My mom and I had a nice trip to Tongdosa (통도사) in Yangsan (양산),...


small stream as it hasn't been raining much lately








stupa




museum






my mom says the water is "medicinal"

My mom and I had a nice trip to Tongdosa (통도사) in Yangsan (양산), which is super easy to get to from Busan. There’s a bus leaving Nopo Bus Terminal every twenty minutes, and the 25-minute ride is only 2,200₩ a person. Once you arrive, ask someone which direction the temple is in and you’ll walk straight for ~15 minutes to the entrance. A ticket is 3,000₩ per person.

You’ll walk for a bit with a small stream to your left and beautiful, thin trees on your right. Eventually, you’ll see old graffiti carved into the rocks on your right, where you’ll curb right, on your way to the temple.

Korea’s largest temple, Tongdosa, is often called “the temple without a Buddha” because it contains no outdoor statues of the Buddha. Tongdosa is one of Korea’s 3 Jewel Temples so it is highly regarded amongst the Buddhists. Of South Korea’s three ‘jewel’ temples, Tongdosa is the easiest to access. While it’s a beautiful tourist spot, it’s important to remember to be respectful because people do still come to this temple to pray.

The temple is impressive to walk around but I especially enjoyed eating nearby. Just slide open the doors to a restaurant, walk in, and order + pay at the register. Then, sit down and enjoy! Prices are reasonable and the food is really good. Don’t forget to go to the cafe and have the dessert, patbingsu –yum!

Hours: 8:30 am - 6:00 pm

Address: 경상남도 양산시 하북면 통도사로 108 (하북면)
108, Tongdosa-ro, Habuk-myeon, Yangsan-si, Gyeongsangnam-do

About 

Hi, I'm Stacy. I'm from Portland, Oregon, USA, and am currently living in Busan, South Korea. Check me out on: Tumblr, Twitter, Instagram, Lastfm, and Flickr.