Gyeongsangnam-do(Sancheong-gun)

Boasting breathtaking views, Jirisan National Park was the first park in Korea to officially be designated a national park in 1967. Its glorious mountain range extends across three provinces and five cities. The magnificent mountains and exceptional scenery make this one of the most famous mountains in Korea. Roughly 1,915 meters above sea level, Cheonwangbong Peak, considered to be the pillar of heaven, is the main peak. Jirisan also features Banyabong and Nogodan, and is home to over 10 famous temples. There are over twenty summits and valleys such as Baemsagol Valley, which are part of "Jirisan Ten Sceneries." As this is the location of the most well-preserved virgin forests in Korea , the majestic and mystical mountain is highly revered. There are many species of animal and plant life, and as the first place to cultivate tea in Korea, herbal medicine cultivation still flourishes here.Jirisan Mountain was also where the Buddhist culture prospered, and there are many cultural assets here, such as Baekjangam Three-Story Stone Pagoda (National Treasure No.10), the Silsangsa Three-Story Stone Pagoda (Treasure No. 37) and more. These regional cultural assets and the superb sceneries of nature give you a unique taste of local history and culture. The weather is temperamental and only 80~100 days out of the year are clear and sunny, but the mist and fog create rare, unparalleled scenes not found anywhere else.


Gyeonggi-do(Osan-si) , suwon

The Mulhyanggi Arboretum (물향기 수목원), situated in Osan City, Gyeonggi Province, is a peaceful area where you can come to relax, but is surprisingly located amidst high-rise apartment buildings in the city center. There are many things to see at the beautifully named 330,580m2 arboretum (mulhyanggi meaning water fragrance). There are 16 themed centers, various auxiliary facilities, and 1,601 different species of plants. The Mulhyanggi Arboretum, is a great place for a leisurely walk, and takes around two hours to see in its entirety. It is not so sublime as the Gwangneung Arboretum, but is charming, and offers many things to see as it features variously themed centers. Children will have an exciting time at the Topiary Center, which can be seen from the parking lot, and the Maze Center. Other themed centers include the Pine Tree Center, the Maple Tree Center, the Fruit Tree Center, the Tendril Plant Center, the Center of Native Plants of Central Korea, the Dwarf Tree Center, the Local Crafts Tree Center, the Wet Land Ecology Center, the Center for Plants that Live in Humid Areas, the Warm Temperature Zone and Pteridophyte Center, the Functional Plant Center, the Althea Center, and the Insect Ecology Center. There is also an observatory made from a tree. As indicated in its name, the waters of this arboretum are clear and clean. Tadpoles swim in the wetland and Korean squirrels scurry up and down the trees. The arboretum, only an hour away from Seoul, affords city dwellers a place to relax in peace where they can experience different forms of natural beauty according to the season.※ There are no shops, restaurants, or trash bins. Visitors to the site are recommended to take waste back homes and to be considerate of the environment. You can bring a lunch box and enjoy your meal at the ‘Rest Area inside the Forest’, which is a designated site for eating.


Gangwon-do(Goseong-gun)

Hwajinpo (화진포) is named so because there are sweet briers that bloom by the lake, and it is one of nature’s great lagoons. It is designated Gangwon Provincial Monument No. 10 with a circumference of about 16 km, and it has a wide reed field which is an important place for migratory birds and swans in the winter. Hwajinpo Lake is surrounded by evergreens and white sandy beaches; it is a lagoon where the river and the sea meet. Materials drifting down the river deposited at the bottom of the river become a sandy beach that eventually block off the river from the sea, creating a lagoon. Hwajinpo Lake is the largest lagoon near the East Sea, and has many ancient artifacts around it, such as the Ten Goindol rocks (also called Jiseokmyeo) scattered around the lake. Because of its excellent scenery, Kim Il-Seong (1912-1994) of North Korea and the South Korean president Lee Seung-Man (1875-1965) had summer houses here after the independence of Korea in 1945. The two houses that originally faced each other with the lake at the center are gone now, but the sites still remain as tourist destinations. They have been converted to Hwajinpo’s Museum of History, and opened to public as a security exhibit center.


