Incheon International Airport isn’t just the largest airport in South Korea, serving more than 49 million passengers a year, it’s also been consistently ranked among the top airports in the world, Since it opened in 2001, it has been picking up accolade after accolade, including the number two position on SkyTrax World Airport Awards’ list of the “World’s Best Airports”. (The number one airport on the list was Singapore‘s Changi Airport.)
So what makes Incheon International Airport such an awesome airport? It has free Wi-Fi throughout the entire airport and there’s no need to register for it. It also boasts an extensive range of shops where you can find nearly anything you can imagine. Just how much do passengers enjoy shopping at Incheon? In 2014, it raked in US$2 billion in duty-free sales, the highest ever achieved in the airport duty-free industry, and it was named the second best airport in the world for shopping by SkyTrax in 2016.
But good connectivity and great shopping aside, there are plenty of reasons to love this South Korea travel hub. Here are nine of the most awesome things to do at Incheon International.
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Learn about Korean history
Those who want to admire relics from Korea’s past should head to the Cultural Museum of Korea at the Concourse on the fourth floor. Opened in collaboration with the National Museum of Korea, admire the costumes from the Chosun Dynasty and traditional handicrafts. The literary arts are also featured with exhibits covering the history behind the Korean alphabet as well as prized print cultural artifacts such as the oldest known wooden slab print in the world and the world’s oldest book published by movable metal type.
Get rest and rejuvenation
Long-haul flights can really take a toll on your body, but Incheon has the perfect remedy for sore backs and aching feet. Spa on Air is a full-service spa with a wide range of full-body massages, foot treatments and aroma oil therapies, as well as sauna and shower rooms. After your treatment, you can make use of private sleeping rooms and meeting rooms. As per typical Korean jimjilbang (bathhouse), it is open 24 hours a day, and you are welcome to hang out in the lounge rooms with reclining chairs if you have a long layover and need some shut-eye. And fear not if you are hungry as there is an in-house snack bar.
Witness a royal procession
Be sure to catch the re-enactment of a traditional royal procession, which takes place several times a day. The “Walk of the Royal Family” showcases the lives of kings and queens of Korea’s past and, after the procession, you can sidle up to the cast members for royal photo opportunities.
Appreciate Korean architecture
Even if you are just here for a stopover, you can get a full understanding of Korean culture from the different set-ups in Incheon International Airport. The fourth floor of the passenger terminal houses the Korean Cultural Street, where stalls are decked out with traditional Korean architecture, with replica giwa (traditional tiled roof houses) and jeongja (pavilions). Stalls sell traditional Korean fare and hold cultural performances such as classical chamber concerts.
Take a stroll
If tranquility is what you seek, walk through one of Incheon’s many gardens and be one with nature. The Pine Tree Garden at the Millennium Hall features beautiful landscape with pine trees, quiet ponds and an array of beautiful flowers that vary with the season. At the Cactus Garden, you will find a large variety of cacti in all types of shapes and sizes. Get a bird’s-eye view of the surrounding area at the Sky Garden where the observatory deck overlooks the airport’s runways and nearby beach. There is also an eco-tunnel and bike path.
Get your laundry done
There’s nothing that makes you feel better than a fresh change of clothes, especially if you have been on the road for a length of time. Get your wrinkled clothes from your luggage freshly pressed and dry cleaned at Clean-Up Air on the first floor of the basement level in the passenger terminal.
See a movie
Spending time at Incheon International Airport is never boring with the plethora of entertainment options available. The latest blockbusters and hit TV shows can be viewed in seven languages at not one, but two cinemas within the airport complex.
Sink a couple of holes
myllissa, Golf Course via Flickr CC BY-SA 2.0
Those with more time on their hands can take a free shuttle bus to the Sky72 Gold & Resort. Here you can either practice your swing at the driving range, take golf lessons to improve your technique, or if you have a few hours to spare, play an 18-hole game.
Glide on ice
If moving about is your thing, lace on some skates and channel the spirit of World Champion Kim Yuna by gliding, spinning and twirling your way around Ice Forest, the airport’s indoor ice skating rink.
Main image: istockphoto/Reabirdna
