Travel/Culture List

Songgwangsa Temple is located on the west side of Jogyesan Mountain, and is a famous sambosachal in Korea. Sambo means "three treasures" in Korean, and in Buddhism there is bulbo, beopbo, and seungbo. Songgwangsa Temple qualifies as a seungbo temple, which refers to the disciples and practicioners of Buddhism at the temple. The reason Songgwangsa Temple became a seungbo temple is because many high monks were produced from this temple.The road to the temple is covered by beautiful tall trees. If you cross the valley from the road, a bridge called Cheongryanggak appears. On the bridge is a pavilion, where you can have a rest. Inside the temple, you can see the Daeungbojeon, the main building. This building has a roof shaped to look like it has two roofs. To one side of the main building is Jijangjeon Shrine, where there is a statue of Buddha, and Seungbojeon Shrine, which tells the world that this is a seungbo temple.Songgwangsa Temple has three great treasures: the Bisari Gusi, Ssanghyangsu, and Neunggyeonnansa. Bisari Gusi is a rice container that was made from a large tree. It was used to store the rice for monks, and because it was so large, it contained enough rice for 4,000 monks. Ssanghyangsu refers to two large Chinese Juniper trees. Lastly, Neunggyeonnansa is a plate belonging to Songgwangsa Temple, and it was built with many intricate designs. Make time on your trip to see the many national treasures that are located here. 

Located at the foot of Mt. Hamwol, Gulgulsa is the only temple cave in Korea. The temple was built out of solid rock during the 6th century by Saint Gwang Yoo and some accompanying monks, and was designed according to the architectural structure of India.On the top of the temple stands a sculpture of the Maya Tathagata Buddha and surrounding the sculpture are twelve rock caves used as a prayer sanctuary. Seven of the twelve rock cave sanctuaries are still standing today. Golgulsa’s main attractions are the sculpture of the Maya Tathagata Buddha and the Gwaneum Cave.The Buddha sculpture displays the characteristics of the Shilla Buddha, and is 4 meters high. The Buddha has his hair in a topknot, has a calm smile, narrow eyes, small lips, and a long narrow nose. To protect the sculpture of any damage from the wind or rain, a glass ceiling has been installed in the Gwaneum Cave, which is the largest sanctuary of the seven still existing caves.The main Buddha of this cave is the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, and the cave walls are dedicated to the 108 meditations of the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy. The Gwaneum Cave has a wall with tiles in front of it, which makes it look like an ordinary sanctuary. But once inside, the entire interior from ceiling to walls is carved all from stone. Golgulsa is unlike any other temple. The road to the temple offers an exciting thrill similar to that of rock climbing. Safety ropes and railings surround Golgulsa. A risky climb up a long set of stairs finally leads up to the caves, including Gwaneum Cave, Jijang Cave, and Yaksa Cave.The Maya Tathagata Buddha can only be seen after climbing the rock walls and holding on tightly to the safety ropes, but only past the cave-like rock that juts out.

Samcheok Ocean Rail Bike is Korea's one and only ocean rail bike facility that offers a landscape view of black pines and bizarre rocks merged together. Its double-tracked route of 5.4km follows the beautiful shoreline of the East Sea with a tunnel along its way that entertains bikers with fascinating luminarie and laser shows, giving feelings as if it is passing through a mysterious underwater tunnel. The railbike course is perfect to enjoy unique and memorable experiences for families, friends and couples. Online reservation in advance is required.

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.

Located in Gimje-si, Jeollabuk-do, Arirang Literature Museum (Jo Jung-rae Arirang Literature Museum) was opened in May, 2003. The museum displays materials related to Jo Jung-rae’s novel, ‘Arirang,’ which shows the history of Gimje. His handwritten manuscripts for Arirang are displayed on the first floor, and the author's notes, a pocket notebook, and daily items are on display in Exhibition Hall No. 2. In addition, No. 3 Exhibition Hall shows Jo Jung-rae's humanity. The memorial stone of Arirang Literature is located in Byeokgolje.

