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3-day Busan, Gyeongju Tour by KTX and Temple Stay
'Dynamic Busan, City of Tomorrow’ - slogan of Busan - is famous for its spectacular beaches, fresh seafood, the biggest film festival in Asia and the most exciting and desirable new urban center. Also, Busan was a rare piece of territory not captured by North Korea during the Korean War, that is why lots of refugee villages were created on the hills. The villages are still just as they were in the old days. After 1.5 days exciting Busan tour, You are supposed to experience Templestay at Beomeasa temple in Busan. templestay is a cultural experience program for a better understanding of Korean traditional culture and Korean Buddhism. This short templestay including chanting, meditation, conversation over tea, Buddhist meals will give you a new perspective on your life. We hope you can find your peace of mind and feel the great atmosphere of over 1,300-year-old antiquity of Beomeosa. After templestay, you will head to Gyeongju, which was once the capital of the ancient Korean Kingdom of Silla (57 BCE – 935) for about one millennium and contains a great wealth of heritage sites and relics that reflect its remarkable cultural achievements.
With the assistance of our guides, catch a glimpse of some of the traditional art & culture, and experience them yourself to feel the rich history of Korea.
Tour description
Day 1
Seoul station
A pickup at your hotel starts your trip with a transfer to Seoul Station, where the train is ready to carry you to Busan. After the ride across the South Korean countryside, You will get to Busan station and meet your guide, set out to visit some of the most storied sights around.
Choi Min-Shik Gallery
Choi Min-Shik is the first-generation documentary photographer who photographed ordinary people with tough lives emanating from war and poverty. He aroused sympathy from the world by photographing ordinary people's tough lives and underprivileged people during the modernization of Busan with the theme 'Human'. His black/white photos capture the moments of people in a very vivid way. Every single one of his photographs is portraits that are Koreans in Busan streets. His gallery overlooks the Amidong Tombstone village from the top of the hill.
Amidong Tombstone Village
The stairs and the walls in this village are different from what you normally see. They are all tombstones. That's why the village is called Tombstone culture village. People began living here in tents since 1951 during the Korean War. When it became more settled, the tents became too small, so people began building on top of Japanese graves. This Village is right next to Gamchon culture village. From this village, the entire city of Busan can be seen.
Gamcheon Culture village
Gamcheon was a refuge for many people fleeing to Busan during the Korean War. The creative urban regeneration project started in 2010 and the success of the project attracts 1,400,000 Korean and foreign tourists to the village annually. It's earning this village the nickname of "Machu Picchu of Busan."
Jagalchi fish market
Jagalchi fish market mainly deals with live and freshly caught seafood. Fish and shellfish are caught daily and sold fresh to consumers, almost right off the boat. The area is lined with tanks containing all sorts of fish, eels, squid, shellfish, and mollusks. Some areas have workers preparing seafood for long term storage. You can watch as the fish get scaled, beheaded, chopped up, and dumped in a box of ice, all in record time.
UN Memorial Park
The UN Memorial Cemetery is a well administered, beautifully maintained final resting place for many allied soldiers who died during the Korean War. If you have time during your visit to Busan, drop in for a couple of hours and walk around this solemn but magnificent place.
Day 2
Haedong Yonggungsa Temple
Haedong Yonggungsa Temple is situated on the coast of the north-eastern portion of Busan. This superb attraction offers visitors the rare find of a temple along the shore line; most temples in Korea are located in the mountains.
Haeundae Beach
Haeundae Beach is the most popular beach in South Korea, with 1 million visitors a day during the summer season. Offering various water sports activities, festivals, concerts, and parties, Haeundae Beach is a destination worth visiting for an exciting getaway!
Dongbaek Island
There is Dongbaek Island at the western end of Haeundae beach. Dongbaek is translated into Camellia which is growing in islands of southern provinces and southern coastal areas of Korea blossoming around March., of which the leaves are thick and glossy maintaining dark green color through 4 seasons. There is Nurimaru APEC house, around a three-story building exclusively built for the final summit meeting for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference in the island.
Temple stay at Beomeosa Temple in Busan (Day 1) * This program is available on weekends.
Templestay is a cultural experience program for a better understanding of Korean traditional culture and Korean Buddhism. This short templestay including chanting, meditation, conversation over tea, Buddhist meals will give you a new perspective on your life. Do nothing but relax. The temple will become a shelter for your fatigued mind and body and will give you renewed energy. With the rest-oriented templestay program, stress-free vacation for your mind, you can have a chance to center yourself. Away from your busy daily routine, breathe in nature and restore your life force through meditation and Buddhist ceremonies.
Day 1
15:00~15:50 Arrival & Check-in
16:00~17:00 Orientation(Temple Etiquette & Self-introduction)
17:00~17:50 Dinner Offering(casual buffet-style veggie meal)
18:30~19:10 4 Buddhist Instruments Performance & Evening Chanting Ceremony
19:30~20:30 108 Prostrations
21:00~06:00 Bed Time
Day 3
Temple stay at Beomeosa Temple in Busan (Day 2) * This program is available on weekends.
Since Beomeosa is built on a mountain slope, the temple buildings are arranged on three elevations of the mountain, low, middle and high. As a result of this kind of geometric placement of the buildings, the temple has a certain coziness about it.
The first thing that you’ll notice as you step into Beomeosa is the substantial Iljoomoon (One Pillar Gate). The gate is built upon four gigantic foundation stones, and with a majestic roof crowning the top, from any perspective it looks just like a practicing monk, standing with an unmoving mind regardless of what appears. Once you set foot in the Daeoongjeon (Main Buddha Hall), you can really sense the devotion of many people over the years. It’s certainly true of the people you see ardently chanting and praying in the Buddha Hall, and it’s also true of the meticulously depicted wall paintings that cover every corner of the building’s interior. If you haven’t sat in the Buddha Hall and carefully examined the incredible details of the interior, you can’t really say you’ve been to Beomeosa
In accordance with the temple’s status as the main Seon temple in the region, Beomeosa’s Templestay program has practiced as its central focus. The standard program features chanting services, 108 prostrations, Dado (tea ceremony), and has a strong emphasis on meditation. Aside from these programs, there are hiking and other special Temple programs.
Day 2
06:00~06:25 Wake up, Wash up & Dress-up
06:30~07:00 Breakfast Offering(casual buffet-style veggie meal)
07:00~08:20 Walking to a hermitage(small temple)
08:20~09:00 Handcraft(Decorating an Eco-bag)
09:00~10:00 Chatting with Monk and drinking tea
10:00~11:00 Closing