See & do · Landmarks & architecture
Changdeokgung Palace & Secret Garden
Opening hours
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Thursday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Friday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Saturday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Sunday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Images provided by Google Places
Sprawling, scenic grounds around Changdeokgung Palace featuring pavilions, ponds & lush trees.via Google
A UNESCO World Heritage site favored by Joseon kings for its harmonious integration with the surrounding natural landscape.
- Good to know
- The Secret Garden (Huwon) requires a separate guided tour ticket, which should be booked well in advance.
Reviews from Google
Highly recommended. At the center of the palace grounds the secret garden contains a mix of gorgeous buildings and nature. The buildings are more unique than I'm the palace grounds and the forest is beautiful, with both natural and manicured trees. The complimentary guide was great and you get to explore in your own if you prefer. I recommend doing both for the best experience. The entrance is through the ground if the Changdeokgung palace. The garden ticket is additional to the main grounds ticket, and the entrance times are limited, but it's totally worth it and very affordable.
Only accesible through the Changdeokgung palace, the secret garden is a worthy addition to the visit to the palace. You will have some of the most beautiful nature sights here. Fun fact: the garden is not really secret, it just makes for a cooler name :D it's just a rear garden. Highly recommended to reserve tickets online or be on site early, since timeslots and number of visitors are limited. If you get a ticket, you can opt to go alone or join a guided tour which is included in the ticket price.
The Secret Garden at Changdeokgung Palace, once used for royal entertainment and ceremonies, is a significant heritage site showcasing traditional landscaping. The garden was kept as natural as possible, the landscaping, pavilions and buildings reflects traditional Korean architecture, demonstrating a masterful harmony between structures and nature. In my opinion, the most beautiful time to see the garden is during the fall when the autumn foliage is at its peak and the leaves have just started to fall. I visited this garden on 5 November 2025 and autumn foliage was nearing its peak, it was so beautiful.
~throw back to mid of November 2025~ This secret garden requires a separate entrance ticket of KRW 5,000. Personally, I don’t find it very worth it. I expected the garden to be more beautiful and unique, but it didn’t quite meet my expectations, and there wasn’t much to see. You don’t need to spend much time there, about an hour is enough to walk through the entire area.
This is the rear garden of the royal palace Changdeokgung. The garden is so nicely designed. The design respects the natural hill. The garden was built with slopes. This resembles the design of those gardens in Eastern and Southern China. Just turn around, there will be another picturesque view waiting for you. It is worth paying a visit. But the admission tickets are required to buy in addition to the admission ticket of the palace. There are several sessions with tour of different languages. Check carefully when you buy the tickets.