Things to do & places to visit in Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea

Gyeongsangbuk-do #6 destination in South Korea 2023. The average rating score is 4.28 based on 9.037 traveler reviews, of 528 attractions. Timezone: Asia/Seoul, current date and time: Sunday, May 05, 2024, 18:24.

Gyeongsangbuk-do Weather Statistics view more »

General weather summary in May

72°F - 53°F

Temperature Highs - Lows

Mildly cool with a gentle breeze

Feels like

20%

Chance of rain

100.0 millimeters

Amount

13.8 mph

Wind speed

61%

Humidity

14.1

Daylight length

5:18 AM

Sunrise

7:22 PM

Sunset

52%

Cloud cover

Sweater

What to wear

Top things to do (20)

Top destinations in Gyeongsangbuk-do 23

See more 11 destinations »

Top places to visit (30 attractions) view more »

5.0 Buseoksa Temple (60 reviews)
- Buseoksa Temple
Sunday: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Religious Sites

Buseoksa Temple gets its name from a large stone to the west of Buljeon Hall, that appears to be floating rather than supported by the stone beneath it. The most famous thing about Buseoksa Temple is the entrance. It's really pretty at sunset and it's good to go see autumn leaves. See more..
5.0 Andong Maskdance Festival (24 reviews)
- culture preserved
Cultural Events

There were traditional experience centers where you could try making your own masks, as well as the performance that happens throughout the day. You have to buy a ticket to watch but it's worth it. It's something that is specific to Andong itself, and you can't find any place in Korea where the culture is so preserved and revered in such a fashion. See more..
4.5 Bulguksa Temple (1.289 reviews)
- Bulguksa Temple in Gyeongju
Sunday: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Historic Sites • Religious Sites

An impressive complex of stone pagodas and wooden shrines. See more..
4.5 Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond (873 reviews)
- Beautiful Historic Park at Night
Sunday: 9:00 AM - 10:00 PM Bodies of Water

The location is a fascinating, historic park/museum of a traditional Korean village. I highly recommend going at night time when all of the walking path and building lights are on. The light displays and reflections on the water are pretty stunning. A must-do if you can visit at night time. Entry fee is 3,000 won, very cheap for the experience. See more..
4.5 Gyeongju National Museum (581 reviews)
- Should be the first stop in Gyeongju
Sunday: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Speciality Museums

Gyeongju National Museum isn’t that large but the quality makes up for the lack of quantity. The curators did a fantastic job of setting up the displays that make the Silla-era treasures look exponentially cooler. The organization is also excellent and good explanations are in both English and Korean. The museum grounds also have some displays including replicas of the Bulguksa temple pagodas. This should be the first stop in Gyeongju, especially for those who are not familiar with Silla’s history. See more..
4.5 Andong Hahoe Folk Village (419 reviews)
- Amazing Village to explore
Sunday: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Historic Sites • Historic Walking Areas

UNESCO is a recognized site in South Korea. Korean village is settled here with lots of traditional houses. One of the most amazing places I have visited in Korea so far. It was a beautiful, rural village that is not only a tourist attraction but people still live and work there. I was there on the first week of January and it was quite crowded. The entrance fee was charged 5000 WON, which included entry to see the Mask Museum and the Mask Dance Performance. I found the mask dance to be quite captivating and fascinating, I would really recommend the mask dance, must see the village next to the walkway and the green rice plant surrounded by the river. You may need a full day to explore this village as there are many hidden places that you can remember. It was a great experience for me. See more..
4.5 Gyeongju Historic Area (147 reviews)
- Peaceful Walk
Historic Sites

We enjoyed a relaxing afternoon here! The tombs are amazing, the flower fields beautiful, and the history informative. A wonderfully done area. Would go again if we had the chance. See more..
4.5 Weolyeonggyo Bridge (102 reviews)
- Take your time to see all the beauty!
Bridges

This is such a great spot for all members of the family. I recommend arriving 1-2 hours before sunset. Take a walk around to see the different perspectives of this wonderful bridge. The museum and folk village are nearby. You can make a full day of it here. There are few cafes and restaurants nearby you can rest at, eat, and wait until after sundown to see it all lit up. It is truly beautiful in the day and at night. I recommend not parking at the first main parking lot, but follow the road around to the secondary parking areas or park near the museum. The history and naming are posted in my pictures. See more..
4.5 Jukdo Market (100 reviews)
- Enjoy seafood meal and also walk between the dried and wet market
Sunday: Flea & Street Markets

Pohang a MUST visit place would be the Jukdo Market,it is the biggest market I have been visit in Korea. The dried market selling all sorts of dried seafood and seaweed, as well as fruits and etc. The wet market is obviously all the famous fishes and snow crabs where you can ordered on spot and have a meal inside their restaurant. Snow crab - They normally sell based on min 2person which cost between KRW 60000-KRW120000 per kg. Depends on which stall you visit, and that exclude that you need to pay for table seating fees at around KRW4000 per person that comes with all the bancan exclude rice. If you are a seafood lover you must definitely not give it a missed to taste it. The crab meat is taste sweet and they actually just cooked with seawater so you can actually taste the freshness. For non seafood lovers, you can also walk outside the seafood market and you will see some BBQ restaurants and pub selling both Korean and western food there. See more..
4.5 Gyeongju National Park (86 reviews)
- Wonderful day hiking and exploring
Sunday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM National Parks

We caught the bus out to Mount Namsan for the day & hiked up to the summit. Along the way there are plenty of tombs, ruins, relics and statues to admire - definitely an open museum, so much history. The wriggly red pine trees, the immaculately kept royal tombs and the lush vegetation and creek beds made the hike well worth it - but the view from the summit made it all worthwhile! Such incredible views of Gyeongju! Would highly recommend this relatively easy hike up Mt Namsan. Such a great way to spend an afternoon. Oh, and there were monks giving out free hot noodles about half way up - in case you get hungry! See more..
4.5 Dosanseowon Confucian School (69 reviews)
- Perfect for history and architecture lovers
Sunday: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Historic Sites

Dosanseowon Confucian School is a bit more difficult to access than other tourist sites, but it is well worth the trip. From the parking lot and ticket office, it is a short walk down a dirt path. It is situated by the lake and has many benches perfect for sitting and soaking in nature. Inside the school there are signs in several languages identifying the buildings and giving important facts regarding the history of the school. See more..
4.5 Byeongsan Seowon (62 reviews)
- Enjoy the silence
Historic Sites

After a bumpy ride we arrived at this scenic place. A nice authentic retreat for confusianist scholars of the old days. Just walk around the premises and let the beauty of the place and its natural surroundings soak in. Loved it. See more..
4.5 Mungyeong Saejae Provincial Park (54 reviews)
- Nice place for summer outing!!
Historic Sites • Historic Walking Areas

Nice place for picnic, trekking and enjoying the environment. Lots of people everywhere ,its one of most visited places in gyeongsangbukdo. beautiful vast land ,houses and statues that explains the history of Korean. Nice place to visit in during summer. its close to other tourist place in mungyeong ,accessible by both buses and cars. See more..
4.5 Ulleungdo (44 reviews)
- Gorgeous Scenery in a misty island
Islands

It's located 120 km off the eastern coast of Korean Peninsula. So you need to take an express boat from the nearest port. It takes about 3.5 hours. But it is worthy of visiting there at least once in your life, if you stay in Korea for some years. There you can enjoy another unique geological features of volcanic eruption. See more..
4.5 Bogyeongsa Temple (44 reviews)
- Small, but nice temple
Religious Sites

