Cheonsaseom Bonsai Park (천사섬 분재공원) – Homepage shinan-bjpark.or.kr – Tel +82-61-240-8778 Cheonsaseom Bonsai Park in Sinan is a place for people to relax and enjoy nature. The ecological park is located next to the vast Korean archipelago, making it perfectly suited to relaxation and education. The park hopes to attract more visitors as it continues…

Jjangttungeo (Mudskipper) Bridge (짱뚱어다리) Featuring natural areas untouched by human hands, Jeungdo Island in Sinan-gun was the first Slow City designated in Asia as of December 1, 2007. The trademark image of the island is Jjangttungeo Bridge, a 470-meter-long wooden bridge built above the mud flat. The bridge allows visitors to observe mud creatures all…

Korean Tea Culture Park (한국차문화공원) – Homepage www.boseong.go.kr – Tel +82-61-852-0918 Korean Tea Culture Park was established in honor of Boseong’s specialties of green tea and music. The park is located next to the famous green tea fields in Boseong, which draw over 3 million visitors ever year. The park is comprised of Korean Tea…

Gageodo Island (Soheuksando Island) (가거도(소흑산도)) – Tel +82-61-275-9300 Gageodo Island is the southwesternmost island in Korea, located rather close to China. The island has rough mountain ridges and consists of cliffs, making a magnificent scenery. With Doksilsan Mountain (alt. 639 m, the highest peak in Sinan-gun) standing in the middle, the island is surrounded by…

Jirisan Manbokdae Peak (지리산 만복대) – Homepage jiri.knps.or.kr – Tel +82-61-780-7700 Manbokdae Peak in the west soars at the boundary between Sandong-myeon, Gurye-gun and Namwon-si at 1,433.4 meters above sea level. ”Man” means “full of something” and “bok” means “fortune.” Like the name, Manbokdae is considered as a fortunate mountain with great views as it…

Hwaeomsa Temple (화엄사) – Homepage www.hwaeomsa.org www.templestay.com – Tel +82-61-783-7600 Situated at the foot of Jirisan Mountain, 5.4 kilometers east of Gurye-eup, Hwaeomsa Temple was constructed in the 22nd year of King Seong’s reign (544) during the Baekje era, but was burnt down during the Imjin War (1592-1598). The temple was rebuilt in 1636 after…

Gurye Yeongoksa Temple (연곡사 (구례)) – Homepage www.yeongoksa.kr – Tel +82-61-782-7412 Yeongoksa Temple is located in Naedong-ri, Gurye-gun and was constructed in 543 by Yeongi, a high Buddhist monk, who also helped create Hwaeomsa Temple. The temple was destroyed during the Imjin War (1592-1598) and the Korean War. In spite of the damage, the temple…

Gangjin Dawon Tea Plantation (전남 강진다원) – Homepage www.gangjin.go.kr – Tel +82-61-432-5500 Gangjin Dawon Tea Plantation is located at the southern foot of Wolchulsan Mountain in Jeollanam-do. The area’s big temperature difference between day and night and the frequent thick fog provide ideal conditions for tea cultivation. The tea cultivated at Gangjin Dawon has a…

Muan Hoesan White Lotus Pond (무안회산백련지) – Homepage tour.muan.go.kr – Tel +82-61-283-1325 Muan Hoesan White Lotus Pond is the largest habitat of white lotus in Asia, covering an area of approximately 330,000 square meters in Bogyong-ri, Muan-gun in Jeollanam-do. This pond was originally a reservoir made during the Japanese colonial period for irrigation, but was…

Birthplace of Baekje Buddhism (백제불교최초도래지) – Homepage tour.yeonggwang.go.kr – Tel +82-61-350-4674 Unlike Goguryeo and Silla, Baekje’s origin of Buddhism and how it spread had remained a mystery other than the story of how Indian monk Mirananta came to Yeonggwang and founded Bulgapsa Temple. In 1998, records were found stating that Monk Mirananta first set foot…