Would You Like to Run Across the Cherry Blossom-Scattered 'Machang Bridge'?

Spring Drive Routes, Cafes and Restaurants Popular Leisure Spots

Seobusan and Noksan Industrial Complex Geoga Bridge, Goseong and Tongyeong Connected for Easy Access

Cherry blossom street view on the Machang Bridge access road.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Seryeong] The Machang Bridge, which crosses the sea in front of Masan Bay in Changwon City, Gyeongnam, is gaining popularity as a spring driving course along with the surrounding roads.

The connecting road lined with cherry blossoms heralding spring and the newly established cafe and restaurant district in Gwisandong are emerging as famous spots in Changwon.

Machang Bridge is a 1.7 km cable-stayed bridge spanning 60 meters over the sea, connecting Gwisandong in Seongsan-gu and Gapodong in Happo-gu, Changwon Special City.

Since its opening in July 2008, it has played a significant role as an economic tourism road, leading the development of the surrounding area every year.

The area around the cherry blossom street is considered a recreational zone, and every spring, vehicles from all over the country flock to drive along the flower road.

Although the Jinhae Gunhangje Festival was canceled again this year due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, 40,000 vehicles pass daily, and traffic congestion occurs on weekends.

Night view of Machang Bridge. Recently, the LED lights were replaced, and the bridge emits different colors of light depending on the season.

The operator of Machang Bridge stated, “Last year, the bridge’s night lighting was replaced with LED, creating a lighting event scenery at night.”

They emphasized that the lighting changes to light green, blue, yellow, and orange according to the characteristics of the four seasons, producing a panoramic light show moment by moment.

The cafes and restaurant streets on the surrounding roads attract tourists year-round, and in spring, local specialties such as flounder sashimi, flounder mugwort soup, and sea squirt dishes sold at each restaurant are considered delicacies of Masan Bay.

The roads around Machang Bridge connect West Busan and Noksan Industrial Complex linking Busan and Changwon, connect to Geoga Bridge, and link Goseong and Tongyeong, fulfilling a comprehensive road network function.

Mr. Lee (39 years old, Seongsan-gu, Changwon City), who frequently visits the area around Machang Bridge, said, “On weekends, I often go for drives with my family, enjoy the breeze, and dine out.”

Mr. Park (41 years old), who visited from Busan City, said, “Along with Busan’s Gwangandaegyo Bridge, it is worthy of being called a premium bridge,” and added, “It is the best driving course during cherry blossom season.”

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