Tourist Attractions & Monuments South Korea

Woraksan is a large, wild national park and less visited than others. It includes some of the 8 wonders of Danyang. It offers beautiful walks, but has no famous grand temple. It can be entered by several entries: Worak (the ferry stop, northwest), Janghoe (another stop of the ferry, to the northeast), Danyang (for "wonders", to the northeast), etc. From Worak, you arrive in the Songgye valley. You can leave here to climb the Pic peak (1 094 m). More south is Mireuksaji. There are the remains of a fortress built under Goryeo and some Temples, including Deokjusa with strange phalliques stones. This beautiful valley is crossed by a road and there are 4 entrances with minbaks and restaurants from which you can leave in the mountains. There are minbaks in the Danyang area and many campgrounds in the park, but there are no shelters. A free card is available called "Chungju-Suanbo" which presents a detailed plan for the park.

A private gallery-gallery with temporary exhibitions and a permanent collection of outdoor statues in a beautiful site.

This park on the other side of the creek that will throw itself into the sea has as its main attraction a beautiful waterfall. It falls 22 m high below the road bridge in the middle of cliffs in a 21 m deep basin. Two other cascades follow before the creek flows 2 km further into the sea. The Seonim bridge 128 m long over the gorge seems to be out of a scene of Alice in Wonderland. We have a pretty view on the throat. There is also a pavilion that overlooks everything.

It's a small white sand beach with rocks. water is clean and beautiful. There are not many housing units. There are dining huts in the summer on the beach.

There are around Donghae 2 pleasant beaches: Mangsang to the north and Choam to the south, with restaurants, yeogwans, minbaks, etc. You can also drive from the beaches to the south towards Pohang, or to the north towards Gangneung and Sokcho.

It is said that under Silla, geomancy advised to build many Buddhist monuments in this part of the peninsula to restore the imbalance that the mountains made. Among these "counterweight" temples, Unjusa (founded in 827) was said to have had 1,000 Buddhas and 1,000 stupas up to Joseon. There are only 70 statues and bas-reliefs and 18 stupas left but they are original. Especially the two famous lying Buddhas, 12 m long. They are unique in Korea in their horizontal position, and in the unexplainable fact that one of the Buddhas is said to be female.

Very pleasant beach with the advantage of being much less busy than the other beaches in the vicinity.

The bay is almost closed on Sangju beach. It turns out to be very large but, being considered, crowded with the smallest sunshine. There are only minbaks to sleep there.

These beaches are not far from the city (Gampo, the main village, is 30 km from Kyeongju), but they are rather disappointing, which is a pity, because the coast is pretty, with its rocks bursting with beautiful water and its pine forests. From north to south we meet Oryu (grey sand), Gampo (idem, and dirty in addition), Daebon, Munmu (dirty), Bonggil (nuclear power station), Gwanseong (galets). But finally, if you really want to swim, there is all along the coast of hotels, yeogwans, restaurants in abundance.

There is an audiovisual room, an Internet café, information and exhibitions on Seoul… The brochure «Seoul Survival» is available for those who wish to settle in the capital. The town hall also publishes a good brochure, Traditional Ceremonies and Festivals on major festivals in the capital.

It also proposes a volunteer guide service: Goodwill Guide - Tel (+82 2 797 8212 - free service to accompany you in the discovery of the city. It is better to book his guide 2 or 3 weeks in advance on the website. In case of emergency, the central office of the KNTO must be contacted.

For Zen meditation, you can go from 4 a. m. to 19 p. m. in this temple, which organizes every Sunday at 13 p. m. lectures on Dharma initiation and meditation sessions in English. Possibility of retirement in the winter and summer over long periods or for short sessions (3-4 days). Look in the press in English. It is located in Seoul, but away from the hustle and bustle of the centre, with beautiful walks in the Bukhansan mountain.

This temple is located behind the Hyundai gallery, near the Artsonje gallery. There are Buddhist services in English on Sunday at 18 p. m. There is also a small library. The centre organizes all kinds of activities for foreigners, such as meditation and singing sessions, making paper lanterns for the Buddha's birthday, etc. They currently build on the island of Ganghwado a Retreat for foreigners. A weekly meeting is held on Thursday at 19 a. m.

One of the hills where you can walk and take the air if you stay south of the river. There is nothing special to see, if it is some pheasants and other "natural monuments" in Seoul. At M ° Bangbae lies Cheonggwonsa, the tomb and the altar dedicated to Prince Hyoryeong (1396-1486), the second beloved son of Taejong and brother Frère king of King Sejong. Although he never reigned, he is known for his deep devotion to Buddhism. He will oversee the work of the Won-gaksa temple (now Tapgol or Pagoda Park).

This sanctuary is dedicated to the general of Goryeo Gang Gam-chan (948-1031), who spent his life defending his country against the invaders. A 3-storey pagoda was built on the site of its birth at the same time as an altar. The name comes from a legend that a star fell from heaven on the day of birth. The pagoda was moved and the shrine restored in 1973. There is not much to see but it is a nice district in Seoul near the mountains.

This small private museum on the fifth floor of a building houses a rich collection of traditional Korean embroidery and other feminine objects. As explained by his founder, Santi Dong-hwa, who spent 30 years of his life bringing together the 3 000 pieces of his collection, embroidery was one of the few ways of Joseon's masked women to express their artistic feelings and talents. More than handicrafts, these small works of art reveal a universe of colours, shapes and finesse. Most of the works date from Joseon, like a magnificent Buddhist screen named National treasure. The collection includes many pojagi, these fabrics used to wrap everything you were carrying, but which could serve as tissue, cushions, bags, etc., as a Korean scientist said, Korean culture could be described as a "pojagi culture" because this little piece of tissue, which does not take place but has many uses, reveals the spirit of the tissu. traditional Korea. Mr Hu, for lack of space, had to give up 600 pieces of his collection, which will be exhibited in a special pavilion of the new National Museum.

This beautiful mountain walk in Seoul is part of Seoul National University. Get off at M ° Seoul University # 228 on the green line 2 and take the small bus that deposits you to the campus gate. Take the path that is on the right before the portal. It is possible to visit university museums before climbing.

This national park is the only one in the country that offers a mix of mountains and ocean. It is divided into two sections: the Oebyeonsan coastal area and the Naebyeonsan inland mountainous area. In addition to its stunning nature, the main attractions are the Gaeamsa, Naeamsa, Naesosa temples; the Jikso waterfalls and the Guam-ri dolmens. Without exaggeration, this park offers the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets in the whole country! It is a great pleasure to hike there.

Designated a natural monument in 1962, this forest is unique. Indeed, it was built by the inhabitants of the area nearly 300 years ago to protect themselves from winds and waves that were sometimes a little too violent. It is an unusual experience to be surrounded by hundreds of trees while having the sea just a few steps away. It is a famous spot for its sunrises and sunsets and many people flock there during the New Year.