Bogwangsa Temple is a traditional temple located on Goryeongsan Mountain in Paju-si. It was built by the great monk Doseonguksa during the Silla Kingdom under the order of Queen Jinseong in the eight year of her reign (AD 894). Bogwangsa Temple offers a temple stay program through which participants can learn about temple etiquette and experience temple life. Activities include attending Buddhist services, participating in prayers of repentance, engaging in Zen meditation, and eating temple meals and learning about the temple tea ceremony. The temple is set against a naturally scenic site and the sounds of the water flowing in the valley mixed with the Buddhist chants result in a calmness difficult to find anywhere else!

Neungkang Sotdae Art Museum in Neunggang-ri of Jechun-si City in Chungcheongbuk-do Province is a museum of 'sotdaes,' which are ancient prayer poles with a duck or bird-shaped figurine on top that were usually placed at the village entrance. Many of these artifacts can be found inside and outside of a modern structure at the museum site, which is located near the vast Chungju Lake. Other nearby tourist attractions include Neunggang Valley that is situated at the foot of Geumsusan Mountain and surrounded by lush pine forests, rocky cliffs, streams and waterfalls. There is also Jeongbangsa Temple, which is told to have been built by the renowned Buddhist priest, Uisang, during the Silla Kingdom.

The Gochang Pansori Museum was established in the old residence of ‘Dongni’ Sin Jae-Hyo (a musical theorist and arranger and a sponsor of Pansori) with the aim of honoring the great Pansori singers of the past (including Sin Jae-Hyo) and preserving and developing the indigenous tradition of Pansori. Of the original rooms of the residence only Sarangchae (an annex where men used to study or welcome guests) has been renovated and is open to the public. Right next to Sarangchae is the Dongni Gugakdang (Korean Traditional Music Hall).Over 1,000 pieces related to Pansori and great local singers are on display at the museum, included personal possessions once owned by Sin Jae-Hyo (penname ‘Dongni’). For those interested in learning more about the traditional art of Pansori music or experiencing high-quality Pansori, the Gochang Pansori Museum is a must-visit travel destination.

Wondang Ranch became famous as it was used as a drama filming site. It includes some dangerous facilities and therefore there are certain restrictions to the public. Inside the ranch, visitors can watch horses taking a leisure walk on the pasture.The ranch is a place for training jockeys and horse-related workers, and do not serve as a citizen’s park. Hence, drinking, cooking, making noises, engaging in any forms of sports including balls, installing tents are prohibited in this area. In addition, all visitors must clear their leftovers, if any before leaving.* Area: approx. 363,638㎡ (110,000 pyeong)* Grass field: approx. 165,290㎡ (50,000 pyeong)

The Jeongsimhwa International Cultural Center is the large building on the right, just past the gate of Chungnam National University. ‘Jeongsimhwa’ is the Buddhist name of Ms. Lee Bok-Soon, who donated her lifetime savings (a total of five billion won) to the university back in 1990. She had earned the money over the course of many years by selling gimbap (rice rolled in seaweed), which currently sells for only 1,000 or 2,000 won a roll. The cultural center was built in commemoration of the late Ms. Lee. After a series of setbacks and through the effort of many helping hands, construction was finally completed in 2000. The Jeongsimhwa Hall at the center has 1,817 seats and is used for concerts, performances, and other large-scale events. Baekma Hall (450 seats) and Daedeok Hall (200 seats) are used primarily for seminars. For visitors’ convenience, the Jeongsimhwa International Cultural Center has a parking area with space for up to 268 cars.

Paroho Lake (파로호) is a manmade lake created when Hwacheon Dam was built in the valley of the Bukhangang River (북한강). The lake is capable of holding up to one billion tons of water and the Dam of Peace is located further upstream. You can enjoy the beautiful scenery of Mt Il and Wolmyeongbong Peak as well as the thick forest and pristine valleys in the surrounding area. As Paroho Lake’s unpolluted water is home to many kinds of freshwater fish such as carp, crucian carp, catfish and mandarin fish, the lake is gaining popularity as an excellent fishing spot.

Constructed in the eighth year of King Gyeongdeok of the Shilla Dynasty (749), Mihwangsa Temple is located on the west side of Mt. Dalmasan (489m), the Mt.Geumgangsan of Southern Sea, and is situated the furthest south of all temples in the Korean peninsula. The beautiful sunset and the view of the graceful Mt. Dalmasan from the temple attracts numerous tourists. The foot of the mountain found behind the temple blends well with the suitable-sized temple and the appearance of Daeungbojeon gives out an aura of comfort and tranquility. The cornerstone of Daeungbojeon is carved with sea creatures, such as turtles and crabs that cannot be observed elsewhere. Moreover, you can enjoy observing various stone and statues, such as Gwebul (national treasure no. 1342), where people pray for rain during the dry season. Other attractions include 18th century murals on the walls of Daeungbojeon and Unginjeon, and Buddhist statues such as bosal, nahan, dongja and shinjangsang.

Starting from Subun-ri, Jangsu-gun of Jeollabuk-do, Geumgang River flows from the east to the west passing through Chungcheong-do and the northern region of Jeollabuk-do before it reaches the Yellow Sea at Gunsan. In the old days people had to cross the river from Gunsan to Janghang by boat but over the years an estuary has formed at the mouth of the some 400-km-long river so that today people now come and go in their cars between the two cities.Geumgang estuary became a famous tourist attraction because of its majestic beauty but it has changed quite a bit compared to how it was before. Waves of reeds stretch along the riverside, and behind it are some hills that include Dolsan Mountain at about 100m and the more substantial Mt. Oseongsan at 230m. Come November a flock of swans fly into the estuary. It is truly a sight to behold. As well as being the breeding grounds for swans, the estuary has become a sanctuary for many rare birds including oyster catchers (Haematopus ostralegus) and Saunder’s gulls (Larus saundersi). So, visitors in winter can feast their eyes on the many birds that have made the estuary their home.