Stand on the wooden boardwalk at Suncheon Bay as the reeds turn gold in the late afternoon light, and you will understand why this stretch of tidal flat and marsh is the image most travellers carry home from this part of Jeonnam-Gwangju. The city sits in the southeast of the province, with the port city of Yeosu around forty minutes south and Gwangyang twenty minutes to the east, so it works as a base as well as a destination.
Suncheon suits travellers who are happy to ride a city bus for an hour to reach a mountain temple, who like wetlands and gardens more than nightlife, and who want a day that moves between Joseon-era walls, film sets and reed beds without much fuss. This guide covers the sights and experiences the sources describe, grouped so you can pick what fits your time.
Top things to do in Suncheon
1. Suncheon Bay
Suncheon Bay, also written Suncheonman Bay and Suncheon Bay Ecological Park, is a reserve of reed beds and tidal flat where many types of birds gather. It was designated a preservation zone by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries in 2003. The reed fields are the main draw, and the light at sunset is the reason many visitors time their trip around it.
Take citybus 66 or 67 from the bus terminal or Suncheon-station; they run every 30 minutes. Opening hours shift with the season, so check before you go, and expect an entrance fee. Combine the bay with the connecting monorail and the wetland centre that were maintained after the 2013 Suncheon Garden Expo Korea.
2. Suncheonman Bay National Garden
This garden was established to help protect Suncheon Bay and is home to a very large number of trees. It is the permanent legacy of the 2013 Suncheon Garden Expo Korea, which focused on green industry development, solar energy, sustainable garden development and electronic transportation, and showcased green technologies, international garden exhibits and wetland conservation.
Because the Expo grounds, permanent gardens, arboretum, wetland centre and the connecting monorail to Suncheon Bay are all maintained for continued tourism, you can treat the garden and the bay as one long outing rather than two separate stops.
3. Naganeupseong Castle
Naganeupseong Castle is a Joseon dynasty era castle built in 1397 and one of the most well preserved in Korea. It is the only remaining Joseon castle in South Jeolla Province. The site is also described as Naganeupseong Walled Town and Naganeupseong Folk Village, a historic village representing the traditional lifestyle and cultural landscape of the Joseon Dynasty, originally an administrative town that preserved a fortress, government buildings and private houses.
Take citybus 61, 63 or 68 from Suncheon-station and the bus terminal; they run every hour, and the trip takes about an hour from downtown. The Namdo food festival and other festivals are held here, so it is worth checking what is on during your dates.
4. Songgwangsa Temple
Songgwangsa Temple, also written Songgwang Temple, dates from 867 and is one of Korea's oldest temples. It is one of the Three Jewel Temples of Korea and one of the Sambosachal, along with Haein temple of Habcheon and Tongdo Temple of Yangsan. Jinul strove here to renew the tradition of Buddhism 800 years ago, and today the temple is home to monks from overseas and is a place to study Korean Buddhist culture.
It sits in Sinpyeong-ri, Songgwang-myeon, on Jogyesan, and takes about an hour and 30 minutes from downtown. The temple holds a large number of cultural assets, and the nearby Cheonjaam Ssanghyangsu, a Chinese juniper of about 700 years old with a uniquely twisted form, is a natural monument designated in 1962.
5. Seonamsa Temple
Seonamsa Temple, also written Seonamsa, is a large temple complex dating from 861 on Mount Jogye, in Jukak-ri, Seungju-eup. It is known as a mixture of the various sects of Buddhism of the Goryeo dynasty, and Cheontaejong was established here 900 years ago by Ui Cheon, with the monk's heirs carried down to the present age. Like Songgwangsa, it is a library for studies of Korean Buddhist culture, and it has natural tea fields cultivated for many hundreds of years.
It is one of seven Korean mountain monasteries inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2018. Take citybus 1 from Suncheon-station and the bus terminal; it runs every hour and the trip takes about an hour from downtown.
6. Suncheon Open Film Location
Suncheon Open Film Location, also described as the Suncheon drama open set, is a drama film set in the neighbourhood of Jorye-dong, created in 2006 to film movies and dramas. The village is split into three eras: 1950s Suncheon, 1960s Seoul Bongcheong-dong Village and 1970s Seoul suburb. Jorye-dong is the largest filming site in Korea preserving 1960s and 1980s buildings, and visitors can experience vintage village life from those decades.
Ride citybus 77 and get off at the Drama set stop. It is open from 09:00 to 18:00 and charges an entrance fee. Several films and dramas were shot here, including Love & Ambition, You are far Away (2008) and Giant (2010).
7. Suncheon Japanese Castle
Suncheon Japanese Castle, also written Suncheon Waeseong Castle, was built during the second Japanese invasion of Korea in 1597. It is one of the castle sites in the area and pairs naturally with the other historic stops on the edge of the city.
It is listed among the suburban sights, so plan it as a separate trip out from the centre rather than something you walk to between old-town stops.
