[Korea travel] Nami Island | An emotional journey with a book, Nami Island in autumn

 How much do you know about Nami Island? From now on, we will guide you to the beauty and specialness of Nami Island.

Nami Island, a small island floating in the shape of a half moon in the Bukhangang River. Although it is small enough to look around in three to four hours, the number of visitors to this place is staggering. Last year alone, 2.67 million people visited, of which 670,000 were foreign tourists. There are quite a lot of visitors on weekends as well as on weekdays. The line waiting to get on the boat is long, to the point where I am afraid that I might get hit by a person before I even get in. However, the wait time is not long because the boat comes and goes without rest. Also, if you go inside, there are many secluded places, so you can enjoy a much more relaxed space than you were afraid of. Riding a boat is the most common, but if you're feeling adventurous, try a zip wire.

What is the most effective way to tour Nami Island? The correct answer is to follow the path you want to see and walk. It's best to go wherever your feet take you, but be sure to grab a map before getting on the boat. It is quite tiring to see it on foot, so it is better to ride a bicycle to see it evenly and from corner to corner. The island is elongated from north to south and looks like a sweet potato. When you get off the boat, you usually walk along the central pine tree road that runs through the middle of the island. Along this road, museums, exhibition halls, cafes, restaurants, etc. come out in a row. The specialty of the central pine tree road is the densely hanging water drop-shaped lanterns. For some reason, just looking at the water drop lights hanging in a row as if to light the way ahead makes me feel better. At the end of the path led by the back, there is a crossroads. If you go straight ahead, you will find Songpa Ginkgo Tree Road, which is the most beautiful these days, to the west is Metasequoia Road, a famous spot in the drama <Winter Sonata>, and to the east is Wilderness Tree Road. The main facilities of Nami Island, including Hotel Jeonggwanru, are concentrated around this crossroads.

What stands out on Jungang Pine Road is the UNICEF Hall and exciting library. UNICEF Hall is a remodeled building that was used as a haunted house when Nami Island was an amusement park. They promote UNICEF activities, receive sponsorship applications, display and sell UNICEF-related items, and donate all proceeds to UNICEF. The reason why Nami Island is not just an amusement facility is that it has been transformed into a place where people can enjoy books, culture, and art together. The picture book benches with picture books all over the island and the picture books placed in each toilet contain the desire to open a book even for a while while sitting and resting or doing errands.

The exciting library with over 20,000 books is a space where children as well as adults can read picture books to their heart's content. There are also more than 5,000 picture books from 86 countries around the world. It is connected to a book cafe, so parents can take out a book while drinking tea while their children read books and ride on the slide. Numerous exhibitions and performances are held throughout the year, and high-quality works of art can be easily found. It is full of interesting things to see, such as the Song Museum, Environmental School, and Green Shop Experience Workshop.

In the early morning, the east tulip tree road is better than the central pine tree road. The sunlight penetrates deep into the yellow trees, making them look even brighter. The eastern road leads from north to south through a forest of birch, tulip, weeping cherry, cassia, cypress, and reed trees. Most of them are old trees, tall and beautiful, adding to the taste of walking.

There are benches, picnic tables, and small benches along the way, making it a good place to rest your legs or read a book. In the afternoon, the eastern road is shaded and the western road is flooded with sunlight. The western road leads to the colonies of acacia, pine, and oak trees. Even in the middle of the day, there are not many people on the west riverside road, so it is good to ride a bicycle or take a quiet walk. However, there are mountains on the west side of the river, so in the late afternoon the mountain shadows are thick and the temperature drops when the sun goes down.

Nami Island's autumn leaves are at their peak between late October and early November. From mid-October, cassia and maple trees begin to change into colored clothes, spreading to ginkgo trees, and towards the end, yellow becomes more yellow and red becomes more red. Almost all trees, such as metasequoia and bijagi, reach their peak in early November with their respective colors.

Autumn is deepening in Nami Island, where a small forest suitable for secretly kissing, a promenade good for walking in groups, a lawn good for eating lunch and running around, and a teahouse where you can talk about Doran Doran are harmonious. Access is also good as you can take a train bound for Chuncheon and get off at Gapyeong Station or take a shuttle bus from Jamsil Station. Pack a few rolls of gimbap, fill a thermos with hot tea, and leave for Nami Island. It is enough to be dyed in yellow autumn all day long.