Korean Job Discussion Forums

[xCustomx]

Ok, so I guess I can't go to Japan because my visa and arc card are at immigration, so I'm gonna try to go to Gyeongju tomorrow. Will I be ok without a car? The map on my Lonely Planet book makes all the temples and burial sites seem pretty far apart. I can't imagine riding a bike all over, since its not exactly spring like weather yet. Would I be better off getting a taxi to each location? Thanks

[skookum]

Take a bus to Bulgoksa, No 10 and 11 I think. The tumuli, Cheomseongdae, the Museum, Anapji, and such are all within walking distance if you are a good walker. If not, then taxis are cheap and it's not far - for example, taxi to the National Museum, then walk back to town hitting all the spots along the way. Tourist bureaus are right out of the bus and train stations - you can get maps there. And find out about buses too.

It's not hard to get around Kyeongju.

[denverdeath]

You can get a taxi for the whole day if you like. My wife and I did it before when we didn't feel like driving. They tend to bring you to all the popular spots and go get some fares while you're doing your thing. Something like 75,000 should be enough(you might be able to get lower than that if you're not going to many places or if you have a Korean with you to do the talking). The guy we hired took us all over the bloody place we went to outside of Gwahng-joo and brought us back to the bus station the next morning. He even stuck around while we were eating and getting loaded in a restaurant for about three hours...felt a little guilty, so gave him the remainder of our bamboo booze. Whenever we were finished at one place, we gave him a call and he picked us up in ten minutes each time.

Although I've been to Gyuhng-joo about five times, I can't seem to recall the layout of it too well. I'm pretty sure that there are only about four, maybe five, things/places where you'd really want to go. Just taking a regular taxi might be fine. You might also be able to get some cheap shuttle/city buses from place to place.

[xCustomx]

so, I should be fine with my Lonely Planet book and my Korean skills? I can get by pretty fine speaking Korean.....though, my gf's friends are all trying to convince me now that going there is too dangerous for this time of year, especially since it just snowed. what do u think? are there a lot of hills?

[denverdeath]

[Pericles77]

I just went there for the first time this weekend. I went armed with nothing but my Lonely Planet book and I got around just fine. The tourist information office is right next to the bus station and they speak great English and are very helpful. All of the sites in town are within walking distance from each other. You'll need to take bus 10 or 11 to get to Bulguksa and Seokguram. They both stop across the street from the bus station.

Have fun!

[bluelake]

I lived in Kyongju for many, many years (my wife still runs an institute there). Traveling around it is easy, as people mentioned above.


T

[Pyongshin Sangja]

We rode bikes around the tumuli downtown, out to Chomseongdae and Seogbingo, locked up the bikes outside the museum, bussed to Bulguksa, walked around there, taxiied up to Seokguram for W10,000, walked down the mountain trail, bussed back to the bikes, rode them up Naksan (only takes 5 minutes), back to town, dropped off the bikes and caught the express bus back to Seoul.

[dulouz]

Kyungju is an excellent get away and all the advice here is valid. The only problem is that you'll need several days to see everything and thats not a real problem.

I saw the national symphony play at Tumulus right in front of the tomb/hills. The concert was kind of pop-like but I got to see them tune up during the afternoon and they did that with traditional symphonic Korean music. I was very very lucky.

[xCustomx]

im in ���� right now, and its not as good as i thought it would be. i arrived at about 2pm, so i only had about 3 hours to walk around before it got dark. the worst part is the weather. the wind is blowing like crazy and i'm freezing my butt off. i brought warm clothes, but even long johns and jeans aren't enough to keep my legs warm. this woman followed me around one of the tomb areas for about 10 minutes, and then started yelling at me. i stopped and waited for her, only to have her tell me that she wanted me to teach her english.
im gonna go to Bulguksa and Seokguram tomorrow, then i might leave. i'm startin to think that i should have come here when it warms up a bit.

[denverdeath]

Maybe it would've been better to go in the spring or the fall. Also, be careful of the ah-joo-mah food pimps up at the base of the main mountain...they'll be trying to drag you in to eat, almost in an annoying way. If you're alone, maybe you can go to the Dongguk campus and check and see if there are any other way-gooks around to share a pitcher with in a warm bar.