Suncheon Bay National Garden

Suncheon built a garden to protect its bay. Organisers said the main purpose of the expo was to preserve the mudflats and reed beds of Suncheon Bay. Suncheon Bay National Garden grew out of the site of the 2013 Suncheon Bay International Garden Expo, which was kept as a permanent garden and in 2015 became Korea's first national garden. It is large enough that a whole day of walking won't cover it all, with a Korean garden, gardens from many countries and an arboretum.

History: from expo site to national garden

In 2009 Suncheon won the right to host an international garden expo recognised by the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH). Korea's first international garden expo ran from 20 April to 20 October 2013, with 83 gardens from 23 countries. Afterwards the gardens were not dismantled but kept open, and in 2015 the site was designated a national garden.

Ten years later, a second expo was held from 1 April to 31 October 2023. This time it spread beyond the garden to Suncheon Bay Wetland and the city centre, and drew about 9.8 million visitors. Figures for the garden's area vary between about 0.93 and 1.12 square kilometres depending on the source.

What to see

• Korean Garden: modelled on Joseon palace and scholars' gardens, with walls, a pond and pavilions.
• World gardens: compare national styles as you walk, from the Dutch garden with its windmill to an American garden inspired by Virginian plantation estates.
• Arboretum: a collection of garden trees from around the world, a warm-temperate arboretum showing how vegetation is shifting with climate change, and a large garden of royal azaleas, Suncheon's signature plant.
• Flower seasons: tulips and azaleas in spring, and in mid-May a canola field near the Forest of Sharing turns bright yellow.
• International Wetland Center: the expo's theme pavilion, surrounded by aquatic-plant wetlands used for nature education.

Tripto tips

• Opening hours: October–June 09:00–20:00, July–September 09:00–21:00, last entry 19:00. Closed on the last Monday of every month.
• Admission: adults KRW 10,000, youth and soldiers KRW 7,000, children KRW 5,000. A night ticket for entry after 17:00 costs KRW 5,000 for adults. The same ticket also covers Suncheon Bay Wetland Reserve. Parking is free.
• Sky Cube: a small driverless pod line linking the garden with the Suncheon Literature Museum near the bay, handy if you combine garden and wetland in one day.
• Time: allow 2–3 hours for the garden alone and half a day or more with the wetland. Some areas have little shade, so bring a hat and water in summer.
• Guided walks: free garden tours last 1–1.5 hours and are booked online after Korean identity verification.

Nearby

• Suncheon Bay Wetland Reserve: reed beds and the Yongsan Observatory, included in the same ticket.
• Naganeupseong: a Joseon walled town with a living thatched-roof village, about 30 minutes by car.
• Seonamsa: a UNESCO-listed mountain temple on the slopes of Jogyesan.