A world away from the popular tourist cities like Busan and Seoul, Suncheon is well worth a visit, and is the largest city in Korea’s South Jeolla Province.
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Suncheon’s charm is that it has so many natural and historical attractions, from the 8,000 year old wetlands to its famous Nagan Folk Village. It is also the gateway to some incredible day-trips like Boseong Green Tea Fields and UNESCO listed temples.
From gorgeous green gardens to a K-Drama film set you can visit for next to nothing, here is our guide to the best things to do in Suncheon, South Korea.
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How to get to Suncheon
Suncheon from Seoul
From Seoul station you can take the high speed KTX train to Suncheon in around 2 hours 50 minutes. One-way ticket prices are around 45,000 Won and there are approximately 7 services a day. You can book your train tickets on trip.com >
You can also take an Intercity highway bus from Seoul Express Bus Terminal to Suncheon Bus Terminal in around 4 hours, costing around 34,700 Won for an adult one-way (17,400 Won for children). Book your tickets on txbus.t-money.co.kr >
Suncheon from Busan
From Busan station you can take the train to Suncheon in around 3 hours (with a change of train at Osong station). Train routes can be a combination of Korail (Mugunghwa or ITX-Saemaeul) and high speed KTX trains. Check Korail for the various different routes, timetables and prices >
You can also take an Intercity highway bus from Busan West Bus Terminal to Suncheon Bus Terminal in around 2 hours 30 minutes, costing around 15,000 Won for an adult one-way (7,500 Won for children). Book your tickets on txbus.t-money.co.kr >
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Suncheon Hotels and Accommodation
Budget – Mid-range ($)
Suncheon Hotel THE H
This is the hotel we stayed at and would recommend it as great value for money. The rooms are spacious and include a very basic breakfast (toast and eggs) that you can eat on their rooftop terrace. Check rates and availability on Agoda
Budget – Mid-range ($$)
Hotel Raum Suncheon
Another highly rated budget hotel offering spacious rooms and rooftop terrace. The hotel is located a 10 minute walk to Suncheon train station. Check rates and availability on Agoda | Expedia | Booking.com | Hotels.com
Try this – the best Suncheon tours with Get Your Guide, Klook and Trazy
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Things to do in Suncheon
1. Suncheon National Gardens
Suncheon National Gardens were the first of their kind in Korea, sprawling over a huge site and comprising a dozen or so themed areas and gardens.
From a beautiful botanical garden to Lake gardens and even a space area where you can meet astronauts, this is one of the top things to do in Suncheon.
Entry to Suncheon Gardens is 10,000 Won which is actually quite expensive compared to other South Korean attractions but honestly, you could easily spend a whole day here and not cover every single feature.
We visited one sunny weekday morning and the gardens were teeming with students and local families – kids love all the fun installations like the Space Hub, Space Bridge and children’s zoo.
One of our favourite parts was the Lakeside Garden designed by landscape gardener Charles Jencks – it has six hills which represent the mountains surrounding Suncheon (and it reminded us of the TV programme Tellytubbies) plus there are themed boats which take you around the lake.
If your Suncheon itinerary allows it, allow at least half a day (ideally more) to explore Suncheon Gardens. We’d recommend getting here for mid morning so you can then take the Skycube (more on this in a moment) to the nearby Wetlands.
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2. Suncheon Skycube
Inside Suncheon National Gardens, you’ll find this rather peculiar monorail which runs along an almost 5km track all the way to Suncheon Bay Wetlands (note you can visit the Wetlands without doing the Skycube but this is the easiest way to get there from the gardens).
The journey takes around 10 minutes one way and costs 8,000 Won for an adult return trip or 6,000 Won one way.
Inside each Suncheon Skycube, there is space for up to 6 people and the huge windows of the cabin mean you get to see panoramic views of the local area and parts of the garden.
We visited on a weekday and managed to get our Skycube without queuing but we expect it might be a little different on weekends – ticket numbers are also capped at 200 every 30 minutes at the Suncheon National Garden Station.
The Skycube trains run every few seconds from 10am onwards until 6.30pm during summer months (until 5.30pm winter months).
Once you arrive at Suncheonman Bay Wetlands Skycube station, you can take the free ‘Reed Train’ shuttle bus from to Mujin Bridge (the start of the Wetlands) saving you a 1.2km walk.
