Wolmido

Wolmido is a small island right in front of Incheon Port. Land reclamation has joined it to the mainland, so it hardly feels like an island any more, but because it guarded the sea route to Seoul, several turning points of modern Korean history played out here. At weekends its seaside cafés and fairground rides are busy, and at dusk people climb to the observatory on Wolmisan to watch the sun set over the Yellow Sea.

History: royal refuge, resort and battlefield

During the Joseon dynasty, Wolmido had a temporary palace where the king could stop on his way to safety on Ganghwa Island. Sources differ on when it was built, 1653 or 1656, and nothing of it remains today. In 1866, during the French expedition to Korea, the French fleet named the island after its admiral, and Western ships went on calling it "Roze Island". Under Japanese rule it held military installations and coal depots, and from the 1920s it was developed into a resort with a seawater bathhouse and a beach.

On 15 September 1950, Wolmido was the first landing point of the Incheon Landing, the operation that reversed the course of the Korean War. Bombardment before the landing devastated the island's village. After the war an army base occupied the hill for about 50 years; when it moved out, the site opened to the public in 2001 as Wolmi Park.

What to see

• Wolmi Park and the Korean Traditional Garden: The park covers Wolmisan hill and includes recreated gardens in the style of a palace garden, a scholar's retreat and a commoner's house. Forest trails are well maintained.
• Wolmi Observatory: From the top of Wolmisan you look down on Incheon Port, Incheon Bridge and the scattered islands, with the city on one side and the open Yellow Sea on the other.
• Wolmi Sea Train: A sightseeing monorail that loops around the island. The track is 6.1 km long, a full loop takes 42 minutes, and the train runs 7–18 m above the ground with views over the sea and the port.
• Wolmi Culture Street: Opened in July 1989, this waterfront strip has a promenade, open-air stage, music fountain and amusement rides.

Good to know

• The name Wolmido is often explained as "moon's tail" after its shape, though historians of place names read it differently. Over the centuries it went by several other names.
• By standing in front of Jemulpo and blocking wind and waves, the island made it possible for Jemulpo, today's Incheon Port, to work as a harbour.
• Unlike much of Incheon's coast, its shore does not turn into mudflats at low tide, so there is always water to look at.

Tripto tips

• Wolmi Sea Train: From April to October it runs 10:00–18:00 on weekdays and 10:00–21:00 at weekends; from November to March 10:00–18:00. It is closed on Mondays. Tickets cost KRW 8,000 for adults, KRW 6,000 for teenagers and over-65s, and KRW 5,000 for children. The starting station, Wolmi Bada, is right in front of Incheon Station on Seoul Subway Line 1.
• Park and observatory: Wolmi Park is open 05:00–23:00 from March to October and 05:00–22:00 from November to February, free of charge. Wolmi Observatory is also free and open 07:00–21:30.
• When to go: The island faces west, so sunset is the favourite time. Weekend evenings on Culture Street are crowded, so walk the park earlier in the day.
• How long: Allow 2–4 hours for the sea train, the park and the observatory. It combines easily with Chinatown opposite Incheon Station for a full day out.