Top 7 Must-Visit Places in Korea for a Perfect May Trip

Spring’s in full swing, and it’s the perfect time to get out and explore. If you’re trying to figure out where to go in Korea this May, check out the list below! We’ve rounded up some awesome places with beautiful views, nature, and festivals you can only enjoy this time of year.

[1] Haeundae Sand Festival

• Add: Haeundae Beach & Haeundae Square, U-dong, Haeundae District, Busan

• Contact: 82-51-749-4062

• Event Period: 2025.05.16. (Fri) ~ 2025.05.19. (Mon)

• Ticket Price: Free

Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the Haeundae Sand Festival—Korea’s largest eco-friendly exhibition featuring sand—is coming back with the theme "K-Culture Meets Sand." The festival will take place from May 16 (Fri) to May 19 (Mon), 2025, at Haeundae Beach and Haeundae Square (Gunam-ro).

[2] Juknokwon Bamboo Garden in Damyang

• Add: Haeundae Beach & Haeundae Square, U-dong, Haeundae District, Busan

• Contact: 82-61-380-2680

• Event Period: 2025.05.16. (Fri) ~ 2025.05.19. (Mon)

• Ticket Price: Adults 3,000won / Children 1,000won

If you’re into peaceful nature walks, Juknokwon Bamboo Garden in Damyang is a must-visit. Opened in May 2003 by Damyang County, this beautiful spot is nestled around Mt. Seonginsan and features a massive bamboo forest covering about 160,000 square meters. It’s the perfect place to unwind, take a breath of fresh air, and enjoy the calming sound of rustling bamboo.

[3] Ahnsung Farm Land

• Add: 28 Daesindugil, Gongdo-eup, Anseong-si, Gyeonggi-do

• Contact: +82-31-8053-7979

• Opening Hours: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Last admission at 5:00 PM)

• Ticket Price: 13,000 KRW (Children) / 15,000 KRW (Adults) Horseback Riding: 18,000 KRW (Children) / 20,000 KRW (Adults)

Anseong Farmland is a popular travel spot in Gyeonggi-do and one of the must-visit places in Anseong. It’s an interactive farm where visitors can feed and touch the animals, making it a fun and hands-on experience for all ages.

You’ll get to meet and interact with a variety of animals like bulls, sheep, geese, pigs, and donkeys through various animal programs.

The farm also offers wide open grass fields, family-friendly rides, and educational zones where you can learn about the importance of Korea’s agriculture and livestock industry — making it especially popular with families.

From April to May, the vast fields bloom with bright yellow canola flowers, turning the place into one of Korea’s well-known spring flower spots. You can also catch the lush green barley fields from February to May, adding even more scenic charm to your visit.

[4] Boseong Green Tea Plantation (Daehan Dawon)

• Add: 763-43 Nokcha-ro, Boseong-eup, Boseong-gun, Jeollanam-do

• Contact: +82-61-852-4540

• Opening Hours: March–October: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM / November–February: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

• Ticket Price: 4,000 KRW (Adults), 3,000 KRW (Teens)

Boseong Green Tea Plantation (Daehan Dawon) is one of Korea’s most famous green tea farms, known for its stunning, carpet-like green fields that attract visitors year-round. The farm produces high-quality organic green tea that’s rich in flavor and aroma, similar to wild tea.

As you walk through the picture-perfect rows of tea bushes and hike up to the 350-meter-high peak, you’ll be rewarded with a breathtaking view that stretches all the way to the ocean. It’s no surprise this place has been featured in countless movies, dramas, and commercials.

Set deep in the mountains, the plantation covers a massive area—over 990,000 square meters—so you can imagine just how vast it is.

With the rising popularity of Korean tea, more and more visitors come to breathe in the fresh air, take a relaxing walk through the fields, and enjoy some of the best green tea Korea has to offer.

[5] The Gokseong International Rose Festival

• Add: 232 Gichamaeul-ro, Ogok-myeon, Gokseong-gun, Jeollanam-do (Seomjingang Train Village)

• Contact: +82-61-363-9900

• Opening Hours: May 16 – May 25, 2025 | 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Extended to 10:00 PM during the festival)

• Ticket Price: 5,000 KRW (Adults), 4,500 KRW (Children/Seniors)

Seomjingang Train Village is the signature landmark of Gokseong County, and every spring, it transforms into a floral wonderland during its annual Rose Festival. Spread across a massive 75,000㎡ garden, the park showcases over 1,004 rare European rose varieties and countless seasonal flowers, creating a truly unique and vibrant experience. This spectacular display draws both local and international tourists, boosting regional tourism and the local economy.

The festival is packed with fun events, live performances, and activities for all ages. And during the festival period, the village stays open until 10 PM, making the nights just as magical as the days. It’s the perfect time to visit Gokseong and soak in the atmosphere.

If you're looking to welcome summer with something colorful and fragrant, a stroll through the rose garden at Gokseong Train Village is highly recommended. The scent of roses, beautiful blooms, and cheerful vibes make it a spot full of unforgettable memories.

[6] Hwangmaesan Royal Azalea Festival (Hapcheon)

• Add: San 219, Dunnae-ri, Gahoe-myeon, Hapcheon-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do (Hwangmaesan County Park area)

• Contact: +82-55-930-4758 / +82-55-934-1411

• Best Time to Visit: April 27 – May 12

• Ticket Price: Free

Azaleas are a common sight in spring across Korea—but when they bloom in massive clusters like they do at Hwangmaesan Mountain, it’s a completely different story.

At an altitude of 800 to 900 meters, the Hwangmae Plateau becomes a sea of pink and purple as tens of thousands of royal azaleas bloom across its rolling hills. The sight of the mountain slopes turning vibrant pink is truly breathtaking and unlike anything you’ll see elsewhere.

Back in the 1980s, the area was developed as a pasture. Grazing cattle and sheep cleared out all the weeds and shrubs—leaving only the azaleas, which are mildly toxic to animals. Over time, these untouched flowers formed today’s massive colony, making Hwangmaesan one of Korea’s top spring flower destinations.

During the festival, visitors can enjoy shuttle buses (2,000 KRW per person, one-way) between Deokman and Ginkgo Tree parking lots, as well as free cart tours and guided docent tours. There are also fun activities like a treasure hunt, forest camping sites, and an auto camping area—perfect for a spring getaway surrounded by nature.

[7] Yukbaekmajigi, Pyeongchang

• Add: 583-76 Cheongoksan-gil, Mitan-myeon, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province

• Contact: +82-33-330-2771

• Best Time to Visit: Open year-round

• Ticket Price: Free

Yukbaekmajigi refers to the summit area of Mt. Cheongoksan, located in the southern part of Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do. Sitting at an elevation of 1,256 meters, it’s a vast plateau as large as six soccer fields combined.

The name Yukbaekmajigi literally means “a field large enough to sow 600 mal (traditional Korean unit) of rice seeds,” and that tells you just how wide open this highland space really is. Back in the 1960s, slash-and-burn farmers settled here and cleared roughly 590,000㎡ of rugged terrain to create Korea’s very first high-altitude vegetable fields.

Today, Yukbaekmajigi has become a scenic and eco-friendly travel destination. You can easily reach the summit by car, and once you’re there, you’ll be greeted by over 20 massive wind turbines turning slowly under the open sky—a landscape that looks like something straight out of a painting.

Thanks to its stunning views, the area has become a popular spot for sunset photography, stargazing, and car camping. Basic facilities like parking lots, restrooms, and wooden viewing decks are available, making it a comfortable and breathtaking place to spend some time in nature.