City Tours to Every Nook and Corner

KTO announces its recommended trips for May

     
Under the theme "City Tours to Every Nook and Corner,"the Domestic Tourism Promotion Team of the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) has released its list of recommended trips for May: Take a trip to Tongyeong, Gyeongsangnam-do, to discover the patriotic spirit of Admiral Yi Sun-shin, who died in the defense of his nation, and admire the scenic views of Dadohae National Marine Park; make the circuit of the cities and counties of Jeollabuk-do; take city tours in Daegu overlooking Mt. Palgong and the Naktong River; travel to Sancheong, a center of medicinal herbs; tour the historical heritage along Lake Chungju; and visiting Cheonan, a city of patriotism.
LEARN THE PATRIOTISM OF ADM. YI AND APPRECIATE SCENIC VIEWS
Tongyeong, situated at the center of Dadohae National Marine Park, is famous for its generous offering of breath-taking views. The city is often referred to as "The Naples of Korea."Recently, a cable car service has begun operations, offering visitors scenic views of the maritime park.
Artisans who have hailed from Tongyeong or maintained a close relationship with the seaside town include musician Yoon Yi-sang, composer of the national anthem, poet Yoo Chi-hwan, poet Kim Chun-soo, poet Kim Sang-ok, playwright Yoo Chi-jin, the late novelist Park Gyeong-ri and painter Chun Huck-rim.
This city has many relics related to Adm. Yi Sun-shin, including the Saebyeonggwan, National Treasure No. 293, dedicated to Adm. Yi's maritime war victories, and the Chungryeol Temple, an altar designed to honor Korea's war dead during the Japanese invasion of 1592.
For more information call the Tourism Department of the Tongyeong municipal government at 055-650-4613 and the Tongyeong Masil at 055-645-8588 or 055-648-8588.
MAKING THE CIRCUIT IN JEOLLABUK-DO
City tours are a convenient means for travelers who want to hear intriguing stories about each region from experts without the distraction of driving their own cars. These days, an upgraded version of the city tour is enjoying popularity in Jeollabuk-do.
    City tour buses under the "2008 Jeollabuk-do Circulation Tour Program"take you from Jeonju to the major cities of Jeollabuk-do, including Buan, Namwon, Gochang and Muju on Saturdays and Sundays. Destinations and festivals depend on the season in order to boost the excitement for tourists. For example, such places as the Naesosa Temple in Buan, which is in full bloom with cherry trees, and Gochang with fascinating views of green barley fields, have been added as tour destinations. The city buses pull up at such places as the Jeonju Sports Complex, the Woelmyeong Sports Complex in Gunsan and Iksan Station for the convenience of Seoulites and people not from Jeollabuk-do.
For more information call the Tourism Industry Department at the Jeollabuk-do provincial government at 063-280-3331 or circulation bus information desks at 063-287-0533.
CITY TOURS TO DEAGU WITH VIEWS OF MT. PALGONG AND THE NAKTONG RIVER
Daegu, situated in the heart of the Yeongnam area, is a city of Korean culture as well as a city of shopping with diverse things to see and buy in such attractions as the Seomun Market, the Herb Market and the Fashion & Jewelry Special Zone. City bus tours, available throughout the year, are the best options to appreciate these diverse cultural amenities. The strong points of these city tours are the arrangement of theme-specific tour programs and the explanation of intriguing tales by travel experts.
Take the Mt. Palgong course with the theme of Buddhist cultural heritage and you may visit Dongwhasa Temple, the Bangjja Yugi (Korean Bronzeware) Museum and the Gen. Shin Seung-gyeom relic site. The Mt. Bisul course will take you to the Dodong Sewon (Confucian School), the mecca of Confucianism in the Yeongnam area, the Seokbinggo in Hyeonpung, a stone-walled ice storage and the Mt. Bisul natural forest resort to enjoy forest walking and touring cultural and historical sites. The floral course, with its picturesque landscapes, and the downtown course, with such tourist attractions as the Medicinal Market and Dalseong Park, are sure to offer tourists some of the charming aspects of Daegu.
