Changdeokgung Palace and the Secret Garden (Huwon): Tickets, Booking and English Tours
Quick answer
- The Secret Garden (Huwon) is a timed, guided visit you book ahead. Online tickets open at 10:00 Korea time, 6 days before your visit (not counting the visit day); some tickets are also sold on the day from 09:00.
- You need two tickets for the garden: the palace ticket (foreign adults 19–64: ₩3,000, free on Wednesdays) plus the garden ticket (₩5,000 for adults, including 65 and over; ₩2,500 for ages 7–18). Neither Wednesdays nor hanbok make the garden free.
- Changdeokgung normally closes on Mondays (if a Monday is a public or substitute holiday, it opens that day and closes on the first non-holiday afterward). English garden tours start at 10:30, 11:30, 14:30 and, from March to November, 15:30.
To see Changdeokgung's Secret Garden (Huwon), book a timed entry: online tickets open at 10:00 Korea time six days before your visit (not counting the visit day), and the garden needs its own ₩5,000 adult ticket on top of the ₩3,000 palace ticket for foreign adults (19–64), which is free on Wednesdays. The palace normally closes on Mondays (if Monday is a public or substitute holiday, it opens that day and closes on the first non-holiday afterward). English garden tours start at 10:30, 11:30 and 14:30, plus 15:30 from March to November.
Changdeokgung is on UNESCO's World Heritage List (1997). Below: hours, the two tickets, how garden booking works, tour times and a simple plan.
Source: Royal Palaces and Tombs Center (Korean) and UNESCO; checked Oct 27, 2026.
The short version
| Palace grounds | Secret Garden (Huwon) | |
|---|---|---|
| How you visit | Walk around freely | Timed entry with a guide, about 70 minutes |
| Ticket (foreign adults 19–64) | ₩3,000 | ₩5,000 extra (the palace ticket is also required) |
| Ages 65 and over | Free | ₩5,000 |
| Ages 7–18 | Free (foreign visitors 18 and under) | ₩2,500 |
| Ages 6 and under | Free | Free |
| In hanbok | Free | No discount |
| On Wednesdays ("Culture Day") | Free | Not included |
| Booking | Not needed | Online from 10:00, 6 days before (not counting the visit day), until the day before; on-site sales from 09:00 on the day |
| Closed | Usually Mondays; public/substitute-holiday exception below | Usually Mondays; same exception |
Source: Royal Palaces and Tombs Center — admission fees and guided tours (Korean); checked Nov 4, 2026.
Hours and closing day
| Months | Open | Last entry |
|---|---|---|
| February–May, September–October | 09:00–18:00 | 17:00 |
| June–August | 09:00–18:30 | 17:30 |
| November–January | 09:00–17:30 | 16:30 |
The regular closing day is Monday. If a Monday is a public or substitute holiday, the palace opens that day and closes on the first non-holiday afterward. Note that the seasons differ from Gyeongbokgung's: Changdeokgung counts February as spring and stays open until 17:30 in winter.
Source: Royal Palaces and Tombs Center — hours (Korean); checked Oct 27, 2026. Comparing palaces: Gyeongbokgung guide.
How Secret Garden booking works
- Buy online from 10:00 Korea time, 6 days before your visit (the visit day isn't counted), up to the day before. Tickets are first come, first served; the palace's reservation page (Korean) links to garden booking.
- Or buy on the day from 09:00 at the palace. Each tour has 100 places per language: 50 sold online and 50 on site.
- April–May and October–November sell out very fast, both online and on site, the palace office says.
- Buy the palace ticket too. A garden ticket alone doesn't get you in.
- Be at the garden entrance on time. It's 15 minutes or more on foot from Geumhomun Gate, the palace entrance. If you miss your entry time, you can't enter and can't get a refund.
Source: Royal Palaces and Tombs Center — admission fees and Huwon booking and guided tours (Korean); checked Oct 27, 2026.
