Bongeunsa Temple

Once known as Gyeonseongsa Temple, Bongeunsa temple is located to the north of COEX building, and was constructed in the 10th year of Shilla King Weongseong’s reign (794). In 1498, Queen Jeonghyeon refurbished Gyeonseongsa Temple at the east of King Seongjong’s royal mausoleum and renamed the temple as Bongeunsa. Originally located near the royal maulsoleum (1km southwest), the temple was transferred to its current location during Joseon King Myeongjong’s reign. 3,479 Buddhist scriptures of 13 types, including the works of Kim Jeong-hee, are stored here. The Buddhist ceremony called Jeongdaebulsa, is held every September 9th of the lunar calendar, where monks march carrying the scriptures on their heads and recite the Beopseongge (Buddhist rites).[Source: Korea tourism website]

COEX mall is right opposite to the Bongeunsa temple and with little time management both of them should be manageable in one day. The temple is splendid in beauty and mystic. Among Waujeongsa, Yongjusa and Bongeunsa, I would rate Bongeunsa the highest in-terms of beauty and the peace it gives. There is a majestic statue of Buddha right at the center of the temple. The temple is also rated one among top 7 temples in South Korea by Lonely planet. The temple offers two day temple stay for 70K won.

For more information read : Bongeunsa Temple

Verdict

• Ease of transportation: 4/5
• Value for money: 4/5
• Recommended group size: 4 or more

Here are some pictures

63 Building

With 63 floors measuring a height of 264m, the 63 Building is Korea’s tallest and most recognized building. The 63 Building boasts spectacular views of the Hangang River and the surrounding mountains of Bugaksan Namsan and Gwanaksan. 63 Building has the following facilities including 63 Sea World, 63 IMAX theater, Korea’s greatest buffet restaurant “Buffet Pavilion,” and a host of other restaurants.

* 63 Sea World Basement first floor 16,119 square feet, basement second floor 16,724 square feet, and basement third floor (technology room) 5,515 square feet, totaling 38,358 square feet. Within this large-scale space, there are 54 regular aquarium displays, 26 special organism breeding aquariums, and other aquariums adding up to 80.

* 63 Sky Deck 63 Sky Deck, many visitors come every year, is 264m above the sea level, and 249m above the ground level is providing feelings as if floating above the clouds. Together with Han River’s water flow and view of the city lead it to be Korea’s representative tourist route. In addition, Sky Deck’s recreation facilities provide unique experience for the visitors and its various special exhibitions provide educational and cultural learning. [Source: Korea tourism website]

For more information read : 63 Building

Verdict

• Ease of transportation: 4/5
• Value for money: 4/5
• Recommended group size: 4 or more

Here are some pictures

Hwaseong Fortress

Hwaseong Fortress is an impressive structure from the latter part of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) and the official fortress of Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do. The fortress (constructed from 1794 to 1796) was built as a show of the King’s filial piety towards his father Jangheonseja and to build a new pioneer city with its own economic power. The fortress wall stretches for a total of 5.52km and has a great variety of military facilities that’s hard to find anywhere else. Four gates face each of the cardinal directions Janganmun (north), Paldalmun (south), Changnyongmun (east), and Hwaseomun (west) and the seven-arch style Sumun gates straddle the point where the nearby stream reaches the palace. Above the Sumun gates is a pavilion called Hwahongmun. Hwaseong Fortress was constructed under the guidance of Yu Hyeong-Won (1622-1673) and Jeong Yak-Yong (1762-1836), and is believed to have been constructed very scientifically. The fortress wall was built using Seokjae and Jeondol (bricks) and the holes between the bricks are just big enough to fire guns, arrows, or long spears through in case of an attack. The fortress was designated as Historical Monument No. 3 in January 1963, and in December 1997, it was designated a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. [Source: Korean Tourism Website]

Ideally the best place to start would be Janganmun, as Paldalmun is in renovation stage. Be prepared to walk for 2 hours if you wish to traverse the entire fortress. There are plenty of places for good photography. The fortress is extremely well maintained and makes for a good evening walk. If your interested in archery you can try your hand at it, at the fortress. Overall a wonderful place to spend time. Best times of visit are the spring and winter seasons.

