Many spring festivals are happening all over Korea, but one of the most anticipated is the Cherry Blossom Festival.
Every year, Gangneung hosts the Gyeongpo Cherry Blossom Festival, which usually starts early to mid-April where you’ll catch the cherry blossoms at their peak. This year the festival ran from April 6 to April 12.
Welcome to Gangneung, home to the annual Gyeongpo Cherry Blossom Festival and one of the host cities for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games!
How to get there
From Gangneung Intercity Bus Terminal or Gangneung Express Bus Terminal, take Bus 202 and get off at Gyeongpodae Bus Stop.
Tip: We can’t wait for the KTX (Korean Train Express) to open for a more faster and convenient travel. Once all the segments are finished, it will take less than two hours to travel from Incheon to Pyeong Chang and Gangneung.
If you’re travelling by car, I suggest you take a slow drive to Gyeongpo Lake. Here you’ll find a tunnel of cherry blossoms blooming side by side as you pass by the zigzag roads of Gyeongpo-Ro out of Taekji to the north.
The city of Gangneung is famous for its beaches, seafood, museums, old houses, and the lake near the beach where a 4.3km stretch of cherry blossom trees surround Gyeongpoho Lake in full bloom.
The annual Gyeongpo Cherry Blossom Festival takes place at the center of Gyeongpodae Pavilion. During the festival, various cultural events are held against the beautiful cherry blossom backdrop. There are also food stalls and shops available during the festival dates. Bicycles are available on the festival grounds for rent!
It is not as famous as the other cherry blossom festivals in Korea so expect a lesser volume of people.
Tip: Best to visit during weekdays as not to clash with the crowd.
The peak bloom is the magical moment visitors want to experience during the cherry blossom season. This happens when 70 percent of the trees have opened their buds, creating a magical sea of pink and white.
It’s hard to predict when the cherry blossoms will bloom, so I suggest staying around a few days and adjusting your itinerary.
Cherry blossoms are quite fragile. Many people who pick off a branch as a souvenir only end up with it getting wilted.
The cherry blossoms are picture perfect! I suggest wearing a lighter shade of color for your #ootd outfit.
The cherry blossom festival is indeed one of the most beloved festivals by visitors! We were thankful enough to witness a magical scene on our way to visit the venues of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.
Live an Awesome Life,
Abi of Team Our Awesome Planet
Disclosure: Our experience was a project organized by the Korean Tourism Organization. I wrote this article with my biases, opinions, and insights.
P.S. Gangneung City will be the location for four of the venues of the 2018 Olympic Games on February 9 to 25, 2018. Pyeongchang 2018 will welcome athletes from over 95 countries, competing in 15 events.
The Gangneung Olympic Park is a sports complex area in Gyo-dong that’ll be hosting the winter sports for Ice Hockey, Curling, Speed Skating, Short Track Speed Skating, and Figure Skating.
You can also check out the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics Promotion Hall – Promotion Hall 4D to get to know more about your favorite winter sports!