Jeju Island
Large Jeju Island 60 mi/100 km off the coast of the mainland and 300 mi/485 km south of Seoul has a distinctive history, dress, architecture, language and tradition. Jeju is an extremely popular tourist destination for Koreans, especially honeymooners. Millions of won have been pumped into building deluxe hotels and modernizing infrastructure. Although development has somewhat ended the island's isolation, it hasn't eroded its charms—it is still a great place to visit. Jeju seems a world away from the mainland, even though it's relatively easy to reach—only an hour's flight south of Seoul or a several-hour ferry ride from Busan, Mokpo or Wando.
If you have a choice of when to go, visit in late spring, when Jeju is covered with beautiful yellow yuchaehwa flowers. The island's primary attractions are beaches, fishing, casinos, scuba diving, a weavers' village (Hallim), hot springs and three stunning coastal waterfalls, particularly the Jeongbang Falls at Seogwipo, which plunge almost directly into the sea.
In friendly and festive Jeju, the largest city on the island, there's a Folkcraft and Natural History Museum and an interesting market. About 4 mi/6 km from the city is Moksuk-won, a natural sculpture garden of stone and wood. On the south side of the island, Jeju Folk Village Museum, a collection of traditional houses with musical performances and displays, is well worth a visit.
Also on the island is the tallest mountain in South Korea, Hallasan, which is topped with snow in the winter. There are hiking trails on this extinct volcano, and it has an impressive crater lake. Be sure also to visit some caves: According to legend, three gods emerged 2,500 years ago from the Samseonghyeol (literally "three clans' holes") to create the Jeju Island people.
On a drive around the island, note the black-lava statues of old men, called harubang: Their origin is unknown and the subject of much debate among anthropologists. You can also watch as divers (traditionally women) hunt for clams, pearls and abalone. A dying breed, these incredible women dive into the ocean's depths for long periods of time without using any scuba or snorkeling gear.
Other attractions include saltwater baths (in Sinyang, Hyeopje and Jungmun), the Bijarim nutmeg forest, tangerine groves, the Sanbanggul Buddhist Grotto, the Jungmun beach-resort area and Manjang Cave (the world's longest lava tube). Plan at least two to three days to explore the island.
Pusan (Busan)
Korea's "museum without walls" is akin only to China in its depth and cultural wonder. From Pusan, you can journey to the ancient Silla capital of Kyongju, a dynasty which reigned in Korea for almost a thousand years. Today this small provincial town is virtually a museum without walls, dotted with many splendid ruins. Nearby, the forested mountains and valleys shelter hundreds of beautiful Buddhist shrines including the renowned Sokkuram Grotto, and Tongdosa and Pulguksa Temples. Pusan is also a shopper's mecca and Korea's vital southern link to Japanese and American trade.
Gyeongju
If your schedule permits stopping at only one city other than Seoul, that city should be Gyeongju, 165 mi/265 km southeast of Seoul. It was the capital of the Silla Kingdom (57 BC-AD 935) and has a high concentration of temples, statuary and burial mounds, as well as an excellent historical museum.
One of the highlights of your visit will be a walk through Tumuli Park, where you'll stroll among the burial mounds of 20 kings, some several stories high and looking more like hills covered with soft green grass than the royal tombs that they are. (Oddly enough, the park was only dedicated in the 1970s. Before that, the area was residential.) Just a few have been excavated, and the interior of only one is open to the public. Inside, an exhibit re-creates what it looked like when the mound was first explored, and some of the original contents are on display. Most of the finds, however, are exhibited in the Gyeongju National Museum, along with other artifacts from Gyeongju's golden age.
Outside of town is Bulguk Temple, one of the most beautiful temples in the country. It's a large complex with wonderful architecture, pagodas and statuary. There are other temples and mounds near Gyeongju (some have larger-than-life stone soldiers and bureaucrats to guard and guide the departed kings in the afterlife) as well as the Seogbinggo (where ice was kept long before refrigeration), Anapji Pond (a part of the royal pleasure garden), a very early star-gazing tower and other relics.
Also within easy driving distance are the Seokguram Grotto (containing an exquisite stone Buddha image surrounded by friezes) and the Poseokjeong Pavilion. In the mountains surrounding the city are thousands of Buddhist temples, inscriptions and pagodas (the roads to some are impassable without a four-wheel-drive vehicle). You could spend weeks driving around, but two or three days will give most travelers a taste of the area.
One other nearby attraction merits mention, though it is difficult to get to: the underwater tomb of King Munmu (AD 661-681). The tomb is submerged in shallow water in the middle of a little island about 300 ft/90 m offshore. Legends say that King Munmu asked to be buried there so he could return as a dragon to protect his people from invasion. Visitors must bargain with a local boat owner to get to the tomb.
If time permits, visit the village of Yangdong, just south of Pohang. Ignored by most tourists, the village seems immune to all forms of modernization.
Seoul
Seoul, capital of South Korea, lies in the northwest of the country on the Han River 37 miles from the coast. Landmarks in Seoul include the National Museum, featuring collections of Korean art and artefacts; the National Science Museum; Ch'anggyong, Ch'angdok, Kyongbok, and Toksu palaces; Chong-myo Shrine; a Roman Catholic cathedral; and zoological and botanical gardens. Other sights include the bell tower, which contains a large bronze bell inscribed with the date 1468, and the remains of the ancient stone wall that once encircled the city.
