Songdae horse lighthouse

This temple which is close to the sea in the east has only the foundations and two 13-m-high stone pagodas remaining. The building was begun by King Munmu and completed by his son, Shinmun, in 682. The temple hall was to serve as a resting place of King Munmu's reincarnation as a sea dragon, and therefore Shinmun built a water path from the sea to this temple. This should not be confused with Tomb of Munmu of Silla that is also close by and also references the sea dragon reincarnation.

The ashes of King Munmu, 30th ruler (661-681) of Silla, are supposed to be placed in an underwater tomb, next to some rocks 200m from the coast. Archaeologists have found no signs of a royal grave there, so visitors can just look at the rocks and wonder if the legend is true or not. You may not explore the area yourself - access to the rocks is prohibited. There is a beach close to the rocks, with its rough sand and stones it's not very comfortable. A bit north along the beach there is the Yigyeondae pavilion from where you can also see the rocks. The pavilion is built on a place where the Munmu's son, King Shinmu according to a legend received a magical flute called manpasikjeok from a sea dragon. The flute would have been able to scare enemies away, heal illnesses, and bring forth rain and sun.

20 km east of the ancient Silla Dynasty capital city of Gyeongju in Southeastern Korea. In the Golgulsa temple area can be found the oldest historical Buddhist ruins on Mt. Hamwol and the only cave temple in Korea. The original temple was built out of solid rock during the 6th century by Saint Kwang Yoo and his companions, Buddhist monks from India. This temple contains a sculptured Maya Tathagata Buddha (Buddha was known as the “Tathagata”; his mother was “Maya Devi”) and twelve rock caves. You can enjoy Temple Stay in Golgulsa.

At the foot of Hamwolsan mountain, this temple was founded in 643 in the twelfth year of the rule of King Seondeok. The relatively large compound comprises of 16 buildings. The main highlights are the three floor pagoda (Samcheung Seoktap), the Daejeokgwangjeon hall and the golden sitting Buddha statue of Geonchilbosal Jwasang. This temple is much quieter than the one in nearby Bulguksa.

A masterpiece of Silla Buddhist art, this grotto houses a majestic granite Buddha looking toward the East Sea. On the solstice, a ray of sun hits the Buddha's "third eye," a design meant to protect the kingdom. Although the Buddha is now behind a glass panel for preservation, the site offers spectacular views on clear days. Photography is strictly prohibited inside due to the sacred nature of the site. Entrance has been free since May 2023.

Either take a bus or taxi to get to the park. Once there, hiking trails lead up into the mountains. At first the signs are in both Korean and English but soon they become Korean only. Make sure you take a map or even better a Korean!