Discover Wanju

If you’re looking for a hotel in Wanju, destinations in the surrounding area can also help shape the theme of your trip. They offer everything from temple and architectural history to repurposed warehouses, gardens, hiking trails and rocky landscapes. Depending on whether you prefer historic buildings, plant collections or trails through the countryside, you’ll find different points of interest to help plan your trip.

Temples and historic buildings

Songgwangsa combines an early founding story with a temple building constructed later. According to a founding stele erected in 1636, the temple was founded in 1622 by the monks Eungho Seungmyeong, Unjaeng, Deokrim, Deukjeong and Hongshin in accordance with the wishes of National Preceptor Bojo. Daeungjeon was built in 1857 and designated and protected as Treasure No. 1243. The founding and Daeungjeon thus point to two distinct historical periods.

Hwaamsa Temple was founded in 694, the third year of King Hyoso’s reign in Silla, by National Preceptor Ilgyo. The temple’s designated buildings include Geuknakjeon, a National Treasure, and Uhwaru, a Treasure. Wibongsanseong County Park was created at the site of the fortress of the same name. Built in 1675 under King Sukjong, the fortress served as a refuge for safeguarding a portrait of King Taejo, founder of the Joseon Dynasty, and the royal family’s ancestral tablet.

A cultural space in historic warehouses

Samnye Culture and Art Village offers a different perspective on regional history. Its warehouses were built in the 1920s to ship grain to Japan via Samnye Station. The buildings served as storage facilities for the agricultural cooperative until 2010. Wanju County acquired them and converted them into a cultural space as part of regional renewal.

A tactile guide, also provided in Braille, helps blind and visually impaired people and older visitors navigate the facilities and paths; it also explains key points of interest. If this guide is important to your plans, check its current availability in advance.

Gardens and rocky landscapes

The Garden of Scenic Views at Daea Arboretum combines coniferous and deciduous trees, ground cover, a pergola, swings and sculptures. It is often used for nature education and recreation. More than 400 plant species can also be seen in the greenhouse during winter, including bananas, oranges, pineapples, palms and cacti. The gardens and the diverse greenhouse collection thus offer different aspects of the arboretum.

Daedunsan Provincial Park is defined by the rocky peaks of Macheondae, Chilseongbong, Janggunbong and Ambong, as well as rock formations such as Samseonbawi and the Geumgangmun Gate. The Yongmungol Valley and lush vegetation add to the scenery. Recreational facilities include a cable car and the Geumgang Suspension Bridge. If you’d like to include these in your plans, check current operating information in advance.

Hiking trail and scenic drive

A 6.3 km hiking trail connects Wangjae with Jangae and Jungsugol; along the way, visitors can enjoy forest scenery and forest bathing. A paved lakeside road runs along Daea Reservoir to Dongsang Reservoir and is considered a scenic driving route. The two options also differ in how you get around: a trail on foot and a driving route along the reservoir.

Discover more destinations: Jeongeup-si, Jangsu-gun, Jeonju, Namwon, Iksan-si, Gochang, Muju, Jinan.

Back to the regional travel overview: Jeollabuk-Do.