The Garden of Morning Calm
The Garden of Morning Calm
4.5
11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Monday
11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Tuesday
11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Wednesday
11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Thursday
11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Friday
11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Saturday
11:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Sunday
11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
About
The Garden of Morning Calm was founded by professor Sang-kyung Han (honorary professor of the Department of Horticulture, Sahmyook University) and it opened on May 11, 1996 as a private garden. He came up with the idea of establishing he beautiful, world-class garden while staying as an exchange professor in the US in 1993. The name Garden of Morning Calm originated from when Rabindranāth Tagore, an Indian poet, called Korea ‘the Land of Morning Calm.’ The founder and his employees have strived to embrace the natural beauty of Korea, oriental mystique, and the spirit of the Korean people in the garden. The design of the garden focused on curves, spaces and asymmetric balance, and Korea's unique beauty to express classic elegance and fabulousness.
Suggested duration
1-2 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
Top ways to experience The Garden of Morning Calm
The area
Address
Best nearby
Restaurants
6 within 5 kms
Attractions
13 within 10 kms
Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
479 reviews
Excellent
307
Very good
134
Average
32
Poor
3
Terrible
3
chocobon
15 contributions
Dec 2022
Even though it was really cold the day we went, it was still stunning. The light illumination was something not to be missed. The snow gave fairy tale quality to this already beautiful place. Can imagine the spring/summer must be a sight with all the flowers blooming. Dress warmly during winter.
Written 18 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
kittylys
Singapore, Singapore125 contributions
Oct 2022 • Family
This is a huge garden that is extremely picturesque- almost any angle gets you beautiful pictures. The place is mainly full of korean tourists, and you get to see pink muhli grass if you time your visit correctly.
It is fun to just wander around the place and soak in the tranquility of the garden and the various flower exhibits - chrysanthemums, wildflowers, bonsai, alpine garden, secret garden, rock garden. There is a mountain stream flowing through the garden, with the mountains in the background for photos.
The paths are not steep and mostly does not have stairs, just slow inclines and descents. The greenhouse is a bit underwhelming for us, but we did it in the end and were already tired.
There is a decent cafeteria near the bonsai garden, and the shop offers interesting scents and products - I think it’s worth a look although I didn’t buy anything.
Note:
There are no cabs there - if you need one, get the reception to help call one for you (booking fee is 1000₩). There is also a public bus that goes to the nearest city.
It is fun to just wander around the place and soak in the tranquility of the garden and the various flower exhibits - chrysanthemums, wildflowers, bonsai, alpine garden, secret garden, rock garden. There is a mountain stream flowing through the garden, with the mountains in the background for photos.
The paths are not steep and mostly does not have stairs, just slow inclines and descents. The greenhouse is a bit underwhelming for us, but we did it in the end and were already tired.
There is a decent cafeteria near the bonsai garden, and the shop offers interesting scents and products - I think it’s worth a look although I didn’t buy anything.
Note:
There are no cabs there - if you need one, get the reception to help call one for you (booking fee is 1000₩). There is also a public bus that goes to the nearest city.
Written 10 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
dulceyy
Singapore, Singapore71 contributions
Sep 2022 • Couples
great place for a walk with incredibly fresh air and many nice flowers & scenery.
recommended to spend about 2 to 3 hours here.
do be careful near the pond area as there's a couple of small snakes around
recommended to spend about 2 to 3 hours here.
do be careful near the pond area as there's a couple of small snakes around
Written 18 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
psoliva
Luzon, Philippines52 contributions
Jun 2022 • Family
Those who need a breather and escape the pressures of work should drop by this garden. Tranquility and serenity of nature will take away stress once you are here. The amazing view of nature and sound of flowing water are perfect way to relax. This a must for those travelling to South Korea and a good first spot before heading to Nami Island.
Written 24 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Ricardo X
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates75 contributions
Jun 2022 • Family
Very nice flowers and clam to walk inside the garden.
There are some up slopes but you can follow the signs and the map to take the Best Route course.
