Siheung ideal place for affordable, satisfactory travel

By Seong Yeon-jae

SIHEUNG, Gyeonggi Province, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- Want to know where to travel in the vicinity of Seoul to get the most bang for your buck? Then try Siheung, a port just south of the South Korean capital.

Located about 26 kilometers south of Seoul, Siheung is easily accessible and has beautiful scenery as the city abuts the West Sea. It is about a 1 hour drive from the capital due to traffic and visitors can also take the subway to get there.

The city boasts a scenic pond filled with beautiful lotus flowers, two parks known for marvelous sunsets and Oido, an island-turned-park that has emerged as a major tourist attraction.

One of Siheung's most signature tourist spots is a centuries-old pond named Gwangok, which is situated on the northeastern outskirts of the city.

The pond is known to have been created by Kang Hee-maeng, a 15th-century Confucian scholar and agriculturist who served several ministerial posts after passing a state-administered civil service exam. He reportedly brought lotus seeds from China's Ming Dynasty and planted them at the pond.

Surrounding the pond is a lotus flower theme park on a 19.3-hectare area of rice paddies, which has become a magnet for tourists.

It is not the lotus flower season, but Victoria lotus flowers, which usually grow in the tropical zone, are still in full bloom there, luring photographers and tourists.

The pond is also known as a hunting place for spoonbills, an endangered species that is designated as a natural monument in South Korea.

Along the road leading to Oido and not far away from the pond is Okgu Park created in 2000 on a 335,000-square-meter plot of reclaimed land and famous for breathtaking sunsets.

A variety of trees are planted around a huge and well-manicured lawn, serving as a perfect place where visitors can relax away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Another hot spot is Baegot Park, a 232,400-square-meter seaside park where tourists can see the West Sea and the skyline of Songdo in the western port city of Incheon. Songdo is an office town on reclaimed land slightly smaller in area than Manhattan, where the South Korean office of the World Bank is located.

Visitors can enjoy beautiful sunsets at the park, which is also popular among bike and electric kickboard riders as it has a well-maintained bike road. In summer, the park opens up a pool of sea water, where people can swim to beat the heat.

Last but not least, Oido is a must-visit attraction in Siheung. Oido was originally an island about 4 km away from Siheung, but it was connected to the land during Japan's colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula (1910-45).

Oido has been transformed into a major tourist attraction lined with seafood restaurants. The Red Lighthouse has become Oido's landmark, serving as a photo hot spot. It also boasts the Tree of Life Observatory, a tree-shaped steel structure where visitors can watch sunsets.

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