My friend and I decided to come visit this temple while we were sightseeing in Pohang. As we drove up, we realized that we had come unprepared. We were dressed in street clothes while everyone else was wearing hiking outfits. The temple itself can easily be seen in an hour or so and this includes many picture breaks. This was perfect for our plans because we had more places we wanted to go. I would suggest, however, that when you visit, you come prepared with proper clothes, snacks, and water for a day of hiking. I have visited many temples in Korea and I'm unsure if I was just not as observant when I visited the others, but this temple had some lovely paintings on the outsides of the buildings. Cost of admission was ₩3,500 for adults. See more..
4.5 Gyeongju World Amusement (41 reviews)
- It was so much fun here
Sunday: 10:00 AM - 8:30 PM Amusement & Theme Parks

It was so much fun here. This amusement park is suitable for all ages from 3 years old. If you love thrilling games, you will fall for those games: Draken: the 6th 90 degree dive coaster in the world and is the first in Korea Klake: thrilling ride that rotates 360 degrees. Mega drop that makes you feel like falling from the sky 70m above the ground. Phaethon: The world's strongest inverted roller coaster. Beside of that, there also so many games for kids. If you love taking picture then this place is instagramable place for you. See more..
4.5 Juwangsan National Park (39 reviews)
- Beautiful mountain
National Parks

We went to the top of mountain, took about 2 hours. It’s quite tough to climb many steps on the way up. Alternatively you can take a route to the fall/valley the trail is wide and gentle, not stiff. Need to pay entrance fee for the mountain. See more..
4.5 Jikjisa Temple (38 reviews)
- Stop ✋/ reconnect / assess your values /recharge
Sunday: 6:00 AM - 7:00 PM Religious Sites

Jikjisa is located in the peacefrul foothills of Mt. Hwangak, It is said that the temple was founded by Master Ado in 418 (Shilla Dynasty). It has a rich and colorful history. Seon (Zen in Japanese) Buddhism teaches 'Bullipmunja Jikjiinsim Kyunseongseongbul' which means: "Not depending upon words and letters, we clearly see and reveal the Buddha-nature which every being has, and then we become a Buddha." The temple, Jikjisa, derived its name from the teaching. Legend has it that after Master Ado built Dorisa in what is now- Gumi City in Gyeongsangbuk-do, he directly pointed to (Jikji in Korean) a mountain far in the west and said,"There is also a good place to build a temple in the mountain." In the Unified Silla Era, Jikjisa was restored, once by Master Jajang in 645 and secondly by Master Cheonmuk in, In 936, Jikjisa expanded and grew in prominence under Master Neungyeo. Advancing into the Joseon Dynasty, Master Hakjo and Master Samyeong brought the temple to fame during their stay See more..
4.5 Geumosan Provincial Park (37 reviews)
- Best trekking outdoors in korea
Parks

Geumo mountains are amazing to spend your weekends with amazing Un altered natural outdoors. Park, peaks and temple are so peaceful and serene. In case you hit mountains in early morning do hit the summit. See more..
4.5 Gatbawi Rock (32 reviews)
- Quiet and peaceful
Monuments & Statues

It was pretty manageable to make it to the peak because of the well-structured staircases. I went there on the weekdays so there was no big crowds which was great in this time of crisis. The Buddha sculpture was beautiful and bigger than I thought, so I could not resist taking a photo of it. See more..
4.5 Bongjeongsa Temple (31 reviews)
- Beautiful Temple tucked into the hillside
Sunday: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Religious Sites

The other reviews will tell you about the temple. Bottom line, it’s a must see if you visit Andong. Easiest way to get here is by car, but buses run to this site. Pay the 2000₩ per person (adults) at the ticket booth at the bottom of the hill. You can drive up for an extra fee. Free parking near the ticket booth along with two other parking lots just pass the cafe. It can get crowded during peak season, recommend coming early. See more..
4.5 Oeosa Temple of Unjesan Mountain (28 reviews)
- Sunset trip to Oeosa
Religious Sites