Take note of the city tour bus timing as they only arrive every hourly.
There are some up slopes but you can follow the signs and the map to take the Best Route course.
Take note of the city tour bus timing as they only arrive every hourly.
Written 4 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
SQKrisflyer
Singapore179 contributions
Nov 2019
I first visited the Garden of Morning Calm in 2018 about 2 weeks before the peak autumn foliage. So this time I timed the visit perfectly in first week of November and came with my family where we spent a wonderful 2.5 hours on a clear sunny Thursday morning.
Getting there and entrance fees: The Garden of Morning Calm is located in Gapyeong, about 30 km northeast of Seoul. We took a Indiway tour that covers Garden of Morning Calm in the late morning followed by Nami Island in the afternoon. Alternatively, if you would want to go from Seoul to the Garden but not on a tour package, you could first take the subway to Cheongnyangni Station or Yongsan Station (both on Subway Line 1), followed by the ITX express train on the ITX-Cheongchun Line of about 50 minutes (from Yongsan) or about 35 minutes (from Cheongnyangni) to Cheongpyeong Station (do book the ITX train ticket online and arrive early at the station to find the ITX-Cheongchun Line station). Upon coming out of Exit 1, take the Gapyeong City Tour Bus from the bus station right outside to the Garden of Morning Calm. A one day pass for the Gapyeong City Tour Bus costs ₩6000 per person (excludes entrance fees to attractions) and has to be bought from the bus driver. The departure schedule is at the bus stop and among the stops include Gapyeong Rail Bike, Nami Island, Petitie France and of course Garden of Morning Calm.
The entrance fees for the Garden is ₩9,500 (adults), ₩7,000 (youth) and ₩6,000 (child).
The attraction: The Garden of Morning Calm is the oldest private garden in Korea, founded by Professor Han Sang-kyung who had his vision to create a world-class garden that embraces the beauty of Korea as the “Land of Morning Calm”. I think one testament to its success is that several Korean dramas had been filmed at this Garden.
However, upon entering the Garden, most visitors started queuing for a photo, selfie or wefie at the wooden board with the “Garden of Morning Calm” inscription. For my family and I, we just moved on quickly because there are several walking trials and so much autumn vibrancy to enjoy in this 330,000 square metres Garden with over 5,000 fauna species and 27 theme gardens.
Using the map (do get one), we took the following “best” walking route covering the major attractions: Dropping Tree Garden -> Eden Garden -> Millennium Juniper Garden (see the iconic 1000 year-old juniper tree which is the representative tree of the Garden) -> Sunken Garden (this is Garden of Morning Calm’s representative garden) -> J’s Cottage Garden (with a lovely English cottage) -> Pond Garden (the pavilion is the site of the hit Korean drama “Love in the Moonlight” or “Moonlight Drawn by Clouds” starring Park Bo-Gum and Kim Yoo-Jung) -> Stream Garden -> Road to Heaven (beautiful blooming flowers lining the winding road) -> Moonlight Garden (mainly white flowers and plants that symbolise moonlight) -> Conifer Garden -> Wild Flower Garden -> Bonsai Garden -> Cloud Bridge.
After the Wild Flower Garden, I could not resist making a dash past the Rose of Sharon Garden and up to the stairways to the Alpine Rock Garden. This is where you could catch a birds-eye view of the Garden.
Not to worry if you go hungry at the Garden. There’s a Good Morning Coffee Café and a Morning Spring Bakery next to each other as well as a Korean Food Garden restaurant serving healthy Korean dishes.
What I enjoyed:
(1) True to its name, the Garden, with its aesthetic greenery, is so peaceful and gives me the calming effect. The relaxed picturesque setting at the foot of Chungnyeongsan Mountain and the fresh countryside air so ever contrasts with the hustle and bustle and pollution of city life
(2) Of the so many theme gardens, my favourite is the Pond Garden because the surrounding beautiful and dramatic autumn landscape was reflected on the still water of the pond. My other favourite theme garden is the Moonlight Garden where there is a dainty white church building surrounded by lovely flowers.
