Must-see attractions in Chungcheongnam-do

  • Gongsan-seong

    Chungcheongnam-do

    This stunning hilltop fortress is a reminder of a time when Gongju (then called Ungjin) was Baekje’s capital. After entering through the grand stone…

  • Gyeryongsan National Park

    Chungcheongnam-do

    One of Korea's smallest parks, Gyeryongsan means ‘Rooster Dragon Mountain’ because locals thought the mountain resembled a dragon with a rooster’s head…

  • Busosan-seong

    Chungcheongnam-do

    This mountain fortress covers the forested hill of Buso-san (106m) and once shielded the Baekje capital of Sabi within its walls. Structures such as the…

  • Mallipo Beach

    Chungcheongnam-do

    Though Mallipo is seeing more and more development every year, it's still a fine stretch of sand, a gentle crescent bookended by piney headlands. It's a…

  • Gungnamji Pond

    Chungcheongnam-do

    In July, this pond explodes with colour as thousands of lotus flowers bloom. The Buyeo SeoDong Lotus Festival that month also transforms the surrounding…

  • Gongju National Museum

    Chungcheongnam-do

    This excellent museum exhibits treasures discovered in the tomb of King Muryeong, including the distinctive gold diadem ornaments that you’ll see images…

  • Donghak-sa

    Chungcheongnam-do

    Donghak-sa is noteworthy for being one of Korea's few nunneries. Just before the temple, look for the trail that leads you on an easy one-hour trek up to…

  • Magok-sa

    Chungcheongnam-do

    Magok-sa has had its buildings restored and reconstructed through the years, but unlike most temples, its extant buildings are being allowed to age…

  • Cheollipo Arboretum

    Chungcheongnam-do

    The Cheollipo Arboretum is among Asia's top botanical institutions, with a collection of more than 13,000 species from over 60 countries, laid out with…

  • Daecheon Beach

    Chungcheongnam-do

    This popular strip of almost golden-hued sand runs for 3.5km and is about 100m wide during low tide. The main hub of activity is at its southern end, near…

  • Buyeo National Museum

    Chungcheongnam-do

    This museum houses one of the best collections of Baekje artefacts, and has extensive English captions, making it a good place to get a primer on pre…

  • Kkotji Beach

    Chungcheongnam-do

    Of the many beaches on Anmyeondo, one of the best is Kkotji Beach (꽃지해수욕장), a gentle 3.2km-long stretch that’s a glorious 300m wide at low tide and…

  • Gap-sa

    Chungcheongnam-do

    Gap-sa's main hall contains three gleaming Buddha statues, while a smaller shrine houses three shamanist deities – Chilseong, Sansin and Dokseong.

  • Jinneomeo Beach

    Chungcheongnam-do

    Of the many island beaches, this is the cleanest one with striking ocean views, the least amount of trash and a half dozen nearby pensions.

  • Gudurae Sculpture Park

    Chungcheongnam-do

    A pleasant grassy space with sculptures by Korean and international artists.

  • Tomb of King Muryeong

    Chungcheongnam-do

    The tomb of King Muryeong, the 25th Baekje king, was discovered – miraculously intact and completely by accident – in 1971. The tomb and the six others in…

  • Baekje Royal Tombs

    Chungcheongnam-do

    Buyeo has seven royal tombs, dating from AD 538 to 660. They're sealed for protection, but there's a re-creation of the most impressive one, which is…

  • Samchung-sa

    Chungcheongnam-do

    This modest shrine inside Busosan-seong commemorates three Baekje officials. Seong Chun, a royal adviser, died in prison after angering the king. Heung Su…

  • Goran-sa

    Chungcheongnam-do

    This tiny temple at the bottom of a cliff is reached via stone stairs from Busosan-seong. Behind it is a spring that provided the favourite drinking water…

  • Baekje Cultural Land

    Chungcheongnam-do

    This 'historical theme park' imagines what the Baekje palace and attendant village might have looked like, with structures you can enter (and plenty of…

  • General Gyebaek Statue

    Chungcheongnam-do

    Despite being outnumbered 10 to one, General Gyebaek led his army of 5000 in a last stand against the final Silla and Chinese onslaught in AD 660…

  • Nakhwa-am

    Chungcheongnam-do

    A good place to get nice views of the area, it's also part of Buyeo's historical narrative. Nakhwa-am means 'falling flowers rock' and is thought to…

  • Jeongnimsaji

    Chungcheongnam-do

    All that remains here of the Baekje-era temple Jeongnim-sa is a 8.3m five-storey stone pagoda – though this alone is certainly impressive. There's also a…

  • King Seong Statue

    Chungcheongnam-do

    This statue commemorates the king who moved the Baekje Kingdom's capital to Buyeo in AD 538. The king died in AD 554 – along with 30,000 soldiers – in a…

  • Bamseom Beach

    Chungcheongnam-do

    The largest of Sapsido's beaches is Banseom Beach, a broad stretch of golden sand on the island's southern coast. To find it, follow the road to the left…

  • Ungjin Baekje Historical Museum

    Chungcheongnam-do

    At the entrance to the Tomb of King Muryeong, the Ungjin Baekje Historical Museum has historical info and a tourist information centre.

  • Banwollu Pavilion

    Chungcheongnam-do

    This pavilion on the grounds of Busosan-seong offers lovely views of the surrounding countryside.

  • Sejong Lake Park

    Chungcheongnam-do

    This enormous park with a human-made lake was built as a family destination. It's not far from a complex of government buildings.

  • Brother & Sister Pagodas

    Chungcheongnam-do

    These twin Silla-era pagodas are said to represent the brother and sister who founded the original hermitage at Donghak-sa.