Gyeongsangnam-do(Changwon-si)

The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty signed in 1971 to preserve the world’s wetlands. The Ramsar Culture Center promotes this mission and exhibits its history and highlights. The center educates visitors on the importance of preserving Junam Wetland Park and the cultural value of wetlands.Here visitors can view around 120 wetland posters from 40 countries, 15 wetland CDs, and 100 books on wetlands. There are also 1,060 stamps from 30 Asian countries and 10 previous Ramsar host countries, and also that feature the migratory birds of Junam Wetlands Park.After exploring the center, you can take one of the free bicycles and go out to the wetlands to see the reservoir and migratory birds. 


Gangwon-do(Yanggu-gun)

Yanggu Porcelain Museum (Formerly Bangsan Porcelain Museum) presents porcelain from the Bangsan area with various video clips to help take a look at the history of porcelain in the Bangsan area. Visitors can also try their hand at making porcelain from scratch!


Jeollabuk-do(Gimje-si)

The largest irrigation facility in Korea, Byeokgolje Reservoir (Historic Site No. 111) is considered the birthplace of Korea’s rice-farming culture. All that remains of the reservoir today are a three-kilometer long embankment that spans from Sinyong-ri to Wolseung-ri in Buryang-myeon, Gimje-si and a monument that was erected in 1415. The Byeokgolje Museum of Agricultural Culture exhibits around 250 artifacts related to rice farming; located within the same complex is an experience center where visitors can discover the many properties of irrigation facilities first-hand.


Gangwon-do(Gangneung-si)

The Gangneung Dano Cultural Center is located in Noam-dong, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do. The center promotes the Danoje (Dano rite and festival) of Gangneung. On exhibit at the center are customs related to ancestral rites, danogut (shaman ritual), and nori (folk games) to preserve the folk culture of the Joseon Dynasty. The construction of the center began in 2000 when the Gangneung Danoje Festival was added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Since its opening on February 19, 2004, the center has served a key role in helping visitors better understand the tradition of Dano. The center consists of an exhibition hall and a performance hall across from it. The exhibition hall has an exhibition room, a video room, a gallery, and a corner for hands-on activities. Also located here are the offices of the Gangneung Danoje Preservation Council and the Gangneung Danoje Committee, the main organizers of the Gangneung Danoje Festival. There is also a shaman music exercise room, so visitors can easily learn more about the Dano traditions from key personnel.


Jeollanam-do(Jangheung-gun)

Jeongnamjin in Jangheung is a pristine region with beautiful mountains, beaches, and rivers. One of these attractions is the cypress forest, where a refreshing breeze blows through the green shade of these 40-year-old trees. Cypress Forest Woodland is a wood culture & experience center located on Eokbulsan Mountain, allowing visitors a view of the entire downtown area. Guests can stay in the various hanok-style pensions, enjoy the cypress and salt rooms of the jjimjilbang, and take part in various ecology education experiences at this relaxing family leisure resort.


Chungcheongnam-do(Nonsan-si)

Gwanchoksa Temple (관촉사) in Nonsan, Chungcheongnam-do is located at the foot of Mt. Banyasan (100m in elevation). This temple enshrines a Seokjomireukbosalipsang Buddha (Treasure No. 218), which was built over the course of 38 years, beginning in 967 during the Goryeo period. According to a legend, while a lady was picking fernbrake on Mt. Banyasan, she heard a baby crying. When she went to the spot from which from which the crying was coming, there was no baby but instead was a large rock sticking out from the ground. Upon hearing this story, the government ordered a Buddha statue to be made from the rock. This Buddha statue, widely known as ‘Eunjimireuk Buddha,’ is the largest stone Buddha in Korea (18.12m in x_height, 9.9m in girth, 1.8m in the length of ears, 2.43m at the x_height of crown). There are many other cultural heritages in this temple and every April, a splendid cherry blossom tunnel strecthing from Nonsan to Gwanchoksa Temple is at its peak.


Gyeongsangbuk-do(Yecheon-gun)

Astro-Space Center in Yecheon, Gyeongsangbuk-do is the first public facility in Korea to be dedicated to the theme of stars and space. At the center, visitors can study the celestial bodies at the Yecheon Star Observatory, undergo astronaut training simulations at the Yecheon Space Experience Center, and learn about the history of astronomy and the heavens at the Astronomy Park. At the Yecheon Star Observatory, you can observe the sun by day or by night and view planets, nebula, star clusters, and galaxies through a high-powered telescope. At the planetarium, you can also enjoy films about the constellations projected on the observatory’s dome-shaped ceiling. At the Yecheon Space Experience Center, take the ride of your life on the G-force Simulator, bounce around in the Moon Walk Chair, experience the vertigo of zero-gravity on the Multi-Axis Trainer, or float in space using the MMU (Manned Maneuvering Unit). For a calmer experience, check out the center’s 4D movies. On the second floor of the Star Observatory and Space Experience Center is an accommodation facility where you can extend your stay for the ultimate outer space experience. An overnight stay gives you the chance to take full advantage of space observations, telescope assembly and operations, astronomy lectures, and more! In addition to its range of indoor space-related experiences, the space center also provides the rare opportunity to fly in a helicopter. There are as many as four helicopters in operation for this ongoing program. The Astro-Space Center also plans to unveil a private space travel program in 2014: the second private space travel program worldwide! Coinciding with this exciting new program, the center will be introducing Lynx, a two-person Suborbital Spaceship produced by the U.S. company Xcor.