8. Jukdobong Park
Jukdobong Park sits on Bonghwasan, the nearest mountain to the centre of the city, and has a lookout pavilion. A 30-minute walk brings you a nice view of the old town of Suncheon.
You can start from Origolmok, the duck-dish street in Jogok-dong, or from the Railroad official residence village in Jogok-dong. It is a good way to work up an appetite before eating in the old town.
9. Munhwauigeori
Munhwauigeori, the Cultural street, is connected to Jungang-dong and is a small street with traditional tea shops, cafes, restaurants and handicraft shops. It is the natural place to wander in the old town between other stops.
Within the street you will find Hanokgeulbang, a small Korean-style library in a hanok building, where you can read a book. Entry is free, but bring your own books unless you read Korean, as the library owns no foreign-language books.
10. Maesan-road
Maesan-road, written 매산길, has some historical buildings built by Christian missionaries in the early 20th century. It is a short, quiet walk that adds a different layer to the old town.
It fits easily alongside Munhwauigeori and the other central streets, so treat the old town as a single slow afternoon rather than separate errands.
11. Suncheon national university museum
Suncheon national university museum, 순천대학교박물관, is in the Suncheon univ. at 315, maegok-dong. It holds some historic artifacts from the east of South Jeolla province area, and the quite new building has two stories of small collections. Entry is free.
It is open Mon-Fri 10:00-17:00, so it suits a weekday slot rather than a weekend. Almost every city bus passes Suncheon univ., which makes it easy to combine with Suncheondhakro nearby.
12. The Deep-Rooted Tree Museum
The Deep-Rooted Tree Museum, 순천시립 뿌리깊은나무 박물관, is located close to Naganeupseong Walled Town. It displays a collection belonging to the founder of a famous Korean magazine, Han Chang-gi, as well as artifacts from the Bronze Age to the present era.
The museum also features a large number of articles including Korean vintage literature books, folk arts, ceramics and traditional items of clothing from the Three Kingdoms era, where visitors can sense ancient-modern Korean culture and lifestyles. Pair it with Naganeupseong Castle on the same trip out of town.
13. Goindol Park
Goindol Park is a dolmen park in Hwasun, Suncheon. The Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa Dolmen Sites were designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2000.
It is a quieter stop than the wetlands and temples, and works well if you have already covered the main sights and want something different on a second day.
14. Dongcheon
Dongcheon, 동천, means East stream, and the thing to do here is simply to ride a bike or walk along it. It is a low-key way to see the city at ground level between the busier stops.
It pairs well with a morning at Jukdobong Park or an afternoon in the old town, when you want to keep moving without committing to a full excursion.
15. Suncheondhakro
Suncheondhakro, 순천대학로, is Suncheon univ. street, and almost every city bus passes Suncheon univ. It is where you can experience the night life of the small regional college students of Korea, which is quite old-fashioned but has its own unique atmosphere.
Come in the evening, and combine it with the Suncheon national university museum if you are in the area during the day.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start at Suncheon Bay, taking citybus 66 or 67 from the bus terminal or Suncheon-station. Walk the reed beds and tidal flat while the light is still soft, then continue on the connecting monorail to the wetland centre and into Suncheonman Bay National Garden, which was established to help protect the bay.
Afternoon. Return to the centre and spend the middle of the day in the old town. Walk Maesan-road for its early 20th-century missionary buildings, then settle into Munhwauigeori for tea, cafes, restaurants and handicraft shops, stopping at Hanokgeulbang if you have brought a book. If you have the energy, take the 30-minute walk up Jukdobong Park for the view over the old town.
Evening. Head to Suncheondhakro for the night life around Suncheon univ., which almost every city bus passes. If you would rather end the day outdoors, walk or cycle a stretch of Dongcheon instead.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get to Suncheon Bay without a car?
Take citybus 66 or 67 from the bus terminal and Suncheon-station; they run every 30 minutes. Opening hours vary through the year, so check the seasonal times before you set out.
Which temples can I reach by city bus?
Seonamsa Temple is reached by citybus 1 from Suncheon-station and the bus terminal, running every hour, and takes about an hour from downtown. Songgwangsa Temple is also in the suburbs and takes about an hour and 30 minutes from downtown.
Is Naganeupseong Castle worth the trip out of the city?
It is a Joseon dynasty era castle built in 1397 and one of the most well preserved in Korea, and it is the only remaining Joseon castle in South Jeolla Province. Citybus 61, 63 or 68 runs from Suncheon-station and the bus terminal every hour, and the trip takes about an hour.
What can I do in Suncheon on a rainy day?
The Suncheon national university museum is open Mon-Fri 10:00-17:00 and is free, with two stories of small collections of artifacts from the east of South Jeolla province. The Deep-Rooted Tree Museum near Naganeupseong Walled Town is another indoor option, with vintage literature books, folk arts, ceramics and traditional clothing on display.
Decide which of these fits your dates, check the seasonal hours for Suncheon Bay and the film set, and start mapping your buses from Suncheon-station.