Haeparang Trail (Busan, Ulsan Section)

The Haeparang Trail is the longest walking travel route in Korea, totaling 750 km, starting from Oryukdo in Busan. Walking the Haeparang Trail, which continues through coastal paths, forest paths, and village paths, fills your eyes with beautiful coastal scenery.
If you walk along the path containing the wishes of the people of the sea, you will encounter Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, the temple where the sun rises first.
There is also Camellia Island, where camellias turn red in midwinter, and Ganjeolgot, where you can see the earliest sunrise. <br><br>

Details

Oryukdo Islets (Busan National Geopark)

Oryukdo Island offers a refreshing view of the endless open sea that cools both the eyes and the heart. It was named Oryukdo because the six scattered islands appear as five depending on the difference between high and low tide. Each island features steep coastal cliffs, wave-cut platforms formed by wave erosion, and a variety of sea caves, while plants and animals that have grown for a long time without human interference, together with the deep blue sea, create a spectacular scene. Oryukdo is composed of the same volcanic rocks as the Igidae geological site, and it is presumed that it was once a small peninsula connected to the mainland until 120,000 years ago before being separated from the land by the strong erosive action of waves over a long period of time.
A coastal geological trail connects Oryukdo to Igidae Park, a 4.7 km coastal walking path from "Oryukdo Skywalk" to "Dongsaengmal Observatory." It is a trekking course in Igidae Park, an excellent national geopark that includes Oryukdo, Oryukdo Sunrise Park, Oryukdo Skywalk, and Dongsaengmal Observatory. From Dongsaengmal Observatory, you can see the splendid night view of Busan's landmarks, Gwangandaegyo Bridge and the high-rise buildings of Haeundae, making it a hidden night-view spot in Busan.

Haeundae Dongbaekseom Island

If you look out at the open sea from Haeundae Beach and turn your eyes to the right, at the point where the white sand beach ends there is the Chosun Beach Hotel, and behind it the small Dongbaekseom Island is situated. Originally an island, this place was connected to the mainland through sedimentation over a long period of time, but it is still called Dongbaekseom, evoking the old topography.
Since long ago, many poets and literati, including Master Choe Chiwon, have visited this scenic spot where the sea and forest blend together, reciting their inspiration and passing it down to later generations.
A walking path has been created around Dongbaekseom Island, attracting a steady stream of citizens, and traces of people from the past and present are embedded throughout, including Choe Chiwon's Haeundae inscription, his statue, and a poetry monument, as well as the mermaid statue, the protagonist of the legend of Princess Hwangok, and Nurimaru APEC House. In addition, the view of Busan seen from Dongbaekseom Island is impressive, with the coastal cliff on the Mipo side across the way, Dalmaji Hill, Gwangandaegyo Bridge crossing the sea and sky, and Oryukdo Island, the symbol of the Busan sea, all coming into view at a glance. In the place where, as the name suggests, camellia flowers once bloomed and fell so abundantly that they would cover horse hooves, red flowers still form buds and fall whole between winter and spring, adding to the charm.

Haeundae Beach

* Busan's representative beach, Haeundae Beach
Haeundae Beach, Busan's representative beach. With a white sand beach 1.5km long, 30-50m wide, an average depth of 1m, and an area of 58,400㎥, it boasts a wide sandy beach and beautiful coastline, and with its shallow water and calm waves, it has the optimal conditions for a beach. It is a landmark representing Busan so much that when you say ''Busan,'' the first place that comes to mind is Haeundae Beach, and it is also a place where the largest crowds in the country gather, serving as a gauge for summer vacationers every year. In particular, large and small buildings and luxury hotels rise around the coastline, making it famous as a beach with a modern and sophisticated atmosphere, so it is crowded with youthful energy not only during the summer vacation season but all year round, and it is also well known to overseas tourists, making it a place visited by many foreigners.
* Various festivals and attractions at Haeundae Beach
Haeundae Beach hosts the Moonrise Festival every year on the first full moon of the lunar year. In addition, the Polar Bear Swimming Competition, held every winter, has already become a representative winter festival. Various large and small events such as sand sculpture exhibitions and the Busan Sea Festival are also held. In addition, there are many attractions around the beach such as Dongbaekseom Island, Oryukdo Island, the aquarium, the yacht marina, BEXCO, Dalmaji Hill, and driving courses, and as befits a first-class beach in Korea, the surrounding area is well-equipped with accommodations including first-class hotels, entertainment facilities, and nightlife facilities, allowing visitors to enjoy comfortable relaxation.

