Damyang Must-See Spots: Day Trip Route Guide (Juknokwon · Metasequoia Road)

For a Damyang day trip, follow the order Juknokwon → Gwanbangjerim → tteokgalbi or noodles for lunch → Metasequoia Road and Metaprovence to keep driving distances short and pack a full day into one trip. Map out admission fees, hours, and parking for the key stops in a table ahead of time, and you won’t get your route tangled once you arrive.

Damyang Day Trip: Key Attractions at a Glance 📋

First, here’s a single table covering admission fees and hours for Damyang’s must-see spots — take a look before mapping out your route.

Juknokwon and Metasequoia Road stop admitting visitors 30 minutes to an hour before closing, so if you’re heading over late in the afternoon, be sure to check the closing time. Metasequoia Road is also closed on Lunar New Year’s Day and Chuseok.

Course 1 — Juknokwon (Bamboo Garden): The Starting Point of a Damyang Trip 🎋

Juknokwon, where you can walk through 310,000 ㎡ of bamboo forest, is the easiest starting point for a Damyang day trip. Admission is ₩3,000 for adults, ₩1,500 for teens, and ₩1,000 for elementary schoolers (source: Damyang County); it’s free for visitors 65 and older, children under 6, and Damyang residents.

Recommended Route and Time Needed

• Of the eight walking trails, Unsudaetong-gil → Chueogui Saetgil (Path of Memories) → Jukmagou-gil make up the basic route, doable within an hour.
• Resting for a bit at one of the pavilions (Bonghwangnu, Unsujeong) keeps you cool even at the height of summer — the bamboo forest has a natural cooling effect that makes the heat much more bearable.
• Next to the entrance ticket booth, the Juksun Hoegwan hall and gift shop sell daetongbap (bamboo-tube rice) and bamboo-shoot products.

Exit through the back of Juknokwon and you connect straight to Gwanbangjerim and Jukhyang Culture Experience Village. Instead of heading back to the main entrance, leave through the back path and roll straight into the next stop — it keeps your route clean.

Course 2 — Gwanbangjerim: A Free Natural-Monument Forest Trail 🌳

Gwanbangjerim is free for both admission and parking, and it’s open around the clock, so there’s no pressure to plan around it. This windbreak forest, planted along the Gwanbangcheon Stream during the reign of King Injo of Joseon to hold back floodwaters, still stands today and is designated Natural Monument No. 366 (source: Cultural Heritage Administration). Large old trees such as muku, hackberry, and fringe trees cast plenty of shade, making it a pleasant walk even at the height of summer.

Route Tips

• Cross a single bridge from the back of Juknokwon and you’re right at the entrance to Gwanbangjerim — a 5-minute walk.
• The path is well-paved, so strollers and wheelchairs are no problem — easy going with elderly family members, too.
• Noodle Street is right next door, so it flows naturally into lunch after your walk.

Course 3 — Damyang Food: Tteokgalbi vs. Noodles 🍜

Damyang’s restaurant scene splits roughly into Tteokgalbi Street (near Juknokwon) and Noodle Street (next to Gwanbangjerim). Given the route, it works out well to have noodles for lunch and a tteokgalbi set meal for dinner.

Tteokgalbi Picks

• Sinsikdang: A four-generation restaurant with over 100 years of history. Its signature is the ‘Sinsikdang Soban’ set, pairing 100% Korean beef tteokgalbi with daetongbap.
• Namdo Yedam: Grills Korean beef and pork together over charcoal. It’s been on TV often, so expect a wait on weekends.

Noodle Picks

• Yennal Jinmi Guksu: A 50-year institution that’s appeared on Baek Jong-won’s TV show 3 Daecheonwang (spotlighting legendary local restaurants). Its signature dishes are anchovy-broth janchi guksu and yeolmu bibim guksu (noodles with young radish kimchi).
• Damyang Apjip: House-made noodles mixed with bamboo leaves. The bamboo-leaf bibim guksu and spicy tteokgalbi guksu are the popular picks.
• Miso Daennip Guksu: Known for fresh noodles made with bamboo leaves mixed into the dough.

Parking on Tteokgalbi Street, right in front of Juknokwon’s main gate, often runs tight. Avoid the lunch peak (12:00–13:00), or aim for before 11:30 or after 14:00 for a more relaxed visit.