Chungcheongnam-do(Taean-gun)

Located 30 km away from Taean, Anmyeondo Island is the sixth biggest island in Korea, where a 200-meter bridge constructed in 1970 connects the island with Taean-gun. The peninsula connected to Nammyeon was isolated during the Joseon Dynasty by cutting off access between Changgi-ri in Anmyeon-eup and Shinon-ri in Nammyeon for the convenience of tax transportation. The island's coast is lined with some 14 beaches as well as abundant pine trees, which are symbols of Anmyeon-eup. The island also owns Anmyeondo Natural Forest, along with the Mogamju Forest. (Natural Monument No. 138)


Jeju-do(Seogwipo-si) , Seogwipo

The architectural style of Yakcheonsa Temple is reminiscent of that of Buddhist temples of the early Joseon Dynasty. Measuring an impressive 30m high and spanning a total area of 3,305 meters squared, it is the largest temple in the East. Upon entering Yakcheonsa Temple, guests will be greeted by a 5m-tall statue of Vairocana, the tallest of such statues in Korea, on a 4m high pedestal. The walls on both the right and left have been sculpted into large altar portraits of Buddha and in front of the Dharma Hall is a giant Buddhist temple bell, weighing 18 tons. Beloved for its size and grandeur, the temple consists of a main temple (2,652 meters squared) and a 3-story residential structure for the Buddhist monks. Other notable sites are the Gulbeopdang (the Dharma Hall, built inside a natural cave), the Samseonggak Shrine, and the Sarira Pagoda. Yakcheonsa Temple is not only popular among Buddhists but is also a well sought after tourist destination.


Gangwon-do(Sokcho-si)

Hotel Maremons is located in the tourist city Sokcho, a city of a thousand historical and cultural heritages. Each of the hotel’s 148 guestrooms offers a panoramic view of Mt. Seorak and the East Sea. Daepo Port and Haemaji Park are situated nearby and on clear days guests can watch a beautiful sunrise from the comfort of their rooms. Hotel Maremons offers a variety of rooms and facilities for those hosting seminars and party events as well as a guestroom especially for visitor(s) with a physical disability. This special guestroom has a double bed and a shower with a seat instead of the bathtub found in other rooms. Even though the main entrance of the hotel is located atop a flight of stairs, there is also a side entrance that is directly connected to the parking lot.


Gangwon-do(Goseong-gun)

Located just 10 minutes from downtown Sokcho, Foryou Resort offers home-like accommodations close to nature and culture. The resort also offers various facilities, including a supermarket, singing room and swimming pool. The resort also features a large-scale camping ground and is just 5 minutes away from world class Jamboree grounds, host to the 17th World Scout Jamboree in 1991.


Jeollanam-do()

Daedaeseonchangjip Hanjeongsik, located near Suncheonman Bay Ecological Park (순천만자연생태공원) in Jeollanam-do, is famous for its Jangeo (eel) and jjangttungeo (mudskipper) with menu including Jjangttungeo-tang (mudskipper soup), Jangeo-gui (grilled eel), Jangeo-tang (eel soup), Jjangttungeo-jeongol (mudskipper hot pot), and Cheongdungori-tang (mallard duck soup).


Gyeonggi-do(Goyang-si)

Royal India serves traditional Indian curry, various barbeque dishes cooked in tandoor, and naan bread in an exotic setting. The restaurant features Indian-style interior design, but most of the items on the menu are fusion Indian cuisine that is well-suited to Korean people’s taste buds.


Gyeongsangnam-do(Gimhae-si)

The new Lotte Hotel joins the ranks of the hotel cultures in the new downtown area of Ulsan. Conveniently located near the bus terminal and Geumyunggwon, a theater, and the Lotte Department Store it is soon becoming the new business hub of the city.