Travellers: SOUTH KOREA TRIP (2016): Gapyeong Day Trip Part 3 - LIGHTING FESTIVAL at The Garden of Morning Calm

Finally I manage to continue this Gapyeong Day Trip series. So, my last stop was The Garden of the Morning Calm (아침고요수목원). I arrived around 5 PM, and the weather was getting even colder. Of course you would expect to see colorful flowers when you visit a garden, but apparently you would not see any blooming flowers on March, it's still winter time! So why did I visit a garden on winter time? So it happens that every winter (from early December to late March), a Lighting Festival is being held at The Garden of the Morning Calm. What could you expect to witness at this festival? Let's take a look.

It took around 50 minutes to reach The Garden of the Morning Calm from Petite France by Gapyeong Tour Bus. The bus was super crowded that I had to sit at the floor next to the entrance door. I might be able to sit on the next bus, but considering the time I spent to queue for the bus heading to Petite France from Nami Island, well I just hopped into the available bus. 50 minutes was a way to go, sitting with no space really left for my feet. But anyway, I managed to survive and arrived at this place.

Here is the admission fee list:

[Individuals]
Adults: Weekends · Public Holidays 9,000 won / Discount (Weekdays) 8,000 won
Teenagers: Weekends · Public Holidays 6,500 won / Discount (Weekdays) 6,000 won
Children: Weekends · Public Holidays 5,500 won / Discount (Weekdays) 5,000 won

[Groups]
Adults: Weekdays 7,000 won
Teenagers: Weekdays 5,000 won
Children: Weekdays 4,000 won

As I mentioned at the beginning of the post, the weather was getting colder as the sun prepared to set. The Lighting Festival starts at 6 PM. So as an act of surviving the chill, I entered the glasshouse. It was much warmer there.

The glasshouse is the only place you may expect to see the local blooming flowers around winter time. There wasn't much to see, but it was too cold outside.

A little bit about this place. This garden is the oldest private garden in Korea, name was inspired by a poem written by Sir Tagore, a great Indian poet, who described Korea during the Joseon Dynasty as "The Land of the Morning Calm." (source). Other than the Lighting Festival, the garden holds different festivals on each season. Spring Garden Festival on spring, Festival of Roses, Hydrangeas and Roses of Sharon on summer, and Festival of Chrysanthemums and Autumnal Tints on autumn.

Here are the scenes you should expect when visiting this place around winter time before 6 PM.

Finally it was 6 PM. you could see the lighting from afar - I was in front of the glasshouse.

The withered trees, bushes, and gates were being covered by colorful lights.

It was even more beautiful when the sky was getting darker. There were many stunning wire figures covered with lights. I felt like it was December in the middle of March.

I transformed into an Eskimo as it was getting darker and even colder, but the view worth the chill.

I think The Garden of Morning Calm worth a visit on any season. I bet this place is beautiful when the flowers bloom. There will be a few more posts regarding my not so recent trip to South Korea, please wait for it patiently. Annyeong!