JEONNAM-GWANGJU — Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City is rolling out fall routes on its "Namdo Han Bakwi" tourist shuttle bus service to draw visitors during the autumn travel season.
The city said on the 7th that it is offering 16 fall travel courses linking major tourist sites across the region.
Namdo Han Bakwi is one of Jeonnam-Gwangju's flagship travel products. For as little as 12,900 won, riders can visit three to five attractions per course, along with food, culture and hands-on programs. More than 15,000 people used the service through August this year.
The fall program runs through November 30 and is organized around themes including autumn foliage, forests and gardens, culture and the arts, and cuisine. New this year are courses passing through attractions in the Gwangju area, expanding the service beyond its previous focus on the Jeonnam region to cover all of Jeonnam-Gwangju.
Key routes include one connecting the Asia Culture Center with Sinan's Taepyeong Salt Farm, Hyanggi Island, Ujeon Beach and the Mudskipper Bridge. Another links the Gwangju Lake Eco Park, Damyang's Juknokwon bamboo garden and Cheoneunsa Temple on Mount Jiri in Gurye.
A food-and-sightseeing course takes in the Jangseong Lake suspension bridge, the Jangseong Culinary Industry Promotion Agency and Bulgapsa Temple in Yeonggwang. Another connects Hwasun's Jeokbyeok cliffs, the Goindol Traditional Market and Suncheon Bay National Garden. A separate route covers the Naju Lake trail, Naju Gomtang Street, the Namdo Righteous Army History Museum, and Hampyeong's Dolmeori Beach and Yongcheonsa Temple.
A marine tourism course visits Goheung's Rainbow Bridge, the Geumdang Palgyeong sightseeing cruise and Geogeum Bridge. Another links Gwangju's Pochungsa Shrine with Mokpo's Gohado seaside deck and the Mokpo marine cable car.
Special courses tied to the Yeosu World Island Expo and the Gwangju Biennale are also running. Those routes pair event visits with nearby attractions and add food and hands-on programs to encourage longer stays.
The city plans to use the fall courses to strengthen links among regional attractions and to steer event visitors toward local tourist sites, part of an effort to boost autumn travel.
"For the fall, we connected attractions in Jeonnam and Gwangju into single courses," said Oh Mi-kyung, head of the city's tourism division. "We designed the travel products so visitors can see all corners of the integrated special city."
