Spring is hands down the most popular time to visit South Korea, primarily because cherry blossoms bloom all over the country for three to four weeks. People from all over Korea and abroad come in large numbers to witness the breathtaking sight of pink and white blossoms stretching as far as the eye can see.
Among all the cherry blossom festivals in South Korea, the most popular one is the Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival. This 10-day long festival generally starts in the last week of March or the first week of April. The festival is held in Jinhae, a small naval town about 1.5 hours from Busan by bus.
Our main reason for visiting Korea in spring was to witness the majestic cherry blossoms in full bloom, and there is no better place to experience the beauty than at the Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival.
We booked a group tour of the festival through Klook, which included pick-up and drop-off at Seomyeon Subway Station in Busan. The tour cost about INR 3,900 per person and didn’t include lunch. There is also an option to book a day tour from Seoul, although that costs a bit more.
Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival from Seoul/Busan – Klook
Because cherry blossoms bloom for only a few days each year, millions want to see them—especially in the Instagram era—so crowds at the Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival can be intense during the 10-day period.
We went on the tour on 27th March 2024, a Wednesday. We deliberately chose a weekday to avoid weekend crowds and checked last year’s blooming patterns before picking this date.
Although it was mid-festival, only 50–60% of the cherry blossoms were in full bloom. We were slightly disappointed, but aware that full bloom depends heavily on weather conditions. Cold weather slows the blooming, and it had been cold and rainy just days before our visit. Luckily, our day was clear, because it rained heavily the following day. Our timing was fortunate, as rain on the day would have ruined the experience.
Table of Contents
Gyeonghwa Station Park
We were picked up from Seomyeon Subway Station at 8:30 AM and arrived about 1.5 hours later at our first destination, Gyeonghwa Station Park.
As soon as we got off the bus, we saw bus after bus parked, knowing it would be crowded. We had 1.5 hours to explore and take photos before moving on.
Gyeonghwa Station Park is an old railway station surrounded by cherry trees. You may have seen photos on social media of people walking along the railway tracks lined on both sides by cherry blossoms. We attempted this iconic shot but found people everywhere. We patiently waited for people to move away, but no matter how much we tried, there were always a few in the background—so be prepared for that.
Social media photos are often highly edited with color filters, so don’t be disappointed if your photos don’t look exactly like those on Instagram. Still, the atmosphere was magical and the cherry blossoms more beautiful than any picture.
There was a long line of people waiting to take photos in front of the old train surrounded by blossoms, another iconic scene from the Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival. Because we were short on time, we skipped the queue and explored the rest of the park.
Time flew and we reluctantly reboarded the bus. Though the blossoms were not at 100% bloom, they were stunning, and we kept stopping to take photos. We also realized photos could never do justice to the beauty we saw with our own eyes.
Yeojwacheon Stream
After a 30-minute ride, we arrived at Yeojwacheon Stream, another highlight of the Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival. Cherry blossoms lined both sides of the stream, forming a canopy overhead.
The start of the stream was the most crowded, but as we walked downstream, the crowds thinned and quieter photo spots appeared. We walked to the end before turning back.
There is a bridge called Romance Bridge, popular after a scene from the K-Drama named Romance was filmed there.
It was breathtaking to see pink and white all around. The festive vibe was amazing.
Cafes, souvenir shops, and street food stalls bordered both sides of the stream. We enjoyed treats like strawberry milk, fried corn, Cherry Blossom Flower Bear waffles, tornado potatoes, and crepes.
Jinhae Gunhang Festival
After nearly three hours at Yeojwacheon Stream, our guide took us to the Jinhae Gunhang Festival. This military port festival runs alongside the cherry blossom celebrations and is less than 1 km from the stream.
The festival featured tanks, sports cars, a fake cherry blossom tree, stalls selling various items, and plenty of street food.
After walking for about six hours, we were tired, so we rested early at the meeting point. At around 5 PM, we boarded the bus back to Busan.
Final Thoughts on the Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival
Even though only about 50–60% of the cherry blossoms were in full bloom, we still enjoyed the tour immensely. Seeing cherry blossoms in person for the first time was unforgettable. We can only imagine how incredible the festival is at 100% bloom.
What we didn’t like was the 12-hour length of the tour, including about four hours on the bus. The Gunhang Festival didn’t feel like it added value and could have been skipped to reduce the tour by two hours.
Still, we loved our time at Gyeonghwa Station Park and Yeojwacheon Stream, and we recommend everyone visit the Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival if they happen to be in Korea during the festival period.
Have you been to the Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival? Feel free to share your experiences in the comments below.
Note: This post contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase using one of these affiliate links, we get paid a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Leave a Reply