I believed I was quite well traveled within Korea until I heard the name Suncheon. It was completely unfamiliar to me, something I had absolutely no information about. No one I knew ever mentioned visiting Suncheon, to me it was a place shrouded in mystery. After doing some research, I found out that Suncheon has been gaining popularity after holding the Garden Expo back in 2013. Today Suncheon holds daily bus tours, as well as specialty tours on certain days of the week. These tours take passengers to various points of interest around the city and surrounding area. Going in with no expectations, I was excited to see how Suncheon would paint the blank canvas of my mind.

Suncheonman Bay Wetlands

I discovered that the most convenient way to visit the main attractions in Suncheon was by the city trolley tours. The first stop I visited was the Suncheonman Bay Wetland Reserve. I have visited wetlands in other places before, but the sights I witnessed there completely blew me away. Every corner I turned looked like a postcard. Just when I thought I saw the most beautiful view, I would turn and see another. It was absolutely incredible, the natural beauty these wetlands had to share.

Skycube

From the wetlands, a monorail with cube-shaped cars called the “Skycube” was offered. For 6,000 won one way (8,000 won round-trip) you will be transported through the natural scenery to the west side of Suncheonman Bay National Garden.

Cherry blossom Path at Suncheonman Bay National Garden

I was delighted to see cherry blossoms blooming alongside the paths and on hills. This was a very lucky surprise! There were quite a few flowers that weren't in bloom yet, so the park would look different depending on the time of year you visit. The west side of the garden featured a hill, and at the top you take in a beautiful birds-eye view of the west side of the park. On my way down, I found a traditional Korean tiered garden.

Bird of hedges

Many of the flowers were not yet in bloom, but the structures and water made it charming even without the added greenery. From here I made my way to the east side of the park. Between there is the “Dream bridge” which might be the most unique bridge I have ever witnessed. I read that it was the first bridge-type museum of its kind in the world. It is filled with 140,000 little tiles of children’s dreams from around the world. It also features a section with colorful tiles in Hangul. The west side of the museum showcases themed gardens from around the world. Each global garden had its own authentic charm which made it fun to explore. There are also cone shaped hills with spiral paths so people could walk to the top.

Exterior of Dream Bridge

Spiral Hill at East side of Suncheonman Bay National Garden

The national garden is huge, and you easily need a few hours if you wish to explore it thoroughly. Also - don’t forget your walking shoes! Both the Suncheonman Bay Wetlands Reserve and Suncheonman Bay National Park are stops on Suncheon’s City Trolley tour, and are easily visited.

Suncheon Bay Wetland Reserve

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Walk through neighborhood set

The final stop for the day was the Suncheon Open Film Location. This is a filming location for many Korean movies and dramas. This open shooting location is the largest in Korea and is divided into 3 separate areas representing 3 different eras - 1950’s Suncheon, 1960’s Seoul Bongcheong-dong village, and a 1970’s Seoul suburb. The Seoul suburb was located on a terraced hill. It was quite a site to see what Seoul looked like in the 1970’s, a very stark difference from present day Seoul.

Seoul in the 70s at Suncheon Open Film Location

I felt an overwhelming sense of awe in the sheer size of the set and how much detail you can see if you take the time to look closely. You can wander through the houses and even go inside a few. At the bottom there is the 1960’s Seoul Village and 1950’s Suncheon, this area has many buildings you would find in a local neighborhood from that time, like a barbershop, bookstore, and movie theater. Going to this set, I felt like I was taken back in time It was simply incredible, and a must-see for anyone visiting Suncheon. This location is also one of the stops on Suncheon’s Trolley Bus tour so it is easily visited, as long as you go within the trolley’s operating schedule.

Before booking my accommodation, I was made aware that it was a hanok-type arrangement. I did a quick search and found the establishment’s website, which was in Korean, so I thought it would be best for me to call and make my reservation.

Front view of hotel

I was greeted by a lovely woman who spoke limited English but tried her best to assist me in booking my room. Since I was touring Suncheon I thought it would be best if I dropped off my bags early, so I popped into my accommodation a bit earlier than normal check in time.

Main gate of hotel

When I arrived I was surprised to see how beautiful the accommodation was. It was a series of hanok near the wetlands. It was a big enough complex that it needed a map. Each hanok was very new and beautiful. The staff was very eager to help and allowed me to keep my bags near reception until I was ready to check in later. Since the location is remote, I needed assistance calling a cab to continue my journey going through Suncheon.

Later in the evening I was ready to finally relax after a busy day of exploring. The room was very cozy and came with both air heating and ondol, heated flooring. Basic amenities like soap, shampoo, and water bottles were provided. The bathroom was very clean and made me want to jump and have a relaxing shower after a long day. It felt very cozy and the sliding doors were a nice touch within the hanok. I was even given a wake-up call in the morning asking if I wished to have breakfast! I thought this was very sweet and considerate of the staff. I noted a Korean breakfast was offered in a traditional Korea style room, which was really fun to look at. For anyone wishing to be surrounded by natural beauty while experiencing a hanok stay, this would be the perfect location.

Hanok room