Course 4 — Metasequoia Road and Metaprovence 🌲

In the afternoon, head to Metasequoia Road, about a 7–10 minute drive away. Around 1,300 metasequoia trees, planted in 1972 as a roadside-tree pilot project, line a 2.1 km straight stretch. Admission is ₩2,000 for adults, ₩1,000 for teens, and ₩700 for children, and it’s free for visitors 65 and older (source: Damyang County).

Route Tips

• The Metaprovence parking lot, next to the Metasequoia Road ticket booth, is free. Parking here and covering both spots together is the most efficient plan.
• Metaprovence is a European-style shopping and cafe complex you can wander freely with no admission fee. Great for photos.
• Fall foliage (late October to mid-November) and the green summer tunnel are the most popular times to visit.

Metasequoia Road is closed on Lunar New Year’s Day and Chuseok. If you’re visiting Damyang during a holiday break, plan your visit for a different day.

If You Have Extra Time — Soswaewon and Jukhyang Culture Experience Village

If you have time left over after the four main courses on your day trip, you can fit in one more stop at Soswaewon.

• Soswaewon: A leading example of a Joseon-era private garden retreat. Open 09:00–17:00, admission ₩2,000. About a 15-minute drive from Metasequoia Road.
• Jukhyang Culture Experience Village: Located right next to Juknokwon, so it’s easy to pair the two. Offers hanok-stay and tea-ceremony experiences.

If you’re curious about other day-trip courses in the Jeonnam (South Jeolla) region, also check out Gangjin Day-Trip Course (Gaudo · Dasan Chodang · Byeongyeong). It’s handy for planning a broader Honam-region itinerary.

Recommended Route at a Glance ⏱️

It’s about a 30–40 minute drive from Gwangju, and roughly 3 hours from Seoul via KTX (Gwangju-Songjeong Station) plus a rental car. That’s an easy distance to cover as a day trip.

Pre-Visit Checklist ✅

• Check the last admission time for Juknokwon and Metasequoia Road (cutoff is 30 minutes to an hour before closing)
• Confirm whether Metasequoia Road is closed for the holiday (Lunar New Year’s Day or Chuseok)
• Save the location of Metaprovence’s free parking lot ahead of time
• Avoid the lunch rush (before 11:30 or after 14:00)
• Pack mosquito repellent and sunscreen in summer, a light jacket in fall
• Check free-admission eligibility at Juknokwon and Soswaewon (age 65+, local residents, national merit recipients)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) 🔍

How long does it take to cover just the key Damyang day-trip spots?

Covering all four courses — Juknokwon, Gwanbangjerim, lunch, and Metasequoia Road — takes about 6–7 hours. Starting around 10 a.m. wraps up by roughly 5 p.m., which works comfortably as a day trip.

Can I do a Damyang day trip without a car, using public transportation?

Yes. From Damyang Bus Terminal, you can reach Juknokwon and Gwanbangjerim on foot or by city bus, and Metasequoia Road by city bus No. 311 or taxi (about 15 minutes). That said, travel time between stops adds up, so it’s more realistic to trim your itinerary to around three stops.

What if I can only visit one — Juknokwon or Metasequoia Road?

For a family trip focused on walking, go with Juknokwon; for photos and that one great shot, go with Metasequoia Road. If you’re really pressed for time, pairing nearby Juknokwon and Gwanbangjerim also makes a good half-day route.

Is there a combo discount on admission to Damyang’s attractions?

Damyang County doesn’t sell a separate combo ticket. That said, visitors 65 and older, Damyang residents, national merit recipients, and people with disabilities get free or discounted admission at both Juknokwon and Metasequoia Road, so bring ID.

What’s a Damyang day trip like on a rainy day?

Gwanbangjerim and Metasequoia Road are sheltered by their large trees, so light rain actually adds atmosphere. Juknokwon’s trails can get slippery, though. If heavy rain is forecast, it’s best to shift your plans toward Metaprovence’s indoor cafes and Soswaewon.

Sources

• Damyang Juknokwon - Korea Tourism Organization, Every Corner of Korea
• Damyang Metasequoia Road - Korea Tourism Organization, Every Corner of Korea
• Damyang Day-Trip Course (Juknokwon · Gwanbangjerim · Metaprovence) - Every Corner of Korea
• Damyang Attractions Guide - Metaprovence Official Site