What To Do Near Incheon International Airport: Beaches, Parks, Cafes & Flowers

Incheon International Airport sits on Yeongjong Island (영종도) just outside of Seoul, Korea and most people visiting Korea will land and leave as quickly as they arrived departing to to places like Seoul, Busan, or Jeju. There’s plenty to do on this island in Incheon though and we’ve headed out a few times over the years to see what there is to see and take advantage of the numerous spots that there are sans crowds because everyone else is trying to get to the mainland. Enjoy the scenery though people… enjoy the scenery!

Have a 24 hour layover at Incheon International Airport? Check out those Instagrammable spots in the airport and get out to see the island around you.

Here are some of our favorite spots and things to do out on the island around Incheon International Airport. From places that make for the perfect staycation or spots to stay before you head out, to parks, beaches and cafes, here are the spots I recommend visiting!

Some of the address in this post are for spots just across the street or nearby because the beaches don’t have address info listed so keep that in mind when headed out there. You’ll be there! Just use your eyeball navigation systems to get the rest of the way.

Here’s what you’ll find in this post:

• Where To Stay Near Incheon International Airport
  • Paradise City Resort
  • Nest Hotel
  • Hotel Ora
• Some Island Background
• Visit Cafes With A View
  • Terrace In Seaside (바다앞테라스)
  • Now, Here (지금이곳)
  • Cafe Geon(카페건)
  • Caffe Ora (카페오라)
  • Cafe Dou Dou (카페도우도우)
• Visit The Natural View Spots
  • Seaside Park (씨사이드파크)
  • Eulwangni Beach (을왕리해수욕장)
  • Wangsan Beach (왕산해수욕장)
  • Seonnyeo Rock Beach (선녀바위해수욕장)
  • Sky Garden (하늘정원)

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WhereTo Stay Near Incheon International Airport

Paradise City

Paradise City is the hot new art and entertainment resort in Korea. The hotel is stunning and features so many artistic pieces on display to view that every corner leads to something inspiring. Honestly, you can’t even enjoy every part of this resort unless you’re staying for a couple of nights because there is just so much to do!

There’s a gorgeous pool with multiple infinity style jacuzzis, an awesome kid zone, a free art museum for guests along with their other 3,000 pieces on display including the Great Gigantic Pumpkin by the artist Kusama Yayoi in the central hub of the hotel. There’s a club that has international DJs basically on stand by and a gorgeous plaza as well as some insane architecture. This is THE spot to stay near the airport. Just make the time is all I can say. You’ll want to check this place out, stay for awhile, and enjoy the spa or pool.

• Book a stay here on Booking.com or on Agoda.com

Nest Hotel

This was the first spot we chose for a staycation a couple years ago and I still highly recommend it. The architecture is a bit foreboding and moody in the best way possible and the interior is so chic and interesting. This hotel features a beautiful space to eat and look out over the nearby water, a kid zone and playground, but also plenty of space for those sans children to get away and not be bothered by those of us with.

For my whole post on this perfect staycation from Seoul, check out my thoughts and more photos here: Nest Hotel: A Modernist Design Lovers Dream in Incheon. This hotel is all about resting, relaxing and rejuvenating.

• Book a stay here on Booking.com or on Agoda.com

Hotel Ora

Hotel Ora was our more budget friendly stay last summer. For this stay we decided we’d spend less time in our hotel and more time out on the coast and this was perfect for that. The exterior is eye-catching and you can’t miss it. It’s just around the corner from the airport, but not noisy at all.

The rooms are spacious and the bathroom had a huge shower AND bathtub that was unexpected for the budget. There’s a cafe on the first floor and the staff was very hospitable. I was quite thrilled with this find because it was easy and just what we needed for one night on the island away from it all.

