Travel/Culture List

Maaekseobulsang (Rock-carved Standing Buddha in Icheon-dong, Andong) is a huge statue. This Buddhist image’s head stands 2.43 meters tall, while the entire statue stretches 12.38 meters high. These days, Jebiwan Temple has been built near the statue, so it has been dubbed “Jebiwan Seokbul.”The body of the large stone Buddha face has been carved into the rock. The statue is in the style of Koryeo (AD 918-1392) Dynasty, with distinctive contouring. This unique style is indicative of those prevalent during the 11th Century. 

Chuam Suspension Bridge is located near Chotdae Rock, famous as a sunrise spot. The 72 meters long suspension bridge is the first suspension bridge that crosses over the ocean in Korea.

Eobi Valley of Eobisan Mountain is a geographically important site, as it sets the boundaries for Gail-ri, Seorak-myeon and Yongmun-ri, Okcheon-myeon, Yangpyeong-gun. ‘Eobi’ (meaning ‘fish flying’) is the name given to this valley, where fish can regularly be seen jumping out of the valley's pristine water. It is also an ideal destination for families with children, as the stream is shallow, the water flows at a gentle pace, the temperature is mild and it is full of interesting pebbles.

Hwayang Valley, located 32km east from Cheongju, was designated Songnisan National Park in 1975.The vivid green mountains and clear waters make it a highly sought after tourist spot. The nearby Seonnyudong Valley, just 7km away, is also a huge draw for travelers.Hwayang Valley is composed of various shaped rocks such as Cheomseongdae Observatory, Neungundae Observatory, Waryongam Rock and Eupgungam Rock. Well-known statesman from the Joseon Dynasty, Song Si-yeol, visited the valley and wept for King Hyojong offering his final bow. This rock where he cried was then named Eupgungam Rock meaning ‘crying bow’ Rock. Waryongam Rock gets its name from its shape, which is said to look like a wriggly dragon. Cheomseongdae Observatory was used in order to forecast weather patterns.

Its deep valleys and unique mountain formations are what make Jirisan Mountain truly spectacular. It consists of numerous peaks, and is known to be well-preserved and clean. 'Ten Scenic Views of Jirisan Mountain' are particular memorable and simply breathtaking. Perhaps Jirisan Mountain’s most signature highlight is its incredible sunrise; the scarlet sunlight from the horizon in the east is spectacular, and arguably the best place to watch it in Korea. The second highlight is the 'Nogodan Sea of Clouds.' Located to the west of Jirisan Mountain, Nogodan Peak is said to boast the most outstanding views of Jirisan Mountain. If you climb up to the peak following the Hwaeomsa Valley, at times the sea of clouds are visible from below the peak. The third notable highlight is 'Banyabong’s Nakjo.' Banyabong Peak is a huge dome shaped feature. One of the big joys of climbing Banyabong is to see the Nakjo. The fourth selected highlight is the full moon; the beautiful scarlet sky together with the black mountain line produce an exquisite painted background to the rising of the moon. The fifth notable feature is the red sunset seen through the mountain haze. The sixth is the deep waterfall between the peaks of Cheonghakbong and Baekhakbong. The 60m fall produces a tremendous sound. The seventh of Jirisan's highlights is Piagol Autumn Leaves. At the village, walk 10 minutes further towards Piagol and you will come to a pine forest at the edge of Jeollanam-do and Gyeongsangnam-do. It is called Piagol, the best broad-leaved tree forest in Jirisan Mountain area. In the spring, you will see the Azaleas, in the summer the green trees, and in the fall, the autumn leaves, and in the winter, the beautiful view of snow-covered landscape. But the autumnal colors of Piagol are some of the best in the world. Every year the Autumn Leaves Festival is held here. The eighth highlight is the royal azalea blossoming between the rocks. In the spring, the royal azaleas blanket the mountain. There is a field that extends 1200m in the southern area of Jirisan Mountain covered with flowers known as Royal Azalea Plateau. The ninth feature is the Chilseon Valley. With its roots in Cheonwonbong Peak, it is one of our nation’s three best valleys. According to legend, seven gods are said to be living in Chilseondong Valley. Finally, the tenth most scenic feature is Seomjincheongryu. Flowing southwesterly across Jirisan Mountain and into the south coast, the Seomjingang River is so clear that it is sometimes compared to blue silk. The white sandy beaches on either side of the river are also very beautiful.  

Mukho Station is located in Balhan-dong, Donghae-si and is close to Mukho Port (2.3km away) and Mangsang Beach (6.0km away). Hoetjip (raw fish restaurants) Town sits along the coastal road in Eodal-dong, Mukho Port and the 1.4km Mangsang Beach is popular for its spacious sandy beach, shallow water, and surrounding pine forests. Mukho Station began operation in 1961 and finished the construction of its current state on December 15, 1988.

Also referred to as Buk-myeon Hot Springs after the name of the region, Mageumsan Hot Springs is 13km north of Rural Route 1045 from Euichang-dong in Changwon and takes approximately 20 minutes to get to by car. Mageumsan Hot Springs rises 200m above sea level, contains a slightly alkaline enriched water of 55℃ or more, and consists of over 20 mineral substances including natrium, radium, manganese, ion sulfate, and others. Mageumsan Hot Springs are known to be effective in helping arthritis, women's diseases, neuralgia, depression, etc., and are frequently visited by travelers.Records of Mageumsan Hot Springs are listed in the ancient texts of King Sejong's Geographical Book, Survey on Civilization (Dongguk-yeojiseungnam), and more, illustrating that these hot springs were of great importance in ages past. The hot springs were temporarily closed in the later period of the Joseon Dynasty but were reopened by a man named Tokunaga from Japan. Later, Jin-Il Sohn, a resident of the area took ownership of the hot springs.Outstanding scenery complements the hot springs with Cheonmasan Mountain (370m), Mageumsan Mountain and Baekweolsan Mountain (400m) located nearby. In particular, there is a legend that surrounds Baekweolsan Mountain and people like to climb this mountain and then relax by bathing in the hot springs.

The Astro Camp was established to encourage young children to take an interest in space and natural science and to develop creative problem-solving skills. To this end, the Children’s Observatory provides a wide range of educational programs developed by expert educators from diverse fields of majors at Yonsei University.In the future, the observatory hopes to continue to expand its experience-centered, in-depth educational programs to help children reach a better understanding of astronomy and natural science principles. Programs focus not only on providing children with accurate information, but also seek to encourage participants to be self-motivated thinkers.

Also known as a town of three mountains and two streams, or “Little Zhejiang” (a popular region in China known for its beautiful scenery), Suncheon got its name from two nobles of the town in the late Baekje Era. They “followed the will of the heavens,” and established the city in the Goryeo Dynasty. In Korean, Suncheon means “Following the will of the heavens.”The station opened on October 25, 1930 and moved into a new building on December 22, 2009 for the 2012 Yeosu Expo and 2013 Suncheon Bay Garden Expo. It serves as a transportation hub for the eastern regions of Korea.