Last Updated on April 11, 2022
If you’ve been around South Korea for a bit, you may have noticed the abundance of campgrounds everywhere – on the beach, in a park, in the middle of a city! Although, convenient (and cheap), these may not be the most glamorous spots to pitch a tent. Glamping in South Korea, on the other hand, is the way to go.
Where can I go Glamping in South Korea?
Leave the tent at home and show up with only your essentials. Korean glamping is a one-of-a-kind experience. There are, in fact, many spots to glamp on the peninsula, though I highly recommend heading to Gwangju Lake to check out Queens Castle. Trust me, the name says it all!
How to get to Queens Castle
The Queens Castle glamping experience is just a 1.5-hour drive south of Kunsan Air Base, and about a 3-hour drive south of Osan Air Base. Traveling from Seoul, Busan, or somewhere else without a car? Hop on your local bus or train to Gwangju, and then take about a 20-minute taxi ride to Queens Castle. The total commute from Busan or Seoul is a little under 4 hours.
For driving, type in the following address into Naver or Waze, or search for “Queens Castle”.
English Address:
760-11, Gasamunhak-ro, Nam-myeon, Damyang-gun, Jeollanam-do
Korean Address:
전남 담양군 가사문학면 가사문학로 760-12
Request a Taxi by calling one of the following numbers:
Note that you may need to have a Korean help at the bus/train station or Queens Castle to translate over the phone where you need to go.
What are the accommodation options,
what’s included, and how much do they cost?
There are a few different “glamping” options of where to stay. The main deciding-factor typically comes down to how many people are in your party.
Note that there are no pets allowed on the property.
Tents (the real glamping experience):
Number of Guests: 2-4 people
Cost per night: 130,000-230,000 won (~ $130-$230)
For 2-4 people, there are multiple tents available ranging from 130,000-230,000 won (~ $130-$230) per night for the space. The price depends on whether you’re staying during the week, the weekend, and during low season, or peak season. Note that if exceeding the standard number of 2 people, each additional person (up to 4 people) will have to pay a 20,000 won (~ $20) fee.
Check-in: 4:00 PM
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Wi-Fi is available.
Glampsites:
There are 20 tents to glamp in at Queens Castle. When booking, take a look at the site layout map to determine where you would like to be. The tents in the 100s and 200s have a garden view, and sites in the 300s and 400s have a lake view.
Sleeping Arrangements:
The tents are comfortably-sized to fit 2-4 people. The space only has one queen-sized bed to fit two people. If you’d like more space or have more than two people, come prepared with an air mattress or cot.
Kitchen:
There is a small kitchen on the front porch of the tent. It’s equipped with a small fridge, microwave, sink, rice cooker, and other cooking tools/essentials. There is also a grill with charcoal available, but requires an additional fee of 20,000 won (~ $20) to use.
Bath:
There is a bathroom/shower in each tent. The bathroom has basic necessities from a hairdryer, brushes, soap to towels. Though, Korean towels are quite small – if you have the space, it’s nice to bring your own.
Temperature:
There are air conditioners in each tent, though if glamping during the winter months, plan to bring blankets and lots of layers to stay warm.
Spa:
Number of Guests: 4-8 people
Cost per night: 130,000-260,000 won (~ $130-$260)
For 4-8 people, there are multiple spa suites available ranging from 130,000-260,000 won (~ $130-$260) per night for the space. The price depends on whether you’re staying during the week, the weekend, and during low season, or peak season. Note that if exceeding the standard number of 4 people, each additional person (up to 8 people – depending on which spa you book) will have to pay a 20,000 won (~ $20) fee.
Check-in: 5:00 PM
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Wi-Fi is available.
Spa:
Each spa suite comes with a hot tub. There are very specific instructions on what to do prior to using the hot tub and when you can use it during your stay. Shirts and shorts are provided for hot tub usage. Though, we just wore our own swimsuits and rinsed off before entering. Towels are provided, but like all Korean towels, they are very small, so it’s best to bring your own.
Sleeping Arrangements:
The spa suites are large, open rooms with beds and couches. Although, the space fits up to 8 people in some spas, there are not 8 bed spaces for people to sleep. Come prepared with air mattresses or cots.
Kitchen:
The catch with the spa suites is that there is no kitchen available to use. There is a full-sized fridge to bring cold snacks and beverages, but plan on eating at one of the on-site restaurants for lunch/dinner. Let the restaurant know you are staying in a spa, and you should be given a 10% discount on your meal.