• Book a stay here on Booking.com or on Agoda.com

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Some Island Background

The island, which doesn’t really have an islandy feel anymore considering Yeongjong Bridge connects it right to the mainland, used to be called Jayeondo Island because there were so many swallows to be found. At the center of the island sits Bakeunsan Mountain and all roads in and out circle around this mountain. Feel like walking up the mountain? Go for it and you’ll find views of Incheon International Airport and the rest of the island from above.

The island has basically been built around the airport now so there’s a strange square shape as the roads all go right around and thus everything has been built off of those roads. You can’t really get lost though which is a bonus. The government has been working to build up the island in recent years to attract tourists to stay in the vicinity and bring people out. That means the roads are quite nice, but some can be rather ghostly as there just isn’t much traffic at all once you jump off of the highways heading to or away from the airport.

This isn’t the only island that you can fairly easily reach from Seoul. If you want to do some island hunting from the capital of Korea, then look into heading out to Ganghwado Island or Oido and Daebudo Islands. You can also reach nearby Muuido Island right from this island easily too!

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Visit Cafes With A View

Terrace In Seaside (바다앞테라스)

This is a beautiful rooftop cafe with indoor and outdoor seating and the views out over the nearby coastal waters. Choose from beanbag chairs and regular seats and get some islandy vibes from the aesthetics. It’s a beautiful space with great croissants and coffee. Definitely worth checking out and you can easily visit the Seaside Park area from here just be walking less than a block.

• Address: 5th floor, 10 Eunhasoo-ro, Jung-gu, Incheon (인천시 중구 은하수로 10)
• Hours: Every day: 9:00am ~ 10:00pm

Now, Here (지금이곳)

This modern cafe is a newer one on the island that is definitely going to be getting more and more popular. It’s an interest and rather large space with a lot of modern and industrial vibes. The rooftop provides views of the rice paddies surrounding the cafe. It’s a really beautiful space with lots of different options for any way you want to eat. Grab a milk tea and get a dessert.

• Address: 40 Unnam-ro 82 Beon-gil, Jung-gu, Incheon (인천 중구 운남로82번길 40)
• Hours: Every day: 10:00am ~ 9:00pm

Thanks To Tea (차덕분)

Though the space and building are new, the cafe has been designed with a more traditional and historic vibes with floor seating near the windows so you can look out over the seaside water as you sip tea. Take advantage of the thoughtful tea list and traditional Korean snacks if you’re in the area. There is a lot of space in this tea house however not much seating so you may have to wait if it’s popular when you visit. Again, very close to the Seaside Park so plenty to do if you want to take a walk before or after your visit.

• Address: 8th floor, 12 Eunhasoo-ro, Jung-gu, Incheon (인천시 중구 은하수로 12)
• Hours: Weekdays: 11:00am ~ 8:00pm; Weekends: 11:00am ~ 9:00pm

Cafe Geon(카페건)

This is a new cafe on the island. I saw ONE picture of it while it was being built and I was sold. Set in Seaside Park, a newly built area that I’ll explain more about below, this cafe is the spacious second floor space of a building that looks out over the water and sits comfortably near the experiences to be had.

The columns inside made me think of old European buildings when I saw that first photo, and it really is stunning how they’ve designed the wooden archways. There’s also a veranda to sit on as well while you sip coffees and juices and eat the delicious baked treats made inside. We had the scones and chocolate covered croissants and both were right on point. Definitely a must visit!

• Address: 1967-1 Jungsan-dong Jung-gu, Incheon (인천 중구 중산동 1967-1)
• How To Get There: From Incheon International Airport, Terminal 1, On the third floor, find the stop for bus 202. Take the bus 12 stops, about 20 minutes, and get off at Dongbo Nobility stop. From the stop, walk straight in the direction the bus was headed and go toward the seaside. You’ll see the cafe and rail bike area near each other.
• Hours: Every day 10:00am ~ 9:00pm

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Caffe Ora (카페오라)

Don’t assume because of the name that this cafe is inside the above mentioned Hotel Ora. It is not! This is worth finding though. Some cafes just don’t need to try hard to please. Caffe Ora features a floor to ceiling window and balcony that features the best seats in the house for sunset viewing out over Eulwangni and Wangsan Beaches.

