Travel/Culture List

After being used as an oil tank for 41 years, the culture tank was reborn by recycling the tanks that was left over. The 5 tanks were transformed into a performance hall, an exhibition hall, and pavillions, while one newly transformed tank became an information center. With a temporary parking lot turned into a culture yard, where visitors can enjoy various activities while exploring the area.

Located inside The Ocean Resort in Yeosu, Jeollanam-do, this large water park can accommodate 600 people at once. It opened in July 2008 in time for the opening of the resort equipped with 128 rooms. It is the only water park in Korea that provides views of the refreshing blue waters of the Dadohaesang National Marine Park. Its indoor facilities include an artificial wave pool with slides, Para Wave Slide, Aqua Kids’ Pool, and spa. Meanwhile, the outdoor facilities include Double Tornado, slides, and wave pools. The water park is also equipped with various convenience facilities such as cafeteria, DVD room, changing rooms, swim suit shop, and more. The resort has seven floors above ground and four below with all rooms providing ocean views. The resort facilities include a wedding hall, banquet hall, and restaurants.

The Tea Museum of Korea was built to preserve Korea’s tea culture and celebrate the history of Boseong tea, which dates back as far as the Baekje Era. Each of the three floors of the museum is unique and focuses on a different aspect of tea. On the first floor is the Tea Culture Hall, which explains the process of tea production through graphic panels, videos, and dioramas. The Tea History Hall on the second floor exhibits tea wares and tools from different periods in history, showcasing the evolution of tea culture over time. The third floor houses the Tea Life Hall, which is dedicated to education and hands-on experiences and gives visitors a chance to discover the tea cultures of Korea, China, Japan, and Europe as well as various tea tools from other countries. Visitors can further delve into the world of tea by visiting the Tea Making Workshop, which is equipped with facilities to make different types of green teas.

Suncheonman Bay Eco-Museum was established to provide a research & education facility to preserve the area’s natural habitats. The year-round structure is open to the public and houses an exhibition hall, gallery, theatre, and seminar rooms. Visitors can also stop by the nearby wetland observatory to learn more about the region’s ecology. Inside the museum there are a variety of learning material and even video feeds sharing continuous live footage of migratory birds. The two-story gallery also features a history of the forming of Suncheonman Bay and a range of flora and fauna exhibits. Suncheonman Bay is accessible from Yeosu Airport which has flights from both Kimpo (Seoul) and Jeju Airport.  

Gwaneumsa Temple is located at the foot of the northeast side of Mt. Halla in Ara-dong in Jeju City. The temple is widely believed to have been first built during the Tamra Dynasty Era (BC 476~AD 1005), which was prior to the Goryeo Dynasty (AD 918~1392). However, there is no concrete evidence suggesting the exact year of construction or the temple’s original builder. In the early 1700s, when leaders of the Joseon Dynasty proclaimed Confucianism as the national religion and executed a policy to destroy all the Buddhist temples in the Jeju area, Gwaneumsa Temple was demolished. It was rebuilt in 1912 by a Buddhist nun, Anbongryeokwan, and renovated in 1964. The temple consists of the main shrine, Myeongbujeong Hall, a bell tower, Sanshingak Pavilion, and Bulimun Gate. There is also a Buddhist school run by the Gwaneumsa Temple located in downtown Jeju. There are many tourist spots near the temple such as a wooden seated Buddhist goddess statue that was designated a tangible cultural asset of Jeju-do in 1999. Other popular destinations include Jeju Natural Monument No. 50, a cherry blossom tree habitat, and the nearby “4.3 Historic Site” commemorating the civil revolution many years ago on April 3rd. Also located close to the temple are the Mokseokwan Arboretum, Sancheondan, Halla Mountain, Uerimok Valley, Tamra Valley, and Gewaloreum Hill. The steep trail leading up the side of Halla Mountain, “Gwaneumsa Trail,” is particularly popular for its colorful fall foliage and its breathtaking scenery of endless gorges.  

Located near the entrance of the Moaksan Provincial Park, Geumsansa Temple (금산사) was established by King Beop, or Beopwang, of the Baekje period (599AD). The Buddhist temple features over ten designated cultural properties including Mireukjeon, a national treasure, as well as other attached buildings. The country’s only three-story building containing a Buddha statue, Mireukjeon was built with wood and has a single-open floor inside. In spring, cherry blossom trees come into full bloom from the mountain entrance all the way to Geumsansa; and in winter Buddhist adherents come to bow before the statue of Mireuk bodhisattva inside Mireukjeon or walk in circles around the pagoda. The statue is the largest indoor standing Buddha in the world reaching 11.82 meters of x_height. The two other Buddha statues standing on right and left of the Mireuk bodhisattva are 8.8 meters tall each.* Important Cultural PropertiesMireukjeon (National Treasure No. 62)Noju (Treasure No. 22)Seogyeondae (Treasure No. 23)Hyedeogwangsa Jineungtapbi (Treasure No. 24)Geumsansa Ocheungseoktap (Treasure No. 25)Geumsansa Bangdeunggyedan (Treasure No. 26)Geumsansa Yukgak Dacheungseoktap (Treasure No. 27)Geumsansa Dangganjiju (Treasure No. 28)Simwonam Bukgang Samcheungseoktap (Treasure No. 29)Geumsansa Daejangjeon (Treausre No. 827)Geumsansa Seokdeung (Treasure No. 828)

The Guri Hangang Park (구리 한강시민공원) offers a bastion where you can feel the cool breeze coming off the river and take a rest amidst the beautiful natural scenery. The park’s bounties of flowers are at their peak during May with the blossoming of field mustard, and October when the cosmos bloom in October.

Haeinsa Temple, located in Gayasan Mountain, Hapcheon-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do, is home to Palmandaejanggyeong (Tripitaka Koreana) designated as a World Cultural Heritage and is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Korea. As the temple is the only place that has Tripitaka Koreana, the temple stay has its unique program where you may actually appreciate the world cultural heritage with your own eyes, experience woodblock printing and Chamseon (Zen meditation), which is a traditional meditation method of Buddhism in Korea. You may also learn the Buddhist teaching by touring the small hermitages and temples around the Gaya Mountain with Haeinsa as its main temple.

Namchuncheon Station is located on the Seoul Subway Gyeongchun Line in Chuncheon, Gangwon-do. The station is also called Gangwondae, as Kangwon National University - Chuncheon Campus is nearby. Chuncheon Station, Gyeongchun Line's original final stop, was temporarily closed in October of 2005 for double-track electrification construction. During this time, Namchuncheon Station was used as the final stop.

Expo Ocean Park is where one can stroll along the sea, where the waterfront park is located close by, take part in dynamic marine leisure sports program, watch the world's only multimedia BIG-O Show and rest comfortably at a guesthouse just like a home away from home. In addition, the establishment offers facilities that could hold both international and small scale meetings, exhibition halls, seminar rooms, as well as events.