How To Get To The Garden of the Morning Calm

Have you heard of the Garden of the Morning Calm (아침고요수목원) yet? It’s included on quite a four Korean tour itineraries and if you haven’t been, you might wonder why. This garden is considered one of the most beautiful gardens in Korea and it’s one of the best things to do in Gapyeong to be sure. On top of that, it’s a beautiful garden year round with something to see in every season.

Wonder where to see holiday lights in Korea? This is definitely a winter wonderland. Want to frolic in the lush greens of summer? Visit Garden of the Morning Calm. From season to season, there is something just beautiful to see here. You’ll see.

Garden of the Morning Calm, Gapyeong, Korea

What to know about Garden of the Morning Calm:

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How To Get There

Address: 432 Sumogwon-ro, Sang-myeon, Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do (경기도 가평군 상면 숨오권로 432)

Directions: Take the subway/train out to Cheongpyeong Station on the Gyeongchun Line. You can then take a 20 minute taxi ride from there that will cost around W18,000 or take a local bus. You can also take a local bus from the station to the garden. The timetable is below.

Garden of the Morning Calm, Gapyeong, Korea: Bus Timetable

On A Tour: The easiest way to get to Garden of the Morning Calm is by private car, which will take a few hours from Seoul, or on a tour. You can certainly get there on your own if you want to, but the garden is included on quite a few tour itineraries if you don’t want to worry about the transportation at all. Tours I recommend:

Klook: YEAR Round: Alpaca World, Nami Island and Garden of the Morning Calm Tour. I think this one is worth it due to the difficulty to get to both Alpaca World and Garden of the Morning Calm on public transport.
Klook: FALL TOUR: The foliage is fabulous! Join this autumn tour to Seoraksan National Park, Nami Island for foliage and then see the Garden of the Morning Calm at night.
Klook: WINTER TOUR: Did you know strawberries are a winter fruit in Korea? This is a great tour on Klook that includes strawberry picking and jam making as well as a trip to Garden of the Morning Calm.
Klook: WINTER TOUR: Another great option if you want to celebrate winter a bit more. Klook has a winter tour that visits the Cheongyang Ice Fountain Festival or Eobi Ice Valley as well as the Garden of the Morning Calm Lighting Festival. Don’t make the trek on your own if you don’t have to. Highly recommend taking advantage of the transportation they provide.

Basic Info

Hours: 8:30am ~ Sunset, later in the winter

Admission: Adults: W11,000; Youth: W8,500; Children: W7,500

Amenities: Stroller rental, restrooms, cafes/restaurant, parking

Website: www.morningcalm.co.kr

What To Know

Inspired by Korea’s nickname “The Land of the Morning Calm”, this garden showcases some of the country’s most beautiful natural flora and fauna that are in harmony with the mountainous surroundings. It’s so picturesque, it has even be showcased in numerous Korean dramas and movies.

Garden of the Morning Calm, Gapeyong, Korea

Movies and shows filmed at the Garden of the Morning Calm:

Movies: “The Letter (1997),” “Detective K (2015),” “Addicted (2002)”
Dramas: “A Love to Kill (2005),” “You’re Beautiful (2009),” “Smile Again (2010),” “Wang’s Family (2013),” “Love in the Moonlight (2016),” “The Emperor: Owner of the Mask (2017),” “Black (2017),” “School 2017 (2017),” “Introverted Boss (2017),” “The King in Love (2017),” “My Golden Life (2017),” “Jugglers (2017),” “Hold Me Tight (2018)”
Variety Show: “Infinite Challenge”
Documentary: “The CEO”

On 300,000m², it houses 5,000 species of plants, some rare or endangered and attracts 600,000 tourists per year. It’s not an unpopular garden that’s for sure. If you want to steer clear of crowds as much as possible though, I recommend visiting early in the day or on the weekdays if possible. We had an enjoyable visit ourselves and even took home some plants after our visit, but I will say that it was a bit crowded for my liking so be prepared for that.

