Buddha's Birthday and East Coast
Discover UNESCO sites in Gyeongju and Seoul, Busan, explore Seoraksan National Park, Hwanseongul Cave, the East Sea coast, and enjoy the Lotus Lantern Parade.
About 25% of Koreans are Buddhists, so naturally, the birthday of Gautama Buddha is a major holiday in Korea. It is an official public holiday.
This holiday is celebrated on the 8th day of the 4th lunar month.
In Seoul, the most colorful event related to Buddha's birthday does not always coincide with this date. It is the famous "Lotus Lantern Parade." A grand procession, reminiscent of a carnival but in a more serene form, moves along one of Seoul's main streets—Bell Street (Jongno)—in the evening. The lanterns come in various shapes and sizes, from traditional handheld lotus-shaped lanterns to huge lanterns in the shape of dragons, phoenixes, elephants, and more.
We have prepared a rich program for you, which includes cities deeply connected with the historical roots of the Korean people: the capital of the ancient Korean kingdom—Gyeongju, Seoul, the largest port—Busan, and UNESCO World Heritage sites such as the Seokguram Grotto, the main temple of the Silla Kingdom—Bulguksa, the traditional village of Yangdong... In addition, we will visit the beautiful mountainous Seoraksan National Park ("Snowy Peaks"). And, of course, we will enjoy the magnificent spectacle of the "Lotus Lantern Parade" in Seoul.
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Experiences
A picturesque 2-storey bridge over the sea in Busan is one of its most exquiste landmarks.
A very piquturesque district in Busan, which was originally founded by some refugees during the Korean War.
Most popular beach in Busan and a vivid resort district.
Once - a place of barter between Koreans and foreigners, now it is a busy shopping area, quite civilized.
This market owes its origin to the Korean War.
Sinsege Sentum department store got into the Guinness Book of Records. This is the world's largest department store.
Nearby is another Guinness record: the world's largest cantilever roof. It belongs to the Busan Cinerma Center building.
The largest seafood market in Korea, where you can see all kinds of marine creatures, both from the plant and animal worlds (and from the border worlds too!).
You can also eat deliciously at the market: fried or raw fish, as well as seafood, is served at the table in numerous restaurants in the market.
If you prefer something less exotic, we recommend the food court at the Lotte department store next door. The observation deck at the department store offers a magnificent view of Busan from a bird's eye view.
This is the only such kind of cemetery in the world. During the Korean War UN forces sided with the Republic of Korea. They consisted of not only the US forces as it is sometimes thought. Many of those foreign nationals who died during the war are buried in this cemetery.
Garden of Morning Calm was founded by Mr. Han Sangkyeon in 1996. This private garden is rightfully recognized as one of the most beautiful in South Korea. The name comes from the poetic name of Korea - "Land of the Morning Calm". The founder and his team tried to introduce the natural beauty of Korea, the oriental mystique and the spirit of the Korean people to visitors.
The design of the garden focuses on curved lines, space, balance and asymmetry, unique natural beauty, classic elegance and the uniqueness of Korea.
During each of the four seasons - winter, spring, summer, autumn - you will find in the garden echoes of a particular "theme" of that season...
Cheomseongdae is one of the oldest observatories in the world (7th century). The tower of the observatory is full of symbolism: the total number of hewn stones from which it is built; the number of rows of these stones before and above the small window, the shape of the stones... Reasonable Silakians paid attention to everything.
Cheomseongdae was built under the reigning Queen Seondok - one of three in the history of Silla. The queen ended up in a drama that, of course, was filmed in Gyeongju.
The Buddha statue in this small temple in an artificial grotto is considered the most elegant in All of Korea! The grotto is located on the slope of Mount Tkhohamsan, where the winding serpentine of the mountain road leads.
The walk to the temple through the mountain forest from the parking lot takes about 15-20 minutes; depending on the weather, either a mysterious foggy landscape awaits us (fogs are not uncommon on this mountain), or breathtaking bird's-eye views of the thousand-year-old Gyeongju.
