The Haedong Yonggungsa Temple serves as one of the main attractions in Busan. This temple has stunning coastal views, beautiful architecture, hiking trails, and rich history. It’s definitely a must-see on any trip to Busan! This is everything you need to know for your trip to the Haedong Yonggungsa Temple in Busan, South Korea.
About the Haedong Yonggungsa Temple
The Haedong Yonggungsa Temple is unique for the fact that it is one of the only oceanside temples in South Korea. In fact, that’s what makes it such a popular tourist attraction (most temples are tucked away in the mountains). Busan’s “Temple by the Sea” is one of only three sacred temples related to the Buddha Goddess of Mercy in South Korea. It’s definitely one of the most impressive temples I’ve been to in Korea but it’s also by far one of the most touristy. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s definitely something to keep in mind.
Things to Do & See at the Temple
Street Food & Gifts
There is an entire alley lined with food and gift vendors by the entrance of the temple. They had many different types of street foods, fruits, and fresh juices. The gift shops and vendors had everything from candles and magnets to traditional carvings and herbs. There are also a couple of convenience stores and shops located next to the main parking lot.
Guardians of the Temple
The entrance walkway to the temple is lined with 12 stone zodiac statues. These statues all have human bodies and animal faces and seem to be standing guard outside the temple. Everyone was having fun finding their own zodiac statue and taking a few photos with it.
7-Story Traffic Prayer Pagoda
Not far past the temple entrance and the guardians of the temple, you’ll see a tall 7-story pagoda. At the base of this pagoda is a car wheel sculpture with a sign saying “Traffic Safety Prayer Pagoda”. This is a place for people to stop and pray for safety while driving (obvious, I guess) and to avoid any automobile accidents.
I thought this was pretty cool just because I had never seen something for such a specific prayer before. The shrine and pagoda are absolutely gorgeous and you’ll notice all of the locals bowing their heads and saying a quick prayer before they walk on by.
Just to the right of this area is a stone stairway which leads to hiking trails through a small bamboo forest, a beach (Songjeong Beach), the ‘Haedong Zen Center’, and one of the main parking lots.
To the left of this pagoda are the stairs which lead down to the main temple and viewing areas. There are 108 steps in total which are meant to represent the 108 agonies of earthly desires of Buddhism.
Sunrise Platform
The temple is an increasingly popular spot to watch the sunrise and you’ll often find quite a few locals there early in the morning (as well as some adorable stray kittens). The best spot to watch the sunrise (or sunset!) would be down on the rocks by the water (it’s actually called the sunrise platform). There are typically a couple of food vendors down by the water as well, even early in the mornings.
Wishing Pond
Once you make it down all of the 108 stairs, you’ll come to a stone bridge that takes you to the main temple area. On the right side of the bridge, you’ll see a few stone ponds along with quite a few different statues. These stone ponds are a popular spot for people to toss coins into the water and make a wish. They say that if your coin makes it into one of the stone mugs, your wish will come true.
Golden Buddha Photo Spot
This giant golden Buddha is actually a tourist photo spot! The small rock platform next to the pagoda is there for you to stand on and take a photo. This goes to show just how touristy this temple is as most regular temples definitely wouldn’t have random photo spots. Everyone seemed to love it, though!
Buddha Goddess of Mercy
At the top of the hill is a statue of Gwanseeum-bosal (the Bodhisattva of Compassion). From up here you have amazing views over the entire temple grounds and the coast of Busan.
Inside the Main Temple
Don’t forget to check out this other post: Things to Do in Busan, South Korea: A Travel Guide.
The main temple is called the Daeungjeon Main Hall. The inside of the temple (and the shrine next door) were gorgeous. There were paper lanterns, paintings, and little trinkets everywhere. You can go inside the temple but keep in mind that people do come here for worship so please be respectful when you do. Don’t forget to take your shoes off if you decide to enter the temple!
At the bottom of the steps before the main temple, you’ll see a small 3-story pagoda with four lions. These lions represent anger, sadness, joy, and happiness. You can easily tell which is which by their facial expressions! There are also two huge smiling golden pigs which are super cute and thought to bring good fortune.
Tips for Visiting Haedong Yonggungsa Temple
- Arrive early to avoid the crowds. Since the temple is such a popular attraction, it tends to get pretty crowded throughout the day. I came just after sunrise and basically had the entire place to myself other than a few locals. Visiting on a weekday (instead of the weekend) can help to avoid the crowds as well.
- Explore some of the hiking trails near the temple. There are a few different trails around the temple that will take you along the coast or even through bamboo forests. If you have some extra time, they’re definitely worth exploring.
- The Haedong Yonggungsa Temple is a bit farther from the city center than most other attractions in Busan. It’s close to an hour’s drive from Seomyeon (the center of Busan) so make sure you plan accordingly!
- Visit in the spring for the best experience. When in full bloom, the temple is surrounded by gorgeous cherry blossoms. And, if you visit around the Buddha’s birthday, the temple will be fully decorated with all kinds of paper lanterns.
How to Get There
Address | 86 Yonggung-gil, Gijang-eup, Gijang-gun, Busan
From Seoul | Busan is about a 5-hour drive from Seoul. If you take the train, it’s about a 2 and a half-hour ride from Seoul Station to Busan Station with KTX. From there, you can take a bus or a taxi to the temple.
Parking | There are multiple free parking lots available at the entrance. There are also a few paid parking lots (the ones with ticket booths at the entrance). Parking costs only 3,000 KRW (less than 3 USD) with no time limit.
Hours | The temple is open every day of the week from 5am to 7pm (basically sunrise to sunset).
Admission | Admission to the temple is free. There are multiple street food vendors and gift shops that you may need cash for, however.
Are you planning a trip to the Haedong Yonggungsa Temple in Busan? Share in a comment below!
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Don’t forget to check out these other South Korea posts:
- Things to Do in Busan, South Korea: A Travel Guide
- Gamcheon Culture Village in Busan, South Korea
- Things You Should Know Before Traveling to South Korea
- Sweets and Snacks to Try in South Korea
- Anyang Art Park: The Perfect Day Trip From Seoul
Omg this looks so familiar! I was in Korea was back in 2007 I think it was. I thought we didn’t go far out of Seoul but your first few photos look so familiar to me. I’m going to have to dig through my photo archives and see if this was the place. Would be awesome to come back one day!
Author
This one is definitely pretty far out of Seoul 😁 let me know if you find the photos!