Quiet and hidden, your private Eco Park in South Korea. If you’re looking for a more relaxing experience than Suncheon Bay Wetlands Reserve then visit Gangjin Bay Eco Park.
Solar park
Between a sports complex lies a hidden parking lot covered by solar panels. You’re wondering whether you can actually go there or whether it is reserved for companies or sports games. But in you go to park your car near the entrance of Gangjin Bay Eco Park. You’re welcomed by a toilet building, as expected, and an information board confirming you’re at the right place.
Gangjin Bay Eco Park
When you walk up the stairs you get your first view of the wetlands. A quiet little getaway only for you. Reeds and water with wooden boardwalks creating a path you could stroll on for hours. Further away there is are two swans forming a heart.
The yellow of the reeds and light playing with the water are framed by the subtle mountain ranges at the far end of your sight. From the boardwalk, you can spot birds and other creatures living in the wetlands. Looking back at the parking lot the modern technology (aka solar panels) forms a stark contrast with the simplicity of the nature surrounding you.
On your way back, you pass a pedestrian overpass shaped like a boat. With a little bit of fantasy that boat belongs in the water just as much as everything else.
Gangjin is quite an offbeat place to visit, which is surprising as its location is on the road between more touristy locations, making it the perfect stop to relax and take a break from driving.
Gangjin Bay vs Suncheon Bay
I visited Gangjin Bay Eco Park on the way from Boseong to Wando during my second roundtrip in South Korea. If you happen to be in the area, Gangjin Bay is a very good place for a break. Because of the quietness, it was more pleasant to visit than Suncheon Bay Wetlands Reserve. It is not as extensive and there is no cultivated park surrounding it but that only made it more natural.
How to get to Gangjin Bay Eco Park
Location: 510 Nampo-ri, Gangjin-eup, Gangjin-gun, Jeollanam-do, South Korea
When you reach Gangjin Bay Eco Park and see a parking lot covered by solar panels on your right side, just turn right even though it looks like that is not the way in.
