Self guided tours
by DSwede
I am sure you can pay for any tour service you want, and travel/tour agents in various cities may help. However, buses and trains to Gyeongju are cheap and run quite frequently.
Upon arrival at Gyeongju, there is a tourist information stand (both at train and bus terminals) with maps and general information.
There is a tourist bus that stops at the train and bus terminals and makes a circuit stopping at nearly all the places you would want to visit anyway. Public buses numbers 10 and 11 make circuits stopping at all major tourist stops like Bulguksa, the Museum, Anapji Pond, bus terminal, train station, etc.
Alternatively, there are bicycle rentals outside both the train station and the bus terminal so you can explore more freely and leisurely on your own.
Grocery Stores - Best Bet for Budget Travellers
by i-s-a
.
.
Whenever I eat alone, I tend to get instant meals of noodles and sandwiches as most dishes in Korea come in big servings. Stores like the one in the picture comes handy for those noodles, breads, canned goods, chips, etc.
You can get your toiletries here too at a much cheaper price.
Undersea Tomb of King Munmu-Wang & Gameunsa Temple
by DSwede
King Munmu-Wan (660~680?) was the 30th ruler of the Shilla Kingdom.
The story says that he was cremated in a Buddhist ritual and that his ashes were buried in the East Sea per his wishes. This allowed him to be reincarnated into a dragon to protect the Shilla.
This is reportedly the only undersea burial site in the world. (Korean National treasure 158)
The tomb is on the south east coast, near the Gameunsa Temple (Korean National treasure 112).
Silleuk-sa Temple
by Tom_Fields
This Buddhist temple dates back to the Silla dynasty. It was enlarged during the reign of King Yejong (1468-69). It has several of Korea's national treasures, including a mulit-layer stone pagoda from 1472, a stone bell and lamp from 1376, and a monument to the wood-block Buddhist library that once stood here.
Ready to Get Lost?
by i-s-a
Try going to Namsan and enjoy its beauty. But please be warned that you could easily get lost...I did go on my own and got lost several times ;0).
Most locals do not know how to speak English so it was really a big challenge for me to locate the attractions from my hand-drawn map. The feeling of uncertainty will leave you feeling nervous and excited at the same time.
Trying to look for the nice remote places will also give you a chance to interact with the locals which for me is very unforgettable. The people of Gyeongju are sooooo nice and I hope I could get back there soon.
If you are short on time (like I was), you can visit these attractions in a halfday tour....give or take some hours for times that you get lots :0):
Onyong Hermitage
Deer Farm
Bomisa Temple
Seochulji Pond
Twin Pagoda
Note: It took me 6 hours to see the first 4 attractions. I miss the Twin Pagoda as nobody seemed to know about it. It helps if someone could translate the names of attraction in Hangul. Remeber..Persistence is the key word!
Enjoy hiking!
Sign in with Facebook
Anapji
Seokguram Grotto
Gwaereung Tomb
Gwaereung Tomb
