Traveling Hamyang

Hamyang is a place filled with adventure around every corner. Located 2 hours away from Busan and an hour from Gwangju, this small village in Gyeongsangnam-do is filled with a variety of activities, sightseeing and seasonal festivals that you can enjoy. Visit Sangnim to enjoy the four seasons, view the Jirisan Mountains at a scenic park, or discover Seonbi culture while enjoying local delicacies such as Hamyang Fish Soup or Wild Vegetable Bibimbap. With many villages to explore and sites to see, you’ll never get bored as you experience all that Hamyang has to offer.

Get to know more about the history of Hamyang  by traveling to different places such as Sangnim Park, Jirisan Mountain, or Nongwolijeong pavilion. Experience all four seasons in Seonbi by walking through Sangnim Park. It’s the very first artificial forest in Korea, created over 1,000 years ago. The park was created by the mayor at the time, Choi Chi-won, who wanted to turn away the waterways and build dams to prevent flooding. Visit with your family or your significant other to rest, exercise, or heal yourself as you venture into Sangnim Park’s four seasons. 

Make your way to Jirisan Mountain by walking past Jirisan Jeil Gate that is located at the top of Odoje and was completed in 2006. Take the short course from Hamyang to Jirisan by going on one of the ‘100 beautiful roads in Korea’, Jianjae. View the mountaintop at Jirisan Scenic Park to get a wide view of areas across Hamyang.

You can also visit the many difference pavilions that Hamyang has to offer such as Nongwolijeong, Donghojeon and Geoyonjeong Pavilions. You can also walk a the trail of Seonbi culture through a wonderful scenery of nature.

There are many villages, temples, and other historic sites that you can visit while in Hamyang. Visit Gapyeong Hanok Village and see the tradition and beauty of ancestors, including the house of Il du Jeong Yeo-chang who was the master of Neo-Confucianism in Joseon. Take a hike and see the beauty of Yongchu Falls, or explore the Byeoksongsa temple that was once used as a field hospital for North Korea during the Korean War, but was lost and then rebuilt and maintained until today. Or view the cravings of countless Buddha statues with the Jirisan mountains in the background at Sueamjeongsa.

The most important thing for any trip is the food and Hamyang is full of delicious food that you will never forget. Try Hamyang’s traditional wine that is made with local ingredients or snack on dried gotgam (곳감) , a traditional snack made from dried persimmons. Enjoy the taste of black pork or have a bowl of an assortment of soups, from fish soup to chicken soup, braised short rib soup or even fermented soybean soup with soft tofu. There is a variety of food that you can find at local restaurants and take your pick of dessert by visiting the produce market for apples or omija berries.

Festivals occur throughout the year in Hamyang with each festival having a different theme. Starting the year off in April there is Mt. Baek-un Cherry Blossom festival that promotes a clean image of the natural ecology area of My. Beak-un, where you can experience walking on cherry blossom road, listen to the cherry blossom song and buy agricultural products. Then it’s time for the Cheon-ryung cultural festival in May, focusing on culture and the arts.

Take a small break before coming back in September for the Ginseng Festival, an herb that is mostly known for its antibiotic properties, which you get a chance to pick with the help of locals that you can then take home with you. November is dedicated to the Cheonwang Festival of Mt. Jiri, engaging in making the chapter to heal the painful history and wounds of the Spiritual Mt. Jiri. And don’t worry about missing any of these festivals; they occur every year so you can enjoy them whenever you have time.

Rather you are just visiting a festival or wanting to just try yummy food, there are so many things to experience in Hamyang. Even if you are not a fan of nature you can always visit the Isan Woodblock museum that were used for printing purposes or learn about the systematic preservation of fresh water fish at the Hamyang Native Fish Experience Center. Take a Winery Tour or make your own wine at Hamyang Wine Valley. So many exciting places like these are all over Hamyang. You will always experience something new every visit.

So take a trip to Hamyang, either during the festivals, just to explore, or a smaller trip to experience even more of Hamyang with a tour guide like Planet Zoom, who will have you seeing beautiful sites, interacting with locals, and helping Hamyang become a popular tourist site that can share more of Korean culture. Join Planet Zoom in their journey to share more of Korean culture outside of Seoul and give back to smaller communities through tourism and social activities.