Country Guides
Korea (Republic Of)
Top Things To See
Top Things To See
Korea (Republic Of)
• See the sights of Seoul: Changdeokung is an exquisite Joseon palace and its picturesque Biwon, (secret gardens) are enchanting. Nearby Jongmyo Shrine contains ancestral tablets of the Joseon Dynasty. The huge National Museum of Korea is both architecturally jaw-dropping and culturally fascinating.
• Also in Seoul, go up N-Seoul Tower (238m/ 776ft), atop landscaped Namsan Mountain. Visit the poignant War Memorial and Museum. Spend time around revitalised Cheonggyecheon Stream, and relax at Olympic Park or World Cup Park. Experience how life was centuries ago at the Korean Folk Village.
• Admire the UNESCO-listed city walls and defences of Suwon City, with its Hwaseong Fortress.
• Hike, check out relics and visit the temples and fortress in the mountains of the Bukhansan National Park. They are some of the most favoured in Korea, and they're not far outside Seoul.
• Jump on Korea's pride and joy, the KTX high-speed train, launched in 2004 and capable of travelling at 300kph (186mph). Take it to the bustling port of Busan to see Jagakhi Fish Market (not for the squeamish), Busan Tower and Beomeosa Temple.
• Visit Korea's ‘museum without walls' Gyeongju, near Busan. The capital of the Silla Kingdom for 1,000 years, it is packed with history and Buddhist culture, all designated by UNESCO as one of the world's 10 most historically significant sites.
• Soak up the wonderful atmosphere of Bulguksa Temple. This large wooden temple is beautifully painted. A winding road high on the mountain above leads to the Seokguram Grotto, with the magnificent granite Buddha, looking serenely down through his protective glass case.
• Head west of Daegu to the Mount Gayasan National Park, at the centre of which is Haeinsa, Korea's best-known temple. It houses the extraordinary UNESCO-listed Tripitaka Koreana: 80,000 wooden printing blocks engraved with the complete Buddhist scriptures. Completed in 1252 after 16 years of work, it is still in perfect condition.
• Travel to the Hallyeo Maritime National Park in the southeast for a cruise around the archipelago, dotted with 400 islands. This is where Admiral Yi Sun-Sin (an Admiral Nelson-figure) defeated the Japanese in the sea battles of the 16th century.
See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.
• See the sights of Seoul: Changdeokung is an exquisite Joseon palace and its picturesque Biwon, (secret gardens) are enchanting. Nearby Jongmyo Shrine contains ancestral tablets of the Joseon Dynasty. The huge National Museum of Korea is both architecturally jaw-dropping and culturally fascinating.
• Also in Seoul, go up N-Seoul Tower (238m/ 776ft), atop landscaped Namsan Mountain. Visit the poignant War Memorial and Museum. Spend time around revitalised Cheonggyecheon Stream, and relax at Olympic Park or World Cup Park. Experience how life was centuries ago at the Korean Folk Village.
• Admire the UNESCO-listed city walls and defences of Suwon City, with its Hwaseong Fortress.
• Hike, check out relics and visit the temples and fortress in the mountains of the Bukhansan National Park. They are some of the most favoured in Korea, and they're not far outside Seoul.
• Jump on Korea's pride and joy, the KTX high-speed train, launched in 2004 and capable of travelling at 300kph (186mph). Take it to the bustling port of Busan to see Jagakhi Fish Market (not for the squeamish), Busan Tower and Beomeosa Temple.
• Visit Korea's ‘museum without walls' Gyeongju, near Busan. The capital of the Silla Kingdom for 1,000 years, it is packed with history and Buddhist culture, all designated by UNESCO as one of the world's 10 most historically significant sites.
• Soak up the wonderful atmosphere of Bulguksa Temple. This large wooden temple is beautifully painted. A winding road high on the mountain above leads to the Seokguram Grotto, with the magnificent granite Buddha, looking serenely down through his protective glass case.
• Head west of Daegu to the Mount Gayasan National Park, at the centre of which is Haeinsa, Korea's best-known temple. It houses the extraordinary UNESCO-listed Tripitaka Koreana: 80,000 wooden printing blocks engraved with the complete Buddhist scriptures. Completed in 1252 after 16 years of work, it is still in perfect condition.
• Travel to the Hallyeo Maritime National Park in the southeast for a cruise around the archipelago, dotted with 400 islands. This is where Admiral Yi Sun-Sin (an Admiral Nelson-figure) defeated the Japanese in the sea battles of the 16th century.
See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.
• Also in Seoul, go up N-Seoul Tower (238m/ 776ft), atop landscaped Namsan Mountain. Visit the poignant War Memorial and Museum. Spend time around revitalised Cheonggyecheon Stream, and relax at Olympic Park or World Cup Park. Experience how life was centuries ago at the Korean Folk Village.
• Admire the UNESCO-listed city walls and defences of Suwon City, with its Hwaseong Fortress.
• Hike, check out relics and visit the temples and fortress in the mountains of the Bukhansan National Park. They are some of the most favoured in Korea, and they're not far outside Seoul.
• Jump on Korea's pride and joy, the KTX high-speed train, launched in 2004 and capable of travelling at 300kph (186mph). Take it to the bustling port of Busan to see Jagakhi Fish Market (not for the squeamish), Busan Tower and Beomeosa Temple.
• Visit Korea's ‘museum without walls' Gyeongju, near Busan. The capital of the Silla Kingdom for 1,000 years, it is packed with history and Buddhist culture, all designated by UNESCO as one of the world's 10 most historically significant sites.
• Soak up the wonderful atmosphere of Bulguksa Temple. This large wooden temple is beautifully painted. A winding road high on the mountain above leads to the Seokguram Grotto, with the magnificent granite Buddha, looking serenely down through his protective glass case.
• Head west of Daegu to the Mount Gayasan National Park, at the centre of which is Haeinsa, Korea's best-known temple. It houses the extraordinary UNESCO-listed Tripitaka Koreana: 80,000 wooden printing blocks engraved with the complete Buddhist scriptures. Completed in 1252 after 16 years of work, it is still in perfect condition.
• Travel to the Hallyeo Maritime National Park in the southeast for a cruise around the archipelago, dotted with 400 islands. This is where Admiral Yi Sun-Sin (an Admiral Nelson-figure) defeated the Japanese in the sea battles of the 16th century.
See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.
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