Monday, April 16, 2012

Backpacking Korea: Namsan Tower


After a long day touring around Seoul, we still have time to spare for another must go place in the city. We spent the night going to Namsan Tower or more poplularly known as Seoul Tower.


The tower is located near our inn at Namsan Guest House 3. It is a long walk from Myeongdong Station going uphill to the entrance. You just need to follow the path going to the right from the subway station and soon, you will see the tower from afar, just follow it and you'll surely get there.


queue going to the cable car ride

ticket booth
cable cars

Across the tower is the cable car ride going to the tower. There is a ticket booth here and you can opt to get a roundtrip to the cable cars or just a one way ride. Also, you can opt to climb the tower on foot. This however is free and is a nice cardio workout. :P
Seoul Tower opened to the public on October 15, 1980 and has since become a major tourist attraction. The 236.7m Seoul Tower sits atop Namsan Mountain (243m), Seoul Tower offers panoramic views of Seoul and the surrounding areas. The view is so stunning that many consider Seoul Tower the best tower in Asia. 

Thirty years and countless visitors later, as the structure was renamed ‘N Seoul Tower.’ The letter ‘N’ stands for the tower’s ‘new’ look, which resulted from a 15 billion won remodeling in Dec 2005. With the new lighting system and changes to the tower’s overall color scheme, event coordinators can now decorate the tower for each new season or event. Currently, an ongoing lighting theme titled ‘Flower of Seoul,’ uses searchlights to light up the tower each night from 7pm to midnight. 

At the base of Seoul Tower visitors can find the Media Zone, a Pavilion Experience Hall, exhibition rooms, and performance halls. Visitors are encouraged to try the N Grill western-style restaurant revolving restaurant (one rotation every 48 minutes) and the Sky Restroom (an artfully decorated space). Both offer breathtaking views of the cityscape.
City Scape
As you reach the tower you can see a 360 degrees view of Seoul. It is very pretty with the city lights and the cold winter air makes the experience more nice. This tower is also famous for the love locks that is around it. You will see hundreds of these around with messages of the couples that placed it there. It is really a romantic place here with the view and atmosphere, I am sure, you'll come back here, with or without a lover.

Big heart at the tower

A poem about love

locks all around

The tower also features a lot of other spots here like the Teddy Bear Museum. They feature teddy bears in dioramas and they are really cute to look at. There are also several souvenier shops around and restaurants.

Also, you can go up the tower for a fee. You can see a better view of the city here but we didn't avail of it since it was already nice at the foot of the tower.

Here are the Admission Fees and facilities available at the tower:
Admission Fees

Classification
Adults
Youths
Children
Remarks
Observatory
9,000 won
7,000 won
5,000 won
Adult : 18+
Youth : 13-17
Children : 3-12
Teddy bear Museum
8,000 won
6,000 won
5,000 won
Package
(Observatory + 
Teddy bear Museum)
14,000 won
10,000 won
7,000 won
Group(20 or more)
Inquiries : +82-2-3455-9208, +82-2-3455-9210

Classification
Adults
Youths
Primary School pupils
Preschool Children
Remarks
HanCook Package
(HanCook + Observatory)
Lunch
(11:00-16:00
Weekdays)
30,000 won
29,000 won
13,500 won
9,500 won

Primary School pupils : 7-12
 Preschool Children :3-6
Dinner
42,000 won
41,000 won
14,500 won
10,500 won
* n.GRILL visitors can enter observatory without additional charge
Available Facilities
N LobbyB1 - Observatory elevator
Lobby - World Tower Wall, media zone, cafe

N Plaza1F – Gift shop, food court, terrace, tower square, ticket box, beer garden
2F – Performance stage, roof terrace

N Tower1F – HANCOOK (Korean restaurant)
2F РSky caf̩, restroom
3F – Observatory with a digital display of the panoramic view of Seoul
5F – n.GRILL restaurant
Interpretation Services Offered
* Audio guide, leaflets, pamphlets and maps available in English, Chinese & Japanese
(Audio guide: 3,000 won)
* Group guide: 10 or more people (first-come, first-served basis)




  • Please inquire at the information desk in the lobby.
  • Directions
    Chungmuro Station (Subway Line 3 or 4), Exit 2.
    Take Bus 2 (08:00-24:00/5min intervals) or Bus 5 (07:30-23:50/15min intervals) to N Seoul Tower.

    OR

    Itaewon Station (Subway Line 6), Exit 4.
    Take Bus 3 (08:00-23:00/10min intervals) to N Seoul Tower.
    Seoul Tower, upclose

    We stayed there for a while before deciding to go back down for dinner. It was a really nice experience and we surely enjoyed it. I will surely go back there when I return to Seoul. Surely, this place is a must see attraction here in Seoul, so be sure to go here.

    Namsan Tower
    http://www.nseoultower.co.kr

    Address
    Seoul-si Yongsan-gu Yongsandong
    2-ga San 1-3

    Inquiries
    • 1330 tt call center: +82-2-1330
    (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)
    • For more info:
    +82-2-3455-9277, 9288
    (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)


    Operating Hours
    Sunday-Thursday
    Observatory: 10:00-23:00
    Restaurant: 11:00-23:00
    Teddy Bear Museum: 10:00-22:00 (Last entry: 21:00)

    Friday-Saturday
    Observatory: 10:00-24:00
    Restaurants (n.GRILL/Hancook): 11:00-23:00
    The place dining: 11:00-24:00 (Last seating: 23:00)
    Teddy Bear Museum: 10:00-22:00
    Parking Facilities
    Cable car parking lot
    First 30 min: Free for cable car customers
    Each additional 10 min: 500 won

    Namsan park parking lot
    300 won/10 min


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