Chorakdang (초락당), a resort that specializes in Oriental medicine treatments, is located in a mountain village next to Ulsan Metropolitan City. Guests can stay in hanoks (traditional Korean-style houses) with front yards that serve as a perfect setting for rest, relaxation, and medical treatments.
Chorakdang offers Hanbang Tours (Oriental medicine tours) designed especially for foreigners, that last for one-night and two-days. Guests will receive health consultations, hwangto face packs (made from yellow earth), medicinal herb baths, as well as meals and teas made from various medicinal herbs. In addition, there is a 2-night/3-day course where guests will be taken on a tour of Gyeongju with the Oriental medicine experience. Reservations for all tours must be made by phone at least 3 to 4 days in advance (please note the resort is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays).
Located in Odaesan National Park, Sambong Recreational Forest (삼봉자연휴양림) is filled with large acicular trees like fir and broad-leaved trees like birch. Lenoks, a species of fresh-water fish that are considered a Korean natural treasure, found only in the cleanest water, thrive in the waters of the deep valley running through the park. The park is surrounded by three peaks – Gachilbong (1,240m), Mt. Eungboksan (1,155m), and Sasambong (1,107m). In the middle of the area surrounded by the three peaks, rests the Sambong Mineral Spring (삼봉약수), whose waters attract many visitors. The spring’s waters are said to ease stomach complaints. The park is also popular since visitors can go leaf peeking in autumn while enjoying the mountains and sea at the same time in summer.
Designated as the top monument of Jeollanam-do, Sigyeongjeong Pavilion (식영정) literally means a place where even the shadow of the moon can find a place to rest. As its name suggests, this pavilion is set in a lush and remote forested area. Countless number of scholars and writers has been attracted to this pavilion as a place of profound inspiration. The pavilion has gained more fame from the legendary lyrics of Seongsanbyeolgok written by the poet Jeong Cheol. The elegant words of Kim Seongwon, a literary scholar, depict the scenic beauty of Seongsan Mountain during the changing seasons.Of all the pavilions situated at the basin of the Yeongsangang River the Sigyeongjeong is said to be blessed with a breathtaking view from the side. The current building was restored in the early 1900s. At the Sigyeongjeong pavilion you’ll find the Buyongdang, a monument with the lyrics to the Seongsanbyeolgok Poem, and next to it an old library building called jangseogak built to preserve the wooden blocks of Songgangjib, a book of poetry written by Jeong Cheol.
Ilyeong Herbland (일영허브랜드) boasts picturesque scenery, combining both natural and man-made beauty with herbal gardens resting on a wide outdoor field. An herbal botanical garden; an herbal shop; a well-being corner; a restaurant; an outdoor garden; and a walking path are built across an area of 1.7 ha. Visitors can buy herbal plants such as white sweet marjoram, stevia, salad burnet, borage, sweet basil, lemongrass, chive, Italian parsley, parsley, chervil, and can also have various herbal teas and boiled rice with herbal flowers and assorted mixtures.
A branch of Magoksa Temple, which is the 6th local temple of the Jogyejong Order, Yeongpyeongsa Temple has six traditional buildings and three small hermitages. Janggunsan Mountain, where the temple is located, is small but full of energy. According to Feng Shui, the mountain is a perfect location for a temple because it is shaped like a dragon curled along the Geumgang River. Yeongpyeongsa is a tranquil place that captures the purity of the temple’s Buddhist practice, with fresh air and clean water that offer a habitat for fireflies, crawfish, and black snails. On the way in, visitors are greeted by a multitude of wildflowers vying for their attention: the columbines and the prairie crocuses in spring, the white lotuses in summer, and the Siberian chrysanthemums in autumn.
* Major event – Mount Janggunsan Siberian Chrysanthemum Festival
Seungbu Station was originally built as a temporary train stop and became widely known when the Hwansangseon Nunkkochyeolcha (Snow Loop Train Line) began operating in 1999. After first opening on the Yeongam Line on January 1, 1956, Seungbu Station has since reopened as a regular train stop. The surrounding area used to be undeveloped, making it difficult to reach by car, but a paved road has since been completed, making it easier to access.
Located at the beginning of Seomjingang River, the steep banks in Gudam Village are covered in maehwa (plum blossoms) in white and red. While strolling along the 3m-path of the riverside, connecting Gudam Village to Cheondam Village, tourists will be impressed by the beautiful scene created by maehwa (plum blossoms) and cherry blossoms. The village became more and more famous thanks to its cozy ambience comprised of Seomjingang River, plum blossoms and Zelkova in the mouth of the village, attracting visitors to enjoy a walking trip. The village has also served as a filming location for movies, including the movie Spring in My Hometown, released in 1998.
Kim Yun-sik was born on this site on January 16, 1903 as the first-born of two sons and three daughters. Under the pen name Yeongnang, he was active in literature until his death on September 29, 1950. Among the 80 poems he published, more than 60 were written in this place where he lived a life resisting Japanese imperialism and refusing to change his name to a Japanese name. After he moved to Seoul in 1948, his birthplace was resold several times, but the county of Gangjin-gun bought it in 1985 to restore it to its original state with a thatched-roof. The site features many of the poet’s writing materials and the site has a small well, camellia trees, jangdokdae (a platform where large clay pots used for storing food are kept), persimmon trees, and a peony garden.