Cheongsapo Port

Following Haeundae Dalmaji Hill toward Songjeong, Cheongsapo is the place visible on the lower right. Between Haeundae and Songjeong in Busan, three small ports lie side by side along the coast. Along with Gudeokpo and Mipo, Cheongsapo is one of those small ports. Cheongsapo is famous for producing seaweed of exceptionally high quality, and its sunrise is already renowned for its beauty. The rocky shore around Cheongsapo is always crowded with anglers who have gathered to fish, and especially in autumn, when mackerel is in season, even more people visit. In addition, the Donghae Nambu Line runs long along the coast, and the train that occasionally sounds its horn as it passes makes the scenery of the quiet, tranquil countryside stand out even more. This railway is one of only two seaside railways in the country, and it is also widely known as a filming location for the movie "Blue Alert," making it even more beloved. Also, tasting fresh seafood just caught, one piece at a time, at the restaurants and raw fish eateries lined up along one side of the port against the backdrop of the quiet port is a pleasure among pleasures.
The original name of Cheongsapo was Cheongsa, meaning 'blue snake.' The legend behind the name tells of a devoted couple who once lived in this village; when the husband, who had gone fishing, drowned in the sea, the wife climbed onto a rock by the shore and waited for him every day. The Dragon King, moved by pity, sent a blue snake to bring her to the East Sea Dragon Palace so she could meet her dead husband. However, as it was considered unlucky for a village name to contain the word 'snake,' it was recently changed to mean 'port of blue sand.'

Haedong Yonggungsa Temple (Busan)

* A miraculous place that grants wishes, Haedong Yonggungsa Temple (Busan) *
Haedong Yonggungsa Temple was founded in 1376 by the Great Monk Naong, who was the royal preceptor (wangs a) of King Gongmin (恭民王), and is one of Korea's Three Great Avalokitesvara Sacred Sites. With the sea, dragons, and the Great Avalokitesvara Buddha in harmony, it embodies a deeper religious significance than any other place, and is famous as a miraculous site where anyone who prays sincerely will surely receive a revelation in a dream and have one wish fulfilled. It was destroyed by fire during the Imjin War and was rebuilt in the early 1930s by Ungang (雲崗) of Tongdosa Temple. In 1974, when Monk Jeongam (晸菴) became the abbot of this temple, he made a vow to restore it as a place of Avalokitesvara practice and performed a hundred-day prayer, during which he saw in a dream the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara in white robes riding a dragon and ascending to heaven, and thus changed the temple's name to Haedong Yonggungsa.
The existing buildings include Daeungjeon Hall, Gulbeopdang Hall, Yongwangdang Hall (Yonggungdan Altar), Beomjonggak Bell Pavilion, and Yosachae monks' quarters. Daeungjeon Hall was rebuilt in the 1970s by the head monk Jeongam. Gulbeopdang Hall next to Daeungjeon Hall, also called Mireukjeon Hall, has enshrined a seated stone Buddha of Maitreya since the temple's founding; it is called Deungnambul (Buddha of Obtaining a Son) because it is said that those without children who pray there will be blessed with a child. In front of Daeungjeon Hall stands a three-story stone pagoda with four lions. Originally, a 3m-high rock (Mireuk Rock) stood here, but when the temple was reduced to ruins during the Imjin War and the rock was destroyed during the Korean War due to the construction of a coastal defense network, Jeongam gathered the broken stones and reinforced the damaged rock face in 1990 to erect this stone pagoda and enshrine 7 Buddha relics brought from Sri Lanka. In addition, there is the approximately 10m-high Haesu Gwaneum Daebul, the largest single-stone statue in Korea, and the Yaksa Yeorae Buddha, also called the Gatbawi Buddha of the East Sea. At the temple entrance, there is a Traffic Safety Prayer Tower and 108 stairs, and at the beginning of the stairs stands a statue of Bodhidharma; legend says that touching its nose and belly brings a son.
* Attractions near Haedong Yonggungsa Temple *
After getting off at the parking lot and walking just 2 minutes, the Twelve Zodiac Statues of the Sixty Stems and Branches of Eastern philosophy are enshrined, and the Traffic Safety Prayer Tower, which wishes for the safe driving of us all, urges careful driving. The poetry monument of Chunwon Yi Gwang-su, who praised the scenery, and the famous poem monument of Monk Naung, who sang, "The green mountains look at me and tell me to live without words, and the blue sky looks at me and tells me to live without blemish," make one reflect on oneself for a moment. Passing Yongmun Seokgul and descending the 108 stone steps one by one, the orderly rows of stone lanterns and the broad dark blue sea give a feeling of actually entering the Dragon Palace, evoking admiration and joy itself. On the left, a Medicine Buddha stone statue is enshrined on Baekho Rock, and a little further on is Ilchulam, where the sun rises first.

