Dumulmeori
Address: 145, Dumulmeori-gil, Yangseo-myeon, Yangpyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do
How to get there:
By subway: From Seoul, you can take the Gyeongui-Jungang line all the way to Yangsu Station. There are several stations throughout Seoul where you can catch a train on this line, including but not limited to: Daegok, Digital Media City, Hongik University (Hongdae), Yongsan, Wangsimni, Cheongnyangni. I usually take this line from Wangsimni Station and ride for 14 stops, which takes just over 1 hour, but obviously the time it takes can vary depending on your starting point. Bear in mind that there is a long interval time of around 30 minutes and trains that arrive earlier than that interval often terminate before your destination, so remember to check before travelling! Overall, it's a long journey but it's really simple and convenient as there are no transfers once you're on this line.
By train: Alternatively, you can take a KTX train to Yangpyeong Station, which will take around 28 minutes, and then take the Gyeongui-Jungang line back to Yangsu Station, which will take about 34 minutes. Whilst this is a possibility, it's more expensive and you don't save any time on your journey, so I recommend taking the Gyeongui-Jungang line from Seoul.
From Yangsu Station exit 1, it takes about 33 minutes to walk to Dumulmeori. The walk is easy as it's downhill and flat. Despite being a rural area, you will see a lot of restaurants and cafe's and there will always be someone around to ask if you're not sure where you're going. If in doubt, just follow everyone else!
By bus: Whilst taking the train is by far the best option, it is also possible to travel by bus. The best route, with less walking, is from Cheongnyangni. Take the #166-1 bus and ride 25 stops, which takes about 49 minutes. Get off at Seoksil Maeul bus stop and transfer to the #58-3 (땡큐58-3) bus. This bus does have a long interval time of between 30-60 minutes so plan well in advance! Once on this bus, you'll ride for another 42 stops, which takes around 46 minutes, and get off at Dumulmeori bus stop. From here you'll need to walk for about 20 minutes to get to Dumulmeori, but the walk is very scenic.
Dumulmeori
Dumulmeori, meaning 'the place where two streams of water meet', is the place where the Bukhan River (북한강 - meaning north Han river) and Namhan River (남한강 - meaning south Han river) tributaries converge. A couple of hundred years ago, this area used to be a place where workers who transported wood by boat would rest before heading into Seoul. But the construction of Paldang Dam in 1873 led to the decline of the industry when the area was designated as greenbelt land. These days, Dumulmeori is a popular tourist spot, especially for couples, thanks to the numerous K-dramas and movies filmed there. Dramas like, 'The Beauty Inside' (2018) and 'She Was Pretty' (2015) give us the chance to see Dumulmeori's serene and romantic scenery. So if you're a K-drama fan, you're bound to feel familiar with the place even if it's your first time visiting.
Taking a stroll around Dumulmeori, you'll notice a few notable features that are worth exploring. You might spot a 26 metre high tree, which is in fact three 400 year old trees that have grown together and appear as one giant tree. There is also a large, empty picture frame near the river and it's a popular place to take photos. You can even have a photo taken by a professional photographer! The stall is easy to find and you can ask for more information there.
Bike Rental
Another popular way to enjoy Dumulmeori is by bike. You're more than welcome to bring your own but a much more popular and convenient method is to rent one from the bike rental shops close to the site. There are a few around and they're easy to spot, but we rented from a store called '두물머리 자전거' (Dumulmeori jajeongeo) which literally translates as 'Dumulmeori bicycle'. There are a range of bicycles to rent, from individual adult and children's bicycles, to tandem bicycles. You can rent the bicycles for one or two hours, or for the whole day. For an individual adult bicycle, the fee starts at 4,000 won for one hour up to 12,000 won for the whole day (12 hours). There is an additional fee per minute if you're late returning your bicycle, so keep an eye on the time! I would personally recommend renting for two hours as you can get around Dumulmeori quickly by bike, so it should be enough time to enjoy a ride it without feeling any time pressure. But if you really want to take your time and maybe explore the surrounding area by bike, a full day's rental might be the best option.
Address: 1147, Yangsu-ri, Yangseo-myeon, Yangpyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do
Lotus Flowers
Dumulmeori is beautiful all year round, but in the summer, against the backdrop of the towering mountains and peaceful river, fields of lotus flowers bloom. There are two large ponds overflowing with white and pink lotus flowers, but they also grow in the river and a smaller pond near one of the numerous cafés. You really can't miss them!
Food & Drink
There's one snack that anyone who has visited Dumulmeori will tell you to try, and that's the corn dog. In Korea, this snack is referred to as a '핫도그' (hot dog) but it very much is a corn dog. As someone who isn't particularly in love with this deep-fried snack, I didn't try it on my first visit, but I was told by a colleague that Dumulmeori is kind of famous for these corn dogs as they are especially good there. So, this year I gave in and tried one, and I have to say I wasn't disappointed. It took me a little while to locate them, but I just retraced the steps of anyone I saw that had one in their hand and finally found a stall. This one place is a small hut that is painted red and white, and is located right next to the CU convenience store.
Address: 772-1, Yangsu-ri, Yangseo-myeon, Yangpyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do
There are definitely at least a couple of places where you can get them, but I'm sure wherever you buy one it will be delicious. Dumulmeori hot dogs are particularly special because they they contain lotus leaf. Whilst this didn't change the flavour for me, I found that the slightly spicy flavour from the gochujang (spicy pepper) in the sausage gave it a good kick and made it a little more special. I can now officially say that I too recommend that you try one during your visit.
There are so many cafes located nearby the river at Dumulmeori that it's hard to choose one to visit! However, every café has practically the same menu so it doesn't really matter which one you visit, but it does give you the freedom to choose based on the vibe or view without fear of missing out.
