[WEEKEND GETAWAY] Chuseok in the forest: Four green getaways for a nature-embracing holiday

Celebrate Chuseok by exploring four of Korea's most scenic forests and arboretums. Enjoy traditional games, craft-making and serene nature walks in places like Sejong National Arboretum and Anmyeondo Island Recreational Forest.

Sejong National Arboretum in Sejong City spans 650,000 square meters (161 acres) and offers a variety of worldwide flora through different themed zones. [JOONGANG ILBO]

This year's Chuseok holiday lasts five days, including a weekend before the main harvest festival from Sept. 16 to 18. The country has announced several plans to celebrate the holiday across different areas, including the Korea Forest Service. The organization has set up a plan for a total of 34 forests and arboretums to be open to the public for free. Special events, such as traditional games and craft-making activities, have been arranged to add to the holiday spirit.

The following four recommendations are fully open to the public from Sept. 14 to 18 for free. If you have been seeking nature-friendly spots outside Seoul that operate during the holiday and are also cost-effective, try these four spots to add a splash of bright green to your break.

Sejong National Arboretum국립세종수목원

Sejong National Arboretum is good not just for an indoor experience but also for long walks, as its site is as big as 90 football fields. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Sejong National Arboretum in Sejong stays open throughout the five-day-long Chuseok holiday, and its original admission fee of 5,000 won ($3.7) is waived for all visitors during this period. Already noted as one of the main attractions in the Special Self-Governing Sejong City, the arboretum is still a fairly recent installation, having opened in January 2021 as the biggest greenhouse in the country.

Alongside displays of tall trees towering over each other and a greenhouse ceiling, the massive 650,000 square meters (161 acres) space introduces a myriad of distinctively fashioned zones. The site houses diverse flora from around the world, covering an area the size of 90 football fields. The arboretum currently runs two major events: "Platycerium of the World" — a thirty-minute educational session about platyceriums — and a stamp tour event, which gives out a prize once you collect a certain number of stamps through the arboretum visits across the country. You can also sign up for an audio description, available through your phone by downloading the app, if you would like to get a professional 40-minute guide through the expansive site.

@koagi_platform136 Sumogwon-ro, Sejong City(세종특별자치시 수목원로 136)Operation hours: Tuesday to Sunday (Closed on Mondays, Jan. 1, New Year's Day), March to Oct., 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., Nov. to Feb., 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. (Last admission at one hour before closing time) Admission fee: 5,000 won for adults Phone number: 041-251-0228Website: https://www.sjna.or.kr/intro

Saneum National Recreational Forest산음치유의 숲

Saneum National Recreational Forest in Yangpyeong County, Gyeonggi, introduces a theme of ″forest healing″ for a healthier body and mind. [KOREA TOURISM ORGANIZATION]

Saneum National Recreational Forest in Yangpyeong County, Gyeonggi, nestles at the foot of Mount Bongmi and is surrounded by trees and clean waters trickling down the mountain valley. This Chuseok holiday season, the forest organizers are rolling out Chuseok-related activities like traditional games and nature-friendly programs, such as seed bomb throwing and learning about meloe, a type of oil beetle.

Saneum National Recreational Forest was the first in the country to implement the concept of "forest healing," which refers to spending time in the woods surrounded by nature to cleanse out negative energy and purify the mind, ultimately boosting one's immune system. You can also opt to book a night stay online at one of the buildings, which gets pretty competitive at the start of the month. If you want a meaningful experience added to your visit, you may check the forest guide programs that take place at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. every operating day.

