Nami Island

Nami is a small half-moon island in the Bukhangang river, an hour or so northeast of Seoul, reached by a short ferry from the Gapyeong bank or by zip wire for people who prefer to arrive faster. The draw is the planting: long straight avenues of metasequoia, ginkgo, pine and birch that turn gold and red in autumn and take snow beautifully in winter. The island is car-free apart from a small tourist train, so it is walked or cycled, past ostriches and rabbits, cafes, workshops and sculpture. It became widely known as a filming location for a television drama and has drawn visitors from across Asia ever since, which shapes the atmosphere as much as the trees do.

What you actually see

• The metasequoia avenue - the straight line of tall trees that everyone photographs.
• The ginkgo and birch lanes - the other planted avenues crossing the island.
• The riverside path - the loop walk around the shore of the island.
• The ferry crossing - the short boat trip over the Bukhangang to reach it.

When to go

Late October and early November for the gold and red, and midwinter for snow on the avenues, which is when the island looks its best and least crowded. Spring is green and pleasant. Ferries run frequently but queue at peak times, and the last boat back is early enough to catch people out, so check it on arrival.

Honest expectations

It is small, and it is thoroughly commercialised: cafes, souvenir shops, snack stands and posed photo spots line the avenues, and at weekends and in the autumn peak the famous tree lane is a slow procession of people queueing to be photographed in it. The entry and ferry fee is high for what is essentially a park. Early morning is the only reliably quiet time.

Nearby

The Garden of Morning Calm and the Bukhangang bike path are close, and Chuncheon is a short drive.