Camping available in Seoul without any equipment
Camping at Nanji Camp site in western Seoul is a popular outdoor activity among city residents as well as tourists. / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government
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By Kim Se-jeong
Do you remember going a camping as a child?
You would load a boxful of food, sleeping bags, bathing suit, among others into the car before setting off to a remote mountain range for several days.
In that sense, camping would not be a priority because you had the necessary equipment.
In Seoul, you do not have to worry about this.
The Nanji Camp in western Seoul in the Han River Park, run by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, has everything for you, from a tent to meat.
You arrive and pay at the gate, before moving to the camp site, which houses 194 tents. You’ll be safe on a rainy day or a cold winter day because the tents are is waterproof and the floor has a heating system.
You can rent small chairs, blankets, among others. If you want a grill ― the most fun thing to do while camping ― they also have all the equipment for rent. You don’t even need to bring food because the site has a small supermarket where you can buy the things you’d need, from sausages to beer.
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Rain can’t stop campers. A girl plays with water guns at the Nanji Camp on a rainy day. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
The camp site has a water faucet where you can wash dishes or rinse fruits. Toilets and showers are also there.
Just outside the camp ground, you’ll find a stretch of riverside walking and bicycle paths. In less than one minute, you will hit a tiny wet land where you can find unusual birds singing. But don’t forget insect repellent during the summer.
You can enjoy swimming as an outdoor swimming pool is fairly close ― a 15 minute walk away.
Behind the camp site are Haneul and Noeun parks, which used to be the trash-mountains ― but now no worries about odor. The peak of Noeul Park is known for its sunset, probably the best one in town. (In fact, Noeul Park has a camp site on top as well). You can also see cucumbers and pumpkins growing in tiny farms scattered around.
The camping site opens at 11 a.m., and you should leave by 9:30 a.m. the next day. If you don’t have a car, take a bus from Dagnsan Station on Line Nos. 2 and 9. During weekends until the end of August, the city government runs a bus from the World Cup Stadium Station on Line No.6 to the site.
Here are tips for prospective campers.
First, if you want a quiet and solitary camping experience, please avoid weekends, especially Saturday night. Camping is a popular outdoor activity for local residents, and they pack the camp site during weekends, even in the rain.
Second, if you don’t speak Korean, you’d better find someone who does. The city outsources reservations to a local company and the company’s website offers only partially English services.
The most critical part of the camping experience is making a reservation. As mentioned earlier, it’s busy during weekends, requiring at least one month in advance. During weekdays, it’s pretty slow.
In addition to Nanji Camp, the city government runs four other camping sites ― Noeul Park, Jungnang Camp, Gangdong Greenway Family Camp and Seoul Grand Park. Not all sites have tents ready, so visit
for more information.
You can also find camping grounds in the Han River parks of Yeouido, Ttukseom, Jamwon and Jamsil; Yangjae Forest; Seoul Forest; Cheonwang Park; and Jangji Park. For more information, visit parks.seoul.go.kr and
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