Korea - Southwestern Area

This area is rich in fertile rice paddies; it is often called the "rice bin of Korea". The farm land slopes gently down to the coast, and the jagged coastline is indented with many small harbors.

Chonju

Midway along the Honam Expressway is Chonju, Korea's seventh largest city. Here you can find shops specializing in Korea's traditional mulberry paper, Hanji; is used in Caligraphy and making umbrellas, fans and other items. Chonju is famous for its gourmet dishes including Pibimpap (a large bowl of rice mixed with combination of vegetables and minced meat). People say: "Don't leave Chonju without tasting them".

The lovely Kumsansa temple is about 20 miles southwest of Chonju. South of temple are Mt. Naejangsan National Park and Paegyangsa temple, which dates back to the 7th century. The national park is especially scenic in autumn with its grand display of crimson color fall foliages.
The name Naejang means 'many secrets' in the mountain. Because of the bright crimson leaves that blanket Naejangsan Mountain's fall scenery, the mountain is also referred to as "Geumgangsan of Honam."

Kwangju

The fifth largest city in Korea. As the capital city of Chollanam-do Province, it has been the administrative, economic and educational center of the province for centuries.
Mt. Mudungsan, southeast of downtown Kwangju hovers over the city like guardian. It is famous for its watermelon (Mudungsan-Suhak) and Ch'unsol Tea or Spring Snow Tea is made out of soft buds which emerges from snow in early spring.

Unjusa Temple is situated 30 km to southwest of Hwasun-uptown. It was constructed by the great Buddhist Monk Tosonkuksa during the unified Shilla period (676-935). 18 pagodas and 80 Buddhas in and around the temple are all that remain of the 1,000 Buddhas and 1,000 pagodas that once belonged to this temple.
According to traditional theory of geomancy, Korea peninsula was thought of as a ship which was unbalanced because there were fewer mountains in Honam area, southwestern part of peninsula, than in the Yongnam area, southeastern part of peninsula, and was therefore in great danger of sinking. To prevent this disaster, thousands of Buddha statues and thousands Pagoda were believed to have been erected at temples in the southwestern part peninsula.

Tamyang, 22km north of Kwangju, is the center of Bamboo growing in Korea. It is also center of Bamboo craft, producing large quantities of bamboo furniture, house-hold items, and artwork. Bamboo markets open every five day in Tamyang. Tamyang Bamboo-ware Museum is houses more than 1,200 antique and modern bamboo's work from Tamyang as well as from foreign countries.

Chindo Island

A rare natural phenomenon takes place on Chindo Island, an island south of Mokp'o. It is possible to walk from Chindo island to a small neighboring island in the spring when an extremely low tide creates a land bridge twice a year. This occasion is known to many Korea's "Moses Miracle".

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.

Chejudo Island

Chejudo Island, one of the nine provinces of Korea, has a typical marine climate, with a minimum January temperature of above 0 degrees Celsius. Winds are relatively strong.
Becaise the island was formed by volcanic eruption, a landscape of striking contrasts was created.

Cheju City

Centrally located along the north shore and its special garden called Mok Suk Won, displays artistically shaped natural stones and dried tree roots. Nearby Cheju Folklore Museum has a fine collection that preserves the island's unique customs.Another museum is the Cheju Folk-craft and Natural History features a significant collection of folk crafts, tools and equipments as well as plants, animals and mineral which are native to Chejudo.

Mt. Hallasan

This long extinct volcano, towers over the island. Below are fertile fields, forested areas, quaint villages, and fine hotels near white sandy beaches. The peak of this volcano, with its snow-covered top peeking through brooding clouds, is visible from nearly every point on the island. The mountain soars to height of 1,950 m, making it the nation's highest.

Yongduam Rock 

The unusual lava formation of Yongduam Rock lies on the coast in western Cheju city. The basalt dragon's head with its open mouth is one of Chejudo's popular tourist site.

Song-up Folk Village

This village has been designated a Folklore Preservation Zone, here you can meet the friendly island people still living in their thatched-roof and rock homes, each with a high lava stone wall surrounding its courtyard.

Hyopchae Beach And Hyopchaegul Cave

They are two well known tourist sites on the southern outskirts of Halim  town. The cave contains stalactites and stalagmites. Winds have blown calcium-rich sand over the ground, and rain water has carried the calcium down into the cave to form these icicle-like columns. Another caves are Manjanggul and Kimnyongsagul Cave are situated close by each other on the northeast coast. Manjanggul cave is the longest lava tube in the world, it is over 10 km long.

Sanbanggulsa Temple

It is a natural grotto located half way up the steep slopes of Mt. Sanbangsan on the southwest coast. Reputed to be one of the twelve most famous sights on the island, the view from grotto over the coastal fields and offshore waters is spectacular. Cold, clear mineral water trickles out of a cleft in the grotto, and just one sip of this water is said to ensure a long life. The rock on Yongmori Coast below the temple also make fascinating viewing.

San-gumburi Crater

The crater is one of the three major craters on the island, the other two being Paengnoktam Lake at the summit of Mt. Hallasan and Songsan Ilch'ulbong Peak. San-gumburi Crater is about 2 km in circumference and covers an area of 298,000 square meters. This crater is home to some 420 different species of subtropical, temperature and alpine plants, so that botanists call it a "Floral Treasure House". It is best viewed in summer or fall.

 Hanlim Park

Sogwip'o