Hanam

Introduction

Hanam is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, and it became a city in 1989 after previously forming part of Gwangju County. For travellers, its interest lies in that deep history as much as its modern status: the ancient Baekje capital of Hanam Wiryeseong may have been located here.

Getting around

Hanam sits immediately east of Seoul in Gyeonggi Province, and that location shapes how you move around: the city is part of the wider Seoul Capital Area transport web, so most journeys are made on buses and metro lines that knit the neighbourhoods together and link them to the capital. Bus and metro routes run under a single transit operator, which means you are dealing with one integrated system rather than competing companies, and tickets and transfers are simpler to manage as a result. Fares and transfers are handled through the standard Seoul Capital Area smart-card system, so a single rechargeable card covers both metro and bus legs.

Knowing which dong you are staying in is the single most useful thing for planning local journeys, since services are organised around these districts — Cheonhyun-dong, Shinjang 1-dong and Shinjang 2-dong, Deokpung 1-dong through Deokpung 3-dong, Pungsan-dong, Misa 1-dong and Misa 2-dong, Gambuk-dong, Gami-dong, Wyrye-dong, Chungung-dong, and Choi-dong. Use the metro as the backbone for longer trips, particularly to Seoul and the surrounding Gyeonggi cities, and buses for short hops within and between the dongs; there is no separate tram network to plan around. Stops are concentrated on the built-up streets where people live and shop, including 신장로, 신평로, 양수로, 덕풍동로, and 신장동로, so you are rarely far from a service. Taxis are widely available for door-to-door trips, especially late at night or with luggage, and ride-hailing apps work across the Seoul Capital Area — have your destination written in Korean, including the dong name, to avoid confusion with similarly named streets. Walking is realistic in the central dongs for short errands and for reaching your accommodation from a stop, but outside the built-up areas distances stretch out, so combine walking with a bus or taxi. If you arrive through the Seoul area's international airports, take an airport bus or the airport rail link into Seoul first, then transfer to a metro or bus route heading east to Hanam, allowing extra time for that change.

Three days in Hanam

Day one: Start in Hanam, a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, and get your bearings in its neighbourhoods. Cheonhyun, Shinjang, Deokpung, Pungsan, Misa, Gambuk, Gami, Wyrye and Chungung each have their own character, so pick a couple to walk through rather than trying to cover them all. Hanam sits within the Seoul Capital Area, close to Seoul, and its Baekje past is bound up with Hanam Wiryeseong, so use your first day to understand how the city relates to Gwangju County and the wider region. For getting around, buses and taxis are the practical options; knowing the fares in advance helps, and walking works well once you are inside a neighbourhood.

• Cheonhyun
• Shinjang
• Deokpung
• Pungsan
• Misa
• Gambuk
• Gami
• Wyrye
• Chungung

Day two: Turn to the Baekje layer of Hanam. Hanam Wiryeseong is the name to keep in mind, and the city's connection to Baekje is what gives this day its shape. If you want to place Hanam alongside the wider history, Gwangju County in Gyeonggi Province is part of the same story, and Seoul is close enough to combine with your time here. Use buses or taxis between stops, and keep walking for the stretches in between.

Day three: Slow down and let the neighbourhoods do the work. Return to whichever of Cheonhyun, Shinjang, Deokpung, Pungsan, Misa, Gambuk, Gami, Wyrye or Chungung you liked best, and spend the time on foot rather than moving between stops. Choi and Korean food are part of the local texture, so eat where you are rather than travelling for it. If you have time left, a bus or taxi toward Seoul or elsewhere in Gyeonggi Province is straightforward, and knowing the fares beforehand keeps the day simple.