An intriguing futuristic smart city with free economic zones created out of landfill in the bay, Songdo International City is connected to Yeongjeongdo by the 21.38km Incheon Bridge. In the works since 1994, Songdo is billed as a model urban development designed around high-tech buildings and networks, using best-practice ecofriendly principles, with a business district, convention centre and parkland. However, the economic turndowns of recent years have dented the ambitious plans, leaving Songdo a work in progress, and it sometimes feels like a ghost town.
To get an idea of Songdo's master plan, drop by the sleek Compact Smart City a multilevel display centre with scale models and exhibitions covering Incheon's past, present and future. Next door is the helpful Songdo Tourist Information Centre which has a useful walking-tour map. Also here is the photogenic Tri-bowl , a futuristic piece of architecture that’s part giant sculpture, part performance hall, with regular free concerts.
It's a short walk to Central Park , which the city is planned around. The park is built on reclaimed land and is pleasant to stroll, with a pretty lake with ocean-scented breeze. At the park's northwest corner is NC Canal Cube Walk , a shopping and eating district that runs several kilometres along a canal. Heading back southwards is G-Tower with its I-Vision Centre observatory deck on the 33rd floor with sensational 360° views, including the iconic Incheon Bridge.
Overlooking Central Park, Sheraton Incheon Hotel is Songdo's most upmarket accommodation choice, while Central Park Hotel is a more affordable business hotel. A more memorable option is Gyeongwonjae , within the new Hanok Village cultural precinct on Central Park, offering traditional style rooms and restaurants, including Hanyang , which does affordable and tasty bimbimbap and bulgogi dishes.
The city is very bike friendly, and free bicycle hire is available from GT Tower on weekdays for three hours; bring photo ID. Otherwise weekends you can rent a pricey bike from East Boat House in Central Park for around ₩10,000 per half hour.
To get to Songdo take the Incheon 1 subway line to Central Park station, around one hour from Incheon station.
