If you happen to find yourself in Jeollanam-do province or looking to visit a new city, here are some of the best places to visit in Naju, South Korea.
About Naju, Korea
Naju is best known for Naju pears, Naju “gomtang” beef soup, Yeongsan skate fish, or the flat Naju plains. Since Naju’s land is fairly flat, you may see many farms, pear trees, bike paths along the river, and very few mountains. Few mountains in Korea? Yes it is actually true, especially in Naju.
Naju is also located in Jeollanam-do (전라남도) province, just about 30 minutes south of Gwangju city. There are two Jeolla provinces: Jeollanam meaning south, and Jeollabuk meaning north. Both are located in southwest part of Korea, even below Daejeon city. Naju is located in Jeollanam.
Now, let’s check out some of the very best things to do in Naju and best places Naju, Korea has to offer.
Things to do in Naju, Korea:
1.) Naju Geumseonggwan Traditional Building (금성관 나주) and Gomtang Street (곰탕 거러)
Naju is probably best known by native Koreans for its gomtang beef soup (”gom” means beef bone and “tang” means soup). In “old Naju city” there is Gomtang Street with many popular gomtang restaurants located near the traditional Geumgseonggwan historic Korean building.
This is entire neighborhood is the old historic area of Naju, where the Naju City Hall, Naju Bus Terminal, and Naju Train Station area all located within this “old Naju city” area.
This is Geumseonggwan (금성관 나주).
1b.) “Naju Old City” Old Fortress Gates
Naju used to be surrounded by the four fortress gates, which are still standing today at each respected corner of Naju old city.
Possibly my favorite gate is the East Gate, located near a beautiful hanok-style cafe “향교길20″ and a traditional Confusion School (나주향교 대성전). If you don’t feel comfortable entering the Confusion School, you can still walk along the roads here to admire the traditional architecture and old ginkgo trees.
1c.) Naju Geumseongsan Mountain
This is one if not the tallest mountain in Naju at 450m peak. It is located near Naju’s Dongshin University.
2.) Bitgaram Naju Innocity
Bitgaram is the name of Naju’s Innocity, created in 2014 and founded by 16 of Korea’s public companies, including Korean electricity company KEPCO.
Upon entering Bitgaram city, you will immediately see some tall buildings of the companies: KEPCO, Knowledge Information Service Center, Korea Information Security Agency, Radio Research Laboratory, Korea Radio Station Management Agency, Program Deliberation & Mediation Committee. There are 16 public service companies and growing.
2a.) Visit the Lake Park and go up to Bitgaram Observatory (빛가람전망대)
One of the main landmarks is the Bitgaram Observatory. Yes, it does look like a silver alien-ship. It is located on top of the hill in the center of Lake Park.
Lake Park is very enjoyable for children, families, couples, nature-lovers, or athletes. In the woods around the observatory, there are some colorful playgrounds or fun obstacle courses and walking paths. It’s walkable and takes about 35 minutes to walk or 10 minutes to bike around the entire park paths.
You can walk on the trail to the top, or ride the monorail for 1,000 Korean Won, or just take the stairs up to the top floor of the observatory.
You should go inside of the Bitgaram Observatory for great views of Lake Park and the Bitgaram city. The observatory has five floors (you can use the elevator): a restaurant on the top floor, an observation floor, a Naju photo gallery and a Bitgaram history exhibition where you can learn more about Bitgaram’s creation and history of the company workers who relocated from Seoul to live and work in this Innocity. Lastly, there’s a book cafe called Cafe Hole at the observatory site.
You can watch my exploring and touring video of Naju Innocity Observatory (빛가람 전망대) here.
2b.) There are many restaurants, business hotels, cute cafes, a CGV, bowling alleys, archery all in the Bitgaram Innocity.
3.) Jeollanamdo Forest Research Institute (나주 산림자원연구소)
This relaxing nature area is located outside of the Naju Innocity. You can walk through the sequoia trees-lined street and enjoy seeing various species of trees, flowers, and varieties of plants.
It is a great outdoor space for walks or picnics.
These days, it is also a popular Instagram-tagged location for families, couples, or newly-weds to take a photo on the road lined with tall bushes, all with a great view of the Naju Innocity.
4.) Naju Film Set Theme Park (나주 영상테마파크)
Naju Film Set Theme Park is a filming site for K-dramas and movies, including Goblin, Moon Lovers.
This filming location has numerous Korean traditional buildings, a small art museum of world-famous art mocks, a small convenience store, some hanboks which you can wear around this filming site, and bird eyes’ views of the Yeongsan River.
If you sign up for a Naju City Tour, which I’ve done before on a school field trip with my middle school students, then your tour could ride on a Naju boat on this river.
You can watch my tour video exploring Best of Naju: K-Drama Film Theme Park on my YouTube channel here.
5.) Yeongsan-po (영산포) Skate Fish Restaurants Road
Yeongsan-po is known for its skate fish restaurants, boat rides on the Yeongsan River, and Japanese-settlement history. It also Yeongsan-po Bus Terminal, but it is a bit older, so I usually try to avoid going to it.
I find this Yeongsan-po historic old town to be really interesting. Its history has ties to the Japanese settlement in the early 1900s because of the prime location of the Yeongsan River, which connects down to Mokpo and the sea. This lighthouse behind me in the photo is known as Korea’s first inland lighthouse. Load video
You can watch my video on YouTube of me exploring the top 10 things to do in the Yeongsan-po neighborhood in Naju here.
As someone who lived and explored Naju for two years, I’ll also share another spot called Nampyeong. (Don’t get it confused with the neighboring town “Hampyeong.”)
6.) Nampyeong (남평) Riverside
Nampyeong-eup (남평읍) is a rural town of Naju best known for strawberry farms, tall ginkgo trees, and biking paths along the Yeongsan River. Nampyeong (남평) is about 10-15 minutes east of Naju Innocity and 30-45 minutes south of Gwangju city.
Nampyeong has the riverside area with eel restaurants, fancy cafes, and even a recreational baseball field and campsites. You can watch my video of Naju’s Nampyeong neighborhood, former Nampyeong train station, and exploring the riverside here.
If you have any questions or comments about Naju, feel free to message me. Thanks for reading!
