Myrtle Beach, eat your heart out.

An excellent place to check out a more Korean version of the nightlife is mere minutes away from Incheon station. Known as 월미도테마파크 (Wol-mi-do te-ma pa-keu, or Wolmi-do theme park) it’s a family-friendly outing much like Seoul Land and Lotte World.  The area is easy to come and go, pay by the ride, or just people-watch throughout the night. The lack of alcohol was a nice touch too, although it’s easily obtained from any convenience store or restaurant around the area. There just wasn’t anyone selling it inside the park.

Easily the ride that attracted the longest line, and the most spectators – the ‘Apollo Disco’. Riders sit on the padded benches and hang on for dear life. There’s no straps or seatbelts (!!!), and I dare say half the fun of watching is watching someone get thrown out of their seat. Add the DJ taunting / teasing people and it’s a bit more entertaining. It also helps when people are dancing (or walking) in the center of the ring, as they do sometimes.

Some rides, while functional and working, just didn’t attract as much attention. If you like being one of the only people on the ride, however, you’re in luck!

Some impromptu, unexpected fireworks were a pleasant surprise.

Plenty of people were shooting off roman candles at the water’s edge.

Just one of the dozens at the water’s edge.

Gotta love the murals that are part of the area – a little weird, but not overly scary.

It’s a little hard to see in this picture, but there are three Viking boat rides side-by-side-by-side – all part of the same park.

Some of the lights on display on the Culture Street of Wolmi-do. They’re pretty, but feel like something I’ve seen in Busan before.

Go before it gets too cold – there are no tall or huge rides, but it’s a pleasant outing when combined with Chinatown or Jayu Park. Try not to stay too late, however – on this particular trip, we had a tough time figuring out why buses continued to drive without taking on people and with their lights off. It was late (around 11pm on a Saturday night), but they weren’t letting anyone on. To make matters worse, the taxi drivers in the area made the taxi drivers in Itaewon look generous and kind. Those that weren’t reserved were well aware of their ability to pick and choose their customers. Be on the bus before 10:30pm to be safe, or be ready to struggle a bit with a taxi driver.

Ratings (out of 5 taeguks): How do I rate destinations?
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Directions to Wolmi-do Amusement Park: Get to Incheon station (line 1), then take the only exit to street level. Look straight out the exit for a bus stop, then hop on bus 2, 23, or 45. Ride the bus for 7-10 minutes until you hear the English announcement for Wolmi-do. If it’s dark outside, keep your eyes peeled for the giant Ferris wheel and get off when you see it. For more information, check out my-land.co.kr or call 070-8801-8525.

© Chris Backe – 2011
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