Buyeo

Buyeo is a city in Chungcheongnam-do. It is an administrative district that accounts for 7.6% of the total area of Chungcheongnam-do, and consists of 1 town and 15 myeon, and Buyeo-gun has a population of about 69,000, which is 3.2% of the total population of Chungcheongnam-do.

Understand
Buyeo, previously known as Sabi, was one of the ancient capitals of the Baekje Dynasty, established in 18 BC and existed for 700 years until 660 AD. Buyeo is southwest of Gongju and west of Daejeon. This town is not a major tourist destination, but it has many nice tourist sites. There are temples, graves, and quiet nature walks, and all of these with a relaxed and uncrowded atmosphere.

Get in
This town is not on the train line. If you don't have your own vehicle, you can take a bus for part or all of the journey.

By train
The nearest train station is in Nonsan. To get to Nonsan by train from Seoul, depart from either Yongsan Station or Gwangju. Once you've reached Nonsan, take a local bus to Buyeo.

By bus

 * Nonsan. A local bus goes from Nonsan to Buyeo. The bus leaves from the local bus terminal which is actually a collection of bus stops. There are no English signs, but conveniently the bus's final destination is Buyeo, which makes finding the right bus stop slightly easier because the destination is in large print. The driver might ask you to pay the initial fare when you board the bus and then an extra fare because you are taking it a longer distance. The trip takes around 30 minutes.
 * Seoul. Buses depart every 40 minutes from Nambu Intercity Bus Terminal between 06:30 and 18:30. The journey lasts 2 hours 10 minutes.
 * Daejeon. Buses depart from Seobu bus terminal in Daejeon every 20 minutes from 06:10–21:40. It costs ₩6,600 (as of May 2011) for a one way ticket. The trip lasts about 1 hour 20 minutes.
 * Gongju. One can also take bus from Gongju terminal to Buyeo for ₩4,000 (as of May 2011), and the journey lasts about 45 minutes.
 * Gongju. One can also take bus from Gongju terminal to Buyeo for ₩4,000 (as of May 2011), and the journey lasts about 45 minutes.

Get around
The town is small enough to be walkable. The bus terminal is located right in the dead center of the town, and most of the major sights are located about 2 or 3 "blocks" away from the terminal, making the town a very walkable place.

See
Several of the World Heritage listed Baekje sites can be found in Buyeo and its surroundings, namely the Archeological site in Gwanbuk-ri and Busosanseong Fortress, the Jeongnimsa Temple, the Royal Tombs in Neungsan-ri and the Naseong City wall.
 * Muryangsa Temple: located at Mt. Mansusan, this is the largest temple in Buyeo. There are important cultural properties listed on the site, such as Geungnakjeon Hall, and Five-storied Pagoda. There are several hiking paths through the mountains around the temple.
 * Ssalbawi and Suribawi rocks: interesting rock formations near Muryangsa Temple.
 * Seongheungsanseong Fortress and Daejosa Temple - a 10-metre-high standing Buddha stone, one of the largest single-rock Buddha images that were popular during early Goryeo period.
 * Three storey stone pagoda in Jangha-ri.
 * Cheongmasanseong Fortress and hiking trails through the mountains
 * Muryangsa Temple: located at Mt. Mansusan, this is the largest temple in Buyeo. There are important cultural properties listed on the site, such as Geungnakjeon Hall, and Five-storied Pagoda. There are several hiking paths through the mountains around the temple.
 * Ssalbawi and Suribawi rocks: interesting rock formations near Muryangsa Temple.
 * Seongheungsanseong Fortress and Daejosa Temple - a 10-metre-high standing Buddha stone, one of the largest single-rock Buddha images that were popular during early Goryeo period.
 * Three storey stone pagoda in Jangha-ri.
 * Cheongmasanseong Fortress and hiking trails through the mountains
 * Cheongmasanseong Fortress and hiking trails through the mountains

Hot air balloon
Buyeo Hot air balloon.The Buyeo Sky Flying has a 360-degree view of Buyeo from the hot air balloon, and the Hwangpo Sailboat flowing along the Baekma River, and the beautiful natural scenery along the stream. We help you enjoy special experiences that you cannot feel in your daily life, such as wild animals playing in it, in Buyeo, the land of dawn.


 * http://balloontour.co.kr (0507-1368-8971)
 * Room A-4, Seongwang-ro 173beon-gil 12, Buyeo-eup, Buyeo-gun, Chungcheongnam-do

City tour
There are city tours offered every Sunday, and on second and fourth Saturday of the month, from March to December starting at 10AM. Reservations and inquiries can be made by calling the Chungnam Tourist Information Center at 041-830-2330.


 * 2nd and 4th Saturday tour will explore the Jeongnimsa Temple, Seodong Park, Baekje Historical Museum, hear Korean classical music and finish up at Busosanseong Fortress.
 * 1st, 3rd and 5th Sunday tour will go to Seodongyo Theme Park, Seodong Park, Jeongnimsa Temple, Baekje Historical Museum and Busosanseong Fortress.
 * 2nd and 4th Sunday tour also includes the city of Gongju. Sites visited are: Jeongnimsa Temple, Seodong Park, Busosanseong Fortress, Gongju National Museum, Gongsanseong Fortress and King Muryeong's Tomb.

Hiking

 * Mt. Busan: located across Baengma River to the northwest. Home to Daejaegak and Cheongnyongsa Temples, as well as Mt. Busan Pavilion closer to the top of the mountain.
 * Geumseongsan: there are trails leading from the town (just north of the Buyeo National Museum) towards the summit and the Baekje Royal Tombs. Some of the places to see are: Jowangsa Temple, Tagsudae Pavilion and Beacon Mound closer to the top of the mountain.

Temples

 * Buyeo Hyanggyo: Confucius school, located on the western side of Namyeong Park north of Jeongnimsa Temple.
 * Euiyeolsa Shrine: located on the eastern side of Namyeong Park north of Jeongnimsa Temple.
 * Site of Gunsuri Temple: west of the pond at Gungnamji Park.

Statues

 * Statue to King Seongwang, located inside the traffic rotary close to the Busosanseong Fortress.
 * Equestrian statue of General Gyebaek, located in the centre of rotary intersection of Sabi-ro and Gyebaek-ro, about 5–10 minutes walk south from the bus terminal.

Monuments

 * Gratitude Monument for Transmission of Buddhism to Japan, (located to the southwest in Seonhwa Park, near the Buyeo Police Department, Gyebaek-ro, 15 minutes walk west of the Equestrian statue.)
 * Monument transcribed with poem of Dong-yeop, also in the same area.

Eat
On the main street, Sabi-ro, there are many chain restaurants like Lotteria, Mister Donut, Paris Baguette Cafe, and Eiffel Bakery. Also of note is the Bomjuk Slow-Food Korean Porridge Restaurant at the traffic circle.

On Gnognam-ro, the next main street to the east, there are many Korean restaurants, some pizza, Japanese sushi, and Dolimites, an ice cream shop.

For a more up-scale dinner, try the street along the foothill of Busosanseong Fortress, Seongwang-ro. There are some noodle places, some steak places, and some fish places here.

Sleep
The area between the bus terminal and Jeongsima Temple has a large number of motels and hotels. Hotels can be identified by the neon signs on the top of the building along with the Korean letters 모텔. Another way to recognize one is a sign that looks like a bowl with steam coming out of it.



Connect
Buyeo isn't a major foreign tourist town, so don't expect people to speak much English.



Go next

 * Gongju. Another former capital from the Baekje Dynasty.
 * Boryeong. A popular summer beach town west of Buyeo.
 * Nonsan. Strawberries are the most famous in Korea.