The Ultimate Gyeongju Guide for travelers who seek:

• To explore Gyeongju’s beach, nightscape, arts, and history
• An engaging trip itinerary
• To see every aspect of Gyeongju

★ Recommended course: Najeong Beach – Gyeongju Expo Grand Park (Solgeo Art Museum) – Daereungwon Ancient Tomb Complex – Cheomseongdae Observatory – Woljeonggyo Bridge

Najeong Beach

Najeong Beach is a popular vacation beach that opened in 1984 in Najeong-ri, Gampo-eup. The beach is especially popular among family travelers due to the shallow and transparent waters. Nearby the beach is a salt water hot spring sauna that uses seawater from the East Sea.

Apart from swimming, Najeong Beach is also a venue for a wide variety of fun-packed activities. In addition to campsites where travelers can enjoy car camping by the beach, it also facilitates many leisure activities such as motor boats, banana boats, and more. Basic beach amenities like parasols allow you to enjoy the sun and the beautiful shore in the shade.

Gyeongju Expo Grand Park

Gyeongju Expo Park is a cultural space located near Bomun Tourist Complex. Since its foundation in 1998 as the venue for the world’s first international culture expo themed on culture and arts, the park hosted ten global events up until 2019 and greatly contributed to fostering pride in the Korean culture and shaping the cultural community. It’s now a landmark of Gyeongju that hosts a variety of exhibitions, media, performances, activities, and cultural content for everyone.

The Gyeongju Tower that comes in view from the park was inspired by Hwangnyongsa Temple’s nine-story wooden pagoda, one of the world’s oldest of its kind, built during the reign of Queen Seondeok in the Silla period. Among the many things to see inside the tower, such as the Gyeongju World Culture Expo digital exhibition and the World Culture Heritage promotion center, the main highlight is the media art exhibition area. Visitors can enjoy beautiful digital artworks portraying the cultural heritages that represent Gyeongju such as Cheomseongdae Observatory, Cheonmachong Golden Crown, Seokguram Grotto, Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond under the theme “Timeless Media Art, Cheonma Palace.”

Before you leave the pond, make sure to stop by Solgeo Art Museum by Apyeongji Pond. The museum’s fabulous exterior design is a collaborative work of the Korean architect Seung H-sang and artist Park Dae-sung. The museum’s name “Solgeo” is derived from the Silla period’s artist of the same name, whose artworks unfortunately remain lost to be found. The two-story building layout design is rather unique, but just follow the arrows on the floor to appreciate the artworks in order. Windows in different sizes are placed throughout the building to bring the surrounding nature’s beauty into the museum.

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Dereungwon Ancient Tomb Complex

Daereungwon Ancient Tomb Complex is an ancient tomb site of the Silla period. It is also known as the Cheonmachong Tomb Complex in reference to the Cheonmachong Tomb, the excavation of which led to the discovery of a saddle flap with a Cheonmado (Painting of Heavenly Horse), a historically significant artifact. The tomb complex has many scenic places that serve as excellent photo backdrops. In particular, the most popular areas include the magnolia tree spot, the tomb by a pond, and the bamboo forest. If you’re not into following the crowd and taking photos, just pick a bench to sit and relax as you savor the serene beauty of the area.

Cheomseongdae Observatory

A must-visit attraction in Gyeongju, Cheomseongdae Observatory is an astrological observatory that was built during the reign of Queen Seondeok in the Silla period. It is located right by Daereungwon Tomb Complex main gate, taking only two minutes to reach on foot. The observatory is marvelous to look upon in daylight, but it become even more fascinating after sundown thanks to the lighting around the structure. You can easily look around other heritages by following the nearby walking trail that leads to Tomb of King Naemul, a Confucian academy, and Gyerim Forest.

Woljeonggyo Bridge

Woljeonggyo Bridge is recorded to have been originally built in the 19th year of King Gyeongdeok’s rule during the Unified Silla period according to Samguk sagi (History of the Three Kindoms). The bridge was a passage that connected Wolseong Palace of the Unified Silla dynasty to the southern areas, and it was restored to its current state in 2018. Woljeonggyo Bridge is a beautiful nighttime attraction of Gyeongju. Crossing the Namcheon Stream, this pavilion bridge is approximately 61 meters long and an excellent demonstration of traditional Korean dancheong (wood painting decoration of red, blue, and green) aesthetics.

While at Woljeonggyo Bridge, make your way to the pavilion to take in the view of the surrounding scenery. The view of tranquil nature puts one’s mind at ease during the day, while the reflection of the bridge on still water is stunning enough to bewitch one’s mind at night. With lightings and vivid reflection on the water surface, Woljeonggyo Bridge is enchanting to look at from any angle.

Information courtesy of KTO 9suk9suk Blog
Written and photos by Travel Leaders Park Ji-hyun and Jung Ji-hye

* This column was last updated in March 2025, and therefore information may differ from what is presented here. We advise you to check for updates before visiting.