Come to Ulleungdo to get away from it all in the true sense – not the way the spa-resort brochures mean. The scenery is spectacular, offering vistas of spun-cotton clouds lazing over volcanic cliffsides, seabirds and fishing boats, quiet harbours dotted w
Pohang is a good springboard to Ulleungdo or the even more remote Dokdo, but isn’t particularly scenic in itself. The largest city on Korea’s east coast and an important industrial centre, Pohang is dominated by Posco (Pohang Iron & Steel Company), the wo
A seowon is a Confucian academy, and Oksan Seowon was one of the most important. It was established in 1572 in honour of Yi Eon-jeok (1491–1553) by another famous Confucian scholar, Toegye. Oksan Seowon was enlarged in 1772 and was one of the few seowon t
Far to the east of Andong and reaching almost to the coast, this 106 sq km park (admission W2600; sunrise-1hr before sunset) is dominated by impressive limestone pinnacles that seem to appear from nowhere. Beautiful gorges, waterfalls and cliff-face walks
One of Korea’s largest and most famous temples, Jikjisa (436 6175; admission adult/youth/child W2500/1500/1000; 7am-6.30pm Mar-Oct, 7am-5.30pm Nov-Feb) is one of the most picturesque – with quiet forests, a river and ancient stone monuments covered with l
This Unesco World Heritage temple (055-931 1001; admission W3500; 8am-11am, noon-5pm Wed-Mon) should be on every visitor’s not-to-be-missed list.
Gyeongsangbuk-do’s natural beauty is seconded only by its profusion of spectacular temples, Confucian schools, ancient pagodas, rock-carved Buddhas, teashops and tombs. Gyeongju, once the capital of the Shilla dynasty (57 BC–AD 935), is often called ‘the
Known as ‘the museum without walls’, Gyeongju holds more tombs, temples, rock carvings, pagodas, Buddhist statuary and the ruins of palaces, pleasure gardens and castles than any other place in South Korea. Tumuli (grass-covered burial mounds) are only th
Daegu’s fascinating traditional-medicine market is its biggest tourist draw. Come here to see strange roots the size of human thighs, jars of honey-coloured liquids, baskets of flowers, dried leaves and medicinal herbs. Even if it’s pouring rain the avenu
The whole area surrounding Andong, roughly in the middle of Gyeongsangbuk-do, is peaceful, rural and notable for having preserved much of its traditional character.