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Pyochungsa Temple In The Yeongnam Alps
Pyochungsa Temple has been renamed several times but has not lost its luster. Though the paint was cracking it was pleasant to see a temple that showed its age. The temple is located on Jaeyaksan, a mountain in the Yeongnam Alps range that runs through the districts of Ulsan, Miryang and Cheongdo in Gyeongsangnam-do in the south of the country. This particular mountain offers sights ranging from waterfalls to temples and even has an Ice Valley, though I haven’t seen it. (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase after clicking at no cost to you. Thank you for your…
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A Typhoon Hits Seoul… sort of
This week there was a typhoon warning and schools were cancelled in Seoul, Korea. Looking outside my window I didn’t see much rain or winds and wondered what it looked like down on the Han River. Schools in Korea hardly ever get cancelled and if they were cancelled I imagined the worst, but wasn’t seeing it. A friend and I decided to head to the river and at the first entrance were turned away by some sort of Han River guard on his bike. We decided to go down further and try entering down there. It couldn’t be that dangerous afterall, right? Luckily, there were no guards further up and…
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Yongchu Temple and the Waterfall To Find There
I had headed down to Geochang, Korea to visit a friend for a few days and while there are plenty of things to do in Geochang, we wanted to take a motorbike ride and explore another area. We hopped on my friend’s motorbike and set our sights on Yongchu Temple (용추사) and Yongchu waterfall (용추폭포) just 45 minutes away. (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase after clicking at no cost to you. Thank you for your support.) Basic Information Address: 962 Sangwon-ri Ahnae-myeon Hamyang-gun Gyeongsangnam-do (경상남도 함양군 안의면 상원리 962) The Water Falls In Hamyang Set up in the…
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The Neverending Story Secret In Geochang, Korea: Suseungdae
Geochang, Korea is off the beaten path yet full of hidden gems and Suseungdae is one of them. This is the main tourist spot in Geochang and famous for very historical reasons, but if you grew up watching the Neverending Story like I did, then you’ll love this stop for another reason. With locals, it’s a popular summer spot as it features a large stream where you can splash around in and enjoy natural rock slides. Ready for the fun? Let’s dive in! Ready to go to Suseungdae? (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase after clicking at no…
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Namhansanseong Fortress: Hiking a UNESCO World Heritage Site Near Seoul
If you’re looking for a great hike near Seoul that works for all fitness levels, all seasons, and all ages, including families with young children, Namhansanseong Fortress (남한산성도립공원) belongs on the list. Compared to the Seoul Fortress Wall, which can involve some pretty steep climbing in sections, Namhansanseong is far more accessible: the paths inside the walls are relatively even, and even in winter the trails stay walkable without serious gear. Additionally, the Namhansanseong Fortress is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a fortress city that served as the emergency capital of the Joseon Dynasty, built on the ruins of a fortress dating back to 672 AD, and defended against a…
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Seonnyeo Rock Beach: A Weekend Getaway From Seoul
Just around the bend from the more famous Eurwangli Beach and Wangsan Beach in Incheon, Korea, sits the pleasantly quiet Seonnyeo Rock Beach (선녀바위해수욕장). Saying it is rocky is no joke. There is a small, but nicely sandy area in the center flanked on either side with rocks, rocks and more rocks. If you’re looking for a quieter beach near Seoul, this might be the one for you. Can you take a trip to the beach from Seoul? Yes, you sure can. Get ready for a trip to Seonnyeo Rock Beach in Incheon: (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you…
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Jogyesa Temple Seoul: Headquarters of Korean Buddhism in Insadong
If you’re looking for the serenity of a Buddhist temple set high in the mountains, Jogyesa Temple (조계사) is not for you. Right in the center of Seoul, in the middle of the daily bustle that makes the city what it is, sits the headquarters of Korean Buddhism, a temple with more than a century of modern history and 1,700 years of tradition behind it. The streets of Insadong don’t quiet down when you step onto the temple grounds. They’re still audible from the courtyard. But those who come here regularly have apparently become masters of meditation, because Jogyesa is an active place of practice, prayers happen here daily, monks…
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Gyeongbokgung Palace at Night 2026: Dates, Tickets & What to Expect
As the sun set over Seoul, families, couples, and curious travelers slowly wandered through the cobblestone paths of Gyeongbokgung Palace (경복궁), soaking up the serene nighttime atmosphere. Once a short weeklong event, the Gyeongbokgung Palace night opening has now become a beloved seasonal affair. It runs for several weeks each spring and autumn, inviting both tourists and locals to experience one of Seoul’s top attractions in a completely different light, literally. Gyeongbokgung only opens for night viewing a handful of weeks a year, and only Wednesday through Sunday within that window, tickets go for as little as W3,000, but they sell out fast. Here’s exactly how to get in, and…
