The West
South of Seoul, South Korea’s western area is known for its jagged scenic coastline and numerous National and Provincial Parks. Particularly notable is the Kyeryongsan National Park which includes the two beautiful temples of Kapsa and Dongkaksa. 35km (20 miles) apart, both Kongju and Puyo were once capital of the ancient Paekche kingdom. Today, numerous burial mounds are still to be found in the area and both towns boast branches of the National Museum featuring fine displays of artefacts dating back over 1000 years. The Kongju National Museum also houses the crowns and other treasures excavated from the tomb of King Muryeon. Nearby, a reconstruction of the tomb is open to visitors. Not far from Puyo, the Nakhwaam Rock is renowned for the tragic suicide of 3000 women of the Paekche court during the last days of the Paekche dynasty in the seventh century AD. Further south, Teogyusan National Park has numerous waterfalls and is famous as the southernmost skiing area in Korea (Rep). The temple of Tapsa, located at the base of Mount Maisan, is renowned for its 80 unique pagodas, built with thousands of small stones by a Buddhist hermit.
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