Large Jeju Island 60 mi/100 km off the coast of the mainland and 300 mi/485 km south of Seoul has a distinctive history, dress, architecture, language and tradition. Jeju is an extremely popular tourist destination for Koreans, especially honeymooners. Millions of won have been pumped into building deluxe hotels and modernizing infrastructure. Although development has somewhat ended the island's isolation, it hasn't eroded its charms—it is still a great place to visit. Jeju seems a world away from the mainland, even though it's relatively easy to reach—only an hour's flight south of Seoul or a several-hour ferry ride from Busan, Mokpo or Wando.
If you have a choice of when to go, visit in late spring, when Jeju is covered with beautiful yellow yuchaehwa flowers. The island's primary attractions are beaches, fishing, casinos, scuba diving, a weavers' village (Hallim), hot springs and three stunning coastal waterfalls, particularly the Jeongbang Falls at Seogwipo, which plunge almost directly into the sea.
In friendly and festive Jeju, the largest city on the island, there's a Folkcraft and Natural History Museum and an interesting market. About 4 mi/6 km from the city is Moksuk-won, a natural sculpture garden of stone and wood. On the south side of the island, Jeju Folk Village Museum, a collection of traditional houses with musical performances and displays, is well worth a visit.
Also on the island is the tallest mountain in South Korea, Hallasan, which is topped with snow in the winter. There are hiking trails on this extinct volcano, and it has an impressive crater lake. Be sure also to visit some caves: According to legend, three gods emerged 2,500 years ago from the Samseonghyeol (literally "three clans' holes") to create the Jeju Island people.
On a drive around the island, note the black-lava statues of old men, called harubang: Their origin is unknown and the subject of much debate among anthropologists. You can also watch as divers (traditionally women) hunt for clams, pearls and abalone. A dying breed, these incredible women dive into the ocean's depths for long periods of time without using any scuba or snorkeling gear.
Other attractions include saltwater baths (in Sinyang, Hyeopje and Jungmun), the Bijarim nutmeg forest, tangerine groves, the Sanbanggul Buddhist Grotto, the Jungmun beach-resort area and Manjang Cave (the world's longest lava tube). Plan at least two to three days to explore the island.
Korea's "museum without walls" is akin only to China in its depth and cultural wonder. From Pusan, you can journey to the ancient Silla capital of Kyongju, a dynasty which reigned in Korea for almost a thousand years. Today this small provincial town is virtually a museum without walls, dotted with many splendid ruins. Nearby, the forested mountains and valleys shelter hundreds of beautiful Buddhist shrines including the renowned Sokkuram Grotto, and Tongdosa and Pulguksa Temples. Pusan is also a shopper's mecca and Korea's vital southern link to Japanese and American trade.
If your schedule permits stopping at only one city other than Seoul, that city should be Gyeongju, 165 mi/265 km southeast of Seoul. It was the capital of the Silla Kingdom (57 BC-AD 935) and has a high concentration of temples, statuary and burial mounds, as well as an excellent historical museum.
One of the highlights of your visit will be a walk through Tumuli Park, where you'll stroll among the burial mounds of 20 kings, some several stories high and looking more like hills covered with soft green grass than the royal tombs that they are. (Oddly enough, the park was only dedicated in the 1970s. Before that, the area was residential.) Just a few have been excavated, and the interior of only one is open to the public. Inside, an exhibit re-creates what it looked like when the mound was first explored, and some of the original contents are on display. Most of the finds, however, are exhibited in the Gyeongju National Museum, along with other artifacts from Gyeongju's golden age.
Outside of town is Bulguk Temple, one of the most beautiful temples in the country. It's a large complex with wonderful architecture, pagodas and statuary. There are other temples and mounds near Gyeongju (some have larger-than-life stone soldiers and bureaucrats to guard and guide the departed kings in the afterlife) as well as the Seogbinggo (where ice was kept long before refrigeration), Anapji Pond (a part of the royal pleasure garden), a very early star-gazing tower and other relics.
Also within easy driving distance are the Seokguram Grotto (containing an exquisite stone Buddha image surrounded by friezes) and the Poseokjeong Pavilion. In the mountains surrounding the city are thousands of Buddhist temples, inscriptions and pagodas (the roads to some are impassable without a four-wheel-drive vehicle). You could spend weeks driving around, but two or three days will give most travelers a taste of the area.
One other nearby attraction merits mention, though it is difficult to get to: the underwater tomb of King Munmu (AD 661-681). The tomb is submerged in shallow water in the middle of a little island about 300 ft/90 m offshore. Legends say that King Munmu asked to be buried there so he could return as a dragon to protect his people from invasion. Visitors must bargain with a local boat owner to get to the tomb.
If time permits, visit the village of Yangdong, just south of Pohang. Ignored by most tourists, the village seems immune to all forms of modernization.
Seoul, capital of South Korea, lies in the northwest of the country on the Han River 37 miles from the coast. Landmarks in Seoul include the National Museum, featuring collections of Korean art and artefacts; the National Science Museum; Ch'anggyong, Ch'angdok, Kyongbok, and Toksu palaces; Chong-myo Shrine; a Roman Catholic cathedral; and zoological and botanical gardens. Other sights include the bell tower, which contains a large bronze bell inscribed with the date 1468, and the remains of the ancient stone wall that once encircled the city.
