[FUTURE & HISTORY] A Great Place to be on a Bicycle
New Songdo
To me there is nothing more liberating than riding a bicycle. It relieves my stress after a hard day at work, it is a release during the midday, or it can even be a great beginning to my day. When I first came to South Korea, about eight years ago, I never thought about getting a bike because at the time there were not very many places to safely go on a ride. However since then, the South Korean government, at both the local and national levels, has promoted the use of bicycles by planning new developments with bike recreation and exercise in mind. New Songdo is a great example of this trend, and it is what I feel is one of the greatest advantages to living in New Songdo.
Writer - Photos Mark Kennedy
Whether you are an experienced rider or just a beginner there are many great places in New Songdo to go biking. The most obvious would be Central Park. With its wonderful scenery surrounding the manmade lake and 3500 meter long path it is an enjoyable experience for any kind of rider. For the experienced rider early morning is the best time because you can enjoy a ride with little interruption. On the weekends, it can be quite busy with families, so riders need to be careful especially because young children (and some adults) do not understand the difference between the bike lanes and pedestrian walking paths. However, it has wide bike lanes so there should be enough space for everyone.
A great family destination for a bicycle ride is Haedoji (Sunrise) Park. It has many great places for the kids to play while off the bike and two perpendicular 2000 meter loops, one for walking and the other for biking, that you can have a nice leisurely ride around. It is another very popular place for people to head to on the weekend, so again be on the lookout for unexpected pedestrians migrating into the bike lane. My family has ridden there many times on Saturday for a picnic and even though it is quite busy there is still enough space for everyone to feel comfortable.
The best location for experienced riders to go for a more intense and prolonged workout is Dalbit (Moonshine) Park. It is located beside and under the three bridges that enter into New Songdo. It is the number one place for sports recreation on the island. It has badminton, tennis, jokgu (Korean foot volleyball) and basketball courts, exercise equipment, soccer fields, which is all surrounded by a 5000 meter long track bicycle path loop. It is a well labelled path that can also be separated into two short track loops. It is my favorite destination for a morning ride or it is at least where I usually begin my rides. The path has also been extended under the Songdo First Bridge towards the Yonsei University and Lotte Castle developments which adds another 1500-2000 meters to the journey.
In addition to the three parks mentioned above there are many other areas to go for a ride. One popular place for more advanced riders is to do a few loops around the Jack Nicklaus Golf Course. I recommend riding around the Incheon University, State University of New York, and Yonsei University campuses if you get a chance. The architecture is very unique, modern, and easily accessible.
Whether you are an advanced bike rider or a true beginner on a bicycle there are many great places available for you in New Songdo. I highly recommend going for a bike ride or two this year, for a healthy mind and body.
Remember some important rules of the bike path:
- Always wear a helmet
- Ride on the right and pass on the left while on the bike paths
- If riding at night wear clothes that are reflective or get a light for your bike
- If you are not on your bike remove it from the bike path
- Be on the lookout for pedestrians that may unknowingly wander onto the path
- Get a bell for your bell to warn pedestrians or other bicyclists that you need room to pas
