Korea - Southeastern Area

In term of tourist attraction, the southeast part of Korea is the richest in the country. The major cities of the splendid ancient Shilla Kingdom area are Kyongju, Pusan, and Taegu.

Kyongju

Kyongju was the capital of the Shilla Kingdom for a thousand years.

Sokkuram Grotto

Dating back to the same era, Sokkuram grotto is one of Asia's finest Buddhist shrines. Surrounded by Bodhisatvas and guardian deities, the serene central statue of Buddha gazes out over the forested hills across the East sea to the horizon. The building of the granite dome of Sokkuram was a truly amazing architectural feat. Today, to protect the treasure, a glass wall prevents visitors from actually entering the grotto and walking around the great Buddha.

Tumuli Park

A collection of many royal Shilla tombs from the Pre-Unification Era, is in the middle of Kyongju. Actually the park contains 20 of the more than 200 royal tombs in Kyongju.
The Flying Horse Tomb (Ch'onmach'ong) was excavated in 1974 and yielded more than 10,000 treasures, including a golden crown and girdle, are in the museum. The tomb itself is open for viewing, providing the visitors with an opportunity to see how the huge tombs were constructed and how the various items were placed in them. Visitors to this area should be sure to take the time for peaceful stroll in this serene park.

Ch'omsongdae

Other attractions are scattered around the edges of Kyongju; tombs of kings and generals, many decorated with zodiac figures or interesting steles; former palaces, ponds and pleasure pavilions of the Shilla royalty; Buddhist images; and also the world's earliest known extant observatory: Ch'omsongdae, a 7th century bottle-shaped stone structure admired by archaeologist worldwide.

Pusan

Pusan is Korea's principal port and the second largest city. Special places of interest in city are Yongdusan Park and the central shopping and entertainment districts of Kwangbokdong and Namp'odong, which are situated beside the park.
The United Nations Cemetery is a beautiful yet somber place in Pusan. The cemetery is the final resting place for many U.N soldiers who were killed during the Korean War four decades ago.
T;aejongdae Park is on the tip of Yongdo Island south of the downtown area. It is very hilly area, heavily forested, with rugged cliffs dropping straight down to the sea 150m below.
Other scenic attraction are Haeundae Beach resort, Tongnae Hotspring, Pomosa Temple, and Kumgang Amusement Park. Nearby there are also temples and the ruins of ancient fortress.

Tonghwasa Temple is on the southern slope of Mt. Palgongsa. Many cultural relics are kept here.

Taegu

Mt.P'algongsan towers over the city  a picturesque sight to see. Taegu is also rich in culture, and historical relics can be found in abundance.

Chikchisa Temple

Another Buddhist temple worth visiting is Chikchisa Temple, it lies to the northwest of Taegu. it is famous for its blue-tiled roofs, the 1,000 year old supporting pillar of the main gate, and the 1,000 small statues of Buddha as a baby.

Haeinsa Temple

This temple, perhaps Korea's best known temple, is in Mt. Kayasan National Park south of Chikchisa Temple. Established in 802 A.D., Haeinsa Temple has a number of art treasures in its more than 90 buildings (Shrines, Hermitages and sub-temples) scattered over a 50-square mile are. But what distinguishes this temple is its amazing collection of more than 80,000 wooden printing blocks which compose the Tripitaka Koreana, the most complete collection of the Buddhist canon to be found in East Asia. Completed in 1252 to ward off a Mongol invasion, the blocks remain in excellent condition and are the basis of the most authoritative editions of Buddhist scripture.

Andong

Andong is of great interest as one of the last living vestiges of old Korea and it is a treasure-trove of Confucian tradition. Ancient noble men's (Yangban) houses and old gentlemen dressed in the horsehair hats and clothing of their forefathers are common sight.

 

Tosan Sowon, a Confucian academy founded by the scholar Yi T'oe-gye in the 16th century is nearby.

Hahoe

Hahoe is a small village near Andong with a delightful blend of thatched-roof peasant houses and tiled-roof yangban villas. Hahoe has been designated as a historic preservation site by government. The village is known for a special form of mask dance drama, Hahoe T'alch'um and is the site of a famous Shamanistic ceremony. the Pyolshin Kut.

Hallyosudo Waterway

A unique marine national park, also known as The Hallyo Haesang National Park, is dotted with 400 islands and islets, many uninhabited. The irregular coastline has created unusual rock formations and caves, providing a spectacular cruising course.