Bidulginang Falls in the Hantangang UNESCO Global Geopark in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province / Courtesy of Gyeonggi Provincial Office
For travelers looking to beat the summer heat without venturing far from the capital, Gyeonggi Province has curated seven natural parks featuring lush forests, cool valleys and ancient volcanic gorges — all within an easy reach of metropolitan Seoul.
The list includes three provincial parks — Namhansanseong, Mount Yeonin and Mount Suri — along with Cheonmasan City Park, Myeongjisan County Park, the Hantangang UNESCO Global Geopark and the Hwaseong National Geopark, the province said.
Namhansanseong Provincial Park, spanning Gwangju, Seongnam and Hanam, combines dense forest trails with a walk along the fortress walls of Namhansanseong, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Visitors can explore the fortress's east, west, south and north gates and the Sueojangdae command post while taking in views of the greater Seoul area from its elevated terrain.
