First visit to Nami Island: a day of walks and quiet breaks
Make time to walk and rest along Nami Island’s tree-lined paths and riverbank. Plan the Gapyeong wharf approach, admission with a round-trip ferry and the boat back.
First visit to Nami Island: a day of walks and quiet breaks
People walking along a tree-lined path on Nami Island in June 2015.
Visit Nami Island if you like the idea of walking beneath rows of trees, then taking a break with a view of the Bukhangang River. You can take photos on Metasequoia Lane before exploring another tree-lined path or heading to the riverside. For a first visit, choose the path you most want to see and leave plenty of time to rest between walks.
Nami Island belongs to Chuncheon administratively, but the ferry leaves from the Nami Island wharf in Gapyeong. Planning the journey to and from Gapyeong separately from your time on the island makes the day easier to arrange. Once on the island, enjoy your walk and work back from your return ferry and onward transport. Official directions to Nami Island
Start with the trees on Metasequoia Lane
For one of the island’s best-known tree-lined walks, choose Metasequoia Lane. The operator introduces it as a filming location for the drama Winter Sonata and one of Nami Island’s signature paths. Even if you have never seen the drama, you can enjoy walking among the rows of trees and taking photos. Nami Island tree-lined paths and gardens
To see another tree-lined path, look for Ginkgo Tree Lane, which runs from the Central Plaza toward the villa. Central Korean Pine Tree Lane leads from Nami Wharf toward the Central Plaza. Your walk can take a different shape depending on whether metasequoias, ginkgo trees or Korean pines catch your eye. Find the path names on the island map, then follow the signs as you go.
A shaded tree-lined path on Nami Island, photographed in June 2015.
If you want to take photos, spend a little longer in a spot you like rather than rushing between several paths. If autumn leaves or snow are the reason for your visit, look at recent island updates to see conditions around your travel dates.
Take the riverside at your own pace
After the tree-lined paths, spend some time where you can see the river. The operator describes a birch-lined path stretching along the riverside from Cheongyeongwon in the north of the island, as well as the Riverside Lovers’ Ginkgo Tree Lane beside the water. These are good choices when you would like river views as well as trees. Nami Island riverside walks
You can walk just the stretch of riverside that appeals to you. Take photos by the water, or move to a café for a break. Leave enough time to return to the wharf for your ferry.
A riverside path on Nami Island and the Bukhangang River, photographed in June 2015.
If you are visiting with a stroller or wheelchair, first choose the tree-lined path you would like to see, then call Nami Island information on 031-580-8114 to ask about boarding and leaving the ferry and reaching that path. Asking about places to rest can also help you adjust how far you travel on the island.
Stop at a café between walks
Sonata Café, in front of Metasequoia Lane, lists drinks and snacks such as hotteok, Korean sweet pancakes. It is an option for a snack break between walks. If you would rather relax with a river view, consider Swing Café & Bakery on the ground floor of the Song Museum. The operator describes it as a café facing the scenery along the Bukhangang River. Nami Island cafés
There is no need to plan every café stop in advance. Choose according to how far you have walked and when you feel like resting. Spending time on one tree-lined path, having a drink and then heading back for the ferry also makes a pleasant first visit.
For an ordinary day visit, leave cooking equipment, tents and shade shelters at home, even if you plan a long outdoor break. Nami Island restricts outdoor cooking and camping to protect its trees and lawns. Participants in the separate backpacking program Trekking on Island follow that program’s own operating rules. Nami Island visitor rules
Head to the Gapyeong wharf for the ferry
In your map or navigation app, search for “남이섬 매표소” (Nami Island ticket office) or “남이섬 선착장” (Nami Island wharf) and choose the address on the Gapyeong side. The operator gives the wharf address as 1024 Bukhangangbyeon-ro, Gapyeong-eup, Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do. This is different from the island’s own address: 1 Namiseom-gil, Namsan-myeon, Chuncheon-si, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province. Official access information for Nami Island
If you travel by train, allow separately for the journey from Gapyeong Station to the wharf. The operator’s directions cover the Gyeongchun Line, ITX-Cheongchun trains and access to the wharf. Choose transport for your travel date, and on the way back leave time to get from the Gapyeong wharf to the station or your next destination.
On the official price list checked on October 15, 2026, general admission with arrival and departure by standard ferry costs KRW 19,000. This includes island admission and the round-trip ferry fare. The list has a separate category for arrival by motorboat, so if you plan to take the standard ferry both ways, look for “일반선박 입출도” (standard ferry arrival and departure). Nami Island admission prices
The same official price list gives reduced rates for students, children and other eligible visitors. The “passport” listed on this page is a Nami Island membership, not a discount for holding a national passport. When choosing a ticket for your first visit, consider the ordinary admission and membership categories separately.
Finish your walk in time for the return ferry
A ferry at the Nami Island-side wharf in Chuncheon in February 2011.
The operator gives the crossing time as about 5 minutes once aboard. Allow extra time to buy your ticket and wait at the wharf. The baseline timetable lists departures every 30 minutes from 08:00 to 09:00, every 10–20 minutes from 09:00 to 18:00, and every 30 minutes from 18:00 to 21:00. Official Nami Island ferry information
The baseline timetable lists the last ferry to the island at 21:00 and the last ferry leaving the island at 21:05. The autumn extra-service notice for September 18–November 22, 2026 lists the first ferry at 07:30 daily and the last ferry at 21:30 on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays themselves. However, this extra-service notice does not specify the direction of departure. If you plan to stay into the evening, ask when you arrive what time the ferry leaves the island that day, then plan your return to the wharf and your onward transport together.
Rain alone does not mean the ferries stop. The operator says they run in rain, but that temporary conditions that make service difficult, such as faster currents caused by a sharp increase in water released from an upstream dam, are announced in pop-ups on the website. Before setting off, read the Nami Island weather and ferry FAQ and website notices. If service changes are announced on site, adjust your walking plans accordingly.
On your first visit, give yourself plenty of time for the tree-lined path you want to see and the place where you would like to rest. If you feel like walking more in the afternoon, explore a little farther along the river; if you have had enough time on the island, take the ferry back. Make Nami Island the focus of your day when walking and resting on the island appeals more than fitting several attractions into one itinerary.
More visitor information
• Official Nami Island admission prices
• Official Nami Island ferry timetable
• Official directions to Nami Island
• Korea Tourism Organization: Nami Island
Photo credits
• 남이섬 (38).JPG · Jocelyndurrey · CC BY-SA 4.0 · resized, re-encoded as JPEG and metadata removed · Adapted photos also licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
• 남이섬 (22).JPG · Jocelyndurrey · CC BY-SA 4.0 · resized, re-encoded as JPEG and metadata removed · Adapted photos also licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
• 남이섬 (13).JPG · Jocelyndurrey · CC BY-SA 4.0 · resized, re-encoded as JPEG and metadata removed · Adapted photos also licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
• Gapyeong-Nami Island Ferry.jpg · Minseong Kim · CC BY-SA 4.0 · resized, re-encoded as JPEG and metadata removed · Adapted photos also licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0