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3. Suncheon Wetlands
We visited Suncheon Wetlands during a rainy afternoon in May 2025 so our photographs sadly don’t do this World Natural Heritage Site justice.
A huge area of natural wetlands with stunning views and observatories, the area has lots of cool trails and boardwalks to follow (although it can get quite steep in places).
Admission costs 10,000 Won which also includes access to Suncheon National Gardens plus a boat tour is available for 7,000 Won.
Synonymous with with S-shaped Suncheon stream (trying saying that after several sojus), the Wetlands are over 8,000 years old and is home to many species of bird and wildlife including Korean cranes.
There is also something magical when the wind rustles the millions of water reeds onsite (it is the largest reed field in Korea).
The pathways to the Secondary Observatory (where you get the best panoramic and sunset views) are well maintained and you get a choice of steps or a slope towards the top – you can also learn more about all wildlife and nature here at the Nature Ecology Center.
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4. Suncheon Open Film Set, Suncheon’s K-Drama destination
If you are a K-drama fan, take a step back in time at the Suncheon Open Film Set, a working K-Drama set that has recreated historic Korean streets and shanty towns.
Suncheon Open Film Set (순천 드라마촬영장) was built in 2006 and has featured in countless movies and K-Dramas including the recent Pachinko (Apple TV), Casino (Disney), Love and Ambition, Once in a Summer and East of Eden.
This cracking K-Drama set is open to visitors and features a 70’s shanty town, 60’s downtown Suncheon set plus an 80’s Seoul city filming set. Plus there are fun attractions to discover including a karaoke bar, costume hire, a vintage cafe plus hillside churches.
From the best sets to admission prices, here is our guide to visiting the K-Drama Suncheon Open Film Set >
5. Day trips from Suncheon
Although there are many things to do in Suncheon, here are some other recommended day-trips from Suncheon including tea fields, traditional villages and temples.
Boseong Green Tea Fields 보성녹차밭
Time for tea in South Korea. The most beautiful and famous tea-fields in Korea can be found at Boseong Tea Plantation in the Jeollanam-do region, 46km away from Suncheon (although Jeju Island is also known for its green tea plantations too).
We stayed in Suncheon in summer 2025 and visited the Daehan Dawon green tea plantation (located next door to the Boseong Korean Tea Museum 한국차박물관). Nearly half of South Korea green tea is harvested in this area so it is a must visit (especially if you are a tea drinker)!
Daehan Dawon has lush green tea fields which you can explore – hike to the top for coastal views or enjoy green tea ice-cream in the cafe overlooking the tea plantation.
From cherry blossom trails to bamboo forests, waterfalls to wonderful panoramic views, here is our guide to the Daehan Dawon / Boseong Tea Plantations >
Check out this Green Tea Tour in Boseong and Gangjin day tour from Gwangju with Klook or Viator.
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6. Naganeupseong Folk Village 순천 낙안읍성 / Nagan Fortress
Suncheon’s famous thatched hut village Naganeupseong, dates back to the late 14th century (although much of it is much more modern than that) with over 200 residents still living here in traditional ways.
Many of the houses in the village are designated as national heritages, allowing the South Jeolla architecture typical of the Joseon period to be preserved today (and yes, there are tacky gift shops too)!
One of the highlights is the ‘market street’ which shows the crafts and trades from Joseon times – but note it can get very busy in peak season and holidays (some years, over 1.5 million tourists and locals have visited).
Some of the trades you can learn about at Nagan Fortress include silkworm breeding, blacksmithing, Korean paper art and flute playing.
Admission to Naganeupseong Folk Village is 4,000 Won for adults and 2,500 Won for children – there are also four restaurants in the village you can dine at.
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7. Seonamsa and Songgwangsa Temples
A UNESCO World Heritage site, Seonamsa is a beautiful Buddhist temple surrounded by an ancient forest and around 30km away from Suncheon.
Famous for its spring blossom and autumn leaves, entry is via the rainbow shaped Seungseon Bridge and the site has several three storey pagodas.
A little further away, Songgwangsa Temple can be found at the foot of Jogyesan Mountain and is best known for its templestay programme.
At the temple, you can find a Buddhist relic museum with national treasures and special objects plus the site has around 80 buildings, all with intricate painting and adornments.
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