WHAT TO SEE AT THE GARDEN OF THE MORNING CALM IN KOREA? DURING WHICH SEASON IS BEST TO VISIT THE GARDEN OF THE MORNING CALM? HOW TO GET TO THE GARDEN OF THE MORNING CALM?
The Garden of the Morning Calm is a 30,000㎡ flower garden, open year round. It is a paradise for nature lovers. The scent of thousands of plants and pines create an unforgettable aroma that will make you forget all your worries.
A visit of the Garden of the Morning Calm is one of the best things to do in South Korea.
The garden is located in Gapyeong, near Seoul.
Here is all you need to know to prepare your visit to the Garden of the Morning Calm.
About the Garden of the Morning Calm
The garden was designed by Professor Han Sang-kyung (Department of Gardening, Sahmyook University) while teaching in the United States.
His vision was to create a garden that would become famous around the world and spread the Korean interpretation of beauty around the world.
He drew his inspiration from a poem by the great Indian poet Sir Tagore, who described Korea during the Joseon dynasty as “the land of the morning calm.”
It is the oldest private garden in Korea. It is an artistic space with a perfect balance between the concepts of Korean asymmetry, plants and other elements of the garden. This garden attracts around 600,000 tourists per year.
The 20 different sections of the garden are connected by gorgeous paths, pristine grass and flower beds. Sunken Garden is shaped like the Korean Peninsula, the flowers are just as beautiful on the north side as they are on the south side, symbolizing the desire for reunification.
The garden is home to around 5,000 types of plants, 300 of which are native to Baekdusan Mountain, known as the Korean Spirit Mountain.
The flowers bloom from March to November. Many festivals accompany the explosion of nature offered by this extraordinary garden.
However the the Garden of the Morning Calm is most famous thanks to its light festival in Winter, usually starting in December.
Here is a glimpse of what to expect during a visit to the Garden of the Morning Calm during the light festival:
How to get to The Garden of the Morning Calm?
The Garden of the Morning Calm is located in Gapyeong near Seoul. There are different ways to reach it:
By train:
Take the Gyeongchun Line towards Chuncheon and get off at Cheongpyeong. Take exit 2 then Bus 31-17 (there is a bus every 30min) and get off at Sumokwon Jongcheom.
By bus:
You can join different tour organized by tourism organization. The advantage is that everything is included in the price (bus, entrance ticket) and sometimes it is linked with other attractions nearby.
We recommend the Garden of Morning Calm + Nami Island for less than KRW 40,000: BOOK YOUR TOUR HERE
By car:
If you have a car, going to the Garden of the Morning Calm, will take you about 1.5h. There are many parkings nearby.
So what are the main sites at the Garden of the Morning Calm?
1. The Suspension Bridge is one of the best things to see at the Garden of the Morning Calm
When entering the park, the first attraction is to cross the suspension bridge. The bridge is not too high, but the view and garden around the bridge are stunning. This sets the tone for the rest of the visit!
2. The Pond Garden, another scenic place at the Garden of the Morning Calm
One of our favorite part of the Garden of the Morning Calm is the pond garden.
There is a beautiful traditional pond in the middle of a small lake. The sight is simply gorgeous. We took a break there, sat down on a bench and simply admired the surroundings for a few minutes.
Take your time to enjoy your visit at the Garden of the Morning Calm.
3. Hike up to the Green House for a great view of the Garden of the Morning Calm
Hike to the top of the highest hill at the Garden of the Morning Calm and check out the green house.
The view from the hill provides a stunning panorama. It’s beautiful up there! We went there in the early summer days. The garden was full of flowers. We loved it.
4. Next, visit the Wild Flower Garden
The wild flower garden is another amazing area inside the garden. When we went there, the garden was full of butterfly hovering over the stunning flowers. We also spotted some bees.
5. Check out the Hometown Garden
There you can see very typical Korean houses surrounded by plants and flowers. The perfect spot to take an instagram shot ! We love these kind of Korean houses. This is one of the best things to see at the Garden of the Morning Calm.
6. Sunken Garden
The Sunken Garden is one of the most popular part of the Garden of the Morning Calm.
It’s full of bright colors with a great variety of flowers, plants and trees. There are many vantage viewing platforms to get the perfect view of the garden.
7. Head to the Moonlight Garden and visit the cute little church
After going through the Sunken Garden, head to the Moonlight Garden. At the end of the path you will find a cute little church surrounded by the forest.
Useful information about the Garden of the Morning Calm
ADMISSION FEE: 11,000 KRW for Adults, 8,500 KRW for Teenagers and 7,500 for children
OPENING HOURS: 8:30AM–7PM
OFFICIAL WEBSITE: here
Which season is best to visit the Garden of the Morning Calm
The good thing about the Garden of the Morning Calm is that it can be visited all year round and there is always something beautiful to see!
IN SUMMER: the whole garden is much greener with lots of flowers! It’s a great time to enjoy the beauty of the garden
IN AUTUMN: our favorite season in Korea, the garden is an explosion of colors thanks to the fall foliage!
IN WINTER: in addition of being covered in snow sometimes, the garden is fully illuminated during the light festival starting in December! This is one of the most amazing thing to see in Korea during winter!
IN SPRING: another amazing season to visit the Garden of the Morning Calm. Lots of flowers starts to bloom including cherry trees! It’s absolutely stunning!
Other things to do near the Garden of the Morning Calm
Nami island
Nami Island (남이섬) is one of the most popular excursions near Seoul. It is well known for its row of picturesque trees, but also for being the location for the famous drama “Winter Sonata”.
The island is really beautiful in autumn, when the rows of pines and maple trees turn red as well as when the Ginkos take on their golden robes.
Nami Island is one of our favorite day trip from Seoul.
READ: FULL GUIDE FOR A VISIT TO THE NAMI ISLAND
BOOK: DAY TRIP NAMI ISLAND + GARDEN OF THE MORNING CALM
Alpaca World
Around 2 hours from Seoul, you can visit the Alpaca World. It is the ideal place to spend good times surrounded by farm animals such as Alpaca, Sheep, Birds, Deer, camel,… Alpaca World is the largest forest farm in Korea.
Adults and children will have fond memories of this place.
READ: ULTIMATE GUIDE FOR VISITING THE ALPACA WORLD IN KOREA
BOOK: DAY TRIP NAMI ISLAND + ALPACA WORLD
La Petite France
La Petite France is a theme park located in South Korea near Seoul, where visitors can discover French culture. The whole village is focused on the concept of the “Little Prince”.
There are many decorations, statues from the universe of the Little Prince, as well as an exhibition dedicated to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
In addition, the interior decoration, the building materials, the roof, the windows and the floor are all French.
READ: BEST DAY TRIPS FROM SEOUL
BOOK: DAY TOUR LA PETITE FRANCE + NAMI ISLAND
Final thoughts about a visit to the Garden of the Morning Calm in Korea
The Garden of the Morning Calm in South Korea is a big bowl of fresh air.
We really recommend a visit in any season. Around Christmas, the parks is also known for being decorated with lots of light a night. Plus, it’s not far from Seoul, so it’s easy to get to.
We hope that we have made you travel with this relaxing walk in the heart of Gapyeong! Continue this escape through our photos and stories about South Korea!
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