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Cheju (Jeju) City, Cheju (Jeju) Island
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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.
Daejeon
Daejeon, South Korea, located 95 mi/150 km south of Seoul, hosted the 1993 World Expo, which has been converted to a theme park focused on science and technology. West of town is Gyeryong Mountain, where there are hiking trails, beautiful fall foliage, and the Gapsa and Donghaksa temples nestled in the hills. Southeast of town is Jikjisa Temple and its 1,000 statues of the Buddha as a baby (the entire temple complex, in a gorgeous setting in the mountains, is wondrous). The Yuseong Hot Springs are also worth a visit.
About 50 mi/80 km northeast of Daejeon is Songnisan National Park. A wonderful place to experience Korea's Buddhist culture firsthand, it houses Beopjusa Temple, home to Korea's tallest Buddha statue (109 ft/33 m high). The Korean government named its mountain peaks one of the country's eight most scenic attractions. Also not far from Daejeon is the Twin Lions Stone Lantern, the Stone Lotus water container and other national treasures, all set in a beautiful, wooded mountain setting. The park is especially beautiful during spring and fall.
Allow two days for Daejeon and the surrounding area—we recommend overnighting near one of the temples rather than in the city itself.
Cheju (Jeju) City, Cheju (Jeju) Island
Cheju Island is known as a place of fantasy or mystery and is highlighted for its uniqueness. In the center of this island, there is Halla Mountain which was a volcano once rising 6,397 feet above sea level. About 1,800 kinds of plants find home in this island. It holds rich underground resources, and every kind of fish and corals in the clean blue sea area. Cheju is a tourist resort due to the many guests visiting this blessed island from around the world.
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.
Andong
Traditionally a center for the yangban (aristocrat) class, Andong and the surrounding area have retained much of Korea's old culture. When the Andong Dam was built in 1976, 111 mi/180 km southeast of Seoul, the resulting lake would have destroyed many cultural relics. Luckily, most were relocated to the Andong Folk Village (Hahoe Maeul) and Folk Museum, both located near the foot of the dam. Some of the houses have been converted to restaurants serving traditional food—definitely worth a stop.
Located north of Andong, Dosan Seowon was one of the country's most famous Confucian institutes. West of the town you will find the Hahoe Maeul, a living folk village with more than 100 traditional buildings. If you want to rough it and see how Koreans used to live, you can even arrange a homestay with one of the villagers there (best to have someone in the Korean Tourism Organization make arrangements for you in Korean, however). A popular Mask Dance Festival is held there each autumn, a combination of dance, drama, satire and traditional shamanistic rituals.
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.
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.
Daejeon, South Korea, located 95 mi/150 km south of Seoul, hosted the 1993 World Expo, which has been converted to a theme park focused on science and technology. West of town is Gyeryong Mountain, where there are hiking trails, beautiful fall foliage, and the Gapsa and Donghaksa temples nestled in the hills. Southeast of town is Jikjisa Temple and its 1,000 statues of the Buddha as a baby (the entire temple complex, in a gorgeous setting in the mountains, is wondrous). The Yuseong Hot Springs are also worth a visit.
About 50 mi/80 km northeast of Daejeon is Songnisan National Park. A wonderful place to experience Korea's Buddhist culture firsthand, it houses Beopjusa Temple, home to Korea's tallest Buddha statue (109 ft/33 m high). The Korean government named its mountain peaks one of the country's eight most scenic attractions. Also not far from Daejeon is the Twin Lions Stone Lantern, the Stone Lotus water container and other national treasures, all set in a beautiful, wooded mountain setting. The park is especially beautiful during spring and fall.
Allow two days for Daejeon and the surrounding area—we recommend overnighting near one of the temples rather than in the city itself.
Cheju Island is known as a place of fantasy or mystery and is highlighted for its uniqueness. In the center of this island, there is Halla Mountain which was a volcano once rising 6,397 feet above sea level. About 1,800 kinds of plants find home in this island. It holds rich underground resources, and every kind of fish and corals in the clean blue sea area. Cheju is a tourist resort due to the many guests visiting this blessed island from around the world.
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.
Traditionally a center for the yangban (aristocrat) class, Andong and the surrounding area have retained much of Korea's old culture. When the Andong Dam was built in 1976, 111 mi/180 km southeast of Seoul, the resulting lake would have destroyed many cultural relics. Luckily, most were relocated to the Andong Folk Village (Hahoe Maeul) and Folk Museum, both located near the foot of the dam. Some of the houses have been converted to restaurants serving traditional food—definitely worth a stop.
Located north of Andong, Dosan Seowon was one of the country's most famous Confucian institutes. West of the town you will find the Hahoe Maeul, a living folk village with more than 100 traditional buildings. If you want to rough it and see how Koreans used to live, you can even arrange a homestay with one of the villagers there (best to have someone in the Korean Tourism Organization make arrangements for you in Korean, however). A popular Mask Dance Festival is held there each autumn, a combination of dance, drama, satire and traditional shamanistic rituals.
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.
