Travel/Culture List

Surrounded by water on two sides, Waemok Village's terrain looks like a heron's neck, hence the name 'Waemok' (waegari means a gray heron and mok means neck). Because of its long and narrow geographical characteristics and the topographic division of the sea into the west and east regions, one can enjoy the beautiful sunrise, sunset and moonrise here.Around 100,000 people visit Waemok Village for the festival every year. While viewing the sunrise from the East Sea has a more dynamic atmosphere, the sunrise from Waemok Village has a more sentimental quality to it.

The Gangneung Dano Cultural Center is located in Noam-dong, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do. The center promotes the Danoje (Dano rite and festival) of Gangneung. On exhibit at the center are customs related to ancestral rites, danogut (shaman ritual), and nori (folk games) to preserve the folk culture of the Joseon Dynasty. The construction of the center began in 2000 when the Gangneung Danoje Festival was added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Since its opening on February 19, 2004, the center has served a key role in helping visitors better understand the tradition of Dano. The center consists of an exhibition hall and a performance hall across from it. The exhibition hall has an exhibition room, a video room, a gallery, and a corner for hands-on activities. Also located here are the offices of the Gangneung Danoje Preservation Council and the Gangneung Danoje Committee, the main organizers of the Gangneung Danoje Festival. There is also a shaman music exercise room, so visitors can easily learn more about the Dano traditions from key personnel.

A former quarry transformed into a culture and arts space Oddly shaped rocks and a beautiful lake were once a closed quarry. The transformation was the outcome of Korea's first environment restoration project led by Pocheon-si. As of now, more than 1 million tourists visit this place every year. It's also a popular culture and art complex loved by local residents, with various programs including special exhibitions, as well as weekend and special performances.

Cheonjedan are altars set up by people a long time ago to offer goods to Heaven. In old records such as the Samguksagi (History of the Three Kingdoms), there are records that "The Silla Kingdom organized rituals in Taebaeksan Mountain, which it considered as a Bugak Mountain (Northern Mountain, one of the mountains for rituals)." This shows that Taebaeksan Mountain was considered to be a holy mountain in the past. Cheonjedan, or the altar, is situated at the summit of Taebaeksan Mountain. With Cheonwangdan altar in the center, there is the Janggundan Altar in the north and a smaller altar in the south. The altars are built by stacking stones, a sign of a sacred ground. The Cheonwangdan altar is made of natural stone. It has an oval shape and measures 27.5 meters in circumference, 3 meters tall, 7.76 meters wide, and 8.26 meters from front to back. The natural stone is a sort of gneiss, with the upper stone being round and the bottom stone rectangular. Such a form is based on the philosophy of Cheonwon Jibang. In the valleys nearby, there are small or large stacked stone pagodas and stone platforms, which were used for prayers. It is forbidden to kill wild animals or break off tree branches in the area.

Chusa Gotaek is the traditional Korean house of the renowned scholar and calligrapher, Chusa (also known as Kim Jeong-Hui). This old house is known to have been constructed by the great-grandfather of Chusa, Kim Han-Sin.The Korean-style house compound (266.11m²) consists of Munganchae (a guesthouse), Soteuldaemun (a high gate), Sarangchae (ㄱ-shaped men's quarters), Anchae (ㅁ-shaped women’s quarters) and a shrine where the remains of Chusa are enshrined. Theㄱ-shaped Sarangchae stretches for one Kan* to the south and 2 Kans to the east and is comprised of two rooms and a Daecheongmaru (living area). The Anchae consists of a six-Kan Daecheongmaru (living area) and two one-Kan rooms.Located on the ground is a tomb where Chusa’s great-grandfather (Kim Han-Sin) and his wife (Hwasun Princess) are buried. Nearby you’ll see a gate that was constructed to commemorate Princess Hwasun’s faithfulness to her husband.If you walk about 600 meters to the north of the old house, you can see a lacebark pine tree, which was designated Natural Monument No. 106. The lacebark pine tree, originally from northern China, is among the few of its kind in Korea. It is said that Chusa snuck the pine across the border from China (formerly, the Qing Dynasty) into the country when he was 25 years old and planted it at the tomb of his great-grandfather. Originally, the tree had three branches, but two were broken and the third branch was damaged. In 1980, the damaged branch was treated and since then, the tree has been kept under strong protection.*Kan: ancient building area measurement unit corresponding to the space between two columns

Seonyudong Gyegok Valley in Mungyeong is longer and more beautiful than the valley of the same name in Goesan. Mount Daeyasan (931 meters high) runs across both valleys, which are 10 kilometers apart from each other. The valley is relatively untouched as it is not yet well known by the public. At the beginning and the end of the trail are Hakcheonjeong and Chirujeong pavilions, respectively. Both sides of the valley are lined with thick forests of ancient pine trees. A number of stone carvings can be found in the forest, and the most famous one reads “Seonyu Gyegok (Seonyu Valley).” It was written by Choi Chi-won (857~?), a leading scholar of the Silla Kingdom.

Gariwangsan Mountain in Gangwon-do is one of the major mountains that make up the Taebaek Mountain Range. It is home to numerous alpine tree species, as well as wild flowers and herbs. Its slopes are gentle enough to allow for pleasant hiking. The mountain natural recreation forest is located at the Hoedong-ri Village entrance. It has paths that are lined with thick, tall trees that almost cover the sky. It also has several conveniene facilities.

The 28-meter high Huibang Falls is a waterfall located below the Huibangsa Temple at Sobaeksan Mountain in Sucheol-ri, Punggi-eup, Yeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do. It is located 700 meters above sea level about halfway up Sobaeksan Mountain. It is one of the must-see attractions on Sobaeksan Mountain, and is the No.1 waterfall in the whole Yeongnam (southeastern part of Korea) area. The water from the falls comes from Yeonhwabong Peak (1383 m), one of the sacred peaks of Sobaeksan Mountain. The water flows along the Huibang Valley and then plunges into the rocks below with a big splash, creating a breathtaking view for visitors.

Containing many Buddhist temples and ruins as well as spectacular scenery, the 703m high Mt. Duryunsan is located at the southern most point of the Korean peninsula. Formed by subtropical green broadleaves and temperate deciduous broadleaf trees, the mountain is valued highly for observing plant chorology. Moreover, the Aegean Sea in the western and southern sea can be seen at a glance at the summit of eight mountains, although wide fields of reeds cover many areas. During the fifth year of King Jinheung's reign (514), Buddhist priest, Ado, built Daedunsa Temple, which is a place of great historical value as it is also related to the Buddhist priest, Seosan. The temple is proudly among dense woodlands, consisting of maple trees and camellias. Breathtaking scenery of valleys and luxuriant trees can be seen on both sides of the 2km road leading to the temple.