(3) Everywhere you look, there were leaves painted in scarlet red, golden yellow, royal purple and burning orange hues from the hazel, gingko, katsura and maple trees that showcased the autumn beauty and created such a romantic atmosphere.
(4) Being autumn, there were yellow, pink, violet, red, maroon, orange and white chrysanthemums in full bloom (particularly at the Road to Heaven), adding further enchanting beauty to the Garden
(5) There are several wide paths and lots of narrow paths such that there was room for everyone, and we never encountered overcrowding or having others unkowingly standing next to us in our photographs. But that’s on a weekday and I am not sure about the situation on a weekend. Nevertheless, do go early in the morning as hordes of tourists typically come in the late morning.
My family and I would want to come back on our own next time. But this is definitely one garden that you would not want to miss, even though you are not a lover of Nature – just enjoy the walk and the calmness at this attraction which is one of the “2019-2020 100 Must Visit Tourist Spots in Korea”!
Getting there and entrance fees: The Garden of Morning Calm is located in Gapyeong, about 30 km northeast of Seoul. We took a Indiway tour that covers Garden of Morning Calm in the late morning followed by Nami Island in the afternoon. Alternatively, if you would want to go from Seoul to the Garden but not on a tour package, you could first take the subway to Cheongnyangni Station or Yongsan Station (both on Subway Line 1), followed by the ITX express train on the ITX-Cheongchun Line of about 50 minutes (from Yongsan) or about 35 minutes (from Cheongnyangni) to Cheongpyeong Station (do book the ITX train ticket online and arrive early at the station to find the ITX-Cheongchun Line station). Upon coming out of Exit 1, take the Gapyeong City Tour Bus from the bus station right outside to the Garden of Morning Calm. A one day pass for the Gapyeong City Tour Bus costs ₩6000 per person (excludes entrance fees to attractions) and has to be bought from the bus driver. The departure schedule is at the bus stop and among the stops include Gapyeong Rail Bike, Nami Island, Petitie France and of course Garden of Morning Calm.
The entrance fees for the Garden is ₩9,500 (adults), ₩7,000 (youth) and ₩6,000 (child).
The attraction: The Garden of Morning Calm is the oldest private garden in Korea, founded by Professor Han Sang-kyung who had his vision to create a world-class garden that embraces the beauty of Korea as the “Land of Morning Calm”. I think one testament to its success is that several Korean dramas had been filmed at this Garden.
However, upon entering the Garden, most visitors started queuing for a photo, selfie or wefie at the wooden board with the “Garden of Morning Calm” inscription. For my family and I, we just moved on quickly because there are several walking trials and so much autumn vibrancy to enjoy in this 330,000 square metres Garden with over 5,000 fauna species and 27 theme gardens.
Using the map (do get one), we took the following “best” walking route covering the major attractions: Dropping Tree Garden -> Eden Garden -> Millennium Juniper Garden (see the iconic 1000 year-old juniper tree which is the representative tree of the Garden) -> Sunken Garden (this is Garden of Morning Calm’s representative garden) -> J’s Cottage Garden (with a lovely English cottage) -> Pond Garden (the pavilion is the site of the hit Korean drama “Love in the Moonlight” or “Moonlight Drawn by Clouds” starring Park Bo-Gum and Kim Yoo-Jung) -> Stream Garden -> Road to Heaven (beautiful blooming flowers lining the winding road) -> Moonlight Garden (mainly white flowers and plants that symbolise moonlight) -> Conifer Garden -> Wild Flower Garden -> Bonsai Garden -> Cloud Bridge.
After the Wild Flower Garden, I could not resist making a dash past the Rose of Sharon Garden and up to the stairways to the Alpine Rock Garden. This is where you could catch a birds-eye view of the Garden.
Not to worry if you go hungry at the Garden. There’s a Good Morning Coffee Café and a Morning Spring Bakery next to each other as well as a Korean Food Garden restaurant serving healthy Korean dishes.