In the grotto, which is formally the hermitage of the Bulguksa temple, located below the slope, the dominant position is occupied by the above-mentioned statue of Buddha, sitting in a lotus position on a pedestal in the shape of a lotus. Around it at different heights are bas-reliefs and statues of bodhisattvas, arhats, Indra and Brahma, the Four Heavenly Kings.
If the group agrees, we can go down the mountainside to the temple of Bulguksa.
The main Buddhist temple of United Silla, it is now a place of pilgrimage for many guests of Korea.
The temple was built in 774 under the leadership of the premier of the state of Silla, Kim Taesong. Legend has it that Bulguksa was dedicated to the parents of the current, so to speak, Kim Taesong. While Seokguram, the temple-hermitage under Bulguksa, was intended for Kim Taesung's parents from his previous incarnations.
In 1995, Bulguksa and Seokguram were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The main state Gyeongju temple from the Silla period, the "Temple of the Yellow Dragon", Hwanyeongsa, has not survived; however, we still have a unique opportunity to get acquainted with the pagoda of a hermitage temple of Hwanyeongsa. The hermitage temple is called Punghwansa.
The peculiarity of the pagoda of Punghwansa is that it is built of stones, hewn in such a way that they resemble bricks in shape. What can you not do if you are not familiar with the technology (brick production, in this case)!
The only mound which inner parts are open to the public (though filled with replicas, it shows the inner construction of a Shilla mound)
Though made anew, it is a nice and quite picturesque place, especially at night.
Живописно раскинувшаяся на склонах холмов дервеня Яндон практически сохранила свой первозданный вид, именно поэтому в 2010 году она вошла во Всемирное наследие ЮНЕСКО вместе с другой знаменитой корейской дервней - Хахве, что в уезде Андон. Очарованием Яндон пленяются многие, например, принц Чарльз из Англии побывал здесь аж в 1992 г., указывает сайт Министерства иностранных дел Республики Корея.
The cave, located in the heart of the "spine" of Korea - Taebaek, impresses with its size. Even is remenicent of the "Palace of the Mountain King." and, by the way, lighted accordingly!
The total length of the passages of the cave - 6.5 km. The cave is situated at an altitude of approx. 800 m. above the sea level.
The park and sanctuary of the goddess who patronizes fishermen - Hesindan - is amazing: according to legend, it was the images of the phalluses that propitiated the spirit of a virgin who for a long time did not give rest to the surrounding fishermen, and later became their patroness.
A blend of nature and urban design, this stream winds through downtown Seoul — though entirely man-made today.
Once a natural river, it was buried after the Korean War and revived in 2005 as a tranquil walkway.
Fountains, illuminated bridges, and the Palgakdam weir make it one of the city’s most beloved evening spots.
A bustling hub of shopping, street food, and K-beauty.
Amid the trendsetting stores stands Korea’s main Catholic cathedral — a striking symbol of faith and history.
Style meets soul in this lively part of Seoul.
A futuristic glass wave rises above the old City Hall, blending past and future in one bold design.
Powered by nature and home to the world’s largest indoor vertical garden, it’s one of Seoul’s greenest landmarks.
Open to visitors — step inside and see the living wall for yourself.
In the heart of Seoul stands Jogyesa — the head temple of Korea’s largest Buddhist order.
Small in scale but rich in atmosphere, it changes with the seasons: lotus lanterns in spring, bright chrysanthemums in fall, and peaceful stillness in winter.
No matter the time of year, it’s a place of quiet reflection.
In the heart of Seoul stands a hidden architectural gem — a cathedral first envisioned in the 1920s.
A British design, built with Korean devotion, but left unfinished during colonial rule. Then came the miracle: in 1993, the original blueprints were found in an English library.
Finally completed in 1996, the cathedral now stands in its full, intended glory — a story of faith, time, and perseverance.
