Chungcheongbuk-do(Boeun-gun)

Mt. Songnisan National Park is comprised of Mt. Songnisan and the valleys of Hwayang, Seonyu, and Ssanggok. Situated in the middle of the Sobaeksanmaek Mountains, which is the southwest branch of the Taebaeksanmaek Mountains, Mt. Songnisan is one of Korea’s most beautiful sites. The sharp granite peaks of Mt. Songnisan and the deep valleys of sedimentary rocks are spectacular. Therefore, Mt. Songnisan is also referred to as Mt. Sogeumgangsan, meaning a smaller version of Mt. Geumgangsan. One of Korea's largest temples, Beopjusa, can also be found on Mt. Songnisan. Uisang indicates a sitting Buddha statue and Maaeyeoraeuisang describes the Buddha sitting on a lotus flower. The years have damaged the figure quite a bit, but it still maintains its original beauty. Visitors to the temple will witness the Cheongdongmireukbul, which is the largest Buddha statue in the world. With its numerous treasures and National Monuments, Beopjusa Temple is the best place in which to experience the brilliant history of Buddhist civilization. Mt. Songnisan's deep valleys and the many Natural Monuments attract countless mountaineers and tourists. The cherry blossoms in the spring, green pine forest in the summer, and the lovely autumn leaves in the fall make this place beautiful all the year round.


Jeollabuk-do(Namwon-si)

Jirisan-gil is a 300-km walking trail connecting five cities (Namwon, Gurye, Handong, Sancheong, Hamyang) and spanning three provinces (Jeollabuk-do, Jeollanam-do, Gyeongsangnam-do). After discovering hidden or deserted paths linking woods, rivers, rice paddies and villages, Jirisan-gil was established to join the paths into one long walking trail.The Jirisan Dullegil runs along the periphery of Jirisan Mountain (1,915m). Comprised of 22 courses, the trail meanders through old villages and forests, and over the hills and along the rivers, thereby connecting nature and humans.Reviving those trails means reviving the history and culture of the villages of Jirisan. Take a slow walk on the path to meditate on the beauty and peacefulness of Jirisan and its surrounding villages.


Gyeonggi-do(Yeoju-si) , Yeoju

This is the house where Empress Myeongseong (Joseon Period) was born, and lived until she was eight years old. She would grow up to be the wife of the dynasty’s 26th ruler, King Gojong. The birthplace and the adjoining Memorial Hall are open to the public.Empress Myeongseong was a brilliant diplomat who pursued openness and reform to maintain the sovereignty of the nation. Unfortunately, her tumultuous life came to an end in the early morning hours of October 8, 1895 when she was murdered by the Japanese army.During Japanese colonial rule, the empress was wrongfully accused of being a jealous and overly ambitious person. Studies of various archives have since revealed what a great person she really was. Recently, numerous television productions and musicals have also corrected those misunderstandings. Renovated in 1995, her birthplace includes three buildings with servants’ quarters, master’s quarters, and a separate house. A commemorative monument now stands at the site of the room where the empress studied as a child. The Memorial Hall in front of the house contains various archives and artifacts related to Empress Myeongseong’s life. There is also a 161-seat theatre.


Gangwon-do(Yangyang-gun)

Since its opening in 1963, this beach, out of the other 3 beaches in Donghaean (East Coast) continues to have a great number of visitors every summer. Dense pine tree forests, 4 km of white sands, and shallow waters of 1.5m ~ 70m are characteristic of this beach.Also, Naksansa Temple, one of the eight beautiful sights of the Gwandong area (Gwandongpalgyeong), and the Uisangdae tourist attractions surround this beach, making it even more attractive to visitors. The beautiful four seasons of Seoraksan Mountain can be witnessed in just 10 min. by car, and one can taste delicious seafood at Jeonjinhang, only a 5 min. car ride away.


Gyeongsangnam-do(Hapcheon-gun)

Featuring the highest peak, Sanghwangbong, Mt. Gayasan is composed of many summits each over 1,000m in x_height. From the Taebaek Mountains, the Gayasan stretches from east to west. In 1972, it was designated as National Park No.9 due to its breathtaking scenery. Gayasan is know for its many tourist highlights, namely Haeinsa Temple, which is in the southwestern part of Gayasan. It is one of the three most famous temples in Korea. The Tripitaka Koreana (National Treasures No.32), consisting of over eighty thousand blocks, are found here. The place makes for fantastic scenery with the old temple and the beautiful landscape. In addition, there are other cultural properties such as Jangkyunggak (National Treasure No.52), Stone Buddha Figure (Treasures No. 518) Banya Temple Gyeongwangsa Monument (Treasures No.128) which was designated as a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. Moreover, Gayasan is noted for its graceful mountain landscape. The water flowing from Gayasan valley meets in front of Haeinsa Temple and flows to the southeast where it forms Gayacheon stream. Among the many valleys, Hongryudong valley (its water seems to turn red because of the leaves' autumnal tints) finishes the grandeur scenery with the several thousand year-old pine tree. Namsanjeil-bong, a peak located in southern part of Hongryudong, is called Mt. Cheonbulsan among Buddhists because it seems like thousands of Buddhist statues cover the mountain ridge. Mt. Cheonbulsan is a favorite one-day mountain climbing course for many. Gayasan shows magnificent landscapes every season with the cherry blossoms, azaleas and royal azaleas lined up on the road to Haeinsa Temple in Spring, the clean water and green trees in Summer, the glorious tints of its autumn foliage along the rock ridges in Autumn and a snowy landscape in Winter.  


