Must See
Bulguksa
The Bulguksa Temple is located near the Bomun Lake Resort, and is one of South Korea's most famous and major tourist attractions. This large, beautifully painted wooden temple is very atmospheric, with pagodas and stone foundations dating back to the 6th century.
High on the mountain above Bulguksa, the Seokguram Grotto is a highly complex and ancient cave-like structure that contains wall carvings of guardian deities and a large granite Buddha, all of which have great artistic importance.
Busan
Busan (also known as Pusan) is located on the southeastern coast and is South Korea's largest metropolis after Seoul. Its beautiful beaches, festivals and glittering nightlife make it a popular destination for many tourists. The city's attractions include Geumjeong Mount Fortress, Beomeosa Temple and Jagalchi Fish Market, Korea's largest fish market. Visitors can also enjoy great views from the Busan Tower in Yandusan Park, which stands at 120 metres.
Demilitarised Zone
Look out over the DMZ to North Korea on a fascinating excursion from Seoul. Incredibly, the heavily mined frontier is also home to abundant wildlife, left alone by man for 50 years. It's also possible to enter several vast tunnel networks, which the North dug in secret as part of an invasion plan designed to transport its troops across the border, but which were discovered by the South.
Dadohae Marine National Park
Korea's southwestern area offers dramatic coastal scenery, most notably the 1,000-plus islands that make up the Dadohae Marine National Park. Two of the most popular islands that offer accommodation and facilities for visitors are craggy Heuksando and scenic Hongdo.
Gyeongju
Gyeongju lies in the far southeastern corner of North Gyeongsang Province, on the coast of the Sea of Japan (East Sea). It was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Silla, which ruled most of the Korean Peninsula from the 7th to the 9th centuries, and a vast number of sites from this period remain in the city today. Gyeongju is home to some wonderful temples, tombs, palaces and monuments, and has been designated by UNESCO as one of the world's 10 most historically significant sites.
Main attractions include:
- the Royal Tomb Complex
- the 7th-century Cheomseongdae observatory (one of the oldest in Asia)
- the Anapji pond
- the Gyerim forest
- Tumuli Park (containing 20 tomb mounds of Shilla Royalty)
The Gyeongju National Museum houses some important items of national cultural heritage, such as crowns and other treasures excavated from the tomb of King Muryeon, Anapji Pond and the Hwangnyongsa Temple site.
Haeinsa
Located 50 km (31 miles) west of Taegu City is the Mount Gayasan National Park, at the centre of which is Haeinsa (Temple of Reflection on a Smooth Sea), South Korea's foremost Buddhist temples. Built in 802, this UNESCO World Heritage site houses the extraordinary Tripitaka Koreana Woodblocks, a set of over 80,000 wooden printing blocks engraved with the complete Buddhist scriptures. Completed in 1252 after 16 years of work, they remain in perfect condition.
Jeju-Do Island
Also known as Cheju-Do, this is a scenic resort island, with some beaches and numerous natural attractions. South Korea's highest peak, Mount Hallasan, dominates the interior of the island. The island is also known for harubang, small stone 'grand father statues' carved from volcanic lava. The Island is also popular with scuba-diving enthusiasts; and standard facilities for windsurfing, waterskiing and boating are widely available in all coastal resorts.
Mount Songnisan National Park
Towards the centre of the country, Mount Songnisan National Park is renowned for its natural beauty. Its main attraction is the Beopjusa temple, which was built in 653 and is home to the largest Buddha statue in the world (Cheongolongmireukbul), a number of art treasures and an impressive wooden pagoda. Also in the area are Mount Songnisan and the Hwayang, Seonyu and Ssanggok valleys in the middle of the Sobaek Mountain range.
Olympic Park
Stroll through the leafy Olympic Park in the suburbs of Seoul, scene of many of the athletic and other sporting contests during the 1988 Olympic Games.
Seoul
The country's capital is a mix of modern-day commerce and an interesting past. There are several royal residences, such as Changdeokung Palace, which is surrounded by the picturesque Secret Gardens, and Kyongbokkung Palace, which dates back to 1394 and also houses the National Folk Museum. Other attractions include the Chongmyo Shrine, which contains the ancestral tablets of the Kings of the Joseon Dynasty, and the Museum of Modern Arts, which is set within the grounds of a former royal villa - Toksukung Palace. The War Memorial and Museum on Yongsan-gu military base traces the history of conflict on the Korean Peninsula.
One of the main symbols is the Great South Gate (Namdaemun), which was the main gate in the city's 15th-century defences. Wonderful city panoramas can be seen from the Seoul Tower, (238 metres high), which sits on top of the landscaped Namsan Mountain.
Bargain hunters can enjoy Seoul's many markets and shopping areas, including Seoul's traditional shopping area, Insadong, which offers everything from calligraphy brushes to antiques, and the daily East Gate (Dongdaemun) Market. Fashion shoppers should head to the Itaewon district, whilst Myeongdong is renowned for quality restaurants and brand-name shops.