Damyang Bamboo Forest | The Ultimate Guide

When people think of visiting South Korea, bamboo forests aren’t really something they considered to see. I think most people when they hear the term bamboo forest they want to visit the bamboo forest in Japan. With Japan being Korea’s fairly close neighbor, I was able to visit both Kyoto’s Bamboo Forest and Damyang bamboo forest in South Korea.

If I really had to compare the two, I would definitely have to say that Damyang bamboo forest is far better when it comes to fullness, fewer tourists, larger in size, and just overall experience. So in this post, I wanted to give you more information on how to visit the Damyang bamboo forest. 

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Damyang Bamboo Forest | Jungnogwon Bamboo Park

I know I haven’t been writing a lot these days, however, with the whole Coronavirus pandemic, it’s been hard to have the motivation to do anything. I feel like travel is not something on people’s radars at the moment and I’m not sure if this post is something people are interested in reading right now. As the world has stopped, I still wanted to share some great information when it came to visiting Damyang, South Korea. 

How to get to Damyang Bamboo Forest 

Address: 119, Juknokwon-ro, Damyang-eup, Damyang-gun, Jeollanam-do (전라남도 담양군 담양읍 죽녹원로 119)

To get to Damyang from Seoul 

Take the KTX train to Gwangju Station from Seoul Station. This should be about a 2-hour train ride. 

After arriving in Gwangju, take the 311 bus from Gwangju Station. The bus should take about 58 minutes and you will exit the bus stop at Juknokwon (죽녹원 하지). 

To get to Damyang Bamboo Forest from Busan

From the Busan Bus Terminal (off the Nopo Station, line 1) get a bus ticket to Gwangju. This bus should take about 3 hours to get to Damyang. Most buses in Korea will have pit stops for snacks and bathroom breaks. 

After arriving in Gwangju, take the 311 bus from Gwangju Station. The bus should take about 58 minutes and you will exit the bus stop at Juknokwon (죽녹원 하지). 

By Car

If you feel comfortable driving, I would highly recommend this route. When I visited Damyang, I rented a car and drove from Seoul to Damyang which was about 3 and a half hours. This honestly was the best route because once you get to Damyang, it can be challenging to get around. With a vehicle, you can make frequent stops, visit other locations on the way, and park near the forest’s main entrance. 

Why should you visit Jungnogwon Bamboo Park in Damyang

Relax in the Bamboo Forest 

First of all, visiting Damyang bamboo forest in itself is a joy because it’s far less busy than the main locations in Seoul, but the park itself is so much more than just the bamboo. This park is known for the rich in oxygen bamboo which provides healing powers such as rest, relaxation, and mind-soothing meditation. It was funny because when I chose to visit this location, my friend mentioned to me this prior to going.

Honestly, I don’t really believe in those kinds of things, but after walking around in the forest, I suddenly had this calming sensation over me. My friends and I were visiting when things started to go crazy during the COVID-19 pandemic, honestly, it helped me relax during those tense situations. This area was not affected at the time and it was just at the beginning of it all. 

Siga Culture Village

We didn’t really get to explore this area, however, this is a popular spot for tea ceremonies and known for a few famous Korean writers.

Large walking paths

There are a lot of beautiful walking paths in this park. You can explore some beautiful pathways. The spaces are wide and open which are great for many of us looking for a green space to enjoy.

I remember feeling so crowded when visiting the bamboo forest in Kyoto and being kind of squished and not really enjoying the atmosphere. It was one of those beautiful places that I was able to see and enjoy early in the morning, but as soon as the crowd hit I wanted to leave. Damyang bamboo forest provided me with a different type of feeling where I didn’t want to leave but embrace it even more. 

There are about 8 different trails you can take within Damyang bamboo forest totaling a distance of 2.4 kilometers. 

• Old Memories Byway
• Philosopher’s Way
• Lover’s Lane
• Unsudaetong Road 
• Meditation Road
• Scholar’s Road
• Seonginsan Trail
• Old Friend’s Trail

Small Hanok Village and traditional tea tasting

There is a gorgeous Hanok Village with a great view of the countryside. This is a great location to grab a coffee and relax. Many of these are obviously fairly new, but it provides another form of scenery for the park. These buildings are mainly to highlight traditional Korean buildings and culture.

There are buildings that also hold traditional tea tasting experiences as well as concerts and more. 

You can also do some great souvenir shopping in this area as well. You can find lots of homemade bamboo products from bowls, cups, utensils, and more.

Lee Lee Nam Media Art Center in Damyang Bamboo Forest

There is a small gallery filled with nature-inspired art and a cafe on the first floor which was closed when we went. This is a cute asset to this beautiful forest. There are several traditional bamboo style paintings that have been created into digital creations that fill the darkroom with light. 

Bike rides and boat rides along the stream

As you exit the Damyang Bamboo Forest, there are some areas with a beautiful stream where you can rent a quad bike for the entire family to ride on the side of the stream or you can rent a swan ferry boat to take down the stream. I was traveling with a few of my friends and their kids, so we were able to enjoy the beautiful pathways and were running back and forth along the sides. 

General Information about Damyang Bamboo Forest

Admission

Adults 3,000 won / Teenagers 1,500 won / Children 1,000 won

*Free admission for seniors (ages 65 and older) and preschoolers (ages 5 and under)

Operating hours

March-October 09:00-19:00 (Last admission 18:00) / November-February 09:00-18:00 (Last admission 17:30)

Website

http://trans.damyang.go.kr:7000/etgi/

When to visit Damyang’s Jungnogwon Bamboo Park

The forest itself is perfect to visit all year long, with the bamboo pretty much green throughout the year. That is not something to be worried about, however, the best seasons to visit temperature wise I would say would be in the fall or the spring. The summer might be too hot and too humid to be walking around and you might tire yourself out. 

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