With so many day trips option available from Busan, we chose Gyeongju. An hour ride away, we arrived in the ancient capital of Silla dynasty also widely known as the museum without walls.
Gyeongju is famous for its ‘photo spots’ among locals on Instagram but most importantly, it is home to several World Heritage UNESCO sites and of course, the traditional Korean meal and locally grown barley products. Most importantly, it is easier to take it slow in Gyeongju than any other cities.
What to do in Gyeongju?
1. Take Your Time to Chew on Barley Rice
There aren’t many popular eateries introduced on Gyeongju travel guides but if you dig a little further into local review websites, barley rice bibimbap must be on your itinerary.
The unique texture of the barley rice mixed with various vegetables, not only it makes it a healthy meal, but it is also extremely satisfying. As you would expect in a typical Korean restaurant, they are generous with side dishes. The only thing you need to do is tell them how many pax in your group and you’ll be served a bowl of barley rice each, with 12 side dishes to share. Our favourite side dish is the grilled fish and fermented soybean stew. All these at only 10,000 won per person.
Solo travellers rejoice! This restaurant also caters for solos which could be pretty difficult to find in Korean restaurants. At 11,000 won (additional 1,000 won), you will be given also a whole grilled fish as well as the same side dishes you would get if you visit in a group.
We recommend Suk Yeong Sikdang 숙영식당 nearby Tumuli Park.
Address
60 Gyerim-ro, Hwangnam-dong, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea
Google Maps | Naver Map
2. Listen to 70s Music in an Old Tea House
Well-known for being the capital of Silla Dynasty, the young entrepreneurs in Gyeongju embraced their historical background and used it to their advantage. They revamped cafes with a mix of traditional and modern elements – which we absolutely loved! We dropped by a 70s themed cafe and spent the afternoon inside.
A Korean term ‘dabang’ is what the older generation refer to as tea houses. We visited one that is modern but still serves the signature drink of a dabang, a type of medical herb tea topped with a raw egg yolk also widely known as ssanghwacha. Quite a daring move on my end I would say. A league on its own that I wouldn’t even compare it with the egg coffee I had in Vietnam.
Take a stroll along poseok-ro, the main street right next to Tumuli Park and find just any cafe that catches your attention – there are plenty of cafes there so you don’t have to decide before you go.
We went to Yang Ji Da Bang 양지다방 and enjoyed it.
Address
38 Sajeong-dong, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea
Google Maps | Naver Map
3. Pink Muhly Grass (and casually pass by the oldest observatory tower in Asia)
I meant no disrespect when I say casually pass by the oldest observatory tower in Asia. Cheomseongdae observatory tower dates back to the 7th century, preserving its original structure for 1300 years. It consists of 365 granite bricks which symbolise the number of days in a year, is the main attraction and symbol of Gyeongju tourism. However, visitors are not allowed to go into or touch the structure. You can observe it behind the fences and that should not take you more than 10 minutes.
Located right behind the tower, there is a flower bed where pink muhly grass is at its peak during autumn – it is also one of the best places to see muhly grass in Korea. The soft and airy grass is so mesmerising that time may just slip past while you snap that perfect shot.
4. Tumuli Park
Within the Tumuli Park, there are 23 tombs of the Silla royals that are famed for its prominent dome shapes. One of the tombs, cheon ma chong is open for visitors. Inside this particular tomb, visitors can learn more on the excavated process and also how the tombs were initially built. The building process changes with time.
We did chill on the green grass patch for quite a while thanks to the soft sunlight that were hitting on our faces but strangely, we realised no one is allowed on the grass patch. There were inadequate signages across the park. Oops!
Tip! There is a perfect photo spot that Koreans look for in this park. When you spot a queue out of nowhere, you have probably arrived at the right place.
5. Night Sceneries are Better: Wolji Pond & Woljeonggyo Bridge
Another reason why you can take it slow in Gyeongju: for its night sceneries. At Wolji Pond and Woljeonggyo Bridge, lights are installed at the exterior walls so that the building lights up beautifully at night. The water reflection surrounding the building makes it effortless for a great shot.
Wolji Pond are usually packed so if you want a quieter stroll, go to Woljeonggyo Bridge instead where they have stepping stones to cross the stream. Walk along the stepping stones to capture the landscape photo of the eye-catching bridge.
Getting to Gyeongju from Busan
By Bus
There is no need to book ahead as buses run every 10 minutes at Nopo Bus Terminal and take about 50 minutes to arrive. It should cost 5,000-6,000 won for a single journey.
By Train
You could either take KTX which cost 12,000 and takes only 30 minutes but the KTX station is 20 minutes away from the historical sites.
On the other hand, the regular train cost around 5,000 but takes 1.5 hours and runs every 2 hours.
If you are coming from Seoul or Daegu, this is a great article to read.
Getting around Gyeongju
By Public Buses
There are public buses around Gyeongju where you can also use your T-money card, like most major cities in Korea. However, the bus frequency can be low and buses may not be on time. Good news is, you probably don’t have to use it because Gyeongju is so walkable!
On Foot
We walked between attractions in Gyeongju and it never took us more than 20 mins – just remember to download your Naver Map or Kakao Maps as Google Maps don’t work very well in Korea.
Our Gyeongju Travel Diary
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