Bath:
There is one bathroom in the spa suites, but some have up to 3 or 4 separate showers
Pension:
Number of Guests: 12-20 people
Cost per night: 400,000-700,000 won (~ $400-$700)
For 12-20 people, there is a pension available ranging from 400,000-700,000 won (~ $400-$700) per night for the space. The price depends on whether you’re staying during the week, the weekend, and during low season, or peak season. Note that if exceeding the standard number of 12 people, each additional person (up to 20 people) will have to pay a 10,000 won (~ $10) fee.
Check-in: 4:00 PM
Check-out: 10:30 AM
Wi-Fi is available.
Washing machine is available.
Sleeping Arrangements:
The Pension is a large, beautiful space – perfect for large get-togethers – overlooking Lake Gwangju. Although, the space fits 20 people, there are not 20 bed spaces for people to sleep. Come prepared with air mattresses or cots.
Kitchen:
There is a full-sized kitchen with a large fridge, microwave, rice cooker, water dispenser, and other cooking tools/essentials. There is also a grill with charcoal available, but requires an additional fee of 30,000 won (~ $30) to use.
Bath:
There are 3 bathrooms in the pension. Each bathroom has basic necessities from hairdryers, brushes, soap to towels. Though, Korean towels are quite small – if you have the space, it’s nice to bring your own.
How to Book my Glamping getaway?
Now, this can be a bit tricky. You can book online, but you must have a Korean credit or debit card in order for the transaction to go through. Another option is to book, and then within 24 hours, you must wire over a deposit.
When I visited, I was lucky enough to have access to a local Korean who I was able to pay in cash and she just booked using her Korean credit card.
I understand not everyone will have access to doing this. If you are in the military, I would recommend asking a Korean you trust on base. We used our squadron’s commander’s secretary/translator to help us book.
Otherwise, I’d recommend trying to call their booking number +82 061-383-6500 or visiting a Korean bank to open an account to get an ATM or debit card (which you can usually get on the spot).
Make sure you come prepared with cash/won to pay for any additional people over the standard number for your reservation.
What can I do while glamping at Queens Castle?
Whether you arrive early or just in time for check-in, make sure you spend some time exploring the grounds of Queens Castle. The view of Lake Gwangju is beautiful! Even if you are staying in the spa or pension, you can wander through the area where the tents are located.
There is a large grassy area in front of the spa suites that’s perfect for kids to run around and play. Right next to that is a garden with tables overlooking the grounds and lake – a great spot to sit back and relax or catch up with friends over a cocktail.
Restaurants
There are two restaurants at Queens Castle and a café.
Rayeon Palace – Korean Restaurant
This is a Korean restaurant open every day from 11:00 AM to 8:30 PM (with a staff break from 3:00 to 4:00 PM). You can find the menu here!
Café Queens – Western Restaurant
This is a Western restaurant open every day from 11:30 AM to 9:00 PM (with a staff break from 3:00 to 4:00 PM). You can find the menu here!
There isn’t information on the website, but Café Queens looks as though it is able to host events if buying out the space. For inquiries on reserving the space or outdoor space for a wedding/party contact +82 061-383-6500 extension 4.
In the area
Unfortunately, the café at Queens Castle does not open until around 11:00 AM. Westerners are typically used to having breakfast or coffee before then. Take a right out of Queens Castle and head on down the road about 1.3km/0.8mi to one of the many cafes in the area. Most of them open around 10:00 AM and serve coffee, teas, beer, and food. Some even stay open late – around 10:00 PM.
I highly recommend checking out Café Soho, which is situated right along the river with a beautiful open and airy space to enjoy your meal.
English Address:
888, Kasamunhak-ro, Kasamunhak-myeon, Damyang-gun, Jeollanam-do
Korean Address:
전남 담양군 가사문학면 가사문학로 888
Have time to kill before check-in?
Lucky you! There’s so much to do around the area. I’d actually recommend getting an early start on the day to hit some of the attractions nearby before you check-in for your glamping stay at Queens Castle.
- Check out one of the many cafes in the area.
- Stop by the Enrogel Teapot Café – it actually looks like a teapot!
- Spend some time wandering through the Damyang Bamboo Forest (make sure to try some bamboo ice cream while you’re there!).
- Head to downtown Gwangju for some good food, shopping, and some city time.
- Go hiking in Mudeungsan National Park.
- Visit Gwangju Family Land – a little theme park perfect for kids.
Notes for the Military Spouse
This is an AMAZING place to host a pink flag/girl’s trip, weekend getaway with your spouse, or a squadron trip! Just be sure to book early, as many spots tend to fill up quick (especially on the weekends and holidays).
