Gyeongsangnam-do(Tongyeong-si)

Hansando Island, located in the middle of Hallyeo Haesang National Park, is an important historical site. This is where General Lee Sun-Shin (1545 ~ 1598) won his great victory using the "Turtle Boat" (an ironclad warship shaped as a tortoise) by commanding the naval forces of Chungcheong, Jeolla and Gyeongsang Provinces at the beginning of Imjinwaeran, the Japanese invasion of Korea (1592-1598).In Hansando Island, a 960 square km large forest is blanketed with camellias and old red pines. In the woods, there is Jeseungdang, which was the strategic headquarters of General Lee Sun-Shin where he commanded the war for five years during the Japanese occupation of Korea in 1592. Jeseungdang has a five-page documentary called Chungmugong that recorded the activities of Lee Sun-Shin which depicts the events of that period. You can also see the barracks, The Suru Watch Tower, and Hansanjeong, where soldiers were trained in archery. The Suru Watch Tower overlooks a fine view of the sea, along with a view of Jeseungdang.The active cultivation of oysters, ascidians, brown seaweed and pearls is attracting more tourists to this area. The coast of Hansando has also become a famous fishing spot. 


Jeollanam-do(Yeosu-si)

Nestled in the East coast of Dolsando Island (돌산도), the tranquil waters on this resort have mild waves that lap up on the shiny golden sand along the beach. Nearby there is a thick pine grove where some of the trees are 200 years old. This area is blessed with plenty of fresh inland water despite it being on the coast. The myriad of rocks near the sea are great for fishing. The beach is a popular spot to watch the sunrise. It is also situated on the way to Hyangiram Hermitage, one of Korea’s four hermitages where Buddhist followers come to pray.


Gyeongsangnam-do(Hapcheon-gun)


Jeollanam-do(Yeosu-si)

Yeosu Airport is the gateway to Yeosu city and the eastern part of Jeollanam-do Province. The airport opened in 1972 when Korean Air (KAL) launched a new air route between Seoul and Yeosu, and the route between Yeosu and Jeju was added in 1977. The travel time for the Seoul-Yeosu route is 1 hour and the Jeju-Yeosu route takes 45 minutes. The airport renovated its runway in 2004 and opened a new passenger building in 2005. As Yeosu is the host city of the 2012 World Expo, the city has plans to continue expanding facilities to provide the most convenient service.  


Jeollanam-do(Haenam-gun)

During the Cretaceous period of the Mesozoic era, it is said that there were three major lakes in Gyeongsang Province alone, and to this day, traces of such lakes can be found in the Namhae coastal area. Such traces are particularly distinct in Uhangri, Haenam-gun. The Uhangri area had originally been a part of the sea, but this changed when the Damsuho Lake and surrounding area was formed by the building of the Geumho Tide Embankment. This lake has a sea cliff that is 3-4 meters high, stretches about 5km in length, and is made up of sedimentary rock formed during the Cretaceous age. Embedded in the rock around the lake are footprints of dinosaurs, pterosaurs and water birds that lived in this area tens of millions of years ago. There is no other place in the world where footprint fossils of all these different dinosaurs were found in a single area. The footprint fossil of a pterosaur discovered in this area is the largest in the world at a length of 20-35cm. Also, the footprint fossil of a bird with webbed feet showed that the bird lived in the Cretaceous period, which is at least around 20-30 million years earlier than the Eocene of the Cenozoic era discovered in the US.


Jeollanam-do(Haenam-gun)

With the release of the recent movie 'Roaring Currents (2014)', the haenam region is gaining in popularity, thanks in a big part to the Woosoo Tourist Attraction Area. This area commemorates the Myeongryang Battle and the great victory that was achieved by Admiral Yi Sun-Sin in 1597. This remarkable site embraces an important role in Korean history and became a national tourist site in 1986, in addition to the Memorial Park (1990) of Admiral Yi, overlooking Uldolmok. A number of exhibition halls are designed to showcase the remains related to the naval battle and sculpture parks in rememberance of the great defeat over Japan.


Jeollabuk-do(Gunsan-si)

Dongguksa Temple was built by Japanese monk Seoneungbulgwan in 1909. The temple was run by Japanese monks for 36 years during the Japanese occupation, reverting to Korean jurisdiction when Korea was liberated in 1945. The historical temple is the only surviving Japanese-style temple in the nation. The temple is characterized by its two main buildings, Daeungjeon Hall and Yosachae, which are connected by a corridor, and the temple’s relative lack of decoration, which stands as a sharp contrast to the brilliantly-colored Korean temples. Dongguksa Temple was officially designated Cultural Asset No. 64 in July 2003 and is now a branch temple of Seonunsa Temple in Gochang, the 24th district of the Korean Buddhist Jogye Order.


Jeollanam-do(Jindo-gun)

The National Center for Korean Namdo Performing Arts is located at the skirt of Yeogwisan Mountain in Jindo-gun, Jeollanam-do. In addition to its gorgeous mountain and coastal views, the center is well known for its critical role in preserving spreading the traditional Korean music and art of the southern regions of Korea through traditional music performances, cultural experiences and traditional music study programs. At the center, visitors can sign up for traditional music lessons or tour the facilities. Key facilities include a traditional Korean music theater called Jinakdang, outdoor concert halls called Dalbitmadang (Moonlight Square) and Byeolbitmadang (Starlight Square), a lodging facility named Sarangchae (with space for 160 people), and the Samuyeonseup Building, which includes practice rooms, seminar rooms, and a cafeteria. Various culture experience programs and traditional music programs are available, such as the “Friday Traditional Korean Music Performance” and the “Weekend Culture Experience,” in which families can come and experience the traditional culture of Namdo (southern Korea). The “Weekend Culture Experience Program” includes traditional Korean music performances, traditional music lessons, and the learning of traditional games, followed by a tour of Jindo-gun and nearby historical sites.  


Chungcheongnam-do()

The origin of Biamsa Temple is unknown, but the temple's architectural features suggest that it was built during the mid Goryeo Dynasty period (918-1392). The Geungnakbojeon Hall and the three-storied pagoda inside the temple have been designated as Cultural Properties of Chungcheongnam-do Province. The flamboyang and delicately crafted datjip (canopy) inside the Geungnakbojeon Hall was restored in 1657 during the 8th year of King Hyojong's reign. In the yard in front of the Geungnakbojeon Hall stands the three meter-high Samcheungseoktap (three-storied stone pagoda). With the discovery of Samyeongunsang stone statues near the top of the pagoda, Biamsa Temple became more widely known to the public. Among the stone statues, Gyeyumyeongjeonssi-amitabul-samjonseoksang (three Buddha statues) has been named as National Treasure No. 106, and Gichukmyeong-amitayeorae-jebulbosalseoksang (statue of Amitabha bodhisattva) and Mireukbosal-bangaseoksang (statue of Maitreya bodhisattva) have been designated as National Treasures No. 367 and No. 368, respectively. The stone statues are preserved in National Museum of Korea. Meanwhile, the three-storied stone pagoda was designated as Tangible Cultural Property No. 119 of Chungcheongnam-do Province on July 19, 1985.