Cruise on Han River – Buffet and Fireworks
Do you want to see Seoul’s twinkling skyline during the night while sipping on a glass of whatever you like and making no physical effort whatsoever? If your answer was ‘yes’ then this is for you. Keep reading to learn how to take a cruise or ferry on Han River.
Types of Cruises
There are a number of available cruises, depending on the time of day, week and even year. On weekends there is a cruise with live music and fireworks. On the other hand the cruises during the weekdays are cheaper, so if you don’t care much for fireworks you can save some money.
You can find different themed cruises, such as one for Hallyu fans for those who like K-pop and K-dramas and one that is pirate-themed and aimed at a younger audience. In the spring there is a cruise that focuses on the botanical life on the edge of Han river.
If you are a birdwatcher (or even if you’re not one) you’ll be happy to learn there is a cruise in autumn where you can spot migratory birds. There are many aquatic birds and rare breeds such as the Chinese merganser and the Japanese quail.
You can also go on the buffet cruise, where for an hour and thirty minutes you an enjoy delicious food while watching an amazing scenery. They offer both Korean and Western dishes.
If you’re coming to Korea for your honeymoon or with a significant other we recommend these cruises as it can make for quite a romantic activity. The cruises are popular among Korean couples too but don’t worry, there’s no PDA in South Korea.
Tip! If you’re a fan of architecture you do want to take this cruise during the day. You will see the gleaming 63 Tower and many other skyscrapers from the river, and it will be quite the view. On the other hand, if you choose to go at night all you will see is depressing lights (it’s normal for Korean office workers to be at the office until the wee hours of the night). Trust us, you don’t want to miss 63 Tower in all it’s golden glory.
Prices
The prices differ on whether your cruise takes place during the week or during the weekend. The fireworks trip is less than 25.000 KRW while the buffet one can be more than 75.000 KRW.
- Find It Here
Yeouido Dock Terminal 1, 280, Yeouidong-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, Korea
영등포구 여의동로 280 이랜드크루즈 터미널 1
While this is where you dock for the buffet and live music & fireworks cruises, the usual ferries can be boarded from a number of docks. Find information about that below.
Ferries
On the other hand, you can take a regular ferry on the Han, which will cost you significantly less. Moreover, these ferries can be boarded from a number of docks, which makes it convenient for those on a tight schedule. That way you can go sigh-seeing and then board a ferry en-route.
There are six ferries: Yeouido, Jamsil, Yanghwa, Ttukseom, Nanji and Seoul Forest. These are all in Seoul! Find out which subway station is closest to them by reading below.
- Yeouido Ferry: Subway line 5, Yeouinaru Station, exit 3; 5 minutes walking
- Jamsil Ferry: Subway line 2, Sincheon Station, Exit 7; 13 minutes walking towards Hangang Park
- Yanghwa Ferry: Subway line 2, Dangsan Station; 20 minutes walking towards Hangang Park
- Ttukseom Ferry: Subway line 7, Ttukseom Park Station, exit 3; 5 minutes walking
- Nanji Ferry: Subway line 6, Mapo-gu Office Station, exit 7; 15 minutes walking
- Seoul Forest Ferry: Subway line 2, Ttukseom Station, exit 8
The Sincheon and Ttukseom Stations are the most popular locations among foreigners. Sinchon is a neighborhood full of life both during the day and the night. At Seoul Forest you can visit the zoo and see the deer and then board the ferry back downtown.
The ferries offer round-trip and one-way tickets. The rides can take between 30 and 90 minutes. Several rides are available during the day and evening.
When Are They Open?
Every day of the week!
Contact Them By Phone
+82-2-3271-6900. The Phone service is available between 9AM and 8PM.
To find out information about the next day cruises be sure to call after 6PM.
Information About Booking
While for the ferry rides you can pretty much show up and buy a ticket, the cruises do require a reservation. You can make one through the many tourism agencies in Seoul. This way you can also get a guide who will tell you all about the bridges on Han river and the buildings you’ll see.
You can also book it by yourself if you’re feeling capable. Pay online and print the voucher and bring it along. You could also just download it to your phone. This is Korea, after all.
The cruises must be booked at least two days in advance, but during the summer season we advise you to book them two weeks in advance. We recommend that in the summer you book the evening cruises, as during the day it can get very hot in Korea.
The cruises are cancelled in case the weather is bad. In this case you will get refunded, or you can re-schedule your cruise.
An additional requirement of these cruises is that you must buy at least two tickets. This could be a hindrance for you lone travelers but at Kimchee Guesthouse you are bound to make a friend to take along with you.
With five locations in Seoul and one in Busan, Kimchee guarantees you the lowest price in all of South Korea. Book directly through our website and get an additional 4% off your booking.
