Juknokwon
죽녹원
The bamboo is the reason to come, but the thing that shapes a day here is that the grove, the embankment forest and the tree lane sit within a couple of kilometres of one another, and the county files that walk under a menu nobody opens.
Language
Place information
- Korean name
- 죽녹원
- Address
- 119 Juknokwon-ro, Damyang-eup, Damyang-gun, Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City (front gate)
- Opening hours
- Mar–Oct 09:00–19:00 (last entry 18:00) Jan–Feb, Nov–Dec 09:00–18:00 (last entry 17:30)
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Admission
- ₩3,000
Prices
| Adult(adult) | ₩3,000 |
|---|---|
| Youth(youth and military) | ₩1,500 |
| Child(primary-school child) | ₩1,000 |
Source: Juknokwon — visitor guide ·
Visiting rules
- PetsAllowed with conditions
- Large dogs are not admitted; a small dog may enter if carried.
- Juknokwon — visitor guide ·
- Food and drinkNot allowed
- Bringing food in and cooking are both prohibited.
- Juknokwon — visitor guide ·
- VehiclesNot allowed
- Bicycles, electric scooters and the like may not be brought in.
- Juknokwon — visitor guide ·
When to go
Summer
The operator's claim about the grove's air
The operator states that the bamboo grove sits about 4-7 degrees below the outside air, and attributes it to the oxygen the grove produces. The word jungnimyok — a bamboo-forest bath — comes from this.
Nearby
Gwanbangjerim
It is free, it has no gate and no hours, and it starts at the bridge in front of Juknokwon — which is why it is the piece of the walk most people cross without noticing they are on it.
Damyang Metasequoia Lane
You pay 2,000 won and get 2,000 won back — in vouchers you can only spend in Damyang. It is not the free country road most guides describe, and it is not quite a paid attraction either.
Dalbit Tteurak
A Korean-cuisine house in Bongsan-myeon. Its Century Shop citation records that it developed a young-chicken soup and a chicken broth made with bamboo shoots.
Hwangtogil
A regional-cuisine house on the hanok street of Dongmyeong-dong. Its Century Shop citation records that it began as a tea house in a restored ninety-year-old hanok and now serves regional dishes and traditional liquor.
Frequently asked questions
How much is admission to Juknokwon?
3,000 won for adults, 1,500 won for secondary-school students and enlisted soldiers, and 1,000 won for primary-school children. Groups of twenty or more pay 2,400, 1,000 and 600. Damyang residents, over-65s, under-6s, holders of national merit and disabled visitors enter free, but free entrants still collect a ticket and must show ID.
How long does a visit take?
The eight walking paths total 2.4 km, so one circuit is about an hour. Allow two hours if you are also seeing Sigamunhwachon and the lookout.
Is there a parking charge?
Damyang County publishes no parking rate. Juknokwon's car-park page names only the Damyang Gymnasium public car park (134 Juknokwon-ro) for the front gate, and the parking columns in the county's admission table are empty. The rear car park moved to 381 Jukhyangmunhwa-ro in 2021.
Can I walk to Gwanbangjerim and Metasequoia Lane?
Yes. Gwanbangjerim begins at the Hyanggyo bridge in front of Juknokwon's main gate, and the county's Obang-gil route allows 800 m and 20 minutes. Metasequoia Lane is 2.6 km further by the Obang-gil route or 1.8 km by the A World of Green walking course.
Does a Juknokwon ticket get me a discount anywhere else?
At the Korea Bamboo Museum. A same-day ticket to any county-run paid attraction reduces adult entry from 2,000 to 1,400 won, students from 1,000 to 700, and children from 700 to 500.
Is the Soswaewon inside Sigamunhwachon the real one?
No. Sigamunhwachon is a set of Damyang's pavilions rebuilt and grouped in one place, as the guide text itself states. The real Soswaewon is 20 km away in Gasamunhak-myeon and charges adults 2,000 won.
How do I get to Juknokwon from Gwangju?
Take bus 311 from the stop in front of the U-Square terminal; it stops outside Juknokwon. Limited-stop coaches between Gwangju and Damyang run every 15 minutes from 05:50 to 22:45, so there is effectively no timetable to plan around.
Can I bring a dog or a bicycle?
Large dogs are not admitted; small dogs may enter if carried. Bicycles and electric scooters may not be brought in. The whole site is non-smoking, and food and cooking are banned.
Stories about this place
- Five Gardens and Green Places in Jeonnam: Suncheonman, the Wetland, Juknokwon, Gwanbangjerim and the Metasequoia Lane
Five gardens and green places across Suncheon and Damyang, set out by how their tickets work. A Suncheonman National Garden ticket also admits you to the wetland 7 km away, though the half-price night ticket does not, and Damyang's three cost KRW 5,000 together with KRW 2,000 refunded as a voucher.
Nearby Food
- Four Jeonju Bibimbap Houses and a Bean-Sprout Soup: Three in One Lane, One 4.7 km Out
- How to Find Regional Food in Korea
- A Guide to Banchan — The Name Records How It Was Made, Not Whether You Ordered It
- A Guide to Korean Noodles — What They Are Pulled From, and How They Arrive
- How to Read Korean Soup Names: Guk, Tang, Jjigae and Jeongol
- A First-Timer's Guide to Choosing Korean Food
Travel Guides
- How to Use Korean Convenience Stores: From Heating a Meal to Topping Up a Transit Card
- At a Korean Convenience Store, the Thing to Read Is the Package
- Eating Alone in Korea: Choosing and Ordering a Meal
- How to Order Korean BBQ
- Emergency Numbers and Safety in Korea
- Staying Healthy While Travelling in Korea
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