Travel/Culture List

Located about 50㎞ west of Boryeong-si, Oeyeondo Island is the farthest of over 70 islands off the coast of the city, and has a population of only a couple of hundred people. Designated as one of eight treasures of Boryeong-si, the island offers a small hiking trail that takes its course through an ancient evergreen forest and towering sea cliff views of surrounding islands. Island History The history of the island's inhabitation dates back to 202 BC when a Chinese General named Jeonhoeng settled here with about 500 followers after fleeing his failing Je Kingdom. The shrine in the evergreen forest is said to have been erected by the General to commemorate his arrival on the island. Today, a festival is held for him on every January 14th in the hope of healthy child bearing, followed by another festival on January 15th for the Yongwang (Water Dragon Spirit) in the hope of good haul from the Sea.

Jaunam Hermitage was originally built in 1396 by Great Monk Muhak of Joseon Dynasty. It was renovated in 1734, and finally took shape of the hermitage we know today in 1976 when Monk Boryun added Daeungjeon Hall, Chilseonggak Pavilion, and Sansigak Pavilion. It is currently located in the famous Jahadong Valley on the Seoul National University campus.

Jwagusan Natural Recreation Forest is located at the foot of Jwagusan Mountain (alt. 657m). The name of mountain “Jwagusan” comes from the Chinese characters “jwa” meaning sitting down and “gu” referring to a turtle, because the shape of the mountain resembles a turtle sitting down. The lush forest along the hiking trail offers a refreshing stroll through the woods and the nearby Samgi Reservoir adds to the picturesque beauty of the mountain on misty days. The recreation forest offers easy access to many recreational facilities in the area including a resort village, Samgi Reservoir, a woodland park, and a mountain bike course. Because of its natural beauty and recreational facilities, it is becoming more popular as a tourist spot.

Seongjusan Recreational Forest (성주산자연휴양림) in Boryeong, Chungcheongnam-do is especially popular in spring because of its cherry blossoms and beautiful wildflowers. Also, the observatory on the mountain peak (680m in elevation) offers a great view of Seongju-myeon and Oesan-myeon, and it takes about 2-3 hours to hike to the peak and return. Nearby tourist attractions include the Seongjusaji Temple site and a coal museum (15 minutes on foot), as well as Daecheon Beach and Muchangpo Beach (20-30 minutes by car).

Cheongansa Temple was first built in 1960, and was re-built in 2009. It has many pagodas and monuments: a pagoda filled with sari relics of Buddha; Budotap Pagoda, which is a shrine to the monk who found the temple and his sacred relics; and a monument honoring the late first lady Yuk yeong-su. The re-built temple was awarded the Hanok Prize in the Hanok Competition 2011. Located along the Bukhansan Mt. Dulaegil Trail, the temple provide visitors with the chance to enjoy fresh air and a rest from hiking along the trail.

Located in the Hongdae area, the Modern Design Museum is one of the first design museums in Korea. It opened in March 2008 and exhibits historical records that are dedicated to Korea’s design development, featuring more than 15,000 items. The items displayed are mostly from the private collection of Park Arm-Jong, who is a Seonmun University professor as well as the museum’s director. He has gathered items for over 20 years and has arranged them in such a way that visitors can get a very good idea of Korea’s modern design history. Under the theme of “The Big Dipper, 7 stars lighting up the night sky,” exhibitions are categorized into different periods of time. Section 1: Inception Stage (Introduction of Modern Western Culture. 1876-1910), Section 2: Stationary Stage (Slump of Traditional Korean Culture and the Beginning of the Corporate Era. 1910-1945), Section 3: Incubating Stage (Beginning of Understanding the Utility of Design. 1945 – 1961), Section 4: Early Developing Stage (1961 – 1976), Section 5: Developing Stage (Systemizing Design and Development through International Sports. 1976 – 1988), Section 6: Take-off stage (1988 – 2000), and Section 7: Maturing stage (2000s and after).

