Gwangyang City, the New Normal of Travel in the COVID Era: 'Baealdo Island Garden'

Korea Tourism Organization Names '2022 Spring Season 25 Safe Tourist Destinations'

Visit Various On- and Offline Spots Including Photo Zones and SNS Events

[Asia Economy] Gwangyang City in Jeonnam announced that ‘Baealdo Island Garden’ has been selected as one of the ‘2022 Spring Season Non-face-to-face Safe Tourist Destinations Top 25’ by the Korea Tourism Organization, emerging as a new normal for travel in the COVID-19 era.

Baealdo Island Garden, floating roundly where the Seomjin River meets the sea, is a spiritual resting place where the heart and scenery meet.

With the construction of Gwangyang Steelworks, Baealdo, the only island remaining in Gwangyang, has been reborn as a romantic platform by connecting Mangdeok Port and Baealdo Waterfront Park through two sea footbridges, Byeol Heneun Bridge and Haemaji Bridge.

Last year, the city maintained the embankment to create a wide island yard and planted seasonal flowers such as peonies and hydrangeas throughout the island, transforming the entire island into an emotionally rich island garden.

Crossing over the blue sea, the first to warmly welcome travelers is an old tree engraved with long years, and the red Baealdo photo zone set on the green lawn of the island yard stimulates emotions with its complementary color contrast.

Following the wooden deck surrounding the island while overlooking the deep blue sea, when reaching the summit, the charming ‘Haeunjeong (海雲亭)’ surrounded by pine trees quietly captures the drifting clouds.

The beautifully colored sunset at dusk completes the island garden as the final puzzle, serving as a querencia (a place where a bull calms itself before a bullfight, meaning one’s own sanctuary) that soothes a weary day.

The city plans to welcome visitors in various ways both online and offline, such as installing photo zones where visitors can feel the fresh spring and holding official Gwangyang tourism SNS events.

Kim Seongsu, head of the Tourism Division, said, “Baealdo Island Garden, where the river, port, and sea harmonize, is gaining new attention as a safe tourist destination in the COVID-19 era, where safety has become the new standard for travel.”

He added, “While creating a vibrant island garden with unique seasonal photo zones and various events, we will also establish a healthy travel culture through thorough quarantine measures.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.