What To See

Every part of the park is picturesque if you ask me, but there are some places that are touted as the most beautiful or must see. So, when you go, be sure you don’t miss these beautiful places in the Garden of the Morning Calm.

Millennium Juniper

This representative tree of Garden of the Morning Calm is estimated to be around 1,000 years old.

Moonlight Garden

One of the most photographed parts of the park, the Moonlight Garden was created to be a bright and delicate atmosphere. Visit in the spring to find the tulips blooming.

Pond Garden

Take a seat next to the Pond Garden and enjoy the traditional Korean garden with a beautiful traditional Korean pavilion.

J’s Cottage Garden

This English style garden has perennial plants surrounding a beautiful little cottage and is at it’s fullest most beautiful state each summer.

Through Each Season

Spring

From April through May, make sure to check out the Spring Flower Festival. There are tulips, rhododendrons, and daffodils. Look out for yellow adonis, azaleas, magnolias, and Korean winter hazel. Find out more about spring in Korea and what to expect.

What To Wear: Spring in Korea can still have chilly breezes though can be rather pleasantly warm in the sunshine. Be sure to take an extra layer of clothing or jacket that you can remove when warm and adorn when chilled.

Summer

From June through July, visit the Hydrangea Exhibition that showcases five different types of hydrangeas. It’s one of the highlights of summer to visit and see these hydrangeas. In June, you can also see the Iris Festival. There are more than 150 kinds of iris in diverse colors that bloom from late May until the end of June. See the Rose of Sharon Festival with 250 kinds of the flower in bloom.

What To Wear: The summers in Korea are very hot and humid. Be sure to wear something that won’t make you uncomfortable in the heat. Take extra water, and check the forecast for possible rain storms. When the monsoon rains hit, they can make any adventure unappealing.

Autumn

Fall is especially beautiful at the Garden of the Morning Calm. From October through November, the garden has gorgeous red foliage from the maple leaves alongside the yellow leaves of the ginkgo trees. There are also katsura trees, larch trees. There is also a chrysanthemum festival with thousands in bloom at once.

What To Wear: The autumn in Korea is still quite warm during the day though once the cooler breezes start blowing through, it can be chilly in the shade. Take an extra layer of clothing if you’ll be staying later into the evening.

Winter

While you might think the garden isn’t worth seeing in the winter when nothing is in bloom, you’d be wrong. The Garden of the Morning Calm is one of the most popular places to go to see holiday lights. Visit to see the park transformed into a light-filled garden. It’s a great way to celebrate the holidays in Korea. The lighting festival usually takes place from December to March so plenty of time to enjoy the beautiful array.

What To Wear: Winters in Korea can be pretty frigid especially in January and December with temperatures dropping below 0 Celsius. Be sure to wear warm clothing, warm socks and thick boots and take gloves if you plan to see the lights at night.

What To Eat

You can spend quite a few hours at the park, but don’t worry if you get hungry. There are a few places in the garden to get a bite to eat whether you just want a snack and coffee or more.

Korean Food Garden

The Korean Food Garden serves healthy Korean dishes made with natural ingredients. You can expect to try things like soybean paste stew, wild vegetable bibimbap, or veggie chop steak.

Hours: 9:40am ~ 6:00pm

Good Morning Coffee

Look out over garden views with a cup of coffee in this Hanok-style roasting house.

Hours: 10:00am ~ 6:00pm

Morning Spring Bakery

If you visit in the morning, stop into the Morning Spring Bakery for healthy brad treats made with natural ferment and organic flour.

Hours: 10:00am ~ 5:00pm (CLOSED Wednesdays)

Gardening Shop & Cafe

This is a gardening shop and cafe surrounded by large trees and overlooking the Pond Garden. Have a homemade tea or coffee.

Hours: 10:00am ~ 5:30pm (CLOSED on Tuesdays & Saturdays)

Other Amenities

After visiting such a beautiful garden, you might just want to get a plant of your own to take home, and you can! Visit the Plant Shop and take your own plant home. Visit the Herb Shop where you can buy aromatic organic products. There’s also the Green Store at the back of the park that has potted plants you can take home as well.