Spring has sprung and it’s melting away the winter blues. With the balmy weather, it’s time to get outside and enjoy the fresh air and flowers. Spring is easily one of the best seasons to enjoy Korea’s natural beauty, so we’ve got your guide to the top five places to enjoy the season.
#1 Everland
Whether you’re an adrenaline junkie looking for your next thrill, or a child looking for a magical escape, there is something for everyone at Everland. With a reputation as Korea’s best theme park, it attracts nearly 7 million visitors every year, making it Korea’s most visited tourist attraction.
In March, the park blossoms to life with its annual Tulip Festival to celebrate the beginning of the spring season. Over 1.2 million tulips in 100 different varieties are on display in the themed garden, which also features romantic walking paths and sculptures, making it a favorite spot to snap a selfie. The festival also includes a 26-meter tall, Tower Tree, and a global fair modeled after a French flower market where people can buy tulips and take photos. The spring season also means some of the park’s most favored rides come out of their winter hibernation.
For thrill seekers, the T-Express, Everland’ s infamous wooden rollercoaster, is back in action. At nearly 200ft tall, with a 77-degree drop, rides are sure to be both terrified and delighted. The Lost Valley and the Safari World rides also come back online in the spring where you can meet a variety of animal species roaming around freely.
#2 Gyeongbokgung
Nestled just north of the Han river, Gyeongbokgung was the main royal palace of the Joseon Dynasty, and the largest palace in Seoul. In the spring, the gardens of the palace grounds bloom to life with plum trees, apricot trees, and pink cherry blossoms, making it one of the best places to see both the flowers and soak up the history of the city.
Gyeongbokgung is the only palace to have all four of its major gates remaining to this day. The site is also home to restored buildings that serve a multitude of purposes, each revealing the culture and history of the Joseon Dynasty. The National Palace Museum of Korea and the National Folk Museum are also nearby making it a great spot for history junkies.
#3 Boseong Green Tea Fields
Opened in 1957 the Daehan Dawon Tourist Tea Plantation is one of the best places to enjoy the green tea in the spring season. The 5000km2 plantation offers breathtaking scenery of green tea plants against a backdrop of dense cedar forest.
Popular as the location for a number of Korean dramas, the plantation has become a trendy tourist spot where visitors can try a variety of green tea and green tea treats including cakes, cookies, and ice cream. Peak season for the plantation is during spring when the scent of green tea is strongest in the air and they host the Dahyangje Tea Festival in May.
#4 Garden of Morning Calm
Perhaps the most famous botanical gardens in Korea, the Garden of the Morning Calm is particularly well known among fans of Korean Drama as it has served as the backdrop for a number of popular dramas, films and variety programs.
Each year, the garden marks the beginning of spring with the simultaneous blossoming of the yellow adonis, winter hazel, and witch hazel flowers. The season is celebrated with a Spring Festival, held from mid-April to the end of May, where visitors can bask in a wide range of spring flowers including the magnolias, azaleas, Japanese apricots, forsythia, and cherry blossoms.
Originally created by Professor Han Sang-kyung to promote Korean beauty throughout the world, the gardens span over 30,000m2. Meandering paths wind throughout the garden’s 20 themed sections, each connected to flowerbeds, perfectly manicured pastures, and other hidden walkways. In total, there are nearly 5,000 flowers, including 300 varieties from Baekdusan Mountain.
#5 Jirisan Hot Springs
Every year, a palate of yellow hues takes over the Jirisan hot springs as the sansuyu (cornus fruit) flowers come into their mid-March bloom. This also begins the Gurye Sansuyu Festival, an annual spring festival that features traditional music, dance, fireworks, and local products made from sansuyu.
The Gurye Sansuyu village is comprised of four smaller villages, Sangwi Maeul, Hawi Maeul, Bangok Maeul, and Daepyeong Maeul, each offering its own unique display of flowers. Sangwi Maeul is the most famous, nestled at the foot of Manbokdae Peak and offering breathtaking views of the nearly 30,000 sansuyu trees throughout the area.
