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We had purchased a plane ticket with transit to Seoul-Incheon airport in South Korea. Our transit time was a few hours so we wanted to spend these hours available to see a bit of South Korea. Reading on the internet we discovered the possibility of free tours for passengers in transit organized by the airport.
FREE TOURS FOR PASSENGERS IN TRANSIT TO SEOUL-INCHEON AIRPORT IN SOUTH KOREA
During our visit to Seoul-Incheon airport we had about 7 hours between flights. So we decided to take advantage and test this opportunity for passengers in transit. Our choice fell on the 4-hour tour, this tour will allow us to visit part of the city of Incheon, and in particular the Songdo district with Songdo Central Park, the G-Tower and then, closer to the center of Incheon, the Singi (or Shin gi) Market.
The reservation was made online a few months before departure. The free tours are in fact limited in number and are sold out quickly. For the procedure and further information on how to book the tour and where to show up, see the page: Free tours for transit passengers at Seoul-Incheon airport.
After showing up at the free tour desk and presenting our ticket, we are given a pin with “Free Korean Transit tour” written on it. After a few minutes our guide arrives, a nice Korean girl. Tours are conducted in English, Chinese and Japanese. We opted for the tour in English.
We leave on time, get on a comfortable bus and cross the bridge, the Incheon Bridge, which connects the island where the airport is located and the cities of Sogdo and Incheon. The bridge is over 12 km long, with the largest span reaching a length of 800 meters, and it crosses a stretch of the Yellow Sea which in this area has strong tidal phenomena. In fact, we pass in the early afternoon at high tide and the water that partly covers the area crossed by the bridge. While in the late afternoon, on our return, the ground is muddy and swampy with the water that has retreated a few kilometers.
THE CENTRAL PARK OF SONGDO AND THE G-TOWER
The first stop on our tour is Songdo Central Park, a large green park surrounded by modern skyscrapers that was inspired by New York’s Central Park. There are large green areas, paths for pleasant walks, small lakes and canals.
Here we go up on the G-Tower a 33-storey skyscraper 150 meters high from where you can admire a splendid panorama of Central Park, the skyscrapers of Songdo and the city of Incheon. On top of the building, in addition to a vast view of the cities of Sogdo and Incheon, there are also some nice screens where children can have fun looking like astronauts or other characters and animals. We also have time to walk in the park.
THE SINGLE MARKET OF INCHEON
After a short visit to the Central Park of Sogdo we head towards the center of the city of Incheon to visit one of the most characteristic Korean markets: the Singi (sometimes also spelled Shin gi) Market. Here we are given (for free) coins, reproductions of ancient Korean coins, with which it is possible to pay in the market stalls and in the adjacent shops. For each of the participants we receive some of these perforated coins. Of course, the current Korean coins are also accepted in the market.
The visit to the market is interesting we have the opportunity to have contacts with the Koreans, often very reserved, but who are very kind and smiling at the market. There are stalls of fruit, fish, spices and Korean delicacies. The market is still a typical local market, so to speak, there are no souvenir stalls, so it is worth visiting. After the visit of the market which lasts about an hour we return, along the same road traveled on the way, to the Seoul-Incheon airport where we arrive on time for boarding our flight. Truly an excellent free service made available to passengers. Congratulations!
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