Probably my top pick of things to do when visiting Gyeongju is to go for a walk around Anapji Pond (안압지) at night. Sure, Anapji’s worth checking out during the day, but when the sun goes down it really blings. The city’s done a great job with lighting, though some might say its a bit [...]
Browsing the archives for the sights to see tag
6 Feb 10
I’ve been running this blog now for almost 3 months and it’s nearly criminal I’ve not said anything yet about Mt. Namsan (남산) as I think it’s one of the coolest things about Gyeongju. Mt. Namsan’s not nearly as tall as some of the mountains around here (just under 500 meters actually) but what makes [...]
28 Jan 10
Okay, that’s it: today I died and went to cheesy tourist kitsch heaven (or hell depending on your sense of taste). Today we took a rainy afternoon to check out the Jasujeong Amethyst Caves (자수정 동굴), just 30km south of here in Eonyang (언양). I’d read online that they’re one of the schlockiest tourist sites [...]
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Posted in Outside Gyeongju, Sites to see, Tips for tourists
Tagged amethyst, Eonyang, mines, sights to see, Tips for tourists
Tagged amethyst, Eonyang, mines, sights to see, Tips for tourists
26 Jan 10
Though it’s not quite Korea’s answer to the Shaolin Monastery of China, Golgulsa Temple (골굴사) is one of the more unique temples in the Gyeongju area and it’s pretty darn cool. If you’re on your way over to King Munmu’s tomb (문무대왕릉) on the East Coast, it’s well worth taking an hour or so to [...]
19 Dec 09
If you look South-East from the ruins of Banwolseong fortress towards Mt. Namsan, you might see something a bit curious. Just across the Namcheon River in the little neighborhood of Gyo-dong is huge gold Buddha. It’s seated in the front courtyard of Nakch’eonwonsa (낙천원사), or literally “Optimistic Moon Temple.” It’s probably one of the newest [...]
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Posted in Buddhist culture, Gyo-dong, Restaurants, Temples & shrines, Tips for tourists
Tagged architecture, Buddhism, Gyodong, Korean food, Restaurants, sights to see, temples
Tagged architecture, Buddhism, Gyodong, Korean food, Restaurants, sights to see, temples
27 Nov 09
Sure, in Gyeongju Mt. Namsan (남산) has the lion’s share of ancient Shilla (신라) statues and carvings, so it’s well worth taking the time to explore if you can. But the truth is, most of the surrounding mountains have atl east one ancient Buddha that’s pretty cool. Plus the other mountains aren’t crawling with hiking clubs [...]
23 Nov 09
Right around the corner from the train station is a curious piece of recent Gyeongju history (recent being it’s only a couple hundred years old rather than 1,500). Over the last year or two the city’s been taking pains to restore the old Chosun era city walls and battlements of Gyeongju Eupseong (East fortress).
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Posted in Downtown, Ruins & remains, Tips for tourists
Tagged Chosun, downtown, fortress, ruins, sights to see
Tagged Chosun, downtown, fortress, ruins, sights to see
21 Nov 09
If you’re at all like me and like you’re history with a bit of quirkiness, you might want to check out the ancient stone bathtub of Bomunsa Temple. The ancient stone bathtub of Bomunsa is… well, a big stone bathtub… um, in the middle of a rice field… um, yeah.
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Posted in Bomun-dong, Cycling Routes, Ruins & remains, Tips for tourists
Tagged bathtub, Bomundong, cycling, ruins, Shilla Dynasty, sights to see, temples
Tagged bathtub, Bomundong, cycling, ruins, Shilla Dynasty, sights to see, temples
11 Nov 09
If you are out cycling or even walking around the park complex with Cheomseongdae Observatory and Gyerim Forest, I highly recommend taking a few hours to explore the neighborhood just to the south west, called Gyo-dong. Just minutes from ground zero of tourism in Gyeongju are some real gems of traditional culture that not many [...]
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Posted in Gyo-dong, Sites to see, Tips for tourists
Tagged architecture, Gyodong, oriental medicine, sights to see
Tagged architecture, Gyodong, oriental medicine, sights to see
