Hallimgongwon, Botanical garden and park in Hallim, Jeju, South Korea
Hallimgongwon, also known as Hallim Park, is a botanical garden and park in Hallim, a coastal town on the western side of Jeju, South Korea. The grounds are divided into several themed sections, including a bamboo grove, a rock garden, small ponds, and lava tubes that run beneath the surface.
Hallimgongwon opened in 1971, when Song Bong-gyu began planting on coastal scrub and sandy ground at Hallim on Jeju's west coast. The park grew around the lava tubes beneath the site, and its themed sections were planted gradually over the following decades.
Hallimgongwon takes its name from Hallim, the coastal town where it lies. The park is a private botanical garden open to visitors, with themed sections such as a bamboo grove, a rock garden, ponds and lava tubes. Its name is written in Korean as 한림공원 and in Chinese characters as 翰林公园.
Comfortable walking shoes are a good idea since the grounds are large and there is a lot of walking involved. The lava caves inside are cool and dark, so a light layer to wear while inside can be helpful.
The lava tubes beneath the park formed when ancient lava flows cooled on the outside while still moving inside, leaving hollow tunnels behind. Visitors can walk through these tunnels today and see the raw, dark walls of hardened volcanic rock up close.
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