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Damyang for First-Time Visitors: Bamboo Forest and the Metasequoia Road
Level
A2
Type
Guide
Theme
Travel
작성자
Y
작성시각
Most of Jeollanam-do's well-known trips lean toward the coast, but Damyang sits inland, just north of Gwangju, and offers something different: a cultivated bamboo forest you can walk straight into, and a tree-lined road that regularly shows up on lists of Korea's most beautiful drives.
Getting There
Damyang has no train station of its own, so the trip runs through Gwangju. From Seoul, an intercity bus goes directly to Damyang, taking around four hours. Most visitors find it easier to take a KTX to Gwangju Songjeong Station first, then transfer to a local bus for the short hop into Damyang. Buses from Gwangju's bus terminal to Damyang run frequently throughout the day, making it a manageable day trip even without a car.
Juknokwon Bamboo Forest
Korean | Pronunciation | Meaning |
죽녹원 | jung-no-gwon | Juknokwon (bamboo garden) |
대나무 | dae-na-mu | bamboo |
산책로 | san-chaeng-no | walking path |
죽녹원, spelled "Juknokwon" on English signs and maps even though it's pronounced closer to jung-no-gwon, opened in 2003 as a cultivated bamboo forest right in the middle of town. Eight named 산책로 wind through the 대나무 in loops of different lengths. Wooden walkways and rest pavilions sit along the way, along with a couple of small hanok cafes if you want to sit down with a cup of bamboo leaf tea. The paths are shaded and cool even in summer, which makes Juknokwon a comfortable stop no matter the season.
The Metasequoia Road
Korean | Pronunciation | Meaning |
메타세쿼이아길 | me-ta-se-kwo-i-a-gil | Metasequoia road |
가로수길 | ga-ro-su-gil | tree-lined street |
The 메타세쿼이아길 runs about 8.5 kilometers, planted with metasequoia trees in the early 1970s along what was then a newly rebuilt national road. The trees have since grown tall enough to arch over the road, and in 2002 Korea's forest service named it one of the country's most beautiful roads. It works equally well as a slow walk or a short scenic drive, and the stretch closest to Juknokwon is flat and easy to cover on foot, so you don't need a car to experience the main section.
Planning Your Visit
Juknokwon and the closest section of the Metasequoia Road sit close enough together to cover on foot in a single visit, with Damyang's noodle-street restaurants a short walk from both. Since neither site requires much walking gear or advance booking, Damyang works well as a half-day add-on to a longer Gwangju trip rather than a destination that needs its own overnight stay.