Best place to get stuck in a traffic jam in April?

Question: Where’s the best place to get stuck in a traffic jam in April?

 Traffic jam on provincial road - taken from a local bus from Hwagae bound for Ssang-gye-sa

Answer: The road between Hwagae-jang-teo ( Hwagae Marketplace) and Ssang-gye-sa (Temple) near Hadong in Gyeong-sang-nam-do.


The reason? See picture above.

Hadong-gun is situated in the south-western corner of Gyeongsamnamdo.

Marked on the maps as Provincial Road No. 1023, it’s also known as Hadong’s famous Cherry Blossom Road. This stretch of road which runs alongside a modest-sized stream is flanked by cherry trees which are more than 60 years old.

Tea bushes side by side cherry trees

Come springtime, this narrow 4-kilometer valley road is transformed into a tunnel of pale pink blossoms and crowds are drawn to its local festival. Don’t be surprised to find yourself in a bumper-to-bumper crawl between Hadong and Ssang-gyesa.

Spectacular sights like this attract hordes each spring

It is a test of patience for drivers tailing other cars or buses as they head towards the parking lots just outside the temple. However, cherry blossom enthusiasts who are lucky enough not to be behind any steering wheel can gawk to their hearts’ content. Traffic moves so slowly that you can still take pretty decent shots of the flowers from a moving vehicle.

Ssang-gye-sa: still peacedful despite the festival crowds

The ride on the local bus from the Hadong Bus Terminal to Ssang-gye-sa is usually about 40 minutes but when there’s a festival and the cherry blossoms have reached full bloom, you can expect the journey to take much longer.

If the sheer exuberance of the cherry trees isn’t enough to satisfy your appetite for nature’s charms, you can also feast your eyes on orchards graced with delicate pear blossoms or the sculptured beauty of old tea plantations.

Tea bush plantations hug the foothills of Jirisan

Here's additional info from the KNTO webpage:

The 'Simni Cherry Blossom Road' is a 6km road between Hwagae Traditional Market in Hadong-gun and Ssanggyesa Temple. Cherry trees over 60 years old are in full bloom along the winding path. The road is also called 'wedding path'--there is a tradition of couples walking down the path and taking a vow of matrimony.

After viewing cherry blossoms, you can also feel the ambience of a local traditional market at Hwagae Market. The authentic feature of Hwagae Market is almost gone now, but a traditional 5-day market is sometimes open. On the road from Hwagae to Ssanggyesa Temple are many traditional teahouses. The Hwagae Cherry Blossom Festival is held from April 4 to 6 every year at the terrace on Seomjingang River.

Transportation: Take a bus bound to Hwagae or Ssanggyesa Temple at Gurye Intercity Bus Terminal. During the cherry blossom festival, the bus between Hwagae and Ssanggyesa Temple may not be available. In this case, take the bus to Hwagae then walk to Ssanggyesa Temple.

sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadong
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_4_12_15_3.jsp
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=255639
http://eng.hadong.go.kr/main/
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264125
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_2_1.jsp?cid=700651