Located on Jirisan Mountain, the Jirisan National Park was Korea's first designated national park. The Jirisan mountain range extends across five cities in three provinces: Gurye-gun in Jeollanam-do; Namwon-si in Jeollabuk-do; Hadong-gun, Sancheong-gun and Hamyang-gun in Gyeongsangnam-do.Jirisan Mountain has over 10 peaks including Nogodan (1,507m), Banyabong (1,732m), Jeseokbong (1,806m) and Cheonwangbong (1,915m), several valleys including Baemsagol and Chilseon, and waterfalls including Guryong, Buril, Yongchu and Chilseon Falls. The park is also home to such cultural assets as Hwaeomsa, Ssanggyesa and Daewonsa Temples.

The Ansan Culture & Arts Center officially opened on October 2, 2004, following its success at the Ansan Yeormio Festival and Harmony Festival. The center boasts state-of-the-art stage facilities capable of holding any type of production orchestrated by Korean and international theater directors.

Gosapo Beach commands a magnificent scenic view, thanks to the songnim (pine forest) planted along the beach as a windbreaker. During the summer season, visitors can set up their tents among the pine trees and look out onto the beach from their tents. Less well-known than Byeonsan Beach, Gosapo Beach offers a more quiet summer vacation. The cookhouse, bathhouse, and restrooms are clean and bright. For three days before or after the 1st and the 15th day in the lunar calendar, the sea seems to part, creating a path from Gosapo Beach to Haseom Island. Here, visitors can experience a natural phenomenon similar to the “Moses Miracle.”

Seonamsa is a beautiful temple located at the west end of Mt. Jogyesan. You have to walk about 1 km from the entrance to reach the temple. If you go along the valley, two rainbow shaped bridges appear; the large one at the back is Seungseon Bridge. Seungseon Bridge is designated as National Treasure No. 400, and it is Korea’s most beautiful arched stone bridge. Because it blends in so well with the valley below, it is often used as shooting location for movies and TV shows. Just beyond Seungseon Bridge is Gangseonru Tower, a fitting pair to the bridge before it. Walk by the tower and you will come across a small oval-shape pond called Samindang. There is a small isle inside the pond, and an evergreen on the isle makes for beautiful scenery. Go further and Ilju Gate appears. Then various temple buildings come out. The big timber blocks of the temple buildings are impressive, and they blend in elegantly with the surrounding mountains. Anywhere you look, the structures harmonize with the nature surrounding them. The hiking course on the left of Seonamsa Temple takes you to Ma-aebuli, the 7m high sculpture engraved on a rock.Seonamsa Temple is beautiful throughout the year, but it is especially inviting during the spring when all the bluish and brilliant flowers start to bloom, as well as in the fall with the autumn colors.

The Cheonan Three-way Intersection Park (Cheonan Samgeori Park) was known as the Samnamdaero junction back in the day. The prominent gorvernors passed by this road and the humble scholars stopped by to take a rest at this place. The park was built to commemorate Cheonan Samgeori, which is famous for Heungtaryeong (a Korean folk song that expresses happy and joyful feelings). Cheonan aims to make this historic road a tourist attraction by planting weeping willows along the streets. Yeongnamru Pavilion (영남루), the gatehouse of Hwachukgwan House (화축관) (the guesthouse for Kings), was also moved to the lake. Various cultural events like the Cheonan World Dance Festival (Cheonan Heungtaryeong Festival) (천안 흥타령춤축제) take place in this park every year.

Sondo Yonggung Suspension Bridge connects the renovated Songdo Cloud Bridge from Songdo Beach to Geobukseom Island and extended from Amnam Park to Dongseom Island. Visitors can enjoy the thrill of walking above the waters while enjoying the beautiful view in this 127 meters long bridge. Closed First and third Monday of the month, the day of Seollal (Lunar New Year's Day) & Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving Day) * Subject to closure during adverse weather, call ahead before visiting. Operating Hours 09:00~18:00 (March~September) / Last admission: 17:30 09:00~17:00 (October~February) / Last admission: 16:30

