Gapyeong Beyond Nami Island: Garden of Morning Calm, Petite France, Rail Bike (2026)

Nami Island takes most of Gapyeong’s visitors, and the rest of the county is quieter for it. If you have a second day, or you want something other than a crowded island, these are the alternatives with their 2026 prices.

The Garden of Morning Calm

A private arboretum of landscaped gardens laid out across a hillside, founded in 1996 and named after a phrase for Korea itself. It is the most rewarding thing in Gapyeong for anyone who likes gardens rather than themed attractions.

Admission is ₩11,000 for adults, ₩8,500 for youth and ₩7,500 for children from 36 months through elementary age. Tickets are sold at the gate and there is no online booking.

Hours are 08:30 to 19:00, with last entry an hour before closing, every day of the year.

Getting there is the part people get wrong. The official directions start from Cheongpyeong Station, not Gapyeong. Take city bus 30-6 from Cheongpyeong to the arboretum terminus, or ride Course B of the tourist circular bus. A taxi from Cheongpyeong takes about 20 minutes.

The winter lighting festival

From early December to mid-March the garden runs its Lighting Festival, hanging the grounds with illuminations and staying open from 10:00 to 21:00, and until 23:00 on Saturdays.

The useful detail: night entry costs the same as daytime. The official price table lists no separate evening rate, despite what a number of blogs claim. If you are in Korea in winter, this is one of the better-value evenings out.

Dates for the 2026 to 2027 edition had not been announced when this was written, so check before travelling.

Petite France and the Italian Village

Two neighbouring theme villages above Cheongpyeong Lake. Petite France is built around The Little Prince and its author, with pastel houses, a marionette theatre and antique music boxes. Pinocchio and Da Vinci, the Italian Village next door, is a newer companion on the same hillside.

They now share a ticket office and sell a combined Two Park Pass.

Note that adults and teenagers pay the same rate, which is unusual in Korea. The combined pass is the obvious buy if you are going at all.

Hours are 09:00 to 18:00 year-round, with the closing time flexing by season. From Gapyeong Station take seat bus 12; from Cheongpyeong Station take seat bus 35-1. Both courses of the circular bus stop here.

Both parks ban pets, smoking and alcohol, and all performances are included in the ticket.

Gapyeong Rail Bike

A four-seat pedal cart on a disused section of the old Gyeongchun railway, running about 8 km out and back from near Gapyeong Station, across the Bukhangang rail bridge and through a zelkova tunnel, with a break at Gyeonggang Station before the return.

Prices are per cart, not per person: ₩36,000 for a two-seater and ₩48,000 for a four-seater. Departures run at 10:00, 11:30, 13:30, 15:00, 16:30 and 18:00.

The boarding point is a short taxi ride or a walk from Gapyeong Station. Discounts exist for local residents, disabled visitors and veterans, though not during the busiest months.

Jaraseom

Three linked islands in the river immediately beside Gapyeong Station, close enough to walk to. The parkland is free and open, and you pay only for camping or for seasonal garden events.

The reason to know the name is the Jarasum International Jazz Festival, now in its 23rd year and running 9 to 11 October 2026. It is one of Korea’s designated representative festivals and draws over a hundred thousand people, which is worth knowing whether you want to attend or want to avoid the crowds on the trains.

Campsites on the island run ₩35,000 to ₩45,000, with caravans considerably more.

Cheongpyeong Lake

The reservoir behind Cheongpyeong Dam, and the county’s summer activity centre. Around thirty operators run water skiing, wakeboarding, jet skis and banana boats from the shore, with rentals and lessons available.

Prices vary by operator and the season is effectively July and August. It is closer to Cheongpyeong Station than to Gapyeong.

Also there

Skyline Zipwire launches from the Gapyeong wharf and lands on Nami Island. The Family Course is ₩55,000 over about 940 m, and the Adventure Course is ₩58,000 over 640 m at higher speed, landing on Jaraseom with a speedboat onward. Both include Nami admission and the return boat. Details are in our Nami Island guide.

Edelweiss Swiss Theme Park is a smaller Swiss-themed village, open 09:00 to 18:00 and closing an hour earlier in winter, at around ₩8,000 including a café drink.

Practical notes

• The circular bus does not run on Wednesdays in 2026 unless it is a public holiday. Without it, moving between these places means taxis.
• Cheongpyeong Station for the arboretum and the lake. Gapyeong Station for the rail bike, Jaraseom and Nami.
• The arboretum sells tickets on site only. No advance booking, so allow queue time on autumn weekends.
• Rail bike pricing rewards groups. Four people in one cart pay ₩12,000 each.
• Rain is not refunded at the arboretum, and there is no re-entry.

Wrapping up

The Garden of Morning Calm is the one to prioritise, especially in autumn or during the winter lights. Petite France is worth it if the combined pass appeals or you are travelling with children. The rail bike is the best option if you would rather move than look.

More in this series: the Gapyeong overview, Nami Island and what to eat.