Nami Island: A Winter Wonderland – Nami Island, South Korea

Gracefully floating like a leaf on top of Cheongpyung Lake, 63 kilometers north of the Han River, is the tiny Korean Island of Nami. One of the best things about Nami, and something that is immediately evident, is that there are no cars; and so the air is so crisply clear and fresh. With only a circumference of 6 kilometers, the half-moon shaped island can be walked across in a matter of minutes. There is simply no need for the use of cars.

I arrived on Nami after a ten-minute ferry ride and stepped onto a winter wonderland. It was March in Korea and most of the winter snow had melted away on the mainland, but not on Nami. The first thing I saw as I stepped off the ferry was a giant ice sculpture supported by tree branches, pulling and twisting the ice in different directions. It seemed to point me onwards to welcome Nami. I obliged.

Artwork on NamiI’ve been to a few South Korean islands, and this is certainly one of the better ones. I’d like to try it in other seasons, especially in the beautiful Korean fall, a particularly colourful season. A weekend winter break on Nami is a particularly enchanting place to be. If you’re in the area, try it. You won’t be disappointed.

The author is currently teaching English in Seoul, South Korea, and writes freelance for a variety of magazines, E-zines, and newspapers. See more of his writing on his web-site.