area, it does offer a public observatory on the 33rd floor. It’s FREE to enter so there’s no reason NOT to go. Check out the photo zones and cafe.
Head in just before sunset to watch as the beautiful colors take over the sky. You can see planes coming in for landings and taking off from Incheon International Airport and get a great view of the iconic Incheon Bridge spanning the ocean.
- Address: 24-4 Songdo-dong Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, Korea (인천광역시 연수구 송도동 24-4)
- Directions: Central Park Subway Station, exit 3. Make a u-turn out of the station and then walk about a block back. Look up to see the tall building with GTower on the top.
- Hours: Weekdays: 10:00am ~ 8:00pm; Weekends: 10:00am ~ 6:00pm
Take advantage of the weekend and head out to Incheon for some fun outdoors with ample modern design to peruse too. Take a daytrip to Incheon Songdo or spend the whole weekend there.
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