Unjusa Temple is unlike other temples in that it has unusual Buddha statues and pagodas – it is often referred to as a mysterious temple. The founder of Unjusa Temple is not known but it is speculated that it was built during the Silla Period (BC 57~935).Unjusa does not have a Geumgangmun or Cheonwangmun, which are very often seen in Buddhist temples. The first thing you see when you enter Unjusa is the 9-story stone pagoda (National Treasure no. 796). The tower, again, does not have intricate designs, and is very simple. As you walk past the 9-story pagoda, you come to a forked road. Turning left, you will see Chilseong Rock. Because it resembles the 7 stars of the Big Dipper, some people argue that the rock is imitating the constellation. Follow the same road further and you will see two Buddha statues, called Wabul, where Buddha is resting on its side, lying down. These statues are, among the ones in Unjusa Temple, the most intricate in design and execution. Go up a bit further, and you will see the Siwibul Statue standing. Pass Siwibul Statue through the thick groves, and you will come to a series of 7-storey and 5-storey stone pagodas. What makes the stone pagodas of Unjusa Temple interesting to examine is that they each boats several unique designs and features.

Soswaewon Garden is a private garden from the Joseon Period where the beauty of traditional Korea is preserved. It was built by Yang San-Bo (1503-1557) after he gave up his success when his mentor Jo Gwang-Jo (1482-1519) was killed during a political strife. Soswaewon Garden presents itself as a clean and transparent garden where the righteous enjoy the life of anbinnakdo (being comfortable amid poverty and taking pleasure in and honest life style) surrounded by a bamboo grove. Including peach trees, various kinds of trees and grass are planted on both sides of the stream while clear water flows down the foot of the garden walls. The log bridge above the valley adds to the charm of the scenery. The harmony between nature and the artificial waterfall is a sight to behold. Soswaewon Garden is 150m away from the main road. Passing through the thick bamboo forest, you will find the small valley and Soswaewon Garden on your left.

From the seashore of Yeosu to Hongdo Island, Heuksando Island, Geomundo Island and Baekdo Island out west, Dadohaehaesang National Park covers about 1,700 small and large islands and various rocks. In the park, the blue sky and the ocean blend well with white sandy beaches, adding to the picturesque atmosphere.During the Silla period, the King of the Sea, Jang Bogo established the maritime world and during the Goryeo Dynasty, the area was a trading path with the Yuan and Song Dynasties. Also, it was the battlefield where Admiral Yi Sun-shin defeated the invading Japanese navy. Likewise, historical sites remains in many places.Among those islands, Hongdo Island and Heuksando Island are famous for tourists. In particular, one of Korea’s greatest fishery grounds is located in Heuksando Island.

On December 29, 1967 Jirisan Mountain (지리산) was designated Korea’s top national park. Jirisan is the largest mountain national park in the nation. You can get a full view of the Seomjingang River (섬진강), which runs alongside the mountain and into the Namhae Sea. If you’re lucky you can also spot some various plants and animals, including the Asiatic Black Bear, making Jirisan Mountain an even more interesting and inviting place to visit. As Jirisan Mountain changes with the different seasons, hikers can enjoy various aspects of the mountain’s terrain. However, there can be heavy rain and snow in the summer and winter, so some areas will be closed off in case of drastic changes in the weather and temperature. In the spring and fall, you can explore the mountain relatively freely. However, access may be limited to some areas for fear of forest fires in the dry season. If you want to hike up Jirisan Mountain it is recommended that you visit the homepage of the Korea National Park Service or contact the Jirisan Mountain Management Office before planning your trip.

Wolchulsan National Park is located in the southern part of Korea. The name Wolchulsan appropriately denotes "mountain where the moon rises." Starting with the Cheonhwangbong Peak (809m) at the center, the whole area is filled with rocky mountain peaks which all look special and unique. Walk for about 20 minutes past the National Park's parking lot and Dogapsa Temple, and the entrance to Weolchulsan comes in to view. About 5km beyond the gate, you can see Gujeolbong Peak, shaped like nine large pots. Because this place always has water, it is said that a dragon used to live here. Another 500m further along you can see Maaeyeoraejwasang, a sitting Buddha statue, which is designated as National Treasure No. 144. Just beyond the statue a path leading to the top passes through a lush green forest. When you reach the top of Wolchulsan Mountain, there is a large flat granite rock that can fit up to 300 people. Staring down from here gives you a great view of Wolchulsan Mountain. Climbing down from the top, you can cross the arched bridge, 120m from the ground, 52m long, and 6m wide. It takes a bit of courage to walk across this bridge. To the left of Sajabong Peak, around the middle of the mountain, there is a waterfall pouring down into the valley as seven separate falls on top of each other, called Chilchi Waterfall. On the way down to Dogapsa and Muwisa Temples, there is a field of reeds by the road that becomes spectacularly beautiful during fall. The sunset in the west is also beautiful beyond description. In the spring, the azaleas, in the summer the cool waterfalls, in the fall, all kinds of lovely colors, and in the winter, the snow covered mountains and valleys – Wolchulsan National Park is truly a wonderful site to visit all year around.