English tours: palace buildings and Secret Garden
| Tour | English start times | Meet at | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palace buildings | 10:15, 13:15 (Tuesday–Sunday) | Opposite Injeongmun Gate | About 50 minutes, no booking |
| Secret Garden | 10:30, 11:30, 14:30; 15:30 (March–November) (Tuesday–Sunday) | Garden entrance | About 70 minutes, with your garden ticket |
Chinese garden tours run at 12:30 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and Japanese at 13:30 on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The Okryucheon area at the back of the garden is closed for repairs until further notice. Times and routes can change, the palace office says.
Source: Royal Palaces and Tombs Center — guided tours (Korean); checked Oct 27, 2026.
Getting there
| Changdeokgung | |
|---|---|
| Subway | Anguk Station (Line 3), Exit 3: about 5 minutes on foot · Jongno 3-ga Station (Lines 1, 3, 5), Exit 7: about 10 minutes |
| Parking | None; the palace asks visitors to use public transport |
| Address | 99 Yulgok-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul |
Source: Royal Palaces and Tombs Center — directions (Korean); checked Oct 27, 2026. Subway tips: Seoul subway guide.
A simple half-day plan
| Time | Plan |
|---|---|
| Before 09:00 | Only if you have no garden ticket: queue for on-site tickets |
| Morning | English palace buildings tour (10:15, about 50 minutes) or walk the grounds yourself; pick a garden time that doesn't overlap |
| Your garden time | Be at the garden entrance on time (15+ minutes' walk from the gate) |
| After | Walk to Bukchon Hanok Village — visit before 17:00 |
Source: Royal Palaces and Tombs Center — guided tours (Korean) and Seoul's Bukchon visiting hours; checked Oct 27, 2026.
Before you go
- Check the closing day: usually Monday, with the public/substitute-holiday exception.
- Book the Secret Garden online at 10:00, 6 days ahead, or buy on site from 09:00.
- Buy both tickets: palace (₩3,000 for foreign adults 19–64; free on Wednesdays) and garden (₩5,000).
- Leave 15 minutes or more to walk from the gate to the garden entrance.
- Bring ID if you're claiming a free or child ticket by age.
Source: the palace pages above; checked Oct 27, 2026.
FAQ
Do I need to book the Secret Garden at Changdeokgung?
Booking is the safest way. Online tickets open at 10:00 Korea time, 6 days before your visit (not counting the visit day). Half of each tour's 100 places are sold on site from 09:00 on the day, and spring and autumn sell out very fast.
How much is the Changdeokgung Secret Garden ticket?
₩5,000 for adults aged 19 and over (including 65 and over) and ₩2,500 for ages 7–18, plus the palace ticket (₩3,000 for foreign adults 19–64; free on Wednesdays). Children 6 and under are free.
Is Changdeokgung free on Wednesdays?
The palace office's fee page lists every Wednesday as a free "Culture Day", except Gyeongbokgung and the Secret Garden. So the palace grounds are free, but the garden ticket isn't.
Is the Secret Garden free if I wear hanbok?
No. Hanbok gets you into the palace grounds free, but the garden's free list covers only children 6 and under and certain Korean nationals.
Is there an English tour of the Secret Garden?
Yes, Tuesday to Sunday at 10:30, 11:30 and 14:30, plus 15:30 from March to November. It takes about 70 minutes.
What day is Changdeokgung closed?
Usually Monday. If a Monday is a public or substitute holiday, it opens that day and closes on the first non-holiday afterward.
- Royal Palaces and Tombs Center — Changdeokgung hours (Korean)
- Royal Palaces and Tombs Center — Admission fees and Huwon booking (Korean)
- Royal Palaces and Tombs Center — Changdeokgung guided tours (Korean)
- Royal Palaces and Tombs Center — Directions to Changdeokgung (Korean)
- UNESCO World Heritage — Changdeokgung Palace Complex
Last checked Oct 27, 2026. Details can change — please confirm with the official source before you travel.
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