Haneul Park: A Little Piece Of Heaven In Bustling Seoul

Don’t you just love parks? I do, and while sometimes they’re unwelcoming, dirty or simply not well- maintained, that’s far from the case in South Korea, where every little park offers a respite from the hustle and bustle of the cities.

So welcome to this series of introductions to some of my favorite parks in the Land of Morning Calm!

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Haneul Park in a few words

This park, located near Seoul World Cup Stadium, and four others (Noeul Park, Nanji Hangang Park, Nanjicheon Park and Pyeonghwa Park or Peace Park) are actually part of the World Cup Park.

However, Haneul Park is probably the most popular of the five parks. And that’s no surprise when you consider that the Sky Park (once translated) was, in fact, a landfill before being restored to what it is today: an ecological park where locals and foreigners alike come to recharge their batteries and enjoy the greenery, the beautiful views and its famous autumn flowers.

Highlights of Haneul Park

1. Bridge & Metasequoia Trail

Right before the entrance of the park, and if you’re coming by public transport, you’ll come across a beautiful blue pedestrian bridge, often decorated with pretty flowers, which you’ll have to cross. After crossing it, you have mainly two options: continue on your way and climb the 291 steps leading up to the park, which I’ll come back to in a moment, or take a left and head for a popular photo spot: the metasequoia trail.

If you decide to spend some time in this quiet green oasis, bear in mind that you may encounter annoying bloodsuckers depending on the season, so be prepared and pack a repellent!

Now’s the time to connect with nature and get closer to the sky in Haneul Park.

2. Haneul Park Stairs

291, to be exact! And, let’s be honest, it wouldn’t be South Korea without stairs, and if you’re wondering if there’s an easier way, there is, without stairs at that, but if you know me, you know that’s not how I work, and where would be the fun in that?

So, if like me, you don’t mind a little exercise and want to enjoy a nice view of the park’s surroundings, while counting the seemingly endless steps, this part’s for you.

3. Observatory

Want unparalleled views of the Han River? The observatory in Haneul Park is one of the best places then. There’s even a bench right in front of it, so you can relax, enjoy the scenery and take a few pictures.

The truth is, the whole park is a paradise for photographs, with numerous photo spots all around, making it a good idea for a date spot where couples can soak up its tranquil vibe and take some romantic photos.

4. Container for the Sky

The structure called Container for the Sky, which looks like a metal bowl on the outside, is another of the viewpoints present in the park that will allow you to admire the view of flowers and lush green fields from a little higher up.

You’ll also see a few padlocks at the top of the structure, which I assume are couples who have left their mark after spending a lovely moment in the park.

5. Flower paradise

Cosmos, silver grass, pink muhly and other flowers are more than anything else what attracts all visitors to Haneul Park, which, let’s not forget was once a place where garbage was more common than beautiful, fragrant, flowers.

And with the famous photo zones available like pavilions and other structures everywhere, you can end up spending hours posing in the midst of the luxuriant nature.

6. Sunrise & sunset

The park is certainly popular for flower watching and as a means of escape from tumultuous Seoul, but not only that, as it’s also the ideal place to enjoy magnificent sunsets and sunrises.

As my day spent in Haneul Park was rather cloudy as the photos above clearly prove, I didn’t get to admire the sunset, however, the photos of friends who went there in a more pleasant weather definitely convinced me to come back one day and try my luck again.

There was even a popular festival at one point called “Sunrise Festival” where people greeted the first sunrise of the year in Haneul Park, but I’m not sure it still exists as I couldn’t find any information about it!

Nearby attractions:

🌲 The 4 other parks in World Cup Park
🌺 Seoul Botanic Park
💦 Hongjecheon Artificial Falls
☕ Cafe Neulbo 카페늘보 (to create unique keychains)
⛰️ Ansan mountain

Event

So what’s the most popular event that gathers all the residents of Seoul in one place? The Seoul Silver Grass Festival, of course. Usually held for a week in mid-October, this is the unmissable event if you’re in the area in autumn to watch the slender white, silver and fluffy grasses dancing in the wind.

Don’t forget that, due to it’s popularity, the serenity of the place will be largely affected, so perhaps come in the morning if you want to enjoy the fields of silver grass more quietly.

Best time to go

Everyone will tell you that the best time to visit Haneul Park is in fall, when you’ll have the chance to see many species of flowers such as the pink muhly, silver grass, broom cypress…, or in late spring.

But if you don’t mind fields of green grass as far as the eye can see and other flowers (maybe less famous or less pretty in some people’s eyes) and want to get away from the noisy capital, I’d say there’s no bad time to go to Haneul Park.

How to get to Haneul Park

Address: 482-49 Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul
Entrance to the park is free!

If you want to come by public transport, it’s not the shortest distance from the city center, but the peace and quiet is well worth it.

From Sicheong station (City Hall), you can take the 172 or 602 bus for 2 stops, get off at Ahyeon station and transfer to the 271 bus for 16 stops and get off at World Cup Park Entrance. It’ll then take you around 15-20 minutes to reach the park.

The wholetrip should cost you around $1 and take less than an hour, if there’s no traffic.

Tired of the hustle and bustle of South Korea’s capital and want to unwind while enjoying stunning views? Visit the former landfill turned eco-park that is Haneul Park!

On a budget and traveling to Seoul? Check out 20 of my favorite free things to do in the capital!