The Cheongnamdae (청남대) is a presidential vacation villa located near Daecheong Dam (대청댐) in Cheongwon-gu, Chungcheongbuk-do. The former president Chun Doo-hwan was greatly impressed by the scenic surroundings while attending the ceremony for the completion of Daecheong Dam in 1980. The construction of Cheongnamdae started in June, 1983 and was completed in six months (December). Cheongnamdae, built on a 560,000 pyeong-wide area, means ‘Cheongwadae in a warm southern land’ in Korean. South Korean presidents would stay in this remote vacation villa 4-5 times (or sometimes 7-8 times) a year during summer vacation or national holidays. In total, Korean presidents have stayed here nearly 400 days over 88 visits in two decades.There were four presidential villas including the one in Gimhae in the past. During Kim Young-sam’s administration, however, all but Cheongnamdae were closed. Cheongnamdae, which had been closed to the public for twenty years, was finally opened to the public on April 18, 2003 by former president Roh Moo-hyun. Visitors can view a music fountain inside the ecological wetland garden (990㎡), hike a 3.3km mountain trail and visit the Hoban Promenade (8km), or simply take a pleasant walk along a beautiful trail, and enjoy the scenic landscape of Daecheongho Lake.* Geographical Location Cheongnamdae is located in Munui-myeon, Cheongwon-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do. Encircled by mountain peaks including Oksaebong Peak, Wolchulbong Peak, Mt. Jakdusan and Sowibong Peak, it is completely hidden. The beautiful Daecheongho Lake surrounds the presidential vacation villa as well and many feng-shui masters have declared this spot to be the finest in Korea. * Size1) Site area: 330 land parcel area, 558,000 pyeong (1,844,628.1 ㎡)2) Buildings: 46 houses / 3,377 pyeong (11,163.64 ㎡)

Magoksa Temple was founded by Monk Jajangyulsa in 640, a representative temple of the Chungcheongnam-do Province. Magoksa is surrounded by a mountain and rivers curving a yin-yang shape. Perhaps because of such a shape, this temple was never damaged by any major wars during the Joseon Period (1392-1910). As much as the temple's fame, the beauty of the surrounding mountains is renowned especially the area surrounded by Mt. Taehwasan, where Taegeukcheon River flows in the shape of the yin-yang. It is most beautiful during the spring time, when the cherry blossoms, sansuyu, and magnolias fill the whole area.One eye-catching sight at Magoksa Temple are the Ocheung Stone pagoda and the Chinese juniper trees scholar Kim-Gu (Korean politician and freedom activist) is said to have planted. The top of Ocheung Stone pagoda is decorated with bronze. This style was influenced by the Lama Buddhist sect of Tibet, and there are said to be only three of such structures left in the world. Inaddition Daegwongbojeon and Geuknakgyo are also worth a visit.

Jikso Falls is located inside the Byeonsanbando National Park. A 4-km walk up the hiking trail from Naesosa Temple leads to this 30-meter waterfall that thunders down from the mountain above. Known as one of the most beautiful sights in Byeonsanbando National Park, the waterfall is very popular with tourists.

Bongjeongsa Temple was built in the 12th year of King Munmu, who ruled the Silla Kingdom from 661 to 681. According to legend, the Great Buddist Monk Ui-Sang (625-702) was launched from Buseoksa Temple and landed on this spot. Documents from Geuknakjeon state that Neungin Daedeuk, a disciple of Monk Ui-Sang, established the temple, and it was rebuilt several times during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910).Bongjeongsa Temple is the largest temple in Andong and possesses the oldest wooden building in Korea, called Geuknakjeon. Past the Ilju Gate and the forest path is the Bongjeongsa Temple. Bongjeongsa Temple has a unique and elegant atmosphere. The old trees and hermitages nearby are also worth a look. There are many towers inside, such as the Daeungjeon (National Treasure No. 55), Geuknakjeon (National Treasure No. 15), and many others. There are also important buildings, such as the three-storey Stone Pagoda, the representative pagoda of the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392). Geuknakjeon from the Goryeo Dynasty and Daeungjeon from the Joseon Dynasty stand next to each other. It is interesting to compare these two types of architecture. Inside both buildings are trees with the complete collection of Buddhist Sutras, Laws, and Treatises.