Daegu(Dalseong-gun)

The Dalseong Korea-Japan Friendship Center opened on May 3, 2012 to highlight the philanthropy of General Kim Chung-seon (Japanese name Sayaka, 1571-1642) and promote friendship between Korea and Japan. Kim Chung-seon was a Japanese general who defected to Korea during the Japanese invasion. Shortly after arriving on Korean soil as a commander of a Japanese army, Choi together with his subjects defected to Korea, a choice that has been traditionally attributed to his respect for Korean culture. He transferred the technology of manufacturing rifles to the Korean army and contributed greatly in battles in Gyeongju and Ulsan. A great number of tourists visit the center to learn about history, including students and their parents, as well as numerous Japanese tourists who visit to commemorate the spirit of General Kim. The center features exhibition rooms, a 3-D theater, a tea ceremony room, relics, manifestations of traditional games in Korea and Japan, documents from Wakayama Prefecture in Japan, and a site for experiencing archery, all of which can be utilized free of charge.


Chungcheongnam-do()

Gobok Reservoir is a large farm reservoir covering 770,000 square meters. It was constructed to provide water for agricultural use, but an abundant amount of fish attracted many fishermen from across the country. This resulted in it being appointed as a provincial park. The park spans an area of 1,840,000 square meters and its nearby attractions include a forest, Yonggul Cave, and Sinheungsa Temple on Obongsan Mountain. The neighboring village is home to orchards for growing grapes, peaches, and pears. The park has a large meeting square and an outdoor sculpture park for added leisure activities. The Millakjeong Pavilion offers a panoramic view of the reservoir. Food lovers will be delighted to find that there are many restaurants around the reservoir area specializing in hanbang-ori (herb duck meat) and megi-maeuntang (spicy catfish stew).


Gangwon-do(Jeongseon-gun)

If you go southeast from downtown Jeongseon all the way to Dong-myeon, you will run into Hwaam Tourist Attraction (화암관광지), which is also known as Sogeumgang River (small diamond) because of its magnificent scenery. Although the road that runs through the site winding, it is perfectly paved and drivers can enjoy the beautiful view of thick forest and fascinating, often curious-looking rock formations and cliffs along the roadside. Hwaam Tourist Attraction is an ideal locale for leaf peeking in autumn. Scenic Beauty 1: Hwaam Mineral Spring At Hwaam Mineral Spring (화암약수), water rises up through a rock crater located in Dong-myeon, Jeongseon. The water is said to be good for stomachaches, eye infections, and skin diseases; and, as it contains nine essential elements such as calcium and fluorine, it tastes crisp and clean. Scenic Beauty 2: Turtle Rock (on the right upper side of the path leading to Hwaam Mineral Spring). Part of the path leading to Hwaam Mineral Spring is buttressed by a cliff, on which there is a rock that resembles the shape of a turtle. Scenic Beauty 3: Yongmaso (on the riverside 500 meters ahead of the entrance to Hwaam Mineral Spring). With its clean water and wide sheets of rock, Yongmaso Lake (용마소) is a popular attraction for vacationers. Scenic Beauty 4: Hwaam Cave Hwaam Cave (화암동굴) used to be a gold mine that was commercially operated from 1922 to 1945. The nation’s 5th largest goldmine was, however, found to have natural stalactites, and later the cave was developed as the only theme-based cave that combined gold and nature. The stalactite area is an open space of 2,800㎡ and the length of the path open to visitors is 1,803 meters. The entire area consists of 5 chapters, which in turn constitute 41 zones; it takes about an hour and a half to see all of the zones. Scenic Beauty 5: Hwapyoju Cliff Hwapyoju (화표주) is a cliff facing the entrance of Hwapyo-dong, which can be seen on your way from Hwaam-dong to Molundae (몰운대). The cliff may appear as if a giant sharpened a large sheet of rock and placed it upright, or less imaginatively, as if two pillars are standing side by side. Scenic Beauty 6: Sogeumgang River The four-kilometer stretch from Hwapyoju to Molundae, surrounded with 100 to 150-meter high rock cliffs and thick forest, is called Sogeumgang River (small Geumgang River), meaning that its beautiful scenery is reminiscent of that of the breathtaking Geumgangsan Mountain. Scenic Beauty 7: Molundae Cliff (past Sogeumgang, on the right-hand side of Gubeulgil) ‘Molundae (몰운대)’ literally means ‘the cliff beyond which clouds disappear’. The tip of the steep cliff is adorned with three specimens of 500-year-old pine trees. Legend has it that gods would perch on the cliff’s top and enjoy the beautiful view. At the foot of the cliff lies a large sheet of rock that can accommodate hundreds of people. Scenic Beauty 8: Gwangdaegok Valley (past Molundae, on the left) Gwangdaegok Valley (광대곡) is said to be the mysterious place where heaven, earth and clouds meet. The surrounding hills are very rough and bumpy, which makes the area a renowned mountain in Korea. There is a belief among wild-ginseng diggers that they can find great ginseng if they pray in Gwangdaegok, so it is a popular attraction for such prospectors.