Sungnimsa Temple is one of the major temples of the Iksan area and is believed by some to have been built along with Geumsansa Temple by monk Jinpyo Yulsa during the reign of King Gyeongdeok (King of Silla, 742-764). Others believe that the temple was established by the monk Haengyeo Seonsa during the first year of King Chungmok of the Goryeo Dynasty (1345). Historians do know for a fact however that the temple was burnt down during the Imjin War (Japanese Invasion of Korea, 1592-1598), leaving only Bogwangjeon Hall. Later, in 1697 (the 23rd year of King Sukjong of the Joseon Dynasty) Wuhwaru Pavilion and Yeongwonjeon Hall were reconstructed followed by Nahanjeon Hall.Sungnimsa Temple was named after the mountain and temple where Bodhi-Dharma practiced his meditation. Bodhi-Dharma, a great monk from the south of India, practiced seated Zen meditation for 9 years at the Sorimsa Temple located deep in Sungsan Mountain in China. In his honor, Sungnimsa Temple (a Buddhist temple of the same sect) was named after the mountain (‘Sung’) and the temple (‘Rim’ or ‘Nim’) where the Dharma lived.

Situated on Sabulsan Mountain, the temple is a beautiful building, rich in history. The name of the mountain on which the temple was built was originally called Gongdeoksan, but was later known as Sabulsan. The name, Sabulsan, (meaning “Four Buddhas”) comes from the legend of the Silla Period in which a large stone shrouded with red silk and etched with four faces of Buddha mysteriously descended upon the mountain. Upon hearing the news of this miraculous event, the king at the time (King Jinpyeong) immediately visited the spot and had the temple built next to the sacred stone. The temple was partially destroyed by fire in the summer of 1922, but was restored in 1927 thanks to the efforts of Monks Uiun, Chwiwol, and Deoksan. In January 1958, the temple once again suffered fire damage, leaving only a few buildings (Geukrakjeon, Myeongbujeon, and Sansingak) untouched. Monks Daehyu, Seolwol, and Jeongam helped to restore the temple and the temple has remained well-preserved ever since.

Seongmoam, a temple of the Jogye Order, is located on Yuangsan Mountain in Mangyeong-myeon, Gimje-si. The temple is the final resting place of the mother of Jinmuk Daesa, a great Buddhist monk from the Jeonbuk region. Jinmuk believed that a person’s love and respect for Buddha is not that much different from the love and respect one has for his or her parents. As an expression of this philosophy, Jinmuk had his mother’s remains enshrined at the temple after she died at Mujasoncheonnyeonhyanghwajiji. A neat little line of stone lamps leads visitors up from the parking lot to the temple grounds, revealing the well-attended grave of Jinmuk Daesa’s mother to the left. The temple is very unique in that it is the only one to house a caretaker’s office (Gosiraejoen Hall) that is responsible for maintaining the grave site. It is said that prayers made to Seongmo (the holy mother) while visiting the temple will come true. Throughout the entire year, throngs of people journey to the temple to pay their respects and earnestly ask the holy mother to grant them their deepest desires.

Deokjusa Temple is a branch temple of Beopjusa, the head temple of the 5th district of the Jogye Order. The temple is believed to have been established by Princess Deokju, the last princess of the Silla Kingdom, in 586 AD (9th year of King Jinpyeong of Silla). According to legend, Princess Deokju stayed at the site with Prince Maui and built the temple, naming it “Deokjusa” after herself. The temple once stood in front of the Deokjusa Maaebul Rock-carved Buddha (Treasure No. 406), but was burned down during the Korean War. The present temple building stands about 1.7 kilometers from the original temple site and is the result of reconstruction efforts conducted in the 1970s.

Sinbulsan Falls Recreational Forest is located at the foot of Sinbulsan Mountain noted for the Yeongnam Alps and the beautiful surrounding valleys. The particularly famous forest attractions are its valleys and waterfalls. The Paraso Falls are a picturesque series of cascading falls. Near the falls are old Buddhist temples and the silver grass field of Sinbulsan Mountain. The forest houses a walking path, health training facility, forest exhibition hall, and accommodation facilities such as the Cabin House, Forest Recreation Center, a camping deck and a camping site.

Sintan-ri Station opened on December 1, 1942. This railway station has been under the jurisdiction of North Korea since August 15, 1945. Sintan-ri Station is the last station on the Gyeongwon Line because trains can't go further beyond this point. Most passengers getting off at this station are those headed for Godaesan Mountain or tourists visiting areas around the DMZ.

Yulpo Beach blends the beauty of a pine tree forest and silver sands on this 1.2 kilometer-long beach. The air is scented with the ocean breezes, pine trees and the hint of fresh green tea. Although being a small fishing village, the region’s famous green tea and beautiful beaches have resulted in many tourists visiting Yulpo Beach. The area has become a family summer resort, fully equipped with accommodation and leisure facilities.

The primary source of Geumgang River is a spring called ‘Ddeunbong’ in Subun-ri, Jangsu-gun, Jeollabuk-do, which flows to the north. At Changnam, it changes direction and enters Bangu-ri, Buri-myeon, Geumsan-gun. From here, the river flows through steep mountains. At Sutong-ri, the precipitous cliffs of a mountain named ‘Jeokbyeok’ tower proudly above, and where the river runs under these steep cliffs it is called the ‘Jeokbyeokgang River’ (적벽강).‘Jeokbyeok’ literally means ‘red walls’ in Korean. The Geumgang River under Jeokbyeok is as calm as a peaceful lake with long sandy shores. This riverbank is alive with beautiful flowers in spring, green pine trees in summer, and in fall, the green gives way to an autumnal tint, until lovely snowscapes blanket the area in winter. A fisherman in his boat in the middle of the river makes the landscape more picturesque. In summer, the Jeokbyeokgang River’s banks can become quite crowded with visitors.