South Korea: Secret Garden (Huwon)

"Secret Garden" is a special part of Changdeokgung Palace.

The course is to visit and view the previously off-limits area, but now open to public but still in limited thrice a day visit with 50 persons in a time, all strictly guided tours.  This area they say has very special meaning in ecological preservation as well as cultural properties protection. [Read More]  We were guided to walk along the grounds, excluding the main building parts of palace which are still off-limits.

If you are planning for a visit, make sure to book your reservations online pre-handled: (Forty persons limits at one time by internet reservation/ Ten admission ticket sales limits at one time on the ground from 9:00 a.m. for 10:00a.m.

Date Visited: 2014 February

How to get to Secret Garden (Huwon Tour)

Location: 99, Yulgok-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul; Anguk Station Exit 3

Adults (ages 19 and over): 5,000 won  *To participate in the Huwon tour, both regular admission (3,000 won = 120 php, 2014) and admission to Huwon (5,000 won = 200 php, 2014) must be purchased.

Walking Tour: Around 3.1 Km

Time required: about 2 hours

Anguk Station Exit 3

Summary of 3 days itinerary in 2014 Seoul Trip:

Day	Places to see	Food and Restaurants	Where to Sleep
Day 1	Yakhyeon Church Culture Station Seoul Everland	Late Dinner at 2am in near GS25, Myeongdong Exit 8 Breakfast at Droptop Lunch at Basement Hole in the Wall Japanese Restaurant (Gangnam) Mango Six (Gangnam) Dinner at Tokyo - Japanese Restaurant (Gangnam)	K-pop Residence II in Myeongdong
Day 2	Jade Garden Petite France	Breakfast at De Chocolate Café (Chungmuro) Lunch at Restaurant in Jade Garden Dinner at Basement Hole in the Wall Korean Restaurant (Myeongdong)	K-pop Residence II
Day 3	Secret Garden Insadong Stroll until Myeongdong	Paris Croissant (Anguk) Dinner at Basement Hole in the Wall Korean Restaurant (Insadong) Paris Baguette (Myeongdong)	K-pop Residence II

Date Visited: 2019 December

We we have decided to revisit this place during winter.  On a closer look, the fallen leaves from autumn on the pond is starting to freeze. 

Our Guide mentioned that below is the filming location of Kingdom 1 and 2 (from Netflix).  See here for reference. 

It's not yet fully snowing in Seoul during our visit, so the pond and the walkway has still no snow. Although the pond is already starting to freeze.  If you don't plan to see snow, better to visit the place not during December, because the tour is a shortened version due to low temperature.  Do it during spring or autumn, when your tour can cover more areas. 

Below is the Chinese Juniper of Changdeokgung Palace, which is believed to be 750 years old. 

Summary: Winter Itinerary for 6 days in Seoul, South Korea 2019

Day	Places to See	Food and Restaurants	Other Options
1	Forest of Wisdom [Hwayugi/Secretary Kim]	Angel in Us, Incheon Dirty Trunk, Paju [Search: WWW] Chicken & Beer	Hesse Boulangerie 152 Seosomun Shrine History Museum Cheonggyecheon Stream Winter Night 2019
2	Inje Wondae-ri Birch Forest [Snow] Seoul Book Repository [Hotel Del Luna]	Guksu Namu (국수나무) Starbucks Reserve, Famille Park
3	Eunpyeong History Hanok Museum DDP Winter Light Festival Arc N Book Seoul Plaza Ice Skating Rink	2D Café 연남동239-20 고향옥 얼큰순대국 near Gupabal Station	Yonsei University (Seoul) 1인1잔 / 1 man 1 cup Korea University (Seoul) Kyung Hee University (Seoul) Shinsegae Department Store
4	Mass in Myeongdong Cathedral Common Ground Starfield Library COEX	Congee House in Myeongdong A Twosome Place The Gastro Permil [Secretary Kim]	Seoul International Catholic Church Konkuk University Seoulism Galleria - Apgujeong-rodeo Station IFC Mall
5	Chilgapsan Ice Fountain Festival [Snow]	무월식탁 / Muwol Table	Sinchon Christmas Market
6	Changdeokgung Palace Secret Garden English Tour Ikseon-dong Hanok Street [Battle Trip]	Onion Anguk Zio Cucina, Ikseon-dong Tteuran Tea & Café, Ikseon-dong Korean Food Street	Madang Café / Flower Yard Café