Insadong is famous for the abundance of souvenir shops, traditional restaurants and tea houses, boutiques.
Insadong-kil Pedestrian Street is the central street of the area.
Often you can see street performances - traditional Korean samul-nori percussion quartet or martial arts tekkyon, taekwon-do or performances of youth groups in the fusion style, etc.
One of the central streets of Seoul, Jongno (literally "Bell Avenue") is named after the pavilion of the same name, which houses the main bell of the country. It is this bell that the best people of the country beat on New Year's Eve.
However, even mere mortals can hit it for good luck: at 12:00 noon, the pavilion is usually opened for visitors. However, a limited number of guests are allowed.
The complex of the central Gwanghwamun Square in front of the Gyeongbokgung Royal Palace, which is the compositional center of the capital of Korea, offers amazing views of Seoul: on one side is the main residence of the kings of the Joseon state (now a museum). But along the Sejong-daero Avenue, departing from the square, there are high-rise modern buildings: government, embassies, Kyobo - the largest bookstore in Korea. Further down the avenue we can see the Seoul City Hall and still further - the Great South Gate of Namdaemun (National Treasure No. 1).
The main palace of the Joseon dynasty — rebuilt more than once, but never lost its grandeur.
Its perfect symmetry, royal guard ceremony, and the chance to wear a hanbok turn your visit into a journey through time.
Winding lanes, wooden hanoks, hidden cafés — this is where time slows down.
Samcheong-dong charms with its hills and galleries, while Bukchon preserves the everyday beauty of Joseon-era homes.
Together, they offer a quiet, romantic escape — a walk through history lined with soft light and gentle stories.
There is a gondola in the park, which we will use to get almost to the top of one of the peaks of Seoraksan, on which the ruins of the ancient Kwonggeum Fortress (lit., "Kwon Geum Fortress") are located. We get to the peak on foot - it's about 20-30 minutes. From this peak, a magnificent panorama of the East Sea, the resort town of Sokcho and the mountain range of the park opens.
Not far from the lower gondola station is Sineungsa Temple (originally built in the 6th century, but later rebuilt many times). The temple complex includes a statue of the Buddha of Unification (Thonil Buddha), the name of which reflects the desire of Koreans to unite the country.
A picturesque route leads us to Hyndyl Pawi ("swinging rock"). A huge rock will sway at the touch of one person.
Optional, if everybody is in: hiking to the top of Mount Ulsan Pawi; you will have to strain a little - the height of the rock is 873 m.
Base hotels (subject to change)
Brief price table.
- Minimum price is a sum of prices of all parts/cities of the tour (Seoul, Pyongchang-gun, Gyeongju, Busan, Seoul).
- Please be advised that particular hotels included in package tours might be replaced without a prior warning.
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Frequently asked questions
For convenience, we recommend exchanging your currency in Seoul or immediately upon arrival at the airport. Even in Busan, where there are also currency exchange offices, searching for an exchanger can take up extra time that you could spend on more useful activities.
In Korean cuisine, there are both spicy and non-spicy dishes. If you prefer non-spicy food, try, for example, kalguksu — homemade noodle soup, or samgyetang — chicken soup with rice and ginseng, or galbitang — a rich beef rib soup.
For meals, budget around $20 per meal for lunch or dinner in a mid-range restaurant. For other daily expenses like transportation, shopping, and entrance fees to attractions, the amount will vary depending on your plans. It’s advisable to have some extra cash for unexpected expenses.
At the airport upon departure, you can exchange Korean won KRW for most world currencies.
In Korea, you can exchange major world currencies (US dollars, yuan, yen, euro) at exchange offices and banks. In addition, the vast majority of sellers (including market traders) accept Visa and Master Card credit cards. Union Pay does not work everywhere! Of course, Korean won is accepted everywhere too! Of course, Korean won is accepted almost everywhere too! "Almost": recently cafes and other establishments have appeared, for example, the Busan Aquarium, where payment can only be made by credit card.