Taking a break by Seoul's Han River: picnic mats, food and riverside walks
Take a leisurely afternoon by Seoul's Han River. Spread out a picnic mat, share chicken or snacks, chat and take a short riverside walk. Choose whichever is easier to reach, Yeouido or Banpo, and give yourself a few hours to relax.
Taking a break by Seoul's Han River: picnic mats, food and riverside walks
People relaxing at Ttukseom Hangang Park at sunset. Photographed in September 2022.
Leave a little room in your schedule on the day you visit the Han River. Share some food on a picnic mat and chat as you look across the water. If you feel like stretching your legs, take a short walk along the river before coming back.
You could pick up chicken to go, or bring a few snacks and drinks. Give yourselves plenty of time to eat together and relax.
Yeouido or Banpo: choose the one that's easier to reach
Yeouido Hangang Park is a good choice if you want to spread out a mat and sit on the grass. The Seoul Tourism Organization also recommends it as a picnic spot for enjoying food and river views. Exits 2 and 3 of Yeouinaru Station on subway Line 5 lead to the central part of the park. On your map, look for Yeouido Hangang Park, not Yeouido Park, which is farther inland.
Banpo Hangang Park is another option if you'd like to see the bridge in the evening. There are picnic areas upstream and downstream of Banpo Bridge, as well as walking paths in the park. Seoul's official directions put the walk from exits 8-1 and 8-2 of Express Bus Terminal Station toward Banpo Bridge at about 15 minutes. Keep that stretch from the station in mind if you'll be carrying a lot of food.
Choose whichever park is easier to reach from your accommodation or the place you've been visiting that day. Less time traveling means more time sitting down and taking a break.
Once you spread out your mat, you've arrived
Have a look around and choose whether you'd rather sit on the grass or settle somewhere with a good view of the river. Leave walking routes and bike paths clear, and pay attention to signs marking permitted areas and closures. Knowing where the nearest restroom is and agreeing on a place to meet makes things easier if someone heads off to use the facilities or buy food.
Bringing your own picnic mat keeps things simple. Tourism guides also mention picnic-equipment rental shops around Yeouido; if you plan to rent, look into their opening arrangements and rental terms before you go. A small mat, water, tissues and a bag for your trash are a good starting point. If you're planning to sit for a while, you might also bring something to support your back or cushion the ground.
Picnic mats and shade tents have different rules. If you're renting a tent as well, Seoul's shade-tent guidance lists the permitted areas, operating season and hours: Seoul’s shade-tent guidance
For a simple afternoon of relaxing, a mat is enough.
Chicken, ramyeon or snacks from home
Chicken is easy to share, while ramyeon, Korean instant noodles, can make a simple meal. The Korea Tourism Organization also includes chicken and beer, along with instant ramyeon, in its introduction to Han River picnic food. A packed lunch or your own snacks work just as well.
If you'd like ramyeon, first see whether the shop you intend to use has an instant-noodle cooking machine. Follow the instructions beside it, and take care when carrying the hot bowl and broth. Use the shop's cooking facilities or bring ready-to-eat food rather than setting up a portable stove beside your mat. Seoul prohibits cooking outside designated places.
If you choose chicken, you can pick it up to go on the way. Even if you're thinking of chimaek, the pairing of chicken and beer, alcohol is optional. Soda or water are fine too. If you bring alcohol, follow any posted no-drinking notices and avoid disturbing the people around you.
For a delivery order, choose a nearby delivery zone as your pickup point rather than the spot where you've laid your mat. Seoul's guidance says delivery motorcycles cannot enter the park: you collect your food at the delivery zone and carry it back to where you're relaxing. Before ordering, sort out how to contact and pay through the service you'll use, along with the pickup location. If that feels cumbersome, picking up takeout yourself is easier.
After eating, watch the river or take a short walk
Finishing your food doesn't mean you need to move straight on to the next place. Someone might lie down for a rest, someone else might read or take photos, and you can stay and talk a little longer. Once you've packed up the mat, take a short stroll along a walking path. Notice which paths are for bicycles and which are for pedestrians, and leave room for others to pass when you stop for a photo.
If you'd like to see the fountain at Banpo, look up the operating times for your visit in the official Moonlight Rainbow Fountain guide: Moonlight Rainbow Fountain operating information
Operation can change with the weather and events. Whether you stay into the night to wait for the fountain or simply enjoy the river and bridge lights after sunset before heading back can depend on how you're feeling that day.
Banpo Bridge's Moonlight Rainbow Fountain at night. Photographed in August 2022.
Stay comfortable until it's time to leave
If you plan to be there in the middle of the day, bring what you need for protection from the sun. For an evening stay, pack an extra layer for when the breeze turns chilly. Heavy rain or rising river levels can lead to closures in parts of the parks, so look at the Han River parks' access-restriction notices before setting out: Han River park access-restriction notices
When you leave, pack leftover food and containers into your bag and take them with you. Have one last look around your spot to make sure you haven't left anything behind.
If you'd like to spend more time in Yeouido, you can also read our article on Yeouido Park and indoor places to take a break: Yeouido Park and indoor places to take a break
If buying and preparing food feels unfamiliar, the relevant sections of our guide to Korean convenience stores may help: Guide to Korean convenience stores
Useful guides before your visit
• Directions to Yeouido Hangang Park
• Directions to Banpo Hangang Park
• Han River park delivery zones
• Korea Tourism Organization: Han River picnics and things to do
Photo credits
• Evening by the river at Ttukseom · Liziyuan0216 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Proportionally resized and re-encoded
• Banpo Bridge fountain at night · Cookinu · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Proportionally resized and re-encoded