There was some ongoing construction around the temple when we visited so we had to park a good distance away and walk up the road to the temple. It was a nice day for a walk so it wasn't bad. There's a path around the reservoir that we did not take because of time. There's a second part of the temple that is a steep (think stairs) climb. The views were nice from the top and would have been even better if we had gone a couple weeks later when more leaves had changed for the fall. This temple had a tour guide who spoke English very well. He was kind and helpful. See more..
4.5 Geumosan Reservoir (26 reviews)
- Really nice walk in Spring
Bodies of Water • Hiking Trails

Gumi isn't the most exciting of cities but the reservoir and the whole mountain are a great spot to spend an afternoon or the weekend. Going there in spring is especially nice! See more..
4.5 Sosuseowon Confucian Academy (26 reviews)
- Sosuseowon Confucian Academy
Sunday: 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM Historic Sites

Korea's first private academy The old building shines more brightly in the wonderful scenery. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you take No.3 or No.53, it will take about an hour and a half. If you cross the bridge, you'll see the Seonbi Village. See more..
4.5 The National Lighthouse Museum (23 reviews)
- Homigot Museum to visit
Speciality Museums

This place is located in Homigot, Pohang and located just beside Homigot Sunrise Square which is one of the most famous places in the city. The place is basically part of this tourist spot and gives tourist learnings through its museum. My friends and I had a great time taking photos of the area and will surely go back again. See more..
4.0 Seokguram (659 reviews)
- SO HIGH YOU CAN TOUCH THE SKY!!!!! LOVELY
Sunday: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM Historic Sites • Religious Sites • Monuments & Statues

The eighth-century cave temple with a statue of Buddha looking at the sea. See more..
4.0 Cheomseongdae Observatory (625 reviews)
- Just beautiful at sunset, during the fall!
Historic Sites

This is an old observatory. It is not too big however, it is very interesting! The observatory is lovely especially at sunset! It changes colors every few minutes! We sat in front of it over a period of one hour. We sat on different benches to see a different perspective of the observatory at sunset. The observatory is close to a very nice, humble, Korean park with stunning flowers and colors during the fall. Walk around. There is no entrance fee. I suspect is also beautiful during the spring. The weather on late September was perfect! There were many Koreans visiting the place. Nevertheless, it was peaceful. Many were playing with kites. The kites make the site even more beautiful! It is close to most attractions of in the historical areas of Gyeongju. Almost everything is walking distance. See more..
4.0 Cheonmachong Tomb (427 reviews)
- Fascinating View of a Lost World
Historic Sites

This is a fabulous museum, dug deep into a burial mound. It highlights the architecture of a Shilla tomb, and the treasures buried within it. You can't understand Gyeongju or the Shilla without visiting this site. Highly highly recommended. See more..
4.0 Daereungwon Tomb Complex (252 reviews)
- Tombs of Kings and Queens from Shilla Dynasty
Sunday: 9:00 AM - 10:00 PM Points of Interest & Landmarks • Monuments & Statues

This is a must visit for history enthusiasts as this is where the tomb of Shilla kings and queens lies. And there are many of them here. Some tombs are still unmarked as they do not know which royal lay inside. The whole place is so green with trees and mounts and good for a leisurely stroll. As the place is huge, it is not crowded other than queues forming at the few more popular photo taking spots. There are areas to sit when one becomes too tired. Entrance fee is 2000 won for adults and it opens from 9am to 10pm. See more..
4.0 Yangdong Folk Village (245 reviews)
- Village
Sunday: 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM Historic Sites

It's a good place for a family trip. Kinda not that accessible for commuting since there is only 2 buses that really goes inside the village, if you want to drop off into a highway you need to walk for more than a kilometer. But transferring to a bus is possible. You can either take a bus from Pohang Bus Terminal or Gyeongju Express Bus Terminal (farther). As for the village, it is like a historical museum and village that offers tours, they have 20 minutes 30 minutes and an hour tour inside the village. There's also a convenience/cofee/souvenir store inside which is good. See more..