Fully Embracing the Falling Cherry Blossoms | Travel Course | K-Travel Mate

Jinhae Inland Water Environment Ecological Park, established in 2008, was revitalized as a true experiential ecological park ahead of the 2009 Jinhae Gunhangje Festival by adding walking trails and experiential learning centers. It is developed as an eco-friendly ecological park around the retention basin within the Southern Inland Water Research Institute, preserving an excellent natural environment with diverse trees, flowers, and wetlands, serving as a nature study experience and a cultural relaxation space for citizens. It is an essential site when discussing Changwon’s cherry blossom spots. Every spring, the main attraction is the cherry trees. The light pink cherry blossoms blooming profusely along the reservoir create a picturesque scene. Besides cherry trees, the park is planted with wetland plants such as iris and Bibi plant, along with various trees, offering splendid autumn foliage as dazzling as the cherry blossoms. After touring the park, do not miss the Freshwater Fish Ecology Learning Center within the Inland Aquaculture Research Center, exhibiting freshwater fish such as crucian carp and sturgeon.

Yeojeo Stream, well known as Jinhae's representative cherry blossom spot, features a dazzling cherry blossom tunnel along about 1.5 km from Jinhae Station to Pyeongjigyo Bridge. The Yeojeocheon Romance Bridge, featured in the MBC drama 'Romance,' is a famous cherry blossom outing route for tourists visiting Jinhae. Equipped with landscape lighting, it offers a beautiful and rich cherry blossom world even late at night for everyone to enjoy freely. During the Jinhae Gunhangje Festival in April, when the entire city is full of cherry blossoms, the cherry blossom tunnel path along Yeojeo Stream is known as a famous tourist attraction.

From the grass square at Jungwon Rotary in Jinhae, a low mountain called Jehwangsan, also known as Bueongsan, can be seen to the east. Jehwangsan Park is located at the mountain peak, where the Jinhae Tower stands, modeled after a ship's mast, on the site of the 1967 Russo-Japanese War Victory Monument. The Changwon City Jinhae Museum, exhibiting various artifacts excavated in Jinhae, operates within Jinhae Tower, which also functions as an observatory from the third floor. Visitors can reach the top of Jehwangsan by foot or monorail; the walking routes include 365 stairs next to the monorail ticket office or stairs behind the Jungang Market parking lot. Jinhae-gu in Changwon is a naval city famous for the Jinhae Gunhangje Cherry Blossom Festival held every spring, attracting many tourists during the festival period.

Along the Anmin Pass road, there are benches and rest areas where you can view Jinhae Bay. Continuing up Anmin Road leads to the summit of Anmin Pass, which has a fairly spacious parking area and a small snack bar. At the pass's ridge, there is a small bridge called Anmin Ecological Bridge, built as a wildlife crossing to protect the ecosystem between Jangbok Mountain and Ung Mountain, separated by the road connecting Jinhae and Changwon. However, the hiking trail crossing the Anmin Ecological Bridge to Jangbok Mountain is closed during the spring wildfire prevention period. If you have time, you can enjoy hiking along the eastern ridge from Anmin Pass while identifying the famous mountains of Jinhae. During the Naval Port Festival, this area sees many visitors, especially on weekends when hikers from Busan, Masan, and Changwon come to climb Sirubong Peak. Even outside the festival period, Anmin Pass is worth a visit. It is especially delightful with cherry blossoms but remains enjoyable for a leisurely walk filled with the scent of spring under the warm spring sunlight.

Gyeonghwa Station, famous as a cherry blossom spot in Gyeongsangnam-do, is a small unmanned station in Gyeonghwa-dong, Jinhae-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, where passenger services have been suspended since 2006. Located between Seongju-sa Station and Jinhae Station, the cherry blossoms stretch along the railroad, forming a tunnel, and it is well-known as a cherry blossom photo spot together with Anmingogae and Jinhae Yeojaecheon Bridge. Visitors can freely walk on the railroad tracks in full bloom, and when the cherry blossoms fall, the petals scattered on passing trains create a fantastic romantic atmosphere. The approximately 800m railway-side cherry blossoms from Gyeonghwa Station, the filming location of the movie "Boy Goes to Heaven" and the drama "Spring Waltz," to Sehwa Girls' High School offer a more relaxed experience than Yeojaecheon, attracting many couples and families. Every year during cherry blossom season, the number of tourists increases, and in 2009, passenger services temporarily resumed only during the Gunhangje Festival. During the festival, a cherry blossom festival shuttle train operates, and all trains passing through reduce their speed, allowing tourists to fully enjoy the romance of the cherry blossoms. Recently, clean restrooms convenient for tourists have also been newly installed.

남해안관광밸트사업의 일환으로 남해안관광시대의 해양관광도시로 거듭날 수 있는 기회를 마련하고자 해군본부로부터 무상양여된 퇴역함(강원함)을 활용하여 한국제일의 군항도시에 걸맞은 해양공원을 건립하여 해양관광도시의 기상을 고취시키는 역사·문화·교육 체험장이다.