Colorful Garden Jara Island Flower Festa

A whole island floating on the Bukhangang River turns into a flower field

Cross just one bridge from Gapyeong Station and you’ll reach Jaraseom, a small island floating in the middle of the Bukhangang River. Its name supposedly comes from the fact that the shape of the nearby mountain resembles a turtle, but if you visit this island in late May, the endless poppy fields at your feet will catch your eye before that story does. Colorful Garden Jaraseom Flower Festa runs from May 23 to June 14 at 60 Jaraseom-ro, Gapyeong-eup, Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do, across the Jaraseom area. Against the blue waves of the Bukhangang River, this festival presents a spring flower feast from May 23 to June 14 in the Namdo area of Jaraseom, Gapyeong-gun. This year’s theme is "A splendid voyage of flowers over blue waves," and when you actually see the river and the flower fields meeting, the phrase does not feel exaggerated at all.

This festival is larger than you might expect. Since its first edition in 2020, it has been selected for three consecutive years as Gyeonggi's representative tourism festival, establishing itself as Gapyeong's signature festival. This year, the planting area was expanded to about 110,000 square meters, the largest ever, and a variety of spring flowers such as poppies, delphiniums, lobelias, hydrangeas, and rapeseed flowers are in full bloom, so you can get great photos no matter where you press the shutter. As you walk around, the area is divided into themed zones like the Friendship Garden and Rainbow Garden, so even though it is the same flower field, it feels like the colors change every time you turn a corner.

Admission is 7,000 won, but you get 5,000 won back?

I was a little surprised when buying the ticket. The admission ticket costs 7,000 won, but a payback system is in place that refunds 5,000 won worth of Gapyeong Love Gift Certificates upon purchase. These gift certificates can be used not only at booths in the event venue but also at restaurants and cafes in the area. In effect, the actual admission fee is only 2,000 won. The gift certificate you get back can be used like cash not only at snack booths inside the festival grounds, but also at restaurants, cafes, and taxis within Gapyeong. This is especially nice for foreign travelers, because once you go in and spend it on snacks or at a nearby cafe, the admission burden practically disappears. However, since the refund must be used in Gapyeong to make sense, if you are on a day trip, I recommend spending it all at the venue or in town before leaving. Gapyeong County residents and children aged 5 and under enter for free.

One ticket gives you more value than you might expect. If you present a Jaraseom Flower Festa admission ticket, you can receive discounts at 13 major tourist attractions in Gapyeong. There are many places in Gapyeong that are good to bundle together, like Nami Island or a rail bike ride, so it would be a shame to only see the flower field and leave.

A day route for a foreign traveler on foot

For travelers getting around without a car, Jaraseom is surprisingly easy to access. Take the Gyeongchun Line train bound for Chuncheon from Sangbong Station and get off at Gapyeong Station, or take the ITX-Cheongchun train from Yongsan Station or Cheongnyangni Station and disembark at Gapyeong Station. Once you get off at Gapyeong Station on the ITX-Cheongchun train, it is easy to reach on foot or by taxi. I took the ITX, and since it only takes a little over an hour from Seoul, I could stroll through the flower fields by late morning if I left early.

You can walk from Gapyeong Station to Jaraseom, but if you have luggage or it is a hot day, it is better to arrange transportation. During the festival period, free electric shuttles run from Gapyeong Rail Bike to Namdo on Jaraseom, allowing visitors of all ages to travel comfortably. If you want something a little different, board the 'Millennium Waterway' vessel and you can take in Jaraseom, Nami Island, and Gapyeong Marina at a glance. Since the route approaches the island over the river, the journey itself becomes part of the experience.

The site does not have a particularly rich amount of English guidance, but in fact language is not much of a barrier for walking through flower fields and taking photos. The process of buying a ticket and entering is simple, and because payment works through a gift-certificate refund structure, staff naturally guide you, so I was able to follow along just by reading the situation. Operating hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Since it is an outdoor event, it is more important to manage your pace so you can see everything before sunset than to worry about the last train.

Things to know in advance so you are less caught off guard — parking, sunlight, and weekend crowds

If you are bringing a car, parking is the biggest thing to pay attention to. Because Jaraseom attracts so many visitors, the parking lots get extremely crowded, and especially on weekends during the festival period, it becomes difficult to find a space once it passes 10 a.m. So if possible, public transportation is recommended, and if you do come by car, arriving very early in the morning will make things much easier.

The second thing is sunlight. It is a large outdoor garden, so there is almost no shade. Here is a short list of what you should bring.

• Hat, sunglasses, sunscreen — absolutely essential at midday
• Comfortable sneakers — the garden is large, so you will walk more than you expect
• Water and a simple drink — drinks, bakery items, and snacks are sold at the booths, but the walking route is long
• The Gapyeong Love Gift Certificate you received on site — spend it all before you go back

You can take care of food to some extent inside the venue. Performance and hands-on programs that can be enjoyed while viewing the flower garden, as well as booths selling local agricultural specialties, are operated. On weekends and public holidays, busking and band performances are added, creating a mood where music flows through the flower fields. There are also flower-related experience programs such as making flower crowns and renting costumes. However, programs may change depending on the weather or blooming conditions, so if you are aiming for a specific performance, it is safest to check the official page for the day’s schedule before going.

So who is this for?

It is well suited for people who enjoy slowly walking along the river breeze and taking photos, as well as foreign travelers looking for a one-day getaway course near Seoul. It is about an hour from Seoul by ITX, the admission cost is almost negligible, and you can fill your day by combining it with attractions in Gapyeong, so it is great value. Since it is more of a calm, restful festival than an intense entertainment event, it may feel boring to those who want fast-paced stimulation. But if you want to slowly walk through a flower field on the Bukhangang River at the end of spring, Jaraseom will be a choice you will not regret.