Gildong Ecological Park

Just off Cheonho-daero in Seoul's Gangdong district, behind a busy main road, lies a patch of woodland and wetland where fireflies still live. Gildong Ecological Park was designed for observing nature rather than strolling, so it caps daily visitor numbers and works by reservation. The result is a quiet park where you can listen to frogs and birdsong in the middle of the city. It is closer to an open-air nature classroom than to an ordinary park.

A park for watching wildlife

Opened in 1999, the park was created to give urban wildlife a habitat and raise biodiversity. It covers about 79,000 m², and around 2,800 species have been recorded here, including 7 Natural Monuments, 6 endangered species and 11 endemic or rare plants. Limiting visitor numbers and requiring reservations is credited with keeping the habitats in this shape.

In 2020 the slopes and stairs at the entrance were rebuilt and the park became barrier-free, so strollers and wheelchairs can follow the trails.
so strollers and wheelchairs can follow the trails. Inside there are an outdoor lecture area, an outdoor exhibition space, observation decks and pergolas, and children can collect a stamp from each zone on the park leaflet.

Zone by zone

• Wetland zone: a wooden boardwalk crosses the marsh, with aquatic plants, insects and frogs close at hand.
• Reservoir zone: a hide on the shore lets you watch waterbirds without disturbing them.
• Forest zone: shady woodland paths that stay pleasant even in summer.
• Farm and meadow zone: recreated rice paddies and grassland with seasonal wildflowers and insects.
• Firefly Experience Center: see fireflies, an indicator species of a healthy environment, up close. Firefly-watching events are held around June each year.

The visitor centre at the entrance runs education programmes; weekend nature-exploration programmes cost extra and must be booked separately.

Tripto tips

• Reservations: book an entry time slot on the Seoul Public Service Reservation website. Each slot has a cap; if places are left, you can enter on the day after registering at the gate. Visits are self-guided.
• Hours and fees: closed every Monday; admission is free. Standard hours are 08:00–18:00, and 08:00–17:00 in winter (15 November–15 March), with last entry at 16:00. Hours can change, so check the booking page.
• Time needed: 1–2 hours to loop through all the zones.
• Getting there: buses 300, 341, 361 and 9301 stop in front of the park. From Gangdong Station exit 4 or Cheonho Station exit 6 on Subway Line 5 it is about 10 minutes by bus.
• Parking: only for visitors with a reservation, at the Gildong Eco Culture Center car park across the road.
• Rules: no food inside (you can picnic on the lawn in front of the park), and no pets, scooters or bicycles.
• Information: Gildong Ecological Park office, +82 2-472-2770