Jade Garden is a European-themed botanical garden located in Chuncheon, more specifically at Gulbongsan Station (Gyeongchun line). Free shuttle buses are provided every hour to and from the garden, making this place an easily accessible destination for a short excursion on a weekend.
Gulbongsan Station is basically in the middle of nowhere, and there I was able to find ONE restaurant, a 10-minute walk from exit 1, past the tiny elementary school. My boyfriend and I stopped by for lunch before taking the shuttle bus, and had a delicious meal of dakkalbi (which Chuncheon is famous for) and jeonbyeong (buckwheat pancakes). I got confused about the bus schedule and we unnecessarily rushed through our meal, only to find out we had 30 extra minutes. -_- Good thing we didn't take our time and get the fried rice afterward, since I was pretty stuffed.
The shuttle bus is this cute little one, which promptly takes off at the dot.
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| Left column: Garden to Station. Right column: Station to Garden. |
Unfortunately, this day it had started to rain, quite contrary to the weather forecast (stupid idiots) and we didn't have an umbrella, so had to buy one at the souvenir shop upon arrival. It was ten degrees (Celsius) colder than the day before, and were not prepared for the cold.
There are 25 different themed gardens within the whole park, and I'd say it takes about an hour to visit the whole place. There are benches scattered here and there, and if the weather were much better we would have taken our time to sit and relax and soak in the atmosphere, munch on a few snacks, and just a spend a few leisurely hours. Unfortunately, we were not granted this luxury due to the rain, and were busy walking in the cold rain. I don't know why this always happens to me - my first visit to the Garden of Morning Calm was also a rainy one. How annoying.
Anyway, the leaves were in the midst of changing color, and we got to walk by and witness beautiful bursts of rainbows in the treetops. I would say the views made up for the weather.
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| Ugliest horse sculpture I've ever laid eyes on |
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| There's a squirrel in the middle if you can spot it |
There's also a forest section dedicated to the Hansel and Gretel fairy tale - complete with a trail that leads the witch's cabin and everything. My boyfriend, who grew up in the countrysides of China, had never heard of the story, so I tried to tell it to him and realized I don't remember how it ended. I mean, I remember that the witch had a house made of candy and cookies and stuff and she tried to fatten the kids by locking them up to eat them, and that she was sort of blind, but I don't remember how the kids escaped. :O
Entrance fee is 8,500 KRW per person and a bit pricey for a park, but it makes a great date with a loved one or family; or just a pleasant walk if you need a break from hectic Seoul life. There are also a few cafes here and there, as well as a restaurant and hot dog stand, so feel free to spend the whole day if you wish! Just make sure you don't miss the last shuttle back to the station. If you plan to drive, parking is free!
Opening hours: 9:00 to sunset
Additional info: Click here
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