For more information read : Hwaseong Fortress

Verdict

• Ease of transportation: 5/5
• Value for money: 4/5
• Recommended group size: 4 or more

Here are some pictures

Mulhyanggi Arboretum

The Mulhyanggi Arboretum, situated in Osan City, Gyeonggi Province, is a peaceful area where you can come to relax, but is surprisingly located amidst high-rise apartment buildings in the city center. There are many things to see at the beautifully named 330,580m2 arboretum (mulhyanggi meaning water fragrance). There are 16 themed centers, various auxiliary facilities, and 1,601 different species of plants. The Mulhyanggi Arboretum, is a great place for a leisurely walk, and takes around two hours to see in its entirety. Children will have an exciting time at the Topiary Center, which can be seen from the parking lot, and the Maze Center. Other themed centers include the Pine Tree Center, the Maple Tree Center, the Fruit Tree Center, the Tendril Plant Center, the Center of Native Plants of Central Korea, the Dwarf Tree Center, the Local Crafts Tree Center, the Wet Land Ecology Center, the Center for Plants that Live in Humid Areas, the Warm Temperature Zone and Pteridophyte Center, the Functional Plant Center, the Althea Center, and the Insect Ecology Center. There is also an observatory made from a tree. As indicated in its name, the waters of this arboretum are clear and clean. Tadpoles swim in the wetland and Korean squirrels scurry up and down the trees. The arboretum, only an hour away from Seoul, affords city dwellers a place to relax in peace where they can experience different forms of natural beauty according to the season. [Source: Korean Tourism Website] ※ There are no shops, restaurants, or trash bins. Visitors to the site are recommended to take waste back homes and to be considerate of the environment. You can bring a lunch box and enjoy your meal at the ‘Rest Area inside the Forest’, which is a designated site for eating.[Source: Korean Tourism Website]

For more information read : Mulhyanggi Arboretum

Verdict

• Ease of transportation: 3/5
• Value for money: 3/5
• Recommended group size: 4 or more

Here are some pictures

Visit to Indian Embassy, South Korea

On India's 65th Independence day, I and and a couple of my Indian colleagues in Korea decided to visit the Indian Embassy in Seoul. It was the closest we could get to patriotism far away from our country!. The Indian Embassy lies in Hannam area, close by to the Han river. In fact the entire area is known as the UN village. There are embassies of many countries, similar to the Chanakyapuri area in New Delhi. What struck me about the Hannam area is its strikingly beautiful railway station, although being in Seoul it such a simple station, I was reminded of the railway stations in villages in India.

The Embassy of India is about a kilometer's walk from the Hannam station. As we got into the Embassy, the patriotism and love for our country seemed to surge higher, it was like a little India within Korea. Familiar dressing, food, language all together gave us and many other Indian expats unexpected joy!. We never expected to see 500 Indians in Seoul at one place! shocking!. After a long time, I got to taste samosas, idlis, vadas, they weren't great, but something close to that in a remote land are greatly welcome!. The rest of the morning was spent in watching popular Indian numbers performed by a team of Indian and Korean women, visiting multiple stalls displaying Korean and Indian handicraft, face painting stalls, interacting with other Indians, interacting with the ambassador of India to Korea, Mr Vishnu Prakash and also his charming wife :)

The surprising fact that came out of these general discussions were that plenty of Indians were pursuing Ph.D in Korea. I never expected South Korea to be one of the destinations for Ph.D applicants from India, and more so in the areas of pure science. What has happened to pure science research in India, has Korea has beaten us in pure science research ? has Information Technology been over glorified and pursuing science streams seems a bane!, the land of Vikram Sarabhai, C.V Raman, J.C Bose doesn't seem to have a bright future for pursuing pure science anymore, saddening.

We left the place with the immense satisfaction that the day had been well spent and we indeed did a good thing by coming this far to the embassy. Patriotism, culture, language, religion seems much closer to heart in an alien country. The Indian embassy also celebrates other major Indian festivals. In case your in Korea at that time, do call up and participate, I am sure you will never regret it.

Link to Indian Embassy: Indian Embassy



Some pictures below.

Everland Resort

Everland Resort was opened in 1976 as the first family park in Korea. The park is home to over 40 heart-pounding rides and attractions. In addition to ‘Safari World’ featuring white tigers, tigers, lions and bears, ‘Herbivore Safari’ opened in April 2010, letting visitors get up close and personal with the safari’s giraffes, elephants, and ostriches. Everland is also known for its gorgeous flower arrangements and beautiful gardens, which have been year-round fixtures since the Rose Festival in 1985. Other great spots for family fun are the Snow Sled (the first and the longest of its kind in Korea), Caribbean Bay (an outstanding water park) and Everland Speedway (a racing track). Full of exciting attractions and entertainment, Everland is one of the most popular places in Korea for families, friends, and couples. [Source Korea tourism website]

In Everland the following rides should never be missed T-Express, Double-Rock, Safari, Amazon ride and Columbus. The park is extremely vast and will tire any traveler, make sure to keep yourself refreshed throughout the day. There are frequent buses from major city stations to Everland station. The park is one of the best combinations of a theme, Amusement and water park I have seen till date. Everland also ranked in top 10 theme parks in a worldwide survey. Never miss a chance to visit Everland at any cost!

