A tourist programme will let visitors walk along Gyeongju’s Yangnam Columnar Joints Wave Sound Trail, listening to the waves and wind, and take part in yoga and meditation by the coast. Gyeongsangbuk-do Province announced on the 3rd that Gyeongju and Yeongdeok had been included in sections of the Korea Dulle Trail selected by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization.
The Korea Dulle Trail is the name given to a 4,500km network of walking trails linking the east, west and south coasts with the DMZ area. Eleven places across the country were selected this time, including Gyeongju and Yeongdeok.
A 4km walk listening to the waves and wind: Gyeongju’s King’s Sea, Path of the Waves
Under the theme King’s Sea, Path of the Waves, Gyeongju City will introduce tourism experiences along a 4km stretch from Haseo Coastal Park, along the Yangnam Columnar Joints Wave Sound Trail, to Nao Beach. Plans include sound walking, in which visitors walk along the coast listening closely to the waves and wind, geological interpretation of the columnar joints, and coastal yoga and meditation programmