Travel/Culture List

Daeseong Water Leports is a private water sports specialty business located in Daeseong-ri that offers a variety of enjoyable programs that include water skiing, motorboating, wakeboarding, banana boating, an excursion ferry, and paddle boats. They also provide several other conveniences such as a restaurant, series of bungalows, a convenience stand, a sporting field, camping grounds, and a large cherry tree forest. The clean and clear waters of the North Hangang River makes the perfect place for an outing or large social gatherings and events.

Ondal Cave is located underground at the foot of Seongsan Mountain, where Ondalsanseong Fortress is situated. It is a natural limestone cave that is estimated to have begun forming around 450 million years ago. The total 760 meter-long cave covers an area of 349,485 square meters. The cave mouth is two meters high, while the cave itself is 5 to 10 meters high and about 5 meters wide. The cave features stairway structure and contains an abundance of beautiful stalagmites and stalactites. The average temperature of the cave maintains 14 degrees Celsius in summer and 16 degrees Celsius in winter, making it a perfect all-year-round attraction. The cave is rich in underground water resources and there is a 0.8 to 1 meter-deep cave river flowing at the bottom of the cave floor. The cave also has over 40 small ponds that are inhabited by a variety of living organisms like fish and insects. Situated on top of the mountain peak to the left of the cave is Ondalsanseong Fortress. The fortress has been preserved in its original form throughout some 1,400 years and shows the advanced building skills of Goguryeo Era (37 BC-668 AD). The annual Ondal Culture Festival is held every October around Ondal Cave and Ondalsanseong Fortress in memory of the legendary love story between General Ondal and Princess Pyeonggang. Other attractions in the area include a theme park and Jangseung (Korean traditional totem poles) Park.

Seongwangsa Temple is located in the quiet downtown area of Eupnae-dong, Seosan in Chungcheongnam-do. Its convenient location makes it easily accessible from almost anywhere in town. The temple was built by Great Monk Daegyeong in 928 in the end of Silla period and the scholar Choi Chiwon came here to study while he was serving as the governor of Buseong-gun (currently Seosan) in 893. Originally, the temple was called Samseonam, or Three Hermitages, for there had been three hermitages in the upper, middle, and lower part of Mount Buchunsan. During the late Joseon Dynasty, the hermitages in the upper and middle part were closed and only the one at the bottom survived. In 1987, the name of the temple was changed to Seogwangsa. Mount Buchunsan is not very tall; however, its pine tree colonies and wild flowers offer a great hiking trail for the residents of Seosan. In wintertime, it offers a magnificent snow-covered landscape.

Using a long abandoned railway, the Yangpyeong Rail Bike offers a unique bike ride at speeds of 15km/h from Yongmun to Wondeok. This 3.2km journey passes along a gleaming river and tree covered mountains. The bike ride delivers picturesque scenery all year round: blooming flowers in the spring with the light green buds blossoming on the trees, the flush greens of summer time, vivid autumnal tones coloring the ridge of Yongmunsan Mountain, and the clean white snowflakes resting delicately on the limbs of trees.

Spread out over an area of 558.68㎡, this museum is a collection of exhibits highlighting the historic heritage of Tongyeong-si. It holds around 1,000 pieces of lifestyle articles and literature items, as well as photos of Tongyeong from the prehistoric era, Gaya Confederacy, Silla Kingdom, Goryeo Dynasty, Joseon Dynasty, and the modern times. In addition, there are materials related to 12 gongbang (workshop) and the Japanese Invasion of Korea. Visitors can also watch video clips showing the process of making craftworks including najeonchilgi (mother-of-pearl craft making) and somokjang (wood furniture making), as well as videos introducing intangible cultural assets such as the Ogwangdae (five mask performers' dance drama) and Seungjeonmu (victory dance).

Located in Oedo-dong, Jeju-si, Jeju-do, "Woldae," which means “a moonlight plain,” is a rock in a stream surrounded by densely-packed with centenarian pine trees and hackberry trees.Jogongcheon Stream is a special stream that flows through a valley year-round, which is particularly unusual in Jeju. The stream was named after that a relic, called "jogong", was transported from a government office during Joseon and Goryeo Dynasty to a nearby location. Tourist destinations in the area include Iho Beache, Yongduam Rock (Dragon Head Rock), and Yongyeon Pond. 

Ganghwa Seonwonsa Temple Site was first discovered in 1976 during a surface examination around Ganghwado Island undertaken by the Ganghwado Island Academic Research Team of Dongguk University. The site was designated as Historic Site No. 259 in 1977. Seonwonsa Temple was built by General Choi Wu in 1245 (the 32nd year of King Gojong’s reign during the Goryeo dynasty), which was right after the transfer of the capital to Ganghwado during resistance against the Mongolian invasion. The temple was meant to be a spiritual mainstay in fighting against Mongolia. It used to be one of the two largest temples in Korea along with Songgwangsa Temple. However, the temple was completely destroyed during the early Joseon era, leaving only the site itself. The famous wood blocks of Palman Daejanggyeong (the Tripitaka Koreana), currently housed in Haeinsa Temple at Hapcheon, are said to have been originally stored in Seonwonsa Temple. It is believed that the carved wood blocks were taken from Seonwonsa to Heungcheonsa Temple during the Joseon era and again moved to Haeinsa Temple during the reign of Sejo. Located on a mountain slope, the presumed location of the building site extends 250 meters from south to north and 170 meters from east to west.

Samtae Maaebul Buddha (Treasure No. 407), displaying patterns typical of Buddha statues from the Goryeo era, is found here. ‘Taehaksan’ is so named because the mountain is shaped like a dancing crane. There are many different types of native flowers and trees. In particular, a thick pine forest which offers a great refuge for families. * Samtae Maaebul Buddha (삼태마애불) This is a Buddha relief on Sanjeong Rock. It is historically significant because its overall shape, sculpture, and pleats show fine patterns found in Buddha statues from the Goryeo period.  

Yangjeondong Rock Art (discovered in 1971) is a rock painting 3 meters high and 5.5 meters wide that vividly depicts the life and religion of the Prehistoric Age. Rock art from the time period was created on rocks or other planes considered to be sacred and usually carried a message of fertility. The artwork of Yangjeondong shows layered circles (symbolizing the sun and the moon), crosses (depicting the “life zone” of the tribe), and 17 masks. The artwork is considered to have been used for ceremonial purposes or farming events.

Jeungdo Mosilgil is a 42.7km-long walking path along the coastline of Jeungdo Island, the first Slow City in Asia located off the southwestern coast of the Korean peninsula. Jeungdo Mosilgil Course 3, also known as 'A Thousand Year Forest Walk,' connects from Jjangddungeodari Bridge towards Ujeon Beach, through Thousand Year Pine Forest, and to Mud Flat Museum.