Travel/Culture List

Seonggwansa Temple is located in the rural village of Geumdeok-ri, Janggye-myeon, Jangsu-gun in Jeollabuk-do province, yet the size of this temple is quite big with around ten buildings. It is said that the temple was established during the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), but the history of the temple is not very clear as there are no remains or written documents of the temple from the Goryeo period that remain today. The name of the temple was changed to Geumdeoksa in 1943, but it recovered its original name of Seonggwangsa in 1994. Seonggwansa means that its disciplines are to practice Buddhist teachings and spread the teachings of Buddha. The present temple site includes Daeungjeon (main hall), Seolbeopjeon (preaching hall), Samseonggak Pavilion, Junghwadang, Daegakseonwon, Iljumun Gate, Jonggak Belfry, and a nine-story pagoda.

Soyosan Mountain (소요산) on the outskirts of Dongducheon City is the most treasured mountain north of the Hangang River. Although it is relatively small, only standing 587m tall, it is covered by a lush forest, and dotted by waterfalls and peaks. On the slopes of Soyosan Mountain rest shrines commemorating Wonhyo and Uisang, two renowned Buddhist monks from the Silla Kingdom, and the Jajae Hermitage, a small temple where Wonhyo practiced asceticism. There are many small waterfalls including Wonhyo Falls, Uisang Falls, Cheongnyang Falls, and Seonnyeotang Falls, which are popular destinations for visitors in the summer. Although Nahanjeon, a natural stone cave, and Geumsonggul Cave, halfway up the mountain, still maintain an air of mystery. Moving from the base of the mountain, past the parking lot and shops, and following the flat path, you will find Jajae Hermitage; and, after going a bit further, you will find Wonhyo Falls cascading down between the rocky cliffs. Below the fall is Songni Bridge, which leads straight to the Uisangdae site (587m) at the top of the mountain. The left path off of the bridge leads to a cliff that is the Wonhyodae site; and by following a forest path between rising rock walls, you can trek to the Jajae Hermitage, next to which is a small cave called Nahanjeon. Very tasty spring water wells in the cave and it is called Wonhyo Spring, and its waters are famous for making excellent tea.

Ttangttang Land opened its doors on September 1, 2018 in Daegu, the center of Chimak (chicken and beer). At Korea's first chicken theme park, visitors can enjoy seeing, making, and tasting different types of chicken. With many popular attractions nearby, Ttangttang Land is where the fun starts.  

Indong Fossil Museum is one of the largest fossil museums in Asia. It first opened its doors on June 19, 2010. Exhibitions both in and outside of the main building display a wide array of meteors, flowers, fruits, animals, wood, and shells in fossil form. Colorful fossils and columnar joints (hexagon or triangle-shaped columns formed out of the cooling of lava) will take visitors to a world that has never before been exposed. Other attractions include the Underwater Ecology Hall, Mongol Experience Hall, exotic suiseki, and garden stones. Fossils come from various countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, China, and Brazil. Two items, in particular, captivate visitors: a 600-ton columnar joint and a 55m-high tree fossil. In addition, outdoor exhibitions offer rare opportunities for visitors to touch fossils. Every architectural piece is made out of environment-friendly wood, and visitors can enjoy a leisurely cup of tea next to the pond in the museum.

Jungyeongmyo Tomb is located in Hwalgi-ri, Miro-myeon, Samcheok-si, Gangwon-do. It is the grave of King Mokjo’s parents, the 5th great-grandparents of King Taejo of the Joseon Dynasty. Jungyeongmyo was designated as monument No. 43 Gangwon-do province on August 5th, 1981 and promoted to Historic Site No. 524 on July 12th, 2012. There is a legend associated with the tomb that an old monk told King Mokjo that for the sake of his descendants, he must spill the blood of 100 cows and bury his deceased parents in a gold casket. Mokjo did what the monk told him, and his 5th great-grandson, King Taejo, became a King of the Joseon Dynasty.

Situated between Damyang-gun and Gwangju Metropolitan City, Damyang Wetland is one of the best places to experience the ecology of Yeongsangang River. It is a habitat for the hawk, wildcat, Boreal digging frog (endangered species), and kestrel. It became the first river wetland to be designated as a wetland reserve in 2004.

Eocheongdo Island is a small island with a rich variety of sources for unique discoveries. Located about 70㎞ west of Gunsan (an international trading port in Korea's Jeollakbuk-do), Eocheongdo Island is a strategic stopover port for vessels plying the West Sea between the southern coast of Korea and Seoul's main port of Incheon. With its perfectly shaped harbor and historic lighthouse that stands as the western most light for vessels in this area, the island offers good protection from high seas and storms during the long journey. Located about 300㎞ east of mainland China, Eocheongdo Island is also an important stopover site for migratory birds between the two land masses. The island, in this sense, has become an esoteric place for bird watchers from all over the world to spot numerous species that inhabit the island.

Situated in Buk-myeon, Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do, Gapyeong Hyunam Agricultual Heritage Museum was established by Gyeonggi-do Gapyeong Office of Education. It is situated inside of Gapyeongbuk Middle School, making it easy to visit for anyone to learn forebearers’ wisdom and spirit as well as the development of traditional culture. It mainly displays framing relics and is comprised of five halls; Yeonchulgwan (연출관) displays 57 pieces of folk materials to observe scenes from daily life back in the time by showing old houses, Minsokgwan (민속관) houses 350 pieces of house-keeping tools, Batgaligwan (밭갈이관) gives a look at how the types of farming machines differed according to region, Chusugwan (추수관) presents 104 different harvest tools and Gagonggwan (가공관) exhibits 255 folk goods to process grains.

Gyeokpo Port is one of the “100 most beautiful fishing villages in Korea” as designated by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. The port is the hub of maritime transportation connecting islands to the mainland. The port is also famous for the magnificent sunsets viewed from this spot. The area is known for a wide range of marine products which are obtained from the clean waters of the West Sea. During octopus season in spring and gizzard shad season in autumn, the area is crowded with gourmets and tourists from across the nation. There are also many local delicacy restaurants specializing in seafood dishes using octopus, cuttlefish, blue crab and manila clam.

Diveland is located in the pure waters off the southern coast of Jeju Island. Visitors can enjoy a variety of dive points, including the popular area around Munseom Island.