Where to go in South Jeolla and Gwangju

Where to go in each part of Korea, neighbourhood by neighbourhood: what it is like, what it is known for and what to do.

• Yeosu Dolsan and Night Sea여수 돌산 밤바다A harbour city that comes alive after dark, when the bridge and the waterfront glow and people walk the shore.
• Suncheon Bay and National Garden순천만 국가정원Open reed fields and a wide tidal flat on one side, and a large garden of themed landscapes on the other.
• Damyang Juknokwon and Metasequoia Road담양 죽녹원Calm paths through tall bamboo, plus a straight road lined with tall trees, all in a small, slow-paced county.
• Mokpo Old Port and Yudalsan목포 유달산A southwest port city with old harbour streets at the bottom and a rocky hill above that looks over the sea.
• Boseong Green Tea Fields보성 녹차밭Green tea plants cover the hillsides in neat rows, with a quiet walking path that climbs through them.
• Gwangju Asia Culture Center and Yangnim-dong광주 국립아시아문화전당 양림동A modern arts complex downtown, and a short walk away an old neighbourhood of small lanes, cafes and old…
• Naju나주시A calm river city on the Yeongsan, with an old gate in town, ancient burial mounds and a famous bowl of beef…
• Gwangyang광양시A port and steel city with a green side: a wine cave in an old rail tunnel, camellia woods and a famous…
• Seo District, Gwangju서구A modern, residential part of Gwangju where city parks, lakes and the history of May 1980 sit close together.
• Buk District, Gwangju북구The northern side of Gwangju, with the slopes of Mudeungsan on one side and riverside lawns along the…
• Gwangsan District, Gwangju광산구A wide western district of Gwangju with prehistoric ruins, a Joseon pavilion and neighbourhood parks.
• Gokseong곡성군A small county on the Seomjin River, known for an old-style train line, a mountain temple and quiet riverside…
• Gurye구례군A calm, rural county at the southern foot of Jirisan, with mountain temples, old houses and a river valley.
• Goheung고흥군A coastal county on a peninsula, with sea views, a space launch site nearby and fishing ports on the way to…
• Boseong보성군Green hills, tea terraces and a quiet old village, in the county known across Korea for its green tea.
• Hwasun화순군A mountain county near Gwangju, with ancient dolmens, a temple full of old stone Buddhas and a forest park.
• Jangheung장흥군A green, mountainous coastal county with soft ridges, a famous grilled-beef meal and the home village of a…
• Gangjin강진군A slow southern town on a bay, with Joseon-era gardens, a poet's house and a long history of Goryeo celadon.
• Haenam해남군The southwestern tip of the peninsula, with a famous temple, mountain trails and Korea's southernmost…
• Yeongam영암군A quiet county of rice fields and rocky mountains, remembered for an ancient scholar who carried learning to…
• Muan무안군A flat coastal county of mudflats, pine-backed beaches and lotus ponds on the southwest coast.
• Hampyeong함평군A rural county in the southwest, known for butterflies, flower fields and a forest of red spider lilies at a…
• Yeonggwang영광군A west coast county of long sea roads, wide mudflats and a port town famous for salted croaker.
• Jangseong장성군A green county in the north of Jeonnam, with a lake, a temple valley and views of the Naejangsan range.
• Wando완도군A sea county of islands and clear water, with a poet's retreat, pebble beaches and abalone farms.
• Jindo진도군A large island linked to the mainland by bridge, famous for its native dog, its folk songs and a sea that…
• Sinan신안군A scatter of more than a thousand islands off the southwest coast, with long beaches, flower parks and salt…