33-39 Witgobuk-gil Danwol-myeon, Yangpyeong County, Gyeonggi(경기도 양평군 단월면 윗고북길 33-39)Operation hours: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. (Closed every Tuesday)Admission fee: 1,000 won for adultsPhone number: 031-774-8133Website: www.foresttrip.go.kr/indvz/main.do?hmpgId=0103

Anmyeondo Island Recreational Forest안면도휴양림

Anmyeondo Island Recreational Forest in Taean County, South Chungcheong [TAEAN COUNTY]

Anmyeondo Island Recreational Forest in Taean County, South Chungcheong, is around two hours away by car or bus from the greater Seoul area. If you are eyeing a trip to Taean County this Chuseok season, the forest should be on your checklist of travel destinations as it is not only open for free but also offers a 3.8 square kilometer (939 acre) experience of tranquillity and healing while you walk under pine trees.

A peaceful, undisturbed walk along the well-groomed path among the greenery introduces different zones, one of them a wooden path dubbed the "skywalk." It accommodates visitors of all ages and conditions, as the stairless setting makes it easy for wheelchairs and young children to walk on. Handicraft activity is another option you can sign up for free, such as making wooden decorations with parts of the tree and pine cones.

Anmyeondo Island Recreational Forest is better known for its cottage-like accommodation services and overnight stays surrounded by nature. These are individual houses that welcome three to eight people, depending on the size of the house, and are surprisingly affordable, with costs ranging from approximately 60,000 won for three people to 180,000 won for eight people per night. You can apply for the monthly lottery reservation through the official website run by the National Recreation Forest Management Office.

Anmyeondo Arboretum is connected to Anmyeondo Island Recreational Forest and houses more flowers than the forest. [KIM DONG-EUN]

The forest is connected to Anmyeon Arboretum, granting free access to those who enter Anmyeon Island Recreational Forest, which is also free during the Chuseok season. While the forest is a hub of soaring Anmyeon pine trees in masses, famous for their high-quality wood, the arboretum resembles a neat garden where seasonal flowers and well-trimmed bushes nest, providing a more colorful and refreshing experience to visitors whose eyes may have grown accustomed to the endless greenery earlier at the forest. As the arboretum barely has stairs, the roads are well-built, and the slopes gentle, groups of families with older parents will find the visit pleasant.

3195-6 Anmyeon-daero Anmyeon-eup, Taean County, South Chungcheong(충청남도 태안군 안면읍 안면대로 3195-6) Operating hours: March to October, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., November to February, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Last admission an hour before closing time)Admission fee: 1,500 won for adults, 1,300 won for adolescents and those in military service Phone number: 041-635-7292, 041-674-5019Website: https://www.anmyonhuyang.go.kr

Hapcheon Wood Culture Experience Center 합천목재문화체험장

Hapcheon Wood Culture Experience Center in Hapcheon County, South Gyeongsang is located in Hapcheon Movie Theme Park, famous for being the filming spot of many historical films and dramas. [HAPCHEON MOVIE THEME PARK]

Hapcheon Wood Culture Experience Center in Hapcheon County, South Gyeongsang, is a zone in Hapcheon Movie Theme Park, famous for being the filming spot of many historical films and dramas. The theme park's various buildings and streets have been featured in scenes from the tvN drama "Mr. Sunshine" (2018) and the film "A Taxi Driver" (2017), to name a few. However, slightly skirting to the side near the monorail station, you can access the Hapcheon Wood Culture Experience Center, which opens for five days through the Chuseok holiday and adds to the fun of visiting the tourist attraction.

Visitors to Hapcheon County are well-informed about the movie theme park but often overlook the Hapcheon Wood Culture Experience Center, assuming it is a minor facility. The center operates DIY programs that utilize wood, such as LED lights, pencil holders and more sophisticated home interior goods. If you are into craft-related activities, do not miss the chance to create your own item during an hour-and-a-half-long session.

757 Hapcheonhosu-ro Yongju-myeon, Hapcheon County, South Gyeongsang(경상남도 합천군 용주면 합천호수로 757)Operation hours: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. No admission fee, but DIY programs cost between 6,000 won and 15,000 wonPhone number: 055-930-8636, 055-931–9307Website: https://hcmoviethemepark.com/bbs/page.php?hid=menu3_2

BY KIM DONG-EUN [kim.dongeun@joongang.co.kr]