My flight from Mumbai via Delhi and Hong Kong landed just past noon, and I had about 6 hours before my connecting flight. I decided to take the chance and pass through immigration to take one of the Incheon Airport Transit Tours. Indian nationals in transit through South Korea are visa-exempt for 30 days, provided they hold a physical visa or residence permit issued by countries like the USA, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand. Although I had a visa for Canada, the immigration officer checked my USA visa instead. He stamped my passport, and I was through. Since my bags were checked all the way to Canada, I walked past baggage claim directly to the arrivals hall. I reached the Transit Tour Information Desk in Terminal 1, 1F near Exit 8. Given my transit duration and the tour timings, the only tour I could take was the Incheon tour, so I registered for it.
At the time of departure, I found out I was the only one on the bus, but the tour still went ahead as scheduled. I met the tour guide and the driver, and we were on our way. We drove over the Incheon Bridge, South Korea’s longest spanning cable-stayed bridge, which offers impressive views of the Yellow Sea. Our first stop was the Heungryunsa Temple, a serene Buddhist temple nestled on a hillside. The weather was wet but not cold, and the bus provided umbrellas for the passengers. I spent about an hour roaming around the temple grounds, admiring the intricate colorful carvings and the beautifully landscaped gardens.
Next was the Memorial Hall for Incheon Landing Operation, which commemorates the successful “Operation Chromite” led by General MacArthur during the Korean War. Inside the building, there are exhibits of military armaments used by both South and North Korean forces, along with photos documenting the daily struggles of life during the conflict. Outside, a grand 18-meter-long memorial tower stands as a tribute, surrounded by the national flags of the 16 countries that participated in the UN forces during the war.
We headed back to the airport after this. I thanked the tour guide and the driver for the excellent excursion and headed inside to board my flight to Vancouver at 6:00 PM.