From Seonyudo Park’s old waterworks garden to Yangpyeong cafés

A park built from a waterworks

Seonyudo housed a water-treatment plant from 1978 to 2000. Seoul kept traces of the facilities and opened the ecological park in April 2002. The Green Pillar Garden keeps the columns of a clear-water tank whose roof was removed; the Water Purification Garden reuses a chemical sedimentation basin.

The editors suggest 60–90 minutes in daylight, when the old structures are easiest to see, with cafe time extra.

Green Pillar Garden and Seonyugyo

Starting at the Green Pillar Garden or the Water Purification Garden shows the repeated columns and former tanks in sequence. Seonyugyo, the pedestrian bridge to the south, opens views of the Han River beyond the island. Flowering and the operation of water features are not guaranteed.

Hanok cafe near the station

Cafe Picniq’s Seonyudo Hanok branch, at 2-1 Yangpyeong-ro 22-gil, first floor, near Seonyudo Station on Line 9, opened in a renovated hanok in 2018. The Seoul Tourism Organization lists daily hours of 10:00–21:00 and a location 26 m from exit 3. Phone: 0507-1314-5784.

River cafe and cat shop

Cafe Jinjungsung Hangang Coffee House, at 313 Seonyu-ro on the west side of the south end of Yanghwa Bridge, serves coffee and milk tea. Listed hours are 10:00–21:00 daily; phone 02-2633-9507.

In Yangpyeong-dong, Seonyudo Cat sells cat-themed goods at unit 104, building 104, 1 Yangpyeong-ro 22ra-gil. It is closed on Mondays.

Getting there and parking

The park is at 343 Seonyu-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Yeongdeungpo-gu’s official guide gives a 20-minute walk from exit 4 of Seonyudo Station on Line 9; actual time depends on the route and pace.

General vehicles must use Yanghwa Hangang Park parking lot 3. Parking on the island is limited to vehicles displaying a disability permit and carrying the eligible passenger. Park enquiries: 02-2631-9367.

Opening hours

Park admission is free, and the Seoul Tourism Organization lists the grounds as open daily from 06:00 to 24:00. Seonyudo Story Pavilion keeps separate hours of 09:00–18:00, or 09:00–17:00 in winter, and closes on Mondays; the Monday closure applies only to the pavilion.

The Seoul Parks website offers an English PDF map, but English-speaking staff and booking support are a separate matter. Foreign-card acceptance and foreign-language ordering at nearby shops are unverified. All hours are KST.