This island is the southernmost part of Korea. Fishing is good when the tide rises on the east and when the tide goes out on the west. There are a variety of fish species and it’s a great spot for damselfish and yellowtail, even though most bites and nibbles will probably be from Icefish porgy. Float fishing is popular at night on Marado Island. Fish bite well in the rough seas following a typhoon alert. The shoreline of Marado Island forms rugged cliffs with fantastic rocks. A lot of sea caves are scattered under the cliff areas and the whole island itself is basalt. The seashores in this area are the perfect habitat for a variety of aquatic life including shellfish, seaweed and mollusks. There are more marine products found here than in any other area around Jeju Island. Abalone, conch, sea cucumber, sea urchin, sea mustard and Hizikia as well as Marado coralfish (caught in spring and summer) have long been famous. The eastern seashore has been eroded by strong wave action from the Pacific forming a vertical cliff that the residents on Marado call “Geujeong.” The cliff is 39m high and gives an aura of mystery to the island thanks to the cactus and silver grass that grow on it. There are 4 docks: Salraedeok, Jarideok, Jangsideok and Sinjakro. ‘Jarideok’ was named after the coralfish caught in the adjacent area all year round here. The 20 to 30m-high cliffs standing like a folding screen act as a natural windbreak when the wind blows from the southeast.

Cheonjangho Lake is situated on the ridge of Chilgapsan Mountain about 11 kilometers away from the Chilgapsan Mountain Natural Recreation Forest. This is a reservoir of 1,200 hectares to irrigate nearby farm land and its construction took seven years starting in 1972. The lake boasts clean water and outstanding surrounding landscape. When it comes under fog or clouds, it creates a scenic view against the Chilgapsan Mountain landscape. In early spring, smelts are caught in abundance, drawing a growing number of tourists and anglers.

Sangsoo Herb Land is an arboretum which houses 1,000 species of herbs throughout its 82,645㎡ (25,000 pyeong) area. The glass greenhouse, spanning over 9,917㎡ (3,000 pyeong), keeps herbs fresh and green, even in the winter season. Herb Land is well-known for their flowers that bloom year-round, as well their diverse events including the Herb Land Festival held in May each year, wedding ceremonys, banquets, hands-on program classes, and more. Sangsoo Herb Land provides a wide array of programs for visitors. The major event is the Herb Land Festival, aiming to spread knowledge on the use of diverse herbs, including introducing the aromatic value of herb plants in landscaping and as a natural insecticide, as well as the health benefits of herbal foods. Participants can take part in seminars and hands-on activities to learn more about herbs. The banquet room on the second floor can accommodate large groups for events, serving excellent herb dishes at reasonable prices. An outdoor wedding service surrounded by beautiful gardens is also available.

Geumgang River is one of Korea’s four major rivers (Hangang River, Geumgang River, Nakdonggang River, Yeongsangang River). It starts from Jangsu-eup, North Jeolla-do. It flows northward and then changes direction in the vicinity of Greater Daejon and flows southwest through South Chungcheong-do before emptying into the Yellow Sea near Gunsan City. The total area of the Geumgang River Basin is 9,885 square kilometers with a length of 401 kilometers, making it the third longest in South Korea (right behind Hangang River and Nakdonggang River). The upstream of the river flows through the rugged mountains of Deogyusan (1,594 meters; also the root of Geumgang River) and Baegunsan (1,279 meters) Mountains. The midstream and downstream areas feature basins and fertile alluvial plains, so they were one of the first settlements in Korea and the origin of the Baekje culture. The estuary in the downstream area is wide and deep due to the continuous sinking of the West shore, so it offers favorable conditions for a river port and an inland water conveyance system. Geumgang River has supplied water for the Honam (Jeolla-do) Field and served as Baekje Dynasty's main source of water, running through the capital city then. It was an important means of transportation that allowed Baekje's culture to flow into Japan.