What I enjoyed:
(1) True to its name, the Garden, with its aesthetic greenery, is so peaceful and gives me the calming effect. The relaxed picturesque setting at the foot of Chungnyeongsan Mountain and the fresh countryside air so ever contrasts with the hustle and bustle and pollution of city life
(2) Of the so many theme gardens, my favourite is the Pond Garden because the surrounding beautiful and dramatic autumn landscape was reflected on the still water of the pond. My other favourite theme garden is the Moonlight Garden where there is a dainty white church building surrounded by lovely flowers.
(3) Everywhere you look, there were leaves painted in scarlet red, golden yellow, royal purple and burning orange hues from the hazel, gingko, katsura and maple trees that showcased the autumn beauty and created such a romantic atmosphere.
(4) Being autumn, there were yellow, pink, violet, red, maroon, orange and white chrysanthemums in full bloom (particularly at the Road to Heaven), adding further enchanting beauty to the Garden
(5) There are several wide paths and lots of narrow paths such that there was room for everyone, and we never encountered overcrowding or having others unkowingly standing next to us in our photographs. But that’s on a weekday and I am not sure about the situation on a weekend. Nevertheless, do go early in the morning as hordes of tourists typically come in the late morning.
My family and I would want to come back on our own next time. But this is definitely one garden that you would not want to miss, even though you are not a lover of Nature – just enjoy the walk and the calmness at this attraction which is one of the “2019-2020 100 Must Visit Tourist Spots in Korea”!
Written 6 May 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Berrynaiad13
Geylang, Singapore81 contributions
Oct 2019
The garden was beautiful and I can see why it got featured in a k-drama. We visited in the morning and enjoyed a stroll through the beautiful landscaped garden. There were many photo spots. My parents and I also enjoyed dropping into the shops there and bought back some plant based gifts like soaps, essential oils, hand lotions and even edibile pine nuts.
Written 21 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
방문해 주셔서 감사합니다. 더욱 아름다운 정원이 되도록 노력하겠습니다~! 감사합니다~~^^
Written 30 March 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Untiya D
Bangkok, Thailand405 contributions
Jan 2020 • Solo
Light festival during winter was very beautiful. I spent 1.40 hr walking inside the garden where there were many zones - flower tunnels, light walls, moon garden etc. There were "herb shop" selling various kinds of teas and also "garden shop" selling organic products such as soap, shampoo, lotion, balm, spray. The quality was good -- I also bought lavender body wash and body lotion here.
Written 20 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Talitha M
Arnhem, The Netherlands1,951 contributions
Jan 2020 • Solo
What a beautiful place. The lights are everywhere and so are the people and cameras but still it's worth a visit for sure!! I adore lights so this was heaven to me!!
Written 20 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
KitLagahit
14 contributions
Dec 2019
Beautiful landscaping. It feels like you are in a movie set. Very fresh air. Do not be in a hurry when you visit. Take your time to enjoy the scenery. Highly recommended.
Written 16 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
IveeLim
366 contributions
I would like to know if there's any vegan food available. Thank you
Ricardo X
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates75 contributions
There are some shops selling snacks outside but not sure if there have vegan food. Suggest you pack some from the convenient store elsewhere before you proceed there.
Rori T
Avalon Beach, Australia24 contributions
Is the garden wheelchair accessible for the most part?
dianne c
120 contributions
Is it easy to travel here from Seoul via public commute? I booked a tour before and didn't get to spend a lot of time...
Also planning to bring my parents who are both senior citizens so just wanted to make sure commuting is not much of a hassle.
Csy
1 contribution
Hi, just wondering is it worth going to garden of morning calm on 2 dec as it is after the autumn leave but before the night lighting. Will there be any beautiful flowers or garden during this period? Tks.
Isuragi
5 contributions
Hi! I am planning to go The Garden of Morning Calm, Petite France and Nami island on day trip. May I know which place should visit first and roughly what's the visit duration for each places?