Ganjeolgot Lighthouse

Ganjeolgot in Daesong-ri, Seosaeng-myeon, Ulju-gun is the place where the first year of the new millennium rises first on the Korean Peninsula, and you can greet the sun that rises first on the east coast. Ganjeolgot Lighthouse has been guiding the sea route to Ulsan Port consistently for over 100 years since it first lit its light on March 26, 1920, and it became famous as the lighthouse at Ganjeolgot where the sun of the new millennium rose first at "7:31:26 AM on January 1, 2000." The sunrise begins 1 minute earlier than at Homigot in Yeongil Bay and 5 minutes earlier than at Jeongdongjin in Gangneung, and the sight is spectacular. Along with Jinha Beach and Seosaengpo Japanese Castle in the Ulsan area, it is drawing attention as a new attraction. Ganjeolgot Lighthouse is about 20 minutes from the entrance of the Ulsan Southern Ring Road. When acacia blooms, driving along the coastline from Ulsan toward Busan Haeundae, the scent of acacia is more profound than the smell of the sea. This road, where you drive along a mountain path with drooping acacia branches laden with white flowers and suddenly the sea unfolds, is always perfect as a driving course.
With the refreshingly wide-open sea right before your eyes, low rolling hills unfold. It is always a great place for a family outing, and along with Jinha Beach and Seosaengpo Waeseong in the Ulsan area, it is drawing attention as a new attraction. Although it is only 20 minutes from the entrance of the Ulsan Southern Ring Road, the refreshing scenery feels as if you have traveled far away and is exotic. Gazing at the white lighthouse standing tall facing the sea is like imagining a captain on a long sea voyage aboard a ship. It gives endless solitude yet boundless imagination. In front of the lighthouse is a pine forest. It is not as dense as Ulsan Park, but its winding shape is endearing. The house where the lighthouse stands is also entirely white. Even though an industrial complex is nearby, it feels as if all moving things slow down, as if this were a faraway rural village. Only the waves rolling onto the shore keep crashing unchanged. It was first lit in March 1920 and, with only the managing organization having changed, continues to this day. Anyone can go up to the lighthouse. If you ask the manager and leave a visitor record, they will let you go up to the lighthouse. Inside the cylindrical lighthouse is a spiral staircase. The sea seen through the windows gives a new feeling. There is a path that brings you closer to the sea with the lighthouse on your right. Along the path, sashimi restaurants wrapped in a row are neatly lined up. While looking at the sea and listening to the sound of the waves, you can taste various kinds of raw fish.
* Observation deck-type lighthouse
* Exhibition Hall
- 1 model of Ulsan Port, 1 information search terminal, 13 promotional panels
* Rest facilities
- Ilyeongjeong 79.34m² (24 pyeong)

Jangsaengpo Whale Culture Village

In the Whale Culture Village, created in 2015, the appearance of the old Jangsaengpo whaling fishing village has been faithfully reproduced, and visitors can tour a park containing various themes and stories such as the Whale Plaza, Old Jangsaengpo Village, Prehistoric Whale Yard, Whale Sculpture Garden, and Aquatic Botanical Garden.
* Major facilities of Jangsaengpo Whale Culture Village *
- Jangsaengpo Old Village: A space recreated exactly as Jangsaengpo looked in the 1960s–70s when whaling flourished, a place of nostalgia and a site of education
- Whale Sculpture Park: A unique experience space where you can experience and learn about various whales through life-size whale sculptures
- Whale Story Trail · Whale Encounter Trail: A storytelling photo zone covering various themes such as communion and coexistence with whales
- Prehistoric Whale Yard: An outdoor learning space where you can experience prehistoric whale history and culture, including the Bangudae Petroglyphs and whaling murals

Bangudae Petroglyphs, Daegok-ri, Ulju

In Daegok-ri, Eonyang-eup, there is a scenic spot called Bangu-dae, where a spur of Yeongosan Mountain extends down and comes to an abrupt stop, forming a climax of bizarre rocks and strange stones; because it resembles a turtle lying flat on its belly, it is called Bangu-dae (盤龜臺). The jade-like streams flowing down from Cheonjeon Valley in Dudong-myeon gather here to form a lakeside, and it is renowned as a superb scenic beauty. Therefore, since ancient times, poets and literati from all over the country have visited this place and enjoyed the scenery through poetry. Petroglyphs are pictures drawn by prehistoric people by carving various events from their daily lives onto rocks. They were mainly drawn on large rocks and other sacred places of the group, and it is presumed that people gathered there to perform various rituals. The Ulsan Daegok-ri Bangu-dae Petroglyphs are drawn at a place called 'Geonneo Gakdan' along Daegokcheon Stream, a tributary of the Taehwa River, and the rock face where the drawings are concentrated measures 10 m in width and 3 m in height. However, not a few figures have also been identified on both sides, so the rocks bearing petroglyphs number about ten in all. These petroglyphs are believed to have been produced over several periods from the Neolithic Age, and differences in style by period can be observed; they can be divided into the area-pecking technique (面刻, pecking out the entire interior of the depicted subject) and the line-pecking technique (線刻, pecking out only the outline). The engraved figures can be broadly divided into sea animals, land animals, people, and tools. Sea animals include whales, seals, and turtles, while land animals frequently seen include deer, tigers, wild boars, and dogs. People can be seen drawn only as faces, standing upright, standing sideways, or riding in boats. Tools include boats, fences, nets, harpoons, and objects similar to crossbows. These figures are thought to have been carved into the rock with the wish that prehistoric people's hunting activities would go smoothly and that game would be abundant; they are evaluated as a masterpiece that is both hunting art and religious art, vividly expressing animals and hunting scenes and realistically depicting the characteristics of objects, and as the greatest work for examining the life and customs of prehistoric people.
As such, the Bangudae Petroglyphs, the first whaling record of humanity and the first artwork of the Korean Peninsula, and the Cheonjeon-ri Gakseok, the first petroglyph discovered in Korea (50th anniversary of excavation), are representative historical tourism resources of the Republic of Korea.