The Juknokwon Bamboo Forest is one of the best lesser-known spots in South Korea. It’s not super touristy but still the most popular bamboo forest in the country. This, combined with all of the other beautiful attractions in Damyang, makes for the perfect weekend away from Seoul! You can easily combine this with a trip to Gwangju or even Boseong. This is everything you need to know for your trip to the Juknokwon Bamboo Forest in Damyang, South Korea!
Juknokwon Bamboo Forest
The Juknokwon Bamboo Forest is located in Damyang, South Korea which is one of my favorite areas in the whole country. Damyang is filled with huge bamboo gardens, metasequoia-lined roads, rolling tea fields, grape vineyards, and endless rice fields. And, in the spring and summer, all of the roads are lined with bright and colorful flowers.
When you purchase your tickets you will also receive a brochure which includes a map (don’t worry, they have brochures in English as well as Korean!). The map shows you all of the trails and points of interest within the park.
The Juknokwon Bamboo Forest is so much more than just a bamboo forest. There are tons of serene areas with wooden walkways over lily pad covered ponds and all kinds of pavilions to sit at. You’ll see plenty of chairs, benches, and swings that are actually made from bamboo.
There is even a Hanok Culture Village located here as well (Siga Culture Village). It’s the perfect place to sip a cup of tea from the Observatory Cafe and enjoy the views of the metasequoia-lined roads in the distance.
While there are technically only 8 actual trails, there seemed to be so many different paths that forked off in every direction. One of the most popular walking trails is ‘Lovers Road’ where you will see couples of all ages walking hand in hand enjoying a bit of romance.
The Perfect Summer Destination
Even though the bamboo trees keep their color well into winter, the bamboo gardens make for the perfect summer destination! There is plenty of shade and, because of the high level of oxygen produced by the bamboo trees, the paths are an average of 5 degrees cooler than the outside air! However, the bamboo forests are also fairly popular in the winter when covered in a beautiful blanket of snow.
The bamboo forest has a lot of unique art installations and traditional Korean pavilions. Many rest areas are placed along the hiking paths where you can sit down, enjoy the shade, and relax your feet for a while. There are numerous different sculptures, statues, and photo ops throughout the trails. My favorite part was seeing the white deer hidden in the forest. See how many you can find along your walk!
The waterfalls were one of the most beautiful spots along the trails. They’re small and simple but still beautiful! There are all kinds of cute panda bears climbing on the falls and surrounding the area (you’ll find cute panda bears all throughout the park!). Just a little further up the path is a children’s area including a playground.
The bamboo forest is the perfect spot to get away from the bustle of the city for a while. And you don’t have to go far; the forest is a short drive from most of the other attractions in Damyang! Give yourself at least an hour or two to explore the bamboo gardens, then, after your stroll through the forest, make sure you head over to the Meta Provence and try some bamboo flavored ice cream! Then, take a walk along the Metasequoia Path. These places are some of my favorite not only in Damyang but in all of South Korea!
Rules for Visiting the Juknokwon Bamboo Forest
- The entire garden is non-smoking and penalties will be imposed if you are caught smoking in any area of the park.
- No outside foods are allowed inside the gardens. No cooking of foods is allowed (aka no campfires).
- Grafitti on the bamboo trees is prohibited (example: carving your name into the trees). Legal action will be taken against anyone who is caught.
- Large dogs are not allowed. Smaller dogs are allowed inside the gardens but must be kept on a leash.
- No bicycles, electric hoverboards, etc. are allowed inside the gardens.
- As of May 2020, face masks are required and your temperature will be taken before entry.
How to Get There
Address | 119 Jungnogwon-ro, Damyang-eup, Damyang-gun, Jeollanam-do
From Seoul | Damyang is about a 3.5-hour drive from Seoul but well worth it if you plan on spending the weekend here. I would highly recommend pairing Damyang with a trip to Gwangju and even Boseong if possible.
Parking | There is a free parking lot at the entrance across from the ticket office. It‘s a small parking lot so it does tend to fill up in the late mornings and afternoons.
Hours | Summer hours (March to October): 9am to 7pm. The last admission of the day is at 6pm. Winter hours: (November to February): 9am to 6pm. The last admission of the day is at 5:30pm.
Admission | Admission to the Juknokwon Bamboo Forest costs 3,000 KRW (less than 3 USD). There are discounts available for groups, children, and students.
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