Winston Chuah
Subang Jaya, Malaysia294 contributions
I would suggest Garden of Morning Calm first above anything else because it won't be too hot in the morning. The place is pretty big and open. I had 1.5 hours to visit here and even then it's not really enough (for me at least). Would love at least 2 hours.
Nami Island should be next and you can easily spend 2 hours or more here. There are many paths on the island for you to explore. If you stay on the main paths, 2 hours will suffice but if you explore all the paths, you'd need more time for sure.
Petite France, if you have not visited before, you should visit it once but personally, on my first visit there, it's a small French-themed village and other than having lots of pretty pictures opportunity, wasn't too impressed by it. The whole place can be covered in 30 minutes if you breeze by and if you stop for photo taking, I'd say 1.5 hours is good enough.
classymissy
Singapore, Singapore36 contributions
Hello, is there still snow there during the first week of march? Thanks
Syamim Safian (Mint)
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia59 contributions
Hello. My response may be a few months late, but the best way is to keep track of weather forecast from time to time. If there's snow, they might still play the light show which is still pretty.
forever0831
Manila, Philippines86 contributions
Is it better to go on your own or book a tour?
Manolito M
428 contributions
Going on your own is better because you decide how long you want to stay. The place is very nice and huge so you need about 3 or 4 hours maybe more to see all. We did not see all of it because we lack time.
RAGAD
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia12 contributions
Hi I’m going to this garden in first of August
Is there bloom flowers?
Lizayam
Marikina, Philippines486 contributions
Throughout the 4 seasons, flowers are in bloom but of different types. There are a lot more to see in the Garden of the morning Calm not only flowets. If you are a nature lover, this place is for you.
Hi, i plan to go to this garden in early april (2-4th), is the flowers bloom already?
jelle villanueva
Marikina, Philippines78 contributions
Tulips aren’t in full bloom yet. The first time i went to Garden of the Morning Calm last year was first week of May and the tulips were all in full bloom. I hope this helps. 😊
Hi, I plan to visit the morning calm on the 20 May week? Is this a good time to visit? Thanks
pieata
Wellington, New Zealand405 contributions
Personally, anytime on a fine day is a good time!
Mornings, as in many instances, may mean less people?
THE GARDEN OF MORNING CALM (Gapyeong-gun) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go
Frequently Asked Questions about The Garden of Morning Calm
- The Garden of Morning Calm is open:
- Sun - Fri 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
- Sat - Sat 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM
- We recommend booking The Garden of Morning Calm tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 40 The Garden of Morning Calm tours on Tripadvisor
- According to Tripadvisor travelers, these are the best ways to experience The Garden of Morning Calm:
- Day Trip to Nami Island with The Garden of Morning Calm (From ₱3,839.60)
- Trip to Nami Island with Petite France & Italian Village, Garden of Morning Calm (From ₱4,934.26)
- Alpaca World & Nami Island & Garden of Morning Calm Tour (From ₱4,290.67)
- Nami Island& Petite France& Garden of Morning Calm& Italian Village One-Day Tour (From ₱4,125.64)
- 3 Days Essential Tour-Seoul City, Nami, Petite, Garden of Morning Calm, Everland (From ₱54,953.52)
- Hotels near The Garden of Morning Calm:
- (0.16 km) Urban Hills Pension
- (0.53 km) Morning Calm Pension
- (1.35 km) Antibes
- (2.74 km) Popcornhouse Pension
- (4.22 km) Kensington Resort Cheongpyeong
- Restaurants near The Garden of Morning Calm:
- (1.60 km) Be Eo Bean Seu Coffee
- (1.97 km) Chaewon Buckwheat Noodles Jat Tofu
- (3.19 km) Songwon Jat Tofu Barley Rice
- (3.11 km) Chilo
- (6.04 km) Cafe Sudi
- Attractions near The Garden of Morning Calm:
- (0.85 km) The Zoo of Morning Calm
- (2.18 km) Chukryeongsan
- (3.44 km) Gyeonggi-do Jatyanggi Purunsup
- (4.19 km) Saemteo Yoowonji
- (4.54 km) Gapyeong Sledding Hills