Sunday 28 October 2012

Taejongdae & Haedong Yonggungsa

While in Busan, I revisited some of my favourite places in the city - Taejongdae Park and Haedong Yonggungsa, the temple by the sea.

Taejongdae

Taejongdae is a peaceful place on Yeongdo, an island that is part of Busan.  You get to Yeongdo via the bridge near Nampdong/Jagalchi.  From Jagalchi station (exit 10) there are lots of buses that go to Taejongdae (8, 13, 30, 88, 101).  You ride the bus until the end of the line, and then get off in the parking lot and walk up the hill towards Taejongdae Park.

Taejongdae is famous for hiking and its dramatic cliffs.  There are beautiful views of the harbour with many fishing boats out in the sea.  I remember coming here for a staff outing with the Korean teachers at my school.  It's a nice place to just wander around and enjoy some peace and quiet.




Haedong Yonggungsa

Haedong Yonggungsa is a lovely temple in Busan that anyone can appreciate (even those people living/travelling around Asia that are all "templed-out").  This temple is unique in the fact that it is near the sea, and not up in the mountains like most temples are.

To get here, it's a bit of a ride.  From Haeundae station (exit 7), we took bus 181.  After you get off, you walk up a hill, make your way through a path of vendors selling everything from Buddhist prayer beads to tea, roasted chestnuts, and silkworms, and then you are met with a path lined with statues representing the 12 animals of the lunar calendar.  After that, you can find a path that leads down towards the sea - and there is the temple!




1 comment:

  1. What beautiful pictures...such a breath taking view! Sounds like you really miss Korea!

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