Travel/Culture List

Bigeum Valley is also known as “Mulgolan” (literally meaning inside water valley), as clean water flows abundantly in this area. The region is surrounded by the mountains of Seorisan, Chungnyeongsan, Jugeumsan, and Cheonmasan, and has several valleys. Bigeum Valley is located at the upper most region of Sudong National Tourist Park, and stretches for about 2 km. It is a popular vacation site, as thick forests provide cool shade and fresh, clean water runs through the scenic valley.

Geoje Recreational Forest (거제자연휴양림) is located in Gyeongnam Geoje-do and is bordered by the famous Hakdong Beach. As it is located at the edge of Nojasan Mountain, Geoje Beach can easily be seen from its peak. The climb up is not very steep so families can enjoy it as well. There are promenades, sporting facilities, a community kitchen, bungalows, and forest baths. Those in search of lodging facilities, there are Forest Cabin, Forest Lodge, and camping grounds available. Reservation can be made via the homepage.

Nadeul-gil means a leisurely outing (nadeuri) road. Comprised of 19 courses in total, the Ganghwa Nadeul-gil Trail offers a variety of historical assets and cultural sites to see. Each Nadeul-gil course connects Ganghwa Fortress outposts that are located every 1.3 km on high ground along the walking paths. The trails are on the island of Ganghwa which holds many Goryeo Dynasty remains that are important to Korean history. Fortresses that stood against Mongolian invasions are still standing and many of the Goryeo Kingdom’s palaces and royal tomb sites are also found in Ganghwa region. Exploring the major cultural heritage sites dispersed throughout the town can be just as fun as exploring Ganghwa’s natural beauty. The sunset on the Seohae (West coast), expansive open mud flats, views from Marisan and Goryeosan Mountains and the peaceful farming villages are just a handful of the sights along this walking trail. The establishment of Ganghwa Nadeul-gil’s begins with the ancient scholar Go Jae-hyeong (pen name Hwanam), who left his hometown Ganghwa on a spring day in 1906 when the peach trees were in full bloom. He walked through more than 100 villages around the whole island. Back home, he composed poems about his journey and published them under the title of “Simdo Gihaeng (Simdo Travels),” Simdo being another name for Ganghwa. During his travels, he sang songs of his home Ganghwa. Thanks to his work, people can now follow in the footsteps of Hwanam and his appreciation of the beautiful scenery and great people of Ganghwa Island.

Located in Naeil-dong in Miryang, Gyeongsangnam-do Province, Aranggak Pavilion sits in a bamboo forest. It is said to have been built to appease the spirit of a young woman named Arang, who met an unfortunate death. According to legend, Arang was mistakenly killed by a low-ranking officer who had loved her and tried to hug her. After her death, she becomes a ghost and appears to every district magistrate (highest-ranking officer in a region) to appeal for the investigation of her unfair death, but each district magistrate dies of a heart attack. Then, a new district magistrate by the name Lee is dispatched to the area. Unlike his predecessors, Lee listens to the story of the ghost and finds the low-ranked officer who had killed her and punishes him. He found Arang’s body and holded a religious ceremony on her behalf. Aranggak was also built in her memory. Every year, an event called Arangje is held on April 16 by the lunar calendar in Aranggak Pavilion. Young maidens dressed in white hanbok perform a religious ceremony to soothe the sorrow of Arang. There is also a saying that the spirit of Arang will preserve the love of those couples who visit the pavilion together.

Green Rich Farm (Formerly, Cheongsan Arboretum) is home to over 200 different kinds of wildflowers, trees, and water plants such as lotuses and water lilies. Bridges and trails in the garden make it a romantic place for couples as well as a good place for children to experience nature up close. Since its opening in 1990, the garden is only open July through August, when the Taean Lotus Festival takes place, welcoming visitors who come to see the lotus flowers. It takes about two hours to tour the garden. The best time to enjoy the lotus flowers in full bloom is between 11:00 and 15:00. After 15:00, the lotus flowers begin to close their petals. To minimize the environmental impact caused by large amounts of visitors, the number of visitors per day is limited to 2,000 people. Prior reservation is not required.

The tomb of the King Wonseong, 38th king of the Silla Kingdom (785-798) in Oedong-eup, Wolseong-gun, Gyeongju is Historic Site No. 26. The tomb is 21.9m in diameter and 7.7m high and is encircled by a stone fence decorated with twelve oriental zodiac images. The area is also home to a number of stone monuments that stand facing each other: Hwapyoseok (marking the border of the tomb), Muninseok (civil servant statue), Muinseok (military officer image statue) and Dolsaja (a stone lion that protects the tomb). Muinseok in particular is a favorite among visitors because of its exotic appearance. The statue is sometimes compared to a strong and charismatic person of Arabic or Persian descendant, much like the merchants who came to Silla in ancient times. Gwaereung is styled after tombs of the Tang dynasty, but still retains all the characteristics typical of Silla tombs; namely, the stones around the tomb, the 12 oriental zodiac figures, the protective walls, and the decorative stonework.  

At the x_height of 63 meters on top of Hwajeongsan Mountain (alt. 203 meters), Ulsandaegyo Observatory has a breathtaking view of city's three major industy as well as a panoramic view of the city. The view from both day and night are amazing to see, making vistors go more than once. Within the observatory there are local specialty gift shop, cafe and more for visitors to see and enjoy.

‘Honbul’ is an epic novel written about three generations of women from the Namwon Lee clan living under the rule of the Japanese in the 1930s. The word ‘Honbul’ literally means ‘a torch of the soul’ and refers to the indomitable spirits of the women that persevered through hard times. The novel was written by the late Choi Myeong-hee over the period of 17 years and remains a much celebrated novel. Sangsin Village and Nobong Village in Namwon-si were the author’s hometown and served as the background of the novel ‘Honbul’. Located inside the village is a traditional Korean house that is an example of yangban (noble class) architecture and the Honbul Literary House, where visitors have an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the novel ‘Hobul’. At the entrance of Nobong Village stands a pair of jangseungs (Korean traditional totem poles), welcoming visitors inside.

Gasansanseong Fortress (가산산성) in Chilgok-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do is located in the middle of Chilgok-gun, between Daegu Metropolitan City and Gumi. Mt. Gasan (901m in elevation) is 10km west of Mt. Palgongsan. Because it boasts seven peaks, the mountain was called, ‘Chilbongsan.’ After enduring large wars including the Imjinwaeran (Japanese invasion of Korea in 1592) and the Byeongjahoran (Chinese invasion of Korea in 1636), the Joseon rulers built a fortress over the course of 100 years in the mid Joseon period to aid in Korea’s defense. It is Korea’s only three-layered fortress, consisting of inner, outer and central walls. The flat Gasanbawi Rock (가산바위) at the mountain’s peak, which is large enough to accommodate 100 people at a time, offers a great view of Daegu Metropolitan City. * Structure – Stone fortress encircling a valley, strategic fortress * Size and date - Inner wall: 4.0km (17-18th (1640) and 26th (1648) year of King Injo’s reign) - Outer wall: 3.0km (26-27th (1701) year of King Sukjong’s reign) - Central wall: 0.6km (17th (1741) year of King Yeongjo’s reign)  

The Women’s History Exhibition Hall is a cultural space and exhibition area that covers the history of women Korea, and is the first of its kind in Korea. Continuously exploring and unfolding information and items related to the history of Korean women, and situating the material in a balanced historical context, the Exhibition Hall aims to give women their rightful place in Korean history. In addition, the Women’s History Exhibition Hall intends to enhance women’s sense of pride and expand gender equality through its various activities, including public education programs and special exhibitions.