A Unique Cafe in Han River

Han River, which passes through Seoul is considered the most significant river among Koreans. You can enjoy the view from riverside or neighboring parks. However, there are also other places to recommend. If you want to see the river comfortably inside, regardless of weather, go to the Han River observation cafes. You might feel different from the other cafes as all of these observation cafes were built on the Han River Bridge. It will be a fun to find out the uniqueness of each cafe.

Han River has total of 10 observation cafes over seven Bridges. Among these, we chose six cafes thought to be more interesting and unique than the rest.
Let's find out the unusual and attractive cafes to enjoy the Han River at a glance. The cold wind always comes with the river, so don't forget to wear the warmest outfit.

Cloud Cafe & Red Sky Cafe on Dongjak Bridge

Cloud Cafe and Red Sky Cafe are located each at upstream and downstream of Dongjak Bridge. Both cafes occupy three floors of the building from 3rd to 5th, and outdoor observation deck is on 6th floor. The operating hour is from 10 am to 2 am from March to October during the high-demand season, and from 10 am to midnight from November to February during the low-demand season.

For those of you who want to go to either one of cafes mentioned above, we recommend you to take a bus no.502 or a subway to Dongjak station (line no.4). It takes only three minutes’ walk from where you get off. To Cloud café, go to exit no.1, and to Red Sky café go to exit no.2. For drivers, there is a parking lot over a Dongjak Bridge, which charges 300 won per 10 minutes. If you park at other parking lot in Banpo Hangang Park, it costs 1000 won per 30 minutes, from Monday through Saturday, and 200 won per extra 10 minutes. For whole day, it costs 10,000 won. On Sunday and national holidays, it is free of charge.

<The stylish interior of Cloud cafe> (Photo: Yonhap News)

Cloud cafe and Red Sky cafe draw attention as a comfortable resting place with lights from the ceiling and scents of aroma. In addition, both of these places have been recognized as the most appropriate places to see the fountain show around Banpo Bridge, floating Island, and 63 Building, and also beautiful scenery of the Han River with sunset. Of course, they serve the wonderful cuisine.

If you ever used a water-taxi, you’ll get 20% discount in all menus of Red Sky cafe. Red Sky cafe is the only one in alliance with Han River water-taxi, so do not miss the chance!

 
Cafe Ariddaum(pretty) Yangwha & Cafe Ariddaum(pretty) Sunneu on Yangwha Bridge

Ariddaum Yangwha is located at upstream direction of Yangwha Bridge, and Ariddaum Sunneu is located at downstream direction separately. They stand facing each other with Yangwha Bridge between them. They have oriental and occidental themes. Ariddaum Yangwha adopted the oriental lattice interior, and Ariddaum Sunneu adopted the occidental tables and chairs, separately.

<Interior of Cafe Ariddaum Yangwha and Cafe Ariddaum Sunneu> (Photo: Yonhap News)

Unlike the other observation cafes, these two are located on a pedestrian passage. So, in order to reach from the waterside of the Han River, you have to use a rather unique elevator moving on a slant line. In terms of transportation, you can take a walk for about 15 minutes from the exit no.3 in Sunneudo subway station (line no.9), or use the bus either no.604, 5712, 6712 or 6716.

The operating hour is from 10 am to midnight in high-demand season (Mar.-Oct.), and from 10 am to 11 pm in low-demand season (Nov.-Feb.). Comparing to the previous Cloud and Red Sky Cafe, you can tell the difference from their operating hour. However, the same parking charge applies to all the Han Liver Cafes.

Both of these cafes sit in back-to-back position in direction, so each opposite side of the wall is toward a different view. The Cafe Ariddaum Yangwha avails the views of the Han River, Dangsan Railroad Bridge, Yeouido, etc., and the Cafe Ariddaum Seoneu avails the views of Seoneudo Park, Seongsan Bridge and World Cup Fountain.

