[little sage]

I have been to many Korean temples, and I never get tired of seeing them. I love the incense smell, the thick wooden floors, the flowergardens and the fact that the buildings are never gigantic, but instead have a perfect shape. Teal is not my favourite colour, though.

So for a nice place to visit I would recommend Naksan Sa (Temple) in Naksan Provincial Park on the north-east coast, east of Soraksan. There is a very tall statue of the Goddess of Mercy, and gorgeous views of the ocean from a cliffside temple building. If you arrive early it's a perfect place to watch the sunrise, but don't expect to be alone, even mid-week in winter. The main temple has a breathtakingly complex sculpture all of wood.

Even if temples are not your thing, the oceanview is worth seeing.

[Eric]

There's something about an ocean view that make things so much better!

[little sage]

If you go by car, within a few hours' drive of Soraksan and Sokcho there are some caves, Hwanseondonggul near the town of Sancheok, which were pretty cool. First you climb up a mountain, then you enter the cave from up there, and walk on trails through 60+ minutes worth of underground rock formations. If you spend the full hour or so there, you will begin to see shapes in the rock.

On our vacation 2 years ago, along the road to get to the caves, we passed a massive new museum of geology that was not yet finished being built. I'm sure it's completed now, and it looked to be a grand grand place. I should really find out the name of it, if I intend to go back.

Also, somewhere along the coastal highway we passed a North Korean spy submarine-turned tourist attraction which you walk through. The fun never stops in the north east!

[fishead soup]

Quote little sage

If you go by car, within a few hours' drive of Soraksan and Sokcho there are some caves, Hwanseondonggul near the town of Sancheok, which were pretty cool. First you climb up a mountain, then you enter the cave from up there, and walk on trails through 60+ minutes worth of underground rock formations. If you spend the full hour or so there, you will begin to see shapes in the rock.

On our vacation 2 years ago, along the road to get to the caves, we passed a massive new museum of geology that was not yet finished being built. I'm sure it's completed now, and it looked to be a grand grand place. I should really find out the name of it, if I intend to go back.

Also, somewhere along the coastal highway we passed a North Korean spy submarine-turned tourist attraction which you walk through. The fun never stops in the north east!

Kangwon provence is much better than Kyeunggi do. Are you a fan of Sashimi or in Korean Whey. The stuff in Sockcho is really fresh and cheap. You actually have sandy beaches out there too.