Excursion Gyeongju tour at Busan

Experience a more in-depth look at Busan's surrounds on this full-day exploration of the UNESCO site of Gyeongju, with a visit to the Bulguksa Temple and the taste of a Korean-style buffet lunch.

Gyeongju

Leaving the pier, drive through the city and countryside for approximately 90 minutes towards Gyeongju. Located on the eastern coast where the morning sunlight first touches the Orient, Gyeongju was once the capital of the Shilla Kingdom and centre of Korea when Shilla unified the peninsula in 676 A.D. It was designated by UNESCO as one of the world's ten most historically significant sites and is known as the 'museum without walls'.

Tumuli Park

Arrive at Tumuli Park, a collection of royal Shilla tombs located in the middle of Gyeongju. The park contains 20 tombs, of which Chonmachong (Flying Horse Tomb) is the most famous. Its name comes from the picture of a flying horse found painted on white birch bark when the tomb was excavated in 1974, and the tomb yielded more than 10,000.

Gyeongju National Museum

Gyeongju National Museum, a place of compelling interest, preserves much of the Shilla heritage including magnificent gold crowns, pottery, Buddhist artefacts, and stone sculptures. The museum also houses the Divine Bell of King Seongdeok the Great, also referred to as the legendary Emuille Bell, one of Asia's largest and most resonant bells, 19 tons of bronze standing 11 feet (3.4 metres) high. Afterwards, the coach takes you to a local hotel for a buffet lunch offering Korean and Western-style cuisine. Relaxed and refreshed, continue with a visit to Bulguksa Temple.

Bulguksa Temple

One of Korea's best well-known temples on the western slope of Mt. Tohamsan, Bulguksa Temple is a monument to both the skill of the Shilla architects and the depth of Buddhist faith at the time. While most of the wooden buildings have been rebuilt over the centuries, all the stone bridges, stairways and pagodas are original. In 1995, Bulguksa Temple was added to UNESCO's World Heritage List.

Re-board your coach one last time for the 90-minute journey back to Busan and the awaiting ship.

Points of interests

Points of interest seen on this excursion include: Busan, Gyeongju, Tumuli Park, Royal Shilla Tombs, Korean Lunch, Mt. Tohamsan, Bulguksa Temple, Wooden Buildings, Stone Bridges, Stairways, Pagodas

Note

Please note: This tour requires an extensive amount of walking and standing to explore the sites in their entirety. This tour is not recommended for guests with limited mobility or those who utilise a wheelchair. Due to the premium charged for alcohol in this port, tea and soft drinks only are included. The order of sites may vary.