For more information read : Everland Resort

Verdict

• Ease of transportation: 4/5
• Value for money: 5/5
• Recommended group size: 6 or more

Some pictures below.

Waujeongsa temple

Waujongsa Temple is a well known landmark in the Gyeonggi-do province attracting hundreds of tourists everyday. It is about an hours drive from Suwon station. The road meanders around farmlands, lakes and finally makes way to the temple. The temple seems to be constructed on a hill, there are few relics at the base and after a 10 minute climb there are few more. The history of Lord Buddha is painted on the walls of the temple and are quite self explanatory. Wau+jeongsa, literally meaning resting Buddha and is very similar depictions of Vishnu in the form of Vishnu shayana in Southern India. One can observe the sleeping Buddha statue in one of the temples. One of the eye catching idols is the huge bronze based head of Buddha just at the entrance, numerous other bronze Buddha's statue surround this bronze based marvel and is a spectacular sight to see. There are over 3,000 Buddhist statues on the temple grounds, the most famous of which are the Buldu (Buddha heads) placed at the entrance and the Wabul (reclining Buddha statue) stationed in the middle of the mountain. The 8m-high Buldu is the largest of its kind and the Wabul, which is made from a juniper tree from Indonesia, is 3m in height and 12m in length. As the world’s biggest wooden Buddhist sculpture, the Buldu has been registered in the Guinness Book of Records. [Source from Korea tourism website] One of the other unique things about the temple is the Pagoda of Unification, located besides the stairs of the Hall of Nirvana. The pagoda is comprised of stones brought by visitors from various holy sites all over the world. Hence, the construction of the Pagoda is a never-ending progress. As a symbol of the pervading hope for world peace, a wide range of Buddhist statues from many countries including India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, China and Thailand are on display around the temple, allowing visitors to learn about Buddhist cultures from all over the world.[Source from Korea tourism website]

For more information read : Waujeongsa temple

Verdict

• Ease of transportation: 3/5
• Value for money: 3/5
• Recommended group size: 4 or more

Some pictures below

Yongjusa temple

The Yongjusa temple is one of the cultural heritage sites in Hwasong province. Its about an hours drive from Suwon station. The surrounding is very serene and gives a sense of peace. The temple complex is not huge, approximately 5 acres in size. I did not observe of any active worship except for two pagoda type structures where there is idols of Gautama Buddha all around. There is perfect silence and excellent place to meditate. The history of the temple is adapted from the Korea tourism website.

The temple was built by King Jeongjo to protect Hyeollyungwon (현륭원), the tomb of his father, Crown Prince Sado. This site was originally the location of Garyangsa Temple, which was constructed in AD854, the 16th year of King Munseong of the Silla Dynasty. The temple was very famous as it was surrounded by beautiful mountains and crystal clear waters. However, the temple was destroyed by fire during the Byungjahoran (the second Manchu invasion of Korea). During the Joseon Dynasty, King Jeongjo moved the tomb of his father, Crown Prince Sado (or posthumously designated King Jangjo), to this spot, and built Yongjusa Temple here to pray for the repose of his father’s soul.[Source from Korea Tourism website]

I have also heard Yongjusa offer a few day monk stay type of facility. Interested participants can spend few days akin to the lives of a monk and understand the Buddhism as part of the experience.

For more information read : Yongjusa temple

Verdict

• Ease of transportation: 3/5
• Value for money: 3/5
• Recommended group size: 4 or more

Some pictures below.

Jebudo Island

If you have heard of the story of Moses from the Bible where the sea parts and makes path for Moses to walk, you will witness something similar in Jebu islands! Jebudo island is a small island that floats in the open seas by Seosin-myeon of Hwaseong in Gyeonggi-do. Jebudo Island exposes the seaway twice a day. In low tide, the seawater loses about 4-5m of water and exposes the 3km-long cement-paved path that is usually submerged underwater. The path to the island is through a narrow cement road and the either sides has plenty of clay type of sand, where one could easily sink due to the loose soil. This part of the land is submerged most of the day and when it is low tide you can view the surface of the sea and see the unevenness . Jebudo doesn't have a sandy sea shore, mostly grainy pebbles and plenty of clams, tiny crabs, mussels along the shore. The local population get little buckets to grab as many of these creatures. The Jebudo wharf is very close by to the island has tens of personal yachts, and some fishing boats. The wharf should take roughly 30 mins to cover. Visit the island at appropriate timings to view the parting of the sea. Everything seems just normal and suddenly the sea seems to give way. The crowd throng near the shores to catch the glimpse of the parting sea and to walk along the cement path way to reach one of the smaller islands. You should also cover the Jebudo light house and the wooden pathway which leads to the beach. The view from the wooden pathway is wonderful, it lies in between sharp jagged rocks and sea shore. The wooden bridge finally leads to the beach. The view of the sunset is marvellous. The hue of the greyish blue waters and the orange rays of the sun set a fantastic backdrop. If you can stay over night, the fun is doubled! I must thank the New Suwon India guest house folks for planning this fantastic trip for the SISOites!

For more information read : Jebudo Island

Verdict

• Ease of transportation: 3/5
• Value for money: 5/5
• Recommended group size: 6 or more

Some pictures below.

Namsan Seoul Tower

The Namsan Seoul tower is the tallest tower in whole of South Korea. It ranks in the top 10 highest towers in the world. Unlike most towers, this one is built on the top of a mountain (Namsan mountain) which gives it further elevation. Built in 1969, and at a cost of approximately $2.5 million, it was opened to the public in 1980. Since then, the tower has been a landmark of Seoul and measures 236.7 m (777 ft) in height (from the base) and tops out at 479.7 m (1,574 ft) above sea level.[source wikipedia]. There are subway trains available which takes you close to the tower. There are also many buses which ferry tourists from fixed locations to the Seoul Tower and drop them back. The view is panoramic from the top of the tower and Seoul's city lights seem like a glittering diamonds strewn around. The view of the tower at night is scintillating, with the stupendous lighting effect. The tower offers tickets at dual prices, one for the observatory and the other which combines a teddy bear museum. There are numerous restaurants in the tower including a rotating one. You can also take a cable car and enjoy the ride to the Seoul tower. Insadong aka cultural street, another well known tourist attraction lies close to the Seoul tower and can be be visited if planned well.

For more information read : N Seoul Tower

Verdict

• Ease of transportation: 3/5
• Value for money: 4/5
• Recommended group size: 4 or more

Some pictures below.

Mt Gwanggyosan

Gwanggyosan (582 m) is a small mountain in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. It lies on the border of Suwon and Yongin, though the wider range extends north and so also borders Uiwang, Gwacheon, Seoul and Seongnam. The summit offers views across Suwon, Yongin and Bundang. The mountain is commonly hiked from Gwanggyo Reservoir in Suwon. [Source from Wikipedia].

Gwanggyosan is the closest mountain to Suwon, to fulfill your hiking ambitions. You can get buses from Suwon station to the base of Gwanggyosan mountain. The summit time from the base is around 3 hours, can be faster if you are an experienced hiker. The way to the mountain is also very picturesque, with meadows , streams and glimpses of huts. The top of the mountain offer breath taking views of the surrounding Yongin, Suwon cities. The elevation is around constant 20-35 degrees and makes for a good climb. There are some risky corners, jagged rocks but it is well worth the climb. Plenty of Koreans hikers climb every week, and if you wish to you can team up some random hikers always. The sure footedness of these Korean hikers amazes me, even at a elevation of 60 degrees they are able to climb easily without any external support. There are three hiking routes as per the official website and my friend and I took the longest hiking route and it truly tired us out!, dress light and always carry enough water to keep you hydrated throughout the way. In between the hikes, you may encounters tombs and sudden path leading to no where which makes the hike more exotic! If your lucky you will also run into into cream sellers, buy one and relax, watching the scenery. Spring time is the best and avoid rainy times at all costs as the path is very slippery in some places. After all your hardwork, you will be rewarded with a poster card picture perfect view of the Gwanggyosan reservoir. Time suddenly comes to a standstill. Savour the beautiful view and move ahead. An approximate walk of 20 mins will bring you back to the main road.
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For more information read : Mt Gwanggyosan

Verdict

• Ease of transportation: 3/5
• Value for money: 4/5
• Recommended group size: 4 or more

Some pictures below: