A river flows through it: Han River Ferry Cruise
SEOUL; a city encapsulating so many faces, so many dreams within itself. A city, that truly never sleeps. A city of joy. A city of lights. A city that is both modern, yet traditional. A city so fast paced, crowded and advanced that nothing sells you short on that rush-y feeling.
But there are times, when one feels like having a break to be away from the contast hustle and bustle to spend time with oneself to feel the calm and soothe the nerves. And you might not have the time to go far away, as time passes you by really fast.
That’s when the Han River calls you.
Han River is basically a combination of South and North Han River. It flows through Seoul, mingles with another river (Imjin) and eventually become a part of the Yellow Sea.
“A river seems a magic thing. A magic, moving, living part of the very earth itself.” — Laura Gilpin
It was the end of winter season when we went for the enchanting Han River Ferry Cruise Tour. There are 3 dock options for boarding in the cruise; the one we opted for was Yeouido. Although there are several cruise tours during the day, we had already decided to take the late evening tour. But we reached there around 4:30 pm to enjoy a decent time beside the river.
To start it off, we got ourselves the tickets for evening tour i.e. “Live Concert Cruise Tour”.
Tour package fee: 15000 won each
Tour timing: 1930 hrs
And then we moved on with unleashing the magic of those surroundings. Cool winter breeze, catchy scenery, bicycle tracks, grassy grounds, basketball courts and graffiti walls; that’s what I remember of the refreshing stroll we had over there. After the stroll along with capturing those moments, we went in the dock from where our cruise was supposed to leave.
Pleasantly, all the docks carry fast food chains, cafes, restaurants and convenience stores. As it was really cold, we went with the Café’ option to warm ourselves up before the tour.
Cruise boarding started around 1915 hrs. Boarding-in procedure is very much similar to the plane boarding. And hence we eventually checked in.
The cruise has two decks: Lower deck is an enclosed area with huge glass windows to look through, tables, chairs and temperature control system ensuring a very comfortable seating area. While the upper deck is open with some wooden desks and benches to enjoy the city view along with breathing in freshness of air.
We were all for the open deck experience. But as much as we wanted to, we could not experience the entire cruise trip in open. And thank God for that. Firstly, the breeze felt even colder with water all around. And most importantly, we got a chance to enjoy the best of both worlds – by only switching the decks at our own convenience.
As the name suggests, live concert cruise trip comes with entertainment extravaganza. Yes, its bundled up with a musical program on the lower deck. Dim lights, cozy ambiance, rhythm of gentle guitar strokes, slow soft music and Seoul city skyline and night lights; it all adds up in making the tour as surreal as it can get.
Here, you realize that there is a reason why they promote Seoul as “Soul of Asia”. I have not experienced the day trip though, but the night city view literally and most definitely sweeps you off your feet. It’s peaceful, it’s calming, it’s relaxing, it’s soothing.
However, there is one regret: we could not experience the Moonlight Rainbow Fountain show at Bunpo Bridge, which is one of the main reasons people take this tour. Imagine how much fun it must be to see the water dancing with glittering lights and swinging music. But then again, the trip was too much fun even without getting to experience the fountain show.
So here comes a catch: all the readers out there wanting to make the most of cruise trip; try making a visit in either spring or fall. Winters may make you feel freeze out, and summer heat along with humid air over the river may make you feel as if you are melting. And off course, you will (most probably) be lucky enough to witness the fountain show.
Those who like munching and snacking may skip carrying eatables along, as a small tuck shop just beside the upper deck makes sure to take care of your cravings.
The round trip takes around an hour to take you back to the starting point. However, the time may extend depending on weather conditions and if the package includes moonlight fountain show.
All those who want to view the city in a distinct way, Han River cruise through Seoul is just the right option for you. And the ones who are looking out for a thrill or adventure, unfortunately – you may have to give it a miss :).
Photo Credits: M. Bilal Amin