This area is famous as it is on the very tip of the Korean peninsula, located in Galdu-ri of Songji-myeon. This is where Baekdusan Mountain ends reaching the tip of the peninsula. Many people visit the area so they can say they’ve stepped on the end of the land and it has long become a prime destination in Haenam.At the summit of Sajabong peak there is an observatory that stands 38m high. From the observatory you can get a full viewing of the Dalmasan Mountain in the north while in the east, fishing vessels can be seen skirting deftly on the surface of the sea. Atop the summit of Sajabong peak, there is a restored old beacon (Bonghwadae) which in the past was strategically located to warn of approaching Japanese ships. In the village proper, the area known as Ttangkkeut Village (땅끝마을), special events take place to celebrate the end of year and the first day of the New Year, which also draws many tourists to the area from all over the country.

Located at the border between Gahoe-myeon and Daebyeong-myeon of Hapcheon, Hwangmaesan is a guardian mountain of Hapcheon but has not been popular and was hardly mentioned in hiking magazines or tourist maps. Thanks for that, the mountain has all the natural environment that has been kept untouched and undamaged. In 1983, the mountain was designated as the County Park and now, along with Gayasan, it is regarded as one of the most major mountains in Hapcheon. Hwangmaesan is beautiful during the spring season when royal azaleas are at their full blossom but the summer season when hills are covered with fresh greens or the fall when silver grasses cover the hills gloriously and even the snow flowers in the winter season are scenes not to be missed. Unlike other mountain tops, this one has a full open view so every seasonal changes are more truly experienced. It is convenient that there is a road that reaches to the top of the mountain but if time allows, hiking up to the top to see the magnificent view is recommended for visitors.

Only 40 minutes from Seoul, the Jungmisan Observatory is located within the Jungmisan Recreational Forest 437km above the sea level. In addition to the beautiful natural scenery, the main draw of this particular location is that there is no other place close to Seoul that has such clean air and thereby offers such an excellent view of space and the stars. From Seoul (on a good day) you might expect to see 3 stars, while at the Jungmisan Observatory you can typically view over 3,000 stars.Jungmisan Observatory is the first experience learning center to provide astronomy experience programs for infants and young children. In-house instructors help children gain a deeper understanding of space and basic astronomy by leading them through a variety of programs. The observatory has also made its mark on the community at large by introducing astronomy experience programs from advanced nations to further contribute to the public’s knowledge of this branch of science.The observatory houses a forest eco experience center, outdoor observatory field, four-wheel mountain ATV experience center, camping site, water fun site, and more. During the public school vacation period, the observatory holds an astronomical science camp.

Yeongwol’s Donggang River is one of the top three rafting places in Korea, the other top three being Hantangang River and Naerincheon Stream. Each river has distinguished characteristics, so it is recommended to search for information like nearby attractions based on travel. Donggang River features breathtaking scenery comparable to Guilin in China.The area called Donggang River includes Seogang River (Pyeongchanggang River), where Joyanggang River meets Dongnamcheon Stream and Yeongwol-gun. The river is a typical meandering stream with a limestone riverbed.

Legend has it that a dragon ascended to the sky from Darian Valley. Darian Valley is named as such because of the scenic sight of falls under a bridge. Originating in Biro Peak, Sobaeksan Mountain, water flows into Darian Valley, Cheongdong, Geumgok, and Gosu Donggul Cave.Pure, cold water whirls around odd-shaped rocks in the valley, surrounded by lush trees. This makes the valley one of the most popular spots during the summer. The Darian Tourist Area, centered in the valley, attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors thanks to abounding scenic views. Excellent amenities include huts, campgrounds, cookout spots, and clay massaging paths, making the area ideal for family visitors and hikers.Nearby attractions include the Cheondong Tourist Area (including auto campgrounds, golf facilities, and water parks), hiking paths to Sobaeksan Mountain, Dodam Sambong and Seokmun (rainbow-shaped stone column) forming one of the Eight Scenic Sights of Danyang, three caves (Gosu, Nodong, and Cheondong), Ondal Drama Studio, and Soseonam Resort Forest. Abundant attractions make Dangyang a favorite tourist destination among visitors.