SANCHEONG, A PRISTINE VILLAGE OF ORIENTAL MEDICINAL HERBS
Proverbs say that the beautiful mountains and rivers change the character of the people who live there. Sancheong is a pristine village situated at the foot of Mt. Jiri, one of the nation's representative mountains, so some of the greatest people in Korea's history hailed from this region. Sancheong has an Oriental medicinal resort complex, inheriting the medicinal skills from ancient Korean medicinal authorities Hur Jun and Ryu Ui-tae.
City tours to Sancheong include such itineraries as visits to a relic site for Confucian teacher Cho Shik, who educated young scholars, and a cotton farming site of Moon Ik-jeom, who introduced cotton farming to the country. City tours are the best option for tourists unfamiliar with Sancheong, as travel experts who give a detailed explanation of the historical background of each tourist attraction will accompany them.
SAMPLE HISTORICAL EXPERIENCES AND THE ANCIENT LIFESTYLE ALONG LAKE CHUNGJU
From ancient times, Chungju City, situated in the center of the nation, has served as a center of people and logistics, playing the role of a central staging area of major historical events. This is the reason the city has cultural assets representing almost every period of the nation's history.
Take city tour courses to track down traces of the ancient Korean lifestyle. Hearing a detailed explanation from travel experts, you will become familiar with such historical sites as Ttangumdae where Uruk played the gayagum, a 12-stringed Korean harp, the Chungryeolsa Temple and Jungwon Mirukrisaji. It is a great spot for families and groups to enjoy their lunch as they bask in the sun on the lawn of the Central Tower Park. You'll feel like a king when you learn the historical facts about Chungju, a kind of living museum, and enjoy the local hot spas.
For more information call the Tourism Department of the Chungju Municipal Government at 043-850-6723.
CITY TOURS IN CHEONAN, THE MOST CONVENIENT CITY
City tours in major cities of the nation are economical and convenient since unfamiliar visitors can make a circuit of several locations in each region for a minimal cost. City tour courses to Cheonan that take you to natural and cultural heritage sites are highly recommended.
Cheonan is a major city in the center of the nation, a center of transportation with all transportation networks linked in all directions.
Cheonan is also a city of patriots, including Ryu Gwan-soon, who played a leading role in the March 1, 1919 uprising against Japanese rule, and Gen. Kim Si-min, who achieved victory in the Jinju Castle Battle against Japanese invaders during the Joseon Dynasty.
City tour buses, operating on Sundays, take you to such tourist attractions as the Gakwonsa Temple, the Postal Museum, Byeongcheon Aunae Market and Independence Memorial Hall.
For more information contact the Culture and Tourism Department of the Cheonan Municipal Government at 041-521-5158 or the Tourism Information Center at 041-521-2038. nw

(clockwise) Gosapo Beach, famous for its approximately 2 km-long sandy beach and tall pine trees, overlooking Haseom Island; the venue of the annual Green Barley Field Festival in Gochang; and Tongnak-won, a traditional Korean hanok village where home stays are available for Koreans and foreigners.

A six-story pagoda at the Seonun-sa Temple in Gochang.

1. A promenading road with a mud and stone wall at Namsa Yedamchon Village in Sancheong
2. Gakwon-sa Temple in Cheonan
3. The Byeongcheon "oil-jang"makeshift market in Cheonan
4. An icehouse in Hyeonpung, Daegu and Mt. Bisul
5. The Octagonal Pavilion in Dalimjae Pass in Daegu with a commanding view of the Dodong Confucian School
6. Visitors touring the stone grave of King Guhyeong of the Garakguk Kingdom in Sancheong
7. The altar of the late Gen. Im Gyeong-eup in the Chungryeol-sa Temple in Chungju
8. A scenic night harborside view of Tongyeong
9. A fantastic cable car ride in Tongyeong
Relics of a temple at Miryukri, Suangbo-myeon, Chungju City