Things to do in Suwon
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Suwon
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Cherry blossom from late March into early April on Paldalsan, along the Suwoncheon and around the fortress.
Mild spring, the easiest months for the full wall loop, Gwanggyosan and the Folk Village.
Hot and humid with monsoon rain from late June, walk the wall early or late and use museums at noon.
Festival month, Hwaseong Cultural Festival, media art nights and the Chicken Street Festival.
Clear, quiet and good value, with late foliage on Paldalsan and Gwanggyosan.
Cold, dry and clear with the best visibility, ice caution on steps and shorter staffed hours.
What's on
- Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival Usually early October
Eight days across the fortress recreating King Jeongjo's 1795 royal procession, centred on Haenggung Plaza.
- Suwon Hwaseong Media Art Autumn, usually into early October; check dates
Night projection and media art on the fortress structures, check Suwon city listings for exact dates.
- Suwon Chicken Street Festival Usually mid October
Festival around the palace and Chicken Street in the city October programme.
Best things to do in Suwon
Suwon Hwaseong Fortress
Walk the full 5.7 km UNESCO wall loop past four gates, command posts and towers around the old centre.
Hwaseong Haenggung
The largest Joseon temporary palace, where King Jeongjo stayed on his visits to his father's tomb.
Banghwasuryujeong Pavilion
A command post pavilion over Yongyeon Pond, and the single prettiest view on the whole wall walk.
Yeonmudae
Try traditional Korean archery at the east command post where Jeongjo's soldiers trained.
Suwon Hwaseong Museum
The 45 minute briefing on how the fortress was planned and built, best done before the wall walk.
Haenggung-dong
The cafe and mural quarter inside the north wall, centred on Haengnidan-gil by the palace.
Samsung Innovation Museum
A free five floor history of electronics inside Samsung Digital City, reservation only on weekdays.
Haewoojae
A toilet shaped house turned sincere and funny museum about toilet history and sanitation.
Where to stay in Suwon
Haenggung-dong and Paldal old centre
fortress first visit and one night stays
Walk to the palace, the north wall, cafes, chicken street and the markets, in small hotels and guesthouses.
Suwon Station and Ingye-dong
transport, business and choice
The rail hub and the big hotels, with Ingye-dong restaurants and nightlife a short ride from the fortress.
Gwanggyo
modern comfort, families and Samsung business
A planned district by the lake park and Galleria mall, polished and quiet, a ride west to the old centre.
Think twice about
- Motel blocks immediately around Suwon Station
Not a danger, just a noisy love hotel strip and the least pleasant sleep in the centre for the same money.
- Yeongtong as a sightseeing base
Safe and modern for Samsung business, but east of every sight except the Samsung museum.
Best restaurants in Suwon
Kabojung
A galbi institution across several halls, staff grilled beef ribs and a famous banchan spread.
Bonsuwon Galbi
The other galbi institution, charcoal grilled Korean beef ribs, marinated and unmarinated.
Yeonpo Galbi
Galbi by the fortress that you can walk to, very good meat with less ceremony and cost.
Suwon Tongdak Geori
Chicken Street, a 100 metre alley of cauldron fried whole chicken shops by the palace since 1970.
Jinmi Tongdak
The most famous shop on Chicken Street, known for the half plain and half seasoned order.
Yongseong Tongdak
The light and crisp whole fried chicken alternative a few doors from Jinmi on the same street.
Maehyang Tongdak
The 1970s founding shop of Chicken Street, plain and seasoned whole chicken and nothing else.
Boyoung Mandoo North Gate Main
In house dumplings and very spicy jjolmyeon by Janganmun, the ideal wall walk lunch.
Outdoor things to do in Suwon
Gwanggyo Lake Park
A flat waterside loop around two lakes in the new Gwanggyo district, best at sunset.
Gwanggyosan
Suwon's 582 metre guardian mountain, a stepped forest climb to summit views over the city.
Flying Suwon
A tethered helium balloon by the east gate that shows the whole fortress loop laid out below.
Hwaseong Eocha
The slow tourist trolley train loop past the gates, the fortress tour for anyone who cannot walk the wall.
Suwoncheon
The flat stream path under Hwahongmun, the gentle and accessible alternative to the ramparts.
Paldalsan
The hill inside the fortress, climbed to Seojangdae and Hyowons Bell for the old city panorama.
Korean Folk Village
A full day Joseon village in Yongin with houses, workshops and dance, tightrope and horseback shows.
Everland
Korea's largest theme park in Yongin, a full price family day of coasters, safari and parades.
Best hotels in Suwon
Suwon Dono1796 Hotel
A small boutique hotel steps from the fortress and a short walk from the palace.
Novotel Ambassador Suwon
Directly by Suwon Station on the AK Plaza complex, the easiest arrival and departure base.
Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Suwon
The large full service hotel in Ingye-dong, between the station and the fortress.
ibis Ambassador Suwon
The reliable cheap chain pick in Ingye-dong, renovated rooms near Suwon City Hall station.
Vella Suite Hotel
A small budget hotel in Ingye-dong that tops Suwon best value lists, with parking.
Courtyard by Marriott Suwon
Suwon's top international hotel, by Galleria and the lake park in modern Gwanggyo.
Is Suwon expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | ₩70,000 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | ₩140,000 a person |
| Splurge | ₩300,000 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Samsung Innovation Museum: a few days ahead
- Korean Folk Village: a few days ahead
- Everland: a few days ahead
- Kabojung: a few days ahead
- Bonsuwon Galbi: a few days ahead
- Samsung Innovation Museum weekdays are reservation only, Saturday is the walk-in day.
- Book Kabojung and Bonsuwon Galbi ahead on weekends, or expect a long wait.
- Book fortress base rooms early for the October festival, blossom weekends and holiday peaks.
Is Suwon safe?
- Suwon is a very safe city by global standards.
- Watch for slippery wall steps after rain and ice on Paldalsan and Gwanggyosan paths in winter.
- Emergency is 112 for police and 119 for fire and ambulance, tourist help is 1330.
Suwon travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Do not try the full wall, the palace, the Folk Village and a galbi dinner in one day.
- A long queue at the famous chicken shop is a choice, the neighbours on the street are also good.
- Wang-galbi tongdak is fried chicken in galbi seasoning, not Suwon galbi, which is grilled beef ribs.
Getting around Suwon: public transport and more
- Fast trains from Seoul Station to Suwon Station take about 30 minutes, subway Line 1 about an hour.
- Use Naver Map or KakaoMap in Korea, not Google Maps, for walking and transit directions.
- A T-money card covers Suwon buses, subway lines and the ride back to Seoul.
- Yongin excursions take roughly 30 to 50 minutes from central Suwon, worse on weekend afternoons.
Who Suwon suits
| Solo travellers | Great |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Good |
| Bachelor parties | OK |
| Families | Great |
| Bachelorette parties | OK |
Make Suwon your trip
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