Gyeongsangbuk-do(Pohang-si)

If the Korean peninsula is seen as a tiger shape, Homigot in Pohang, Gyeongsangbuk-do forms the tail. As the venue for Homigot Sunrise Festival, the Sunrise Square in Homigot features various facilities including monuments, a flame holder, and a performance stage. The brilliant yellow and golden garden at the entrance blooms in April and May. Hand-shaped bronze sculptures have been installed at the waterfront and the beachfront. The palms of the hands face each other, symbolizing harmony and coexistence. The flame originating from the sunlight at Byeonsan Peninsula was used in various international sporting events. Homigot Lighthouse and Lighthouse Museum are located near Homigot Sunrise Square.


Gyeongsangnam-do(Hadong-gun)

The Tea Culture Center located at the foot of Jirisan Mountain in Hadong Gyeongsangnam-do Province aims to promote the tea culture of the area, the first tea producer in the nation, while advertising the quality and superiority of Hadong green tea. The center is located adjacent to the tea farming area and Ssanggyesa Temple, one of the most famous tourist attractions in Korea.In the Tea Culture Center, there is a tea culture museum where you may learn about the history and culture associated with Korean tea. At the Tea Promotional and Experience Center visitors can enjoy such hands-on programs like making tea in a traditional hand-made way and learning the traditional tea etiquette of the region, a pottery class where you can make your own pottery in a traditional way, and a tea market where you can purchase a variety of high-quality tea produced in the region. Every year, the center holds the Hadong Wild Tea & Culture Festival, an official local celebration designated by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.


Gyeongsangnam-do(Jinju-si)

Jinju National Museum is located within Jinju Castle. After opening in 1984, it reopened in 1998 under the name of “Imjin Waeran Specialty Museum”. The exhibits of the museum are based on Imjin Waeran (Japanese Invasion in 1594), instead of having a purely local flavor. Jinju is the site of the greatest battle of Imjin Waeran, the battle of Jinju Castle, which is why there are many relics about the war at the museum, such as Chokseokru. On the 1st floor you can see literature, paintings and listen to music about the war. You can see the record of POWs and the progress of the war, in the point-of-view of westerners. The exhibited relics were excavated from around the country, and even include relics from Japan, giving you a more complete picture, and the theme based arrangement of the exhibits make it easier to understand the war as a whole. Along the passage you can see many items depicting the major events of the war. There is an exhibit hall called Du-Am Hall with about 179 relics, mainly paintings, pottery, and craftwork, which were donated by Mr. Du-Am. On the 2nd floor you can actively experience the progression of the events in the war. The relics are arranged chronologically, classified by soldier, class, and weapons, etc. The exhibit hall starts with the exhibit on the outbreak of the war, and ends with the book Ichungmugong, which contains the will of General Yi Sun-Sin. You can also see a large-scale model of Geobukseon (Turtle Ship), which was the pride of the Korean Navy at the time.


Gangwon-do(Chuncheon-si)

Jade Garden, created under the theme of ‘Small Europe in the Forest,’ is located near Jade Palace Golf Club on a plot of land measuring 160,000 square meters. The 24 distinctively-themed areas in the garden boast a total of 3,000 plant species including rhododendron, maple trees, irises, and blueberry bushes as well as patches of thick, natural forests. The arboretum makes the most out of its natural valley topography and presents visitors with a mix of tidy gardens, graceful flowers, and an array of European-style architecture.For the convenience of its guests, Jade Garden operates a Tuscan-style visitor’s center where patrons can enjoy a simple snack or beverage and purchase souvenirs. Visitors may choose from three different walking courses (each 2 hours in length) around the arboretum and there a gardening program is also available for aspiring gardeners.


Gangwon-do(Chuncheon-si)

Constructed in 1973, Soyangdam is the largest rock filled dam in Asia. As the waterway is used to bridge together cities, Soyangho Lake which is the largest artificial lake in Korea is called ‘the sea inside the land.’Soyangho Lake has the largest fishing farm, and is called the fresh-water fish museum because more than 50 kinds of fresh-water fish such as cyprinus carpio nudu, trout, carp, eel, and smelt live here. The valleys around the lake is especially famous for smelt fishing in the winter, and nearby are Cheongpyeongsa Temple built in the Goryeo Dynasty and Mt. Obongsan. There are the Yanggu Prehistoric Museum, the 4th tunnel, Eulji Observatory, Pallang Waterfall, Hugok Mineral Spring, Cheonmi Valley, Wolmyeong valley, Suipcheon and Yang-gu Pallang Folk Center on the Yanggu area. The upper area of Soyangho Lake is the Injegun area and includes Gyeongnojeong. There is a ferry terminal and other facilities at the top of the dam.