In addition, they sell the coffee from East Timor through fair trade, and all menus are free of sugar, trans fat and chemical additives at all. They sell not only coffee but also they prepare alcohol liquors such as wine, makgeoli (rice wine), cocktail, etc. and also various drinks like herbal tea and juice, which satisfies the various tastes of people at the same time.

 
Marushimteo on Jamsil Bridge

On July 2011, 12 major facilities on Han River were renamed. Now, they all have new names after pure Korean words. Marushimteo is also one of the, which changed its name, which used to be ‘River View Spring’.

<Clean view seen from Marushimteo> (Photo: Yonhap News)

The operating hour is from 10 am to 11 pm. Walk toward Jamsil Bridge for about 10 minutes from exit no.7 in Jamsil subway station (line no.2), or by bus no.302, 303, 320, 8361, 2412, 2415, 3215, and 3216 to get to the café..

This place has been managed by the Seoul Foundation of Women & Family, and used as a place for women. Recently a female owned flower shop named ‘travelling painter’ moved into the place. You can buy some various flowers and flowerpots as well. Marushimteo also provides useful information on employment for women and promoting programs. It sells coffee, fruit juice, jujube tea, sweet pumpkin, makgeoli (rice wine) , etc. The price is lower than elsewhere. Computers are set up for visitors’ convenience. Besides, after 8 o'clock in the evening, the observation deck on 3rd floor turns off the whole internal lights to provide the vivid night view. It will be more romantic, if you come with your lover.

Well, there is one more place you shouldn’t miss. It is “Jamsil Under-water Reservoir Fish Road" which is a pathway to make fish easily move up to the uperstream of the river. A little fish also can pass through the artificial valley as it is only 10cms high. Every Saturday from April to October, from 11:00am to 12:30pm, an interesting and educational program named ’The Han River Fish Ecology Classroom opens for public. The target audiences are from kindergarten kids to junior high school students, including their family. Unfortunately, the program doesn’t open in winter.

Semal Cafe on Hannam Bridge

Hannam Semal cafe built on the southern end of Hannam Bridge is the first Han River Observation café among others. From here, you can see the Namsan Mountain, Banpo Bridge, moonlight rainbow, Jamwon Han River Park at a glance.

<Citizens enjoying the view from Semal café> (Photo: Yonhap News)

The operating hour is from 10 am to midnight in high-demand season, and from 10 am to 11 pm in low-demand season. You can come here by a transfer bus from exit no.4 in Sinsa subway station (line no.3) or exit no.6 or 7 in Nonhyeon subway station (line no.3). You can also come by bus either one of no.140, 142, 144, 241, 402, 408, 420, 421, 470, 471, or 472.

The most attractive thing of Semal Cafe is to be specialized for bike users. To prevent losing the bikes, it operates a unique place called "housing bike keeping place" and keep developing the set menu for bike users. In addition, in winter time, this place provides a free experience of herbal teas event for bike users. Moreover, this place has been the most distinguished by bike manias for its convenience.

The most popular menu of this place is a three color makgeoli cocktail. This unique menu is a magical cocktail which has three colors and three tastes. Along with this, you can taste various oriental teas such as Yeosu stone-mountain organic-farming citron tea, south sea organic-farming plum tea, etc. Such as Yangwha Bridge, the coffee brought from the East Timor in fare trade, is very popular.

Another consideration of Semal Cafe is mat-rental. It is available with 3000won in deposit. So you can enjoy the moment sitting on the picnic mat in the Han River Park from the spring to the autumn. As such, the Semal cafe sets a good example as a first-born brother, to think about a minor but essential and short-cut policy to make the Han River cafes be the friends of the citizens.

Just as the winter sea, compared to the summer, winter river gets relatively few visitors. Meanwhile, this cold season could be the best opportunity to monopolize the whole view of Hna River on your own. Why don’t you refresh yourself with the warmest tea over the river?