Autumn is one of our favourite seasons and for good reason. With colours of red and yellow painting the streets, Korea transforms into a piece of art during Fall. While Seoul holds some breathtaking autumn foliage spots, the real deal is when you travel out of Seoul to places with mountains. Introducing Hwadam Botanic Garden (화담숲 / Hwadamsup), an eco-friendly arboretum located in Gwangju, Gyeonggi-do.
Autumn Foliage Heaven: Hwadam Botanic Garden
The name ‘Hwadam’, which means friendly communication, was given in hopes that the area will help people to communicate with nature.
There are a total of 17 different themes within the Hwadam Botanic Garden, such as a moss garden, birch forest, bonsai garden and even a firefly habitat area. Each zone hosts a diverse variety of flora and fauna. You’ll never get bored of exploring Hwadamsup as there are over 4,300 different types of exotic and domestic plants spread across the whole garden.
The park is great for people of all ages as the trail is made of a deck path instead of stairs, which allows access to strollers and wheelchairs.
Enjoy Pajeon With A View
Within the premises is a simple restaurant that serves simple items such as seafood pancake (해물파전), fishcake soup (어묵탕) and kimbap (김밥). They also serve makgeolli and beer.
K-Dramas Filmed in Hwadam Botanic Garden
If you’re an avid K-Drama fan, you might be experiencing a moment of déjà vu now. That’s because Hwadam Botanic Garden has been featured in quite a number of movies and TV shows over the years. You might have seen the picturesque scenes in these titles:
- Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring |봄 여름 가을 겨울 그리고 봄 (2003)
- Be with You | 지금, 만나러 갑니다 (2018)
- Little Forest | 리틀 포레스트 (2018)
Monorail Within The Park
As the park is full of slopes, some elderly may find it difficult to walk around the premises. Hence, the monorail is a great option for many to get around the park while taking in the views.
There are 3 different routes for the monorail:
Route 1: Taking the monorail from station 1 to station 2
This is a one-way route that will bring you to the observatory. The route back down is roughly around 3 km and will take around 60 mins.
Tickets for this route cost 4,000 won for adults and 3,000 won for children.
Route 2: Taking the monorail from station 1 to station 3
This is also a one-way route that will bring you to the Bonsai Garden area. The route back down is roughly around 2 km and will take around 40 mins.
Tickets for this route cost 6,000 won for adults and 5,000 won for children.
Route 3: Round-Trip
The 20 min route will bring you around the botanic garden. Tickets for this route costs 8,000 won for adults and 6,000 won for children.
Some Things To Note
- The admission fee is 10,000 won for adults and 8,000 won for children.
- No tripods are allowed within the park.
- The park is located within Konjiam Resort
- It is possible for tickets to be sold out beforehand, always check that your date of visit is available through this website. The website is in Korean, but a simple Google Translate of the page will do.
- As Hwadam Forest Park is a popular tourist attraction, it can get crowded really quickly! The best way to enjoy the pristine sights and sounds of Hwadam Forest Park is to arrive early!
Amenities Within The Park
There are some basic amenities and services offered at Hwadam Botanic Garden for visitors to enjoy. Some of them include:
- A convenience store located outside the Hwadam Botanic Garden, just at the entrance where you can buy some drinks to quench your thirst or pick up some snacks. Do remember to consume them before you head in, as food and drinks are not allowed inside the park.
- A hanok-style tea house where you can enjoy drinks like lotus leaf tea, mulberry leaf tea, or a classic Americano while taking in the breathtaking views of the forest. There is a huge pond with a fountain for you to gaze at as well!
- Lockers are available for you to leave luggage bags or other bulky items behind without having to lug them around during your journey. We’d recommend that you remember to retrieve them later on, however if you happen to leave them in your locker, there is an option for you to mail over your locker keys in exchange for your belongings.
- Ramps are located throughout Hwadam Botanic Garden to make it easy for people with restricted mobility to get around, or if you are thinking about visiting the park with young children who might be using a stroller!
- For visitors who are driving, parking lots are available at the entrance, and parking is free!
- There is a souvenir shop where you can purchase small mementos to present to your friends and family back home.
How To Go To Hwadam Botanic Garden
You can take buses 500-1 from Jamsil Station or 500-2 from Samseong Station and alight at Gonjiam Terminal. The bus journey will take roughly 1hr 30mins.
If you’re taking the subway, take the Shinbundang line from Gangnam station and transfer at Pangyo station to the Gyeonggang line and alight at Gonjiam station.
From Gonjiam Terminal/Gonjiam station, you’ll have to take a taxi ride, approx 10 mins to Gonjiam Resort. You can walk to Hwadam Botanic Garden within the resort or use the Gondola lifts/shuttle bus service.
For those who want a fuss-free experience to Hwadam, you can opt for Klook’s Hwadam Healing Package Day Tour!
Hwadam Botanic Garden (Hwadamsup)
278 Docheogwit-ro, Docheok-myeon, Gwangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
Spring-Autumn: Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm, Sat-Sun, 8:30am-6pm, Last Entrance at 5pm.
Winter: Mon-Sun, 10am-6pm, Last Entrance at 3pm.
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