Gyeongju / Tongdosa Temple UNESCO for PRIVATE CRUISE PASSENGER'S

Gyeongju is a city in the southeast of Korea that is brimming with history. For centuries, the city served as the capital of the Shilla Dynasty (57-935 BC), the longest period of reign in the history of Korea. Even today, you'll find ancient landmarks blanketing the city, standing as proud testaments to a bygone era. These ancient relics are such an integral part of the landscape that the whole city has been designated a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage (known collectively as the 'Gyeongju Historic Areas').

* please itinerary decide it as you wishes.

A. Gyeongju UNSCO
Seokguram Grotto UNESCO- Bulguksa Temple UNESCO- Folk Craft Village- Lunch- Tombs complex- Cheomseongdae- National Museum or Gyocheon Hanok Village- Return to port

B. Yangsan Tongdosa UNESCO
Tongdosa Temple UNESCO- Busan UN memorial park- Lunch- Gamcheon culture village- Nampodong- Fish market- Return to port

* Flexible itinerary depending on cruise schedule.

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Seokguram, 999 Jinhyeon-dong, Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do 780-400 South Korea

Seokguram is an artificial grotto constructed of granite that comprises an antechamber, a corridor and a main rotunda. It enshrines a monumental statue of the Sakyamuni Buddha looking out to sea with his left hand in dhyana mudra, the mudra of concentration, and his right hand in bhumisparsa mudra, the earth-touching mudra position. Together with the portrayals of devas, bodhisattvas and disciples, sculpted in high and low relief on the surrounding walls, the statues are considered to be a masterpiece of East Asian Buddhist art. The domed ceiling of the rotunda and the entrance corridor employed an innovative construction technique that involved the use of more than 360 stone slabs.


Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Bulguksa Temple, Bulguksa 385 Bulguk-ro, Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do 38127 South Korea

Bulguksa is a Buddhist temple complex that comprises a series of wooden buildings on raised stone terraces. The grounds of Bulguksa are divided into three areas – Birojeon (the Vairocana Buddha Hall), Daeungjeon (the Hall of Great Enlightenment) and Geungnakjeon (the Hall of Supreme Bliss). These areas and the stone terraces were designed to represent the land of Buddha. The stone terraces, bridges and the two pagodas – Seokgatap (Pagoda of Sakyamuni) and Dabotap (Pagoda of Bountiful Treasures) – facing the Daeungjeon attest to the fine masonry work of the Silla.

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Daereungwon Tomb Complex, 9 Gaerim-ro, Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do 38165 South Korea

Large ancient tombs of kings and nobles of the Silla Kingdom can be seen around Gyeongju at the Daereungwon Tomb Complex. There are twenty-three large tombs located here; 13 have been excavated but only 1 (Cheonmachong - tomb of King Michu) is open to the public. The chamber of the tomb contained a lacquered wooden coffin which had burial goods placed around it. A total of 11,500 artifacts were recovered from the tomb, demonstrating the lavish lifestyle of the king. The tomb was excavated in 1973 and is believed to date probably from the fifth century.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Gyeongju Folk Craft Village, 201-18 Ha-dong, Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea

Gyeongju Folk Craft Village consists of 40 thatched and tile-roofed houses, lived in by local artisans of traditional arts and crafts skills. Various fields of crafts production including metal, pottery, timber, jewels, hanbok (Korean traditional clothes), and stone-crafts can be found in the village.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Gyeongju Gyochon Traditional Village, Gyochonan-gil, Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do South Korea

At Gyeongju Gyochon Village, visitors can see the House of the Gyeongju Choi Clan (Important Folklore Material No. 27) and try some Gyeongju Gyodong Beopju Liquor (Important Intangible Cultural Asset No. 86-3). The village centers around the Gyeongju Choi Clan, a family known to have maintained their wealth for over 12 generations, producing many important people. Visitors can learn about the lifestyle and spending habits that enabled the family to do this. The village is also home to the site of Yoseokgung, the house of Silla Princess Yoseok. Nearby attractions include Gyerim Forest, Naemulwangneung Royal Tomb, and Gyeongjuhyanggyo Local Confucian Scho

Duration: 40 minutes

Stop At: Gyeongju National Museum, 186 Iljeong-ro, Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do 38171 South Korea

Gyeongju National Museum is loved by visitors and residents alike as it houses numerous historical and cultural artifacts of the Silla dynasty (57 BC - AD 935). The museum recently went through renovation, separating into an art gallery, historical artifacts exhibition hall, Wolji Pond exhibition hall, and a planned exhibition space. In addition to improving facilities for visitors' convenience, Gyeongju National Museum is making efforts to contribute to the community and reestablish its identity as a museum by making efforts to provide lifelong learning opportunities and improve management. As a significant cultural center, Gyeongju National Museum not only strives to preserve, exhibit, and research the rich history and culture of Silla, but also to take a leap forward to become a cultural multi-complex center by promoting international exchange opportunities, social education programs, and a variety of special exhibitions.

