Incheon [1] (인천, 仁川), also Inchon, is in South Korea on the coast directly to the west of Seoul.

Understand

A politically independent city of 2.5 million, Incheon is in practice largely a suburb of Seoul. In 1950, the city was the site of the Inchon Landing by American forces, a decisive battle in the Korean War.

Incheon serves as a transportation hub by both air and sea, with a massive harbor and Korea's main international airport. Several nearby islands, notably Yeongjong Island and Ganghwa Island, are also within city limits.

Newer neighborhoods, built on land reclaimed from the sea, are practically independent mini-cities with shopping, schools, housing, and industry. These newer areas pride themselves on being clean, modern, and safe, and compete for foreign investment.

Get in

By plane

Incheon International Airport, South Korea's main international gateway, is on Yeongjong Island, a part of Incheon. The airport and its connectivity are covered in detail in the Seoul article.

By boat

There are ships to Incheon from the Chinese ports of Weihai, Qingdao and Tianjin. Locally, there are ferries from Yeongjong Island to Wolmido Marina every 30 minutes. There is also a ferry to Jeju island.

By subway

Seoul subway line 1 links Seoul to Incheon. It has express trains that skip all the minor stops between Incheon and Yongsan. There is also an Incheon line which crosses line one at Bupyeong.

Get around

In addition to the Seoul subway line, the Incheon Rapid Transit Corporation operates a single subway line of its own. The Incheon line runs north-south, and the Seoul line east-west.

Wolmido is not on the subway network, but there are buses from Dongincheon Station every 10 minutes.

See

Incheon's official city flower, the rose, is abundant in the summer, climbing over walls and fences. Even the subway route into Seoul from Incheon is lined with roses and beautifully-tended shrubbery.

Do

• Chinatown. The only Chinatown in the greater Seoul area. The area is located at the end of the main subway line (1 or dark blue) that connects Incheon with nearby Seoul. The main entrance to Chinatown is directly in front of the Incheon Subway Station.
• Songdo Resort. Has a large ferris wheel which gives good views of the surrounding area. As well as other rides, a swimming lake and a water slide which doubles as a snow sledding slope in winter.

• Yeongjong Island, covered in a separate article, has beaches and hot springs.

Buy

Eat

Incheon has a Chinatown with many Chinese restaurants. Chinatown is to be found at the last stop on line 1. There are many raw fish restaurants around the port area at Wolmido.

Drink

Incheon has plenty of watering holes.

• Goose Goose, Bupyeong. A western pub where many English teachers and other foreigners go.

Sleep

Stay at the Best Western in Incheon. Great rates and nice rooms.

DO NOT STAY at "Hotel Grand Incheon Airport" -- this place is a mismanaged flea-bag Korean-style "love motel" on a small radar control island miles from the airport with shoddy rooms and poor service. Do not be fooled by the nice adverts. AVOID this dive. Best Western is MUCH nicer and cheaper.

get out

Don't go to Goose Goose, the foreigners there pick fights. Most of my friends avoid the place entirely.

Drink

• Ganghwa Island — temples, a few mountains and views to North Korea
• Yeongjong Island — beaches, hot springs and fish markets.