Driving up to the cafe, you might mistake the modern building for an evil lair. It’s rather boding but enter and all sinister ideas disappear. Tip: Get there a bit earlier than sunset so you have time to order the required drink, find a good table to sit and then take it all in.

• Address: 773-61 Eulwang-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon (을왕동 773-61)
• How To Get There: From Incheon International Airport, Terminal 1, On the third floor, find the stop for bus 111. Take and get off at Incheon Beach Hotel stop. From the stop, walk straight in the direction that the bus was headed and just look up. You’ll see Cafe Ora on a hill about 346 meters down.
• Hours: Monday – Friday: 11:00am ~ 11:00pm; Saturday & Sunday: 10:00am ~ 11:00pm

Cafe Dou Dou (카페도우도우)

This is a multi-floor cafe and each floor features a different aesthetic. Not only are the indoor seats interesting, but outdoors there are mini cabanas too. We enjoyed brunch at this cafe on one of our trips. It really fit the bill for a cafe with some fun ideas and eats. Walk around and find the floor that best suits your needs. Some floors have beanbag chairs for relaxing while others have the more standard table and chairs if you get food.

• Address: 4 Seonnyeo Rock Beach-ro Jung-gu, Incheon (인천 중구 선녀바위로 4)
• How To Get There: From Incheon International Airport, Terminal 1, On the third floor, find the stop for bus 111. Take the bus 14 stops, about 20 minutes, and get off at Seonnyeo Rock Beach stop. Cross the street toward the seaside, and go left after crossing. Walk to the second street and turn right. You’ll be able to see the tall building from the bus stop when you get off.
• Hours: Monday – Friday: 11:00am ~ 11:00pm; Saturday & Sunday: 10:00am ~ 11:00pm

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Visit The Natural View Spots

Seaside Park (씨사이드파크)

The Yeongjong Seaside Park opened in 2017 and is four times the size of Songdo Central Park yet far less busy. The park has various things to enjoy like Cafe Geon which I mentioned above as well as the Seaside Rail Bike. The rail bike is 5.6 kilometers round trip and you can ride in two, three, or four seaters.

Another great spot in the park just behind Cafe Geon is a kids playground. Might sound pretty standard but in the summer this playground turns into an awesome water park. The standard slides and fun also have fountains with water shooting up and out and everywhere which creates water slides and a shallow pool for the kids to run around in and splash about. This is great for families with kids that are multiple ages so some can play on the playground while others are on the rail bike.

• Address: 1967-1 Jungsan-dong Jung-gu, Incheon (인천 중구 중산동 1967-1)
• How To Get There: From Incheon International Airport, Terminal 1, On the third floor, find the stop for bus 202. Take the bus 12 stops, about 20 minutes, and get off at Dongbo Nobility stop. From the stop, walk straight in the direction the bus was headed and go toward the seaside. You’ll see the cafe and rail bike area near each other.

Seaside Spots

Don’t expect to find beautiful white sand beaches and emerald blue seas, those beaches are out on the east coast in spots like Gangneung. But the seaside is always calling me so I just assume everyone needs to visit like me. If you’re looking for the best beaches you’ve probably not heard of, check out this post I did with some other blogger buddies with a great round up or some other spots.

The west coast may not feature white sand and emerald blue waters but the seaside is always calming to me. As the water laps on the shore, sometimes it doesn’t matter what the beach is like as long as everything else is just right. Here are some of the seaside spots on the island you COULD check out.

If you want to get a little more coastal and have an adventure, head to the Sammok Ferry Terminal on the north side of the island and you can get to nearby Modo, Sindo, and Sido Islands in less than 10 minutes. There are some awesome adventures to have from this island.

Eulwangni Beach (을왕리해수욕장)

Probably the most popular beach on the island and there is definitely sand there but like most beaches on the west coast, once the water goes out, it really goes out and it’s just mud flats for miles. Don’t think that’s just an expression and I’m exaggerating either.

Go in the morning when when the tide is in and you can splash around a bit and then head in for lunch when the water has gone out again. This beach features shower booths, changing rooms, fountains, camping and restrooms so it’s built up enough to have what you’ll need.

• Address: 746-1 Eulwang-dong Jung-gu, Incheon (인천광역시 중구 을왕동 746-1)
• How To Get There: From Incheon International Airport, Terminal 1, On the third floor, find the stop for bus 111. Take the bus 15 stops, about 20 minutes, and get off at Eulwangni Beach stop. Cross the street toward the seaside and follow the signs to the beach.

Wangsan Beach (왕산해수욕장)

Just north of Eulwangni is a broader beach which I thought was a bit better than Eulwangni but it wasn’t as built up when we visited a couple years back and looking at a map now, it still seems to be a bit empty in the vicinity but that might be a good thing. Even though it’s a bit longer this beach is still less popular than nearby Eulwangni so has a more fishing town feel. There are restrooms and umbrellas for rent by locals, but the amenities aren’t as available as Eulwangni.

• Address: 810-188 Eulwang-dong Jung-gu, Incheon (인천광역시 중구 을왕동 810-188)
• How To Get There: From Incheon International Airport, Terminal 1, On the third floor, find the stop for bus 111. Take the bus 21 stops, about 20 minutes, and get off at Wangsan Beach stop. Cross the street toward the seaside and follow the signs toward the beach.

Seonnyeo Rock Beach (선녀바위해수욕장)

I think my favorite coastline on the island is where the rocks meet the water. While the sand is all fine and good, since the sand isn’t that great on this coast anyway, I prefer to find the rocky seaside. Water collects in little pools with creatures and shells and sea glass and it makes for more adventurous fun. Make sure to wear some good shoes as the rocks can be pretty sharp with all of the shells and sea things growing on them. Some rocks are big enough and flat enough to camp out on as well making for some great photo opportunities.

This beach gets its name from the most prominent rock on the beachfront. The story goes that when naval forces manned a defense station at Yeongjongjin, the commander had a beautiful mistress. Eventually the commander’s love for the mistress started waning and he started keeping his distance from her, which made her very upset. With nothing left to live for, she jumped into the ocean from a rock called Taepyeongam and drowned. No one was there to collect her body, so her body floated on the tide to Yongyudo Island. When the commander heard of the tragedy, he found her body and prepared her for burial. Later, locals started referring to the Taepyeongam Rock as the Seonnyeo, or fairy, rock and the hill nearby as Hogunje, or the commander’s hill. The rock is not labeled though, as apparently locals don’t want it to become a huge tourist draw so it may take a bit to find.

• Address: 678-129 Eulwang-dong Jung-gu, Incheon (인천광역시 중구 을왕동 678-129)
• How To Get There: From Incheon International Airport, Terminal 1, On the third floor, find the stop for bus 111. Take the bus 14 stops, about 20 minutes, and get off at Seonnyeo Rock Beach stop. Cross the street toward the seaside and and walk straight to the beach.

Sky Garden (하늘정원)

Filled with canola flowers in the spring and cosmos flowers in the autumn, there is a giant field of flowers near the airport that isn’t the easiest to park near, but if you can get there, flower goodness that few enjoy is to be found. It’s also THE spot if you want to try to get that Instagram spot of a plane flying super low above you because they’re either coming in for a landing or taking off. There are actually flowers blooming all around the island with few people enjoying them so take advantage of the spring and autumn flower filled seasons on the island if you can.

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There’s quite a bit to do on the island and since the government is building it up, there will definitely be more. The island isn’t huge so you can get around to most things in a day or two if you’re strict with your time. Or just take a wander and see what you see. From here you can get ferries to the other islands in Incheon too so take an adventure and enjoy the weekend.

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