The hometown of Wangin Baksa (Wangin, the Great Scholar) is located at the foot of Munpilbong Peak to the east of Gurim village. Due to Wangin’s importance and contributions to Korean history, this historical attraction is preserved and maintained in honor of his memory and achievements.Seonggidong is the official birthplace of Dr. Wangin (marked by the Yuheobi memorial monument) and is also home to Seongcheon; the well Wangin is believed to have drunk from. Halfway up Mt. Wolchulsan are Chaekgul, Munsanjae and Yangsajae where Wangin is said to have studied as well as nurtured local pupils. To commemorate the significance of these areas, a memorial is held every March at Munsanjae and Yansanjae.In front of Chaekgul is a statue of Dr. Wangin which is said to symbolize his benevolent character. Just west of Seonggidong is Doljeonggogae, a hill from which it is believed Dr. Wangin made a sorrowful look back at his countrymen before leaving for Japan.Wangin departed for Japan from Sangdaepo, which at the time was an international trading port. The renowned Baekje scholar was beginning his journey at the request of Japanese Emperor Eungshin. He took with him ten books on the Analects of Confucius and a book of Cheonjamun, a text of one thousand Chinese characters. Over time, he earned the trust of the emperor and became instructor to the crown prince. Wangin is well-known for his part in the development of Japanese culture and his name appears often in Japanese history. Wangin educated beyond textbooks and made great contributions to the development of arts, crafts and music and is revered as the originator of Japan’s Asuka culture.This historic site was originally reconstructed from 1985 to 1987 and is continually receiving improvements to improve accessibility for visitors. 

Situated at the basin of the ravine in Gojisan Mountain along the Geumseongsan mountain fortress and the Chuweolsan mountain range, Daenamugol (대나무골) is surrounded by tall bamboo trees. In spring, the soft green bamboo shoots blanket the whole field; it also serves as a habitat for sedentary birds to take care of their eggs. The landscaping of the Daenamugol Bamboo Park encapsulates the value of bamboo trees. You can enjoy the fresh crisp air walking in the bamboo grove and the thick pine tree forest. You can try the tea from wild bamboo tea trees grown in the bamboo forest. The park also has Green Town; it includes a playground made out of grass, a hall, an outdoor cooking facility, shower booths, sports fields (volley ball, Jokgu, table tennis, badminton). The theme park has appeared as a backdrop for movies like ‘The Last Witness,’ ‘Sword in the Moon’ as well as in the popular TV drama series ‘Hometown Legends,’ ‘Damo’ and in a number of commercials.

Hongdo Island is located 115 km southwest of Mokpo Harbor. It is composed of about 20 islands, and because it has an usual reddish-brown color about it, it is called Hongdo (Red Island). When the sun sets over the island, the whole area takes on a reddish hue.The seashore is bordered by towering sea cliffs with diverse shapes of rocks. With the blue sea and green forest, it remains the most spectacular sight in the Southern Sea. Hongdo Island has 33 officially designated beautiful sceneries, but the most famous of them all is the Hongdosipkyeong. Along with Nammun Rock and Seokhwagul Cave, Hongdosipkyeong shows off the beauty of Hongdo Island, and if you take a ferry to the island, you can see almost all of Hongdosipkyeong. It takes about 2 hours to go around the island, and you can explore the mysterious nature and its beauty. On the island, there are about 270 kinds of evergreens and 170 types of animals. As the government wanted to preserve the natural state of the island, it was designated as a Natural Preserved Area in 1965, and since 1981, has became part of Dadohae Marine National Park. With forests of pine trees and chestnut trees, it is also the native home of the very rare daeyeoppung reed.Because the entire island of Hongdo has been declared a Natural Monument, people are not allowed to enter areas other than the villages and designated tourist areas. Because of this, you cannot bring out even one stone or a pocket of grass from the island. Visitors that break the rules will be fined. 

The Hwasun Dolmen Site is located near the waterfalls of the mountain pass linking Dogok-myeon of Hyosan-ri and Chunnyang-myeon of Daesin-ri. According to experts, 135 of the 980 stones in Dogok-myeon Hyosan-ri are dolmen. There are also about 100 damaged stone tables that still maintain their original form. What makes the Hwasun dolmens special is that in such a small district there are as many as 596 dolmen, including Korea’s biggest stone table. Acknowledging the importance of the cultural assets, the Hwasun Dolmen Site was registered as World Heritage No. 997 in year 2000 along with Gochang and Ganghwa Dolmens.  

The National Maritime Museum is the only domestic marine museum. Opened in 1994, it is a 2-story building with a B1 floor. There are 4 main exhibit halls and one special exhibit hall. At Exhibition 1, "Underwater Cultural Heritage from Wando," about 3,000 Goryeo ceramic relics excavated from just off the Eoduri sea, Wando district, and the Wooden ship of the Goryeo (918~1392) dynasty are exhibited. The Wando ship is a model of the original boat, half the size of the original ship. You can view the landscape around the old sea and learn about the world’s marine excavation history in this exhibition hall. At Exhibition 2, “Underwater Cultural Heritage from Sinan," you can view 22,000 pieces of 14th century Chinese ships, crockery and golden-ware. At Exhibition 3, "The Life of a Korean Fishing Village," you can learn about the traditional fishing techniques and tools, and you can view the living conditions of those times. It is interesting to compare the fishing methods of today to the past. And at Exhibition 4, "Korean Traditional Boats," you can see the development of Korean shipping and shipbuilding. There are many models displayed, from the ships of the Goryeo dynasty to the oilers of today. The rabbit and turtle shaped ships are quite eye-catching. When you have finished touring all the exhibit halls, take a stroll down the lounge to the souvenir shop to relax. On clear warm days, it is soothing to sit in the lounge under the warm sun. The sunshine coming through the window is brilliant. After a break, you can go outside to the outdoor exhibit, and enjoy seeing more traditional ships. [Convenient facility] Locker/storage room, Open space (PC Zone), Museum Shop, etc. are available. [Special Services] Guided Tours (Free / Information Desk on 1/F / Audio Guide) Luggage Lockers (Free / Information Desk on 1/F) Baby Carriages & Wheelchairs (Free / Information Desk on 1/F)