Gwangju International Center is running a culture tour to Damyang, South Jeolla Province, this month.

The town, just outside Gwangju, is famous for bamboo, and the first stop will be to the Korea Bamboo Museum, which has information about the plant and examples of fine bamboo crafts. Visitors can try making their own bamboo work in the experience center, and two options will be provided ― a fan and a set of bamboo coasters.

The tour will move through the town to the Gamagol Ecological Park for a lunch of traditional boiled chicken by a mountain stream.

After lunch, the tour will move on to the park itself for a walk, taking in a mountain suspension bridge and waterfalls. The park has historical significance as well as natural sights, as it was a location for pottery making and later was a battle site during the Korean War.

The tour will round off with a trip to a tea house for traditional sweets and bamboo tea.

The tour runs on Sept. 27 from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and costs 40,000 won for GIC members and 50,000 won for nonmembers. Bookings are open until Sept. 21 and can be made at gic.or.kr.

(paulkerry@heraldcorp.com)