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Daytrips From Seoul: The Popular Nami Island
Nami Island is one of the most popular destinations to get away from Seoul, Korea for a day trip. It’s easy to get to Nami Island from Seoul with multiple transportation options and tours and quite a bit to do. The island was made even more famous when Winter Sonata was filmed there. Whether you’re looking for the perfect day trip from Seoul, a K-drama filming location, or just a fun artistic spot with activities to partake in for adults and children, this is definitely an island in Korea that should be on the list. What’s better, it’s a great destination from winter to summer. Each season offers a slightly…
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The Icheon Sansuyu Festival: A Guide
Getting into the spring flower madness that takes over Korea, a group of friends and I headed out to Icheon this past weekend to take advantage of the Icheon Baeksa Sansuyu Flower Festival (이천백사 산수유꽃축제). There are flower festivals throughout the spring in Korea and we were excited to head to one. Icheon is a city a bit south of Seoul and is a great spot to see sansuyu flowers in the spring. If you’re looking for a place to getaway from Seoul or where to see sansuyu flowers near Seoul, this is the spot for you. There is a larger spring festival known for sanusyu flowers in Korea in…
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Getting My F6 Visa In Korea… The End
Take two. I’m going through the process to get my F6 visa here in Korea. Up until this point, I had gathered my passport, my Korean marriage certificate and through a slight debacle hadn’t yet gotten it translated, notarized and authenticated at the US embassy. So, here we are… After going home to the States and coming back at the end of January, I wrote the addresses of the two nearest offices that could translate and notarize our Korean marriage certificate for us once more for Jae-oo. Since I was still on vacation from school I went with him this time to make sure the translation and notarizing was done…
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Getting My F6 Visa… The Beginning
After two wedding ceremonies and a month vacation in the States, we finally made it back to Korea and after a week of resting from the vacation got our rears in gear to get everything filed for the F6 visa. We had started the process a few months ago, but after Jae-oo inadvertently made me make an unecessary trip to the American Embassy, I pushed everything aside until we were definitely ready to get serious about it. At the start, those months back, I had scoured the internet for information on what was necessary and what to expect of the process, but came to the conclusion that it all depended…
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Dapsimni Antique Town: A Market In Seoul, Korea
Antiques big and small everywhere is what you’ll see around Dapsimni Station. Having lived here for around 6 years now and realizing I won’t be leaving any time soon, I’ve decided I want my house to feel more like a home and less like an interim abode in a far off land. If you’re looking for antiques in Korea, or Korean antiques, then make sure to check out the Dapsimni Antique Market (답십리고미술상가). (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase after clicking at no cost to you. Thank you for your support.) How To Get There Address: 530 Dapsimni-dong…
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Guinsa Temple: The Towering Buddhist Headquarters in Danyang
There are Buddhist temples across Korea, on mountainsides, in city centers, beside the sea, and Guinsa Temple (구인사) in Danyang is unlike any of them. The name means “Temple of Salvation and Kindness,” and the temple lives up to it: this is the headquarters of the Cheontae school of Korean Buddhism, with over 50 buildings rising multiple stories through a narrow mountain valley, capacity for up to 10,000 monks, and three free vegetarian meals every day for anyone who visits, regardless of religion. If you’re someone who thinks that once you’ve seen one Korean Buddhist temple you’ve seen them all, Guinsa is specifically the temple that disproves that. Want some…
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Chuncheon’s Cheongpyeong Temple and the Trek To Get There
The weather starting to warm up, or at least be reasonable for walking outside, has me itching to get out and do something. I was looking back at some temples I’ve been to so I can make a list of some different ones to check out in the upcoming year and I chanced upon one of my favorites, Cheongpyeong-sa Temple (청평사). Cheongpyeongsa is one of my favorites probably for the trip that it takes to get there, which entails traveling by bus, boat and a nice, but not too lengthy, hike. Take a trip to see this temple in Chuncheon. The trek to get there is beautiful: (This post contains…
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Dwaejigukbap: Busan’s Famous Pork and Rice Soup and Where To Eat It
If you’re headed to Busan, dwaejigukbap (돼지국밥) needs to be on your food list. This pork and rice soup is one of the city’s most celebrated dishes. It’s hearty, deeply savory, served boiling hot, and eaten with a table full of condiments that you season to your own taste. You can find it in other parts of Korea, but Busan is where it originated and where it’s taken most seriously. My husband is from Busan and this is near the top of his list of Korean dishes. It’s the kind of food that makes complete sense in context: in a port city, at the end of a long day, with…
