Gyeongsangnam-do(Jinju-si)


Busan(Geumjeong-gu)

Geumjeongsanseong Fortress (금정산성) is located on the peak of Mt. Geumjeongsan (801.5m) in Busan. Its original name was Dongrae Mountain Fortress, but it was changed because of its location.Its length is 17,377m, and 1.5m~3m high; it is the largest fortress in Korea. But now there is only a 4 km section remaining from the original. The exact time of the fortification is not recorded, but in reference to the location and size, it is presumed to have been built during the Three Kingdoms Era (when Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla, the three dynasties, were fighting against each other). The present fortress was built in 1703, during the reign of Suk-Jong. It was built after Imjin Waeran (Japanese Invasion of Korea from 1592~1598) to prepare for any further invasions from Japan. It was first built with stones and was renovated in 1707. During the dark years under Japanese sovereignty it was damaged and devastated.In 1971, it was designated as private property. The West, East and South Gates have been reintegrated, and it is still undergoing the restoration process. On the fortress barbican there is Munru (watch tower). There is another watch tower called Mangru to watch for enemies. Different from other mountains, it is easy to find spring water here, and because it is a granite area, you can easily see rock caves and small and big rock peaks at Mt. Geumjeongsan.


Gyeongsangbuk-do(Bonghwa-gun)

Located in Mt. Cheongnyangsan Provincial Park, Cheongnyangsa Temple was built by the great monk Wonhyo in 663, the 3rd year of King Munmu of the Silla Kingdom. According to the principles of feng shui, the area is an ideal place for a temple – with the 12 mountain peaks surrounding the temple like the petals of a lotus flower.The temple is home to two precious historical remains; one is the board of Yuribojeon that King Gongmin of Goryeo wrote upon and the other is Jibul. Yuribojeon is the building where Yaksa-yorae-bul (the Medicine Buddha Statute) is housed and Jibul is a Buddha statute made of paper that was painted with gold.At the back of the temple is Bosalbong Peak looking out towards Mt. Cheongnyangsan. A 30-minute walk along the hiking trail will lead you to Eungjinjeon, a hermitage with a beautiful view where the great monk Wonhyo once stayed. Behind Eungjinjeon stands Geumtapbong Peak and the sheer cliffs below. The peak was named Geumtapbong (meaning ‘golden pagoda’ in Korean) since it looks like a nine-story pagoda with pine trees growing around the base. In the autumn, the beautiful red, gold and orange hues of the maple trees are a true sight to behold.


Chungcheongnam-do(Seocheon-gun)

A small harbor town in Seocheon County on the west coast, Maryangpogu is the only place in Korea where visitors can see the sunrise and sunset on the same day. Sunrise here can only be seen for about 50 days around mid-December, which attracts many visitors around that time. There is a beautiful camellia forest alongside the sea, which has been designated as National Monument No. 169. There are about 80 camellia trees and some of them are 500-years old. The camellia flowers are in bloom from late-March to early-May and reach their peak around mid-April. Dongbaekjeong Pavilion in the forest offers a splendid view of the sunset. There are many attractions visitors can easily get to from Maryangpogu such as Chunjangdae Beach (춘장대 해수욕장), Hongwonhang Harbor (홍원항), Busa Embankment (부사방조제), Geumgang Estuary Bank (금강하구둑) and Hansan Mosi Town (한산모시타운). Hongwonhang Harbor (홍원항) is rich in marine products and the Geumgang Estuary Bank (금강하구둑) is a well-known place to watch winter migratory birds.


Gangwon-do(Samcheok-si)

Haegasa is a site named after the tale of 'Haega' in "The Heritage of the Three States." While the original Haegasa is assumed to be on Wausan Mountain at the northern end of Samcheok Beach, it has been restored on Jeusandong Beach against the backdrop of beautiful scenery. Located near Haegasa are Chuam Beach and Surobuin Park, which hosues the Dragon Ball, upon which people make their wishes.


Gangwon-do(Gangneung-si)

The Daegwallyeong Museum is located in Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do Province. It is housed in a building that resembles a dolmen, striking a balance with its surrounding landscape and earning it an Outstanding Architecture Award from the Construction Association of Korea and the Best Award from Gangwon-do Province.The museum has six exhibition halls, including those that are named after the guardian gods that represent the four directions. Cheongnyongbang (Room of the Green Dragon - East) is decorated in blue and displays celadon and traditional ceramics. Baekobang (Room of the White Tiger - West) is in white and exhibits Buddhist art and wooden dolls. Jujakbang (Room of the Red Vermillion - South) is in red and displays a bridal palanquin, folk paintings, and calligraphy. The black Hyeonmubang (Room of the Black Turtle - North) displays bronze relics. Also, there is the Togibang (Earthenware) showing Prehistoric era shacks and earthenware. Uribang exhibits wooden furniture and folk craftwork.The outdoor space offers an exhibit of stone pagodas and statues as well as a thatched cottage and an operating water mill. 


Gyeongsangnam-do(Namhae-gun)

Sangju Silver sand Beach is busy all year long, with professional athletes coming for physical training in the winter, students camping in the spring and fall, and vacationers visiting the beach in the summer.Sangju Silver sand Beach is extremely popular especially in the summertime, attracting up to 1 million tourists who heard about the beach’s sands, waters, and groves. Families and vacationers in the summer especially love this beach, due to its beautiful white sands that stretch for 2 km and slope lazily into the shallow waters that are perfect for children to play in.Behind the beaches lies Geumsan Mountain, a place well known for its sunrises. If you happen to arrive in the evening, it’s highly recommended that you see the sunrise at Geumsan Boriam in the morning, enjoy the beach’s water during the day, and at last, enjoy an evening of ocean fishing at either Namuseom Island or Dolseom Island(Rock Island), situated right in front of Sangju Beach. To one side of the white sands are campgrounds, and the surrounding area consists of shopping streets and accommodation. 


Gyeonggi-do(Pocheon-si) , Pocheon

Sinbuk Hot Springs opened it in April 1994 amidst beautiful streams and forests. The hot spring water comes from 600m underground includes sodium bicarbonate help creating a soft and smooth texture and the water helps anti-aging and general skin care. Along with a hot springs bath, saunas were built as well as a resting area that attracts a diverse clientele. In the area around the hot springs are tourism spots like Yeoldugaeul Valley in Deokdun-ri and Samjeong-ri Mineral Spring. Trekking is also available on the walking trail at Wangbangsan Mountain, Soyosan Mountain and the hot springs as there is a trail connecting Sinbuk Hot Springs and the middle of the mountain.


Jeollabuk-do(Muju-gun)

Taekwondowon located in Muju-gun, Jeollabuk-do, serves as a Mecca for the 70 million taekwondo practitioners in 186 countries worldwide. Covering an area of 2.31 million square meters, the park includes training grounds, hands-on program facilities, accommodations, and more.The Taekwondowon Observatory (522 square meters) is a three-story building located on a hill near the Taekwondo Strong Kick Statue. Go to the top of the observatory for a dramatic bird’s-eye-view of the crystal clear Muju area.