Hello Friends! Let’s talk summer! It’s a magical thing to leave Australia in the winter and spend a summer holiday in Korea but wow, Korean summers are HOT! The humidity can be intense. When you’re in a big city like Seoul this can take a toll on children, especially when every day is packed with activity. They will need some downtime and they will need it to be cool. We discovered Yeoido Hangang Park when we were entertaining ourselves by getting off random subway stops to see what was there, the children taking turns to pick a station, a great adventure in itself.

Yeoido Hangang Park is on the island of Yeoido, on the Han River. The park has an enormous tiered series of shallow water pools and fountains overlooking the Han River and the stunning Seoul skyline.  My kids were ecstatic, after a couple weeks in the city I could see their relief at the open skies and freedom to play. Cooling down has never been more fun! You can buy ramen here and cook it yourself at special machines, with eggs, cheese and other additions available to add. A kind man showed us exactly what minute to add the eggs into the ramen.  After a spicy lunch it was back into the water.

We rented mats to sit on and many families set up camp, often long into the evening. Small tent rentals are also available, perfect if you have a toddler that may need a nap.  Summer nights at Yeoido are magical as kids run around with glow sticks and people play music by the river. After our discovery we would often go to Yeoido in the evening for a cooldown and to relax under the open sky. The park itself is huge, you can rent bikes or walk all along the Han. Like much of Seoul there are interesting artworks everywhere. In my visits to Seoul I was always grateful for how many beautiful, free public spaces exist and how enthusiastically they are used. The friendly, holiday atmosphere at Yeoido is something my kids have always remembered, they would have loved to have gone there every single night.

To get to Yeoido Hangang Park take Seoul Subway Line 5 and get off at exit 3. The water park is about a 5 minute walk, just follow the crowd!