Gwangju Riverside Eco Park (185,124m²) is divided into themed districts and features a natural observation center, an eco-experience center, and more. In the flower district, visitors can see more than 170,000 kinds of wild flowers including azaleas, forsythia, smile rosebay, roses, royal azaleas and hydrangeas. Visitors may also enjoy the picturesque view of over 3000 kinds of trees including snowbells, quince, Chinese parasol trees, Japanese maples, and Metasequoia trees. At the wetlands district, you may actually see how birds hatch and grow! Since the Eco Park is only 30 minutes away from downtown Gwangju, it is a popular place for citizens during the warmer months. Some of the popular places in the park are the Buyeop Botanical Garden, Waterfront Observatory Deck, and rock garden.

Yeonggyeongmyo grave is grave of the mother of King Mokjo and the 5th great-grandmother of King Taejo of the Joseon Dynasty. During the 3rd year of King Gojong’s reign (1899), the grave as well as memorial monuments were built together with Jungyeongmyo, a grave for the 5th great-grandfather of King Taejo. Surrounded by a rich forest, it has a beautiful view. Every April 20th, an ancestral ritual is held by the Lee family (from Jeonju). Jungyeongmyo grave is located in Hwalgi-ri.

Hallyeohaesang National Marine Park (한려해상국립공원) covers Gyeongsangnam-do Province’s Sacheon, Geoje, Tongyeong, Hadong and Namhae, and Jeonnam Province’s Yeosu. The 510,323㎢-wide sea park encompasses Dadohae Islets, Bijindo Island and Haegeumgang. The Donam Complex in Tongyeong is being developed as a world-class marine tourist attraction. On Hansando Island there are many historical sites dedicated or related to the great Admiral Sunsin Yi such as battlefields where the Admiral defeated Japanese naval forces. Other sites include those related to the Imjinwaeran War such as Jeseungdang, Chungryeolsa and the turtle lighthouse. The Sanyang Road is a great driving course along which you can look around the entire Mireukdo Island and appreciate the scenery. From Dalma Park you can enjoy the great view of Dadohae Islets. Major attractions include Hansando Island (main island), Bijindo Island and Maemuldo Islands; the latter two are often said to be the focal point of this scenic sea park.

The 1,200-meter-high Cheongtaesan Mountain is a mountain where planted and naturally growing trees flourish in harmony, creating dense forests that provide a habitat for woodland creatures. In the summer, the forest is a convenient stopover for vacationers headed for the East Coast and both children and adults can enjoy learning about the local ecology at the Forest Education Facility.

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.

If you begin at Seorak-dong in Oeseorak, cross the Biryong Bridge and pass by the Biryong Falls, you will reach Yukdam Falls (육담폭포), which actually consist of six waterfalls and a pond. Despite the fact that only a small amount of water actually flows in these waterfalls today, what is interesting, is how they came into existence: a slow-flowing stream of water eroded the rocks, creating dips and puddles at various levels, which later became a series of cascading waterfalls. The splendid scenery around the waterfalls is always a pleasing sight to the eyes of visitors.  

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.

This open set is the filming location of the TV series Taewangsasingi (The Legend). This is where scenes of a shipyard that built ships during the years of the great King Gwanggaeto were filmed. Major scenes for the drama series Haesin (Emperor of the Sea) were also shot here. The 16,000-pyeong space houses a variety of sets, including a dock, ships, inns and military quarters. The compound was designed to recreate various scenes from the Tang Dynasty. A number of historical dramas have been filmed here. In addition to the Sosepo Village, where Taewangsasingi (The Legend) was filmed, the Silla Village set in the east part of the site has private houses and taverns.