Duration: 40 minutes

Stop At: Cheomseongdae Observatory, Wolseong-dong, Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do South Korea

Cheomseongdae is the oldest existing astronomical observatory in Asia.Constructed during the reign of Queen Seon-deok (r. 632-647), it was used to observe stars in order to forecast the weather. This stone structure is a beautiful combination of straight lines and curves, and was designated as National Treasure No.31 on December 20th, 1962.

It stands 9.17m high and the base stone on each side measures 5.35m.The Vernal Equinox, Autumnal Equinox, Winter Solstice, Summer Solstice and the 24 solar terms (also known as the astronomical solar year) were determined by observating of stars. The pavilion stone is believed to have been used as a standard of deciding directions, north, south, east and west. The 362 stones used to build Cheomseongdae represented the 362 days in a lunar year.



Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Tongdosa Temple, 108, Tongdosa-ro, Habuk-myeon, Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do 50501 South Korea

Tongdosa was established by the monk Jajang-yulsa after returning from Tang China in 646 AD during the reign of Queen Seondeok of Silla. It thrived throughout the Later Silla and Goryeo periods (918-1392), when Buddhism was the state religion, and remained strong even during Joseon.

Tongdosa is reputed to house several relics of the Buddha himself, including a robe, a begging bowl, and a bone from his skull,[3] all relics that Jajang-yulsa brought back from the travels to Tang China he undertook in 636 to study with ten other monks.

All of Tongdosa Temple is in perfect harmony, from its long history to the surrounding landscape. As society changed, so did the temple over time, adding many new structures as well as a management system that matches the current digital society. Tongdosa Temple was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage in 2018 along with other sansa monestaries that were recognized as a valuable heritage.



Duration: 50 minutes

Stop At: UN Memorial Cemetery, 93, UN pyeonghwa-ro, Nam-gu, Busan 48529 South Korea

The UN Memorial Cemetery in Korea honors UN soldiers from 16 countries and UN aids from five countries that were killed in battle during the Korean War from 1950-1953. It is the only memorial cemetery in the world dedicated to UN soldiers. While the cemetery originally held up to 11,000 graves, most of the fallen soldiers were repatriated at the request of their families, with only 2,300 graves remaining. The serene park spreads across a grassy plain area of 135,000 square meters. Some notable sites and memorials include: Memorial Service Hall, Memorabilia Hall, two Turkish Monuments, Greek Monument, Australian Monument, British Commonwealth Monument and two ponds.


Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Busan Gamcheon Culture Village, 203, Gamnae 2-ro, Saha-gu, Busan 49368 South Korea

Gamcheon Culture Villiage is formed by houses built in staircase-fashion on the foothills of a coastal mountain, earning this village the nickname "Machu Picchu of Busan." Many alleys that cut through this community are vibrantly decorated with murals and sculptures created by the residents.

Duration: 40 minutes

Stop At: Nampo Underground Shopping Center, Jung-gu Jagalchi Subway Station ~ Nampodong Subway Station, Busan South Korea

Nampodong, which is the old downtown area of Busan, literally has it all! It has all the different kinds of brand shops as well as affordable local stores. Between the streets, there are street food alleys

Duration: 20 minutes

Stop At: Gukje Market, 38, Gukjesijang 2-gil, Jung-gu, Busan 48946 South Korea

Originally formed by Korean War refugees, this downtown market has grown into Busan's largest. Here you can find the best wholesale prices for clothing, silk, linen, curtains, bags, glasses, and many imported items. Similar to Namdaemun Market in Seoul, the stores are small and the vendor-filled alleys are narrow. Kukje Market spills out into the streets and continues into Kwangbok-dong & Namp'o-dong. Along its southern boundary is the Jagalchi Fish Market


Duration: 20 minutes

Stop At: Jagalchi-ro, Nampo-dong, Jung-gu, Busan, South Korea

This market represents Busan and is famous throughout the country. Visitors can eat fresh raw fish right at the market. Even nowadays visitors can see women selling mackerel, sea squirts (ascidians) and other seafoods on wooden boxes along the road outside of the market and along the shore.

Duration: 20 minutes