Naksan

Getting here

From Seoul

Take a bus to the Yangyang Integrated Passenger Terminal, opened on 1 July 2022 at 2700 Donghae-daero, Songam-ri. The county gives about 2 h 38 min from Seoul Express Bus Terminal (first 07:05, last 22:30) and about 2 h 10 min from Dong Seoul Terminal (first 06:30, last 18:40). City buses 8, 9, 81, 9-1, 94 and 95 run on to Naksan about every 10 minutes. By car, the county gives about 2 h 10 min on the Seoul–Yangyang Expressway; its surf page places Bukyangyang IC on the Seorak and Naksan side.

From Incheon Airport

By road, the transport ministry's 2017 release on the opening of the Seoul–Yangyang Expressway put Yangyang 2 hours 20 minutes from Incheon Airport. Without a car, head into Seoul and take a bus from Seoul Express Bus Terminal or Dong Seoul Terminal to the Yangyang Integrated Passenger Terminal, then any of city buses 8, 9, 81, 9-1, 94 and 95 to Naksan.

From Yangyang Airport

Take a taxi: VisitKorea's airport transport guide, updated in May 2026, puts Naksansa about 10 minutes from Yangyang International Airport. By bus, route 100 runs between the airport and the Yangyang Integrated Passenger Terminal (first 08:10, last 18:20, county BIS), which VisitKorea puts about 20 minutes away by city bus; change there to the Naksan buses, which leave about every 10 minutes.

On your doorstep

• Naksansa Temple Built in 671, the 11th year of King Munmu of Silla, by the monk Uisang, says VisitKorea, which calls it one of the foremost sights of Yangyang. A mountain fire in 2005 cost it 20 buildings, including the hall of its bronze bell. At 100 Naksansa-ro, open all year: the county lists 04:00–20:00 in summer and 05:30–18:00 in winter, VisitKorea 06:00–17:30, with exit by 18:30.
• Uisangdae Pavilion A pavilion on a seaside cliff on the path from Naksansa to Hongnyeonam. VisitKorea dates it to 1925, built to commemorate Great Master Uisang, and calls it a famous sunrise viewing spot; the county says Uisang meditated here in 671 and lists it as Tangible Cultural Property No. 48.
• Hongnyeonam Hermitage A small hall on a seaside cliff that the county calls one of Korea's three great sanctuaries of Avalokiteshvara, said to have been founded by Uisang in 676; the county tells how Uisang followed a blue bird into a cave and saw Avalokiteshvara on a lotus. The present hall was rebuilt in 1869. At 98-19 Naksansa-ro, with the same hours as Naksansa (county).
• Naksansa's treasures The county's heritage list names the Seven-storey Stone Pagoda (Treasure No. 499), the Dry-lacquer Seated Avalokiteshvara (Treasure No. 1362) and the Hongyemun rainbow gate among the temple's heritage.
• Naksan Beach One of the most famous beaches in Yangyang, says VisitKorea, opened in 1963, its sand set against pine trees, with a forested trail along the shore and a shallow bay suitable for swimmers of all ages. It is about five minutes' walk from the Naksan bus stop (VisitKorea, 2025). The county lists it as open all year and especially popular with young people.
• Naksan Provincial Park Centred on Naksansa and Naksan Beach, says VisitKorea, and taking in Osan, Dongho and Hajodae beaches as well.
• Yangyang Five-day Market Held in Nammun-ri, Yangyang-eup, on the 4th, 9th, 14th, 19th, 24th and 29th of every month, says the county, with seasonal fruit, vegetables, fresh fish, rice cakes, kalguksu, fried chicken and twisted doughnuts. VisitKorea lists it as Yangyang Traditional Market at 9 Nammun 5-gil.
• Namdaecheon Stream The county calls the Namdaecheon the home of Yangyang's salmon, with cherry blossoms along Namdaecheon-ro in April. VisitKorea's Korean guide (2019) sends families from October, when the salmon return, to March, when young salmon are released, and notes a salmon centre at Songhyeon-ri, Sonyang-myeon, since 1968.
• Osan-ri Prehistory Museum A Neolithic site whose pit house no. 3 the county calls the oldest pit dwelling in Korea, at 33 Hakpo-gil. Open 09:00–18:00, last entry 17:30; closed on Mondays (the next day if Monday is a holiday), 1 January, Seollal and Chuseok.

One easy day from here

1. Dawn Uisangdae and Hongnyeonam for the sunrise. The county opens the temple grounds from 04:00 in summer and 05:30 in winter; VisitKorea lists 06:00.
2. Morning Naksansa itself: the Seven-storey Stone Pagoda, the Hongyemun gate and the temple restored after the 2005 fire, which took the hall of its bronze bell.
3. Midday Naksan Beach and the forested trail along the shore, about five minutes' walk from the Naksan bus stop.
4. Afternoon Into Yangyang-eup by bus or taxi: the five-day market on dates ending in 4 or 9, then the Namdaecheon, for salmon from October to March or cherry blossoms in April. On other days, the Osan-ri Prehistory Museum, closed on Mondays.

Before you book

• New Year is the big night. VisitKorea's Korean guide says Naksan Beach holds a New Year sunrise festival, Uisangdae and Hongnyeonam are famous sunrise spots, and Naksansa's templestays are busy over the year's end. Book early.
• Know the temple hours before a sunrise visit: the county lists 04:00–20:00 in summer and 05:30–18:00 in winter, VisitKorea 06:00–17:30, with exit by 18:30. The county adds that the Uisangdae car park often has a queue.
• Templestays at Naksansa are booked in advance through the temple's website (VisitKorea; county). The one-night programme ends with sunrise at Hongnyeonam (VisitKorea Korean, 2019).
• Time a day for the five-day market in Yangyang-eup, held on the 4th, 9th, 14th, 19th, 24th and 29th of each month (county).
• Summer swimming has a set season: in 2025 it ran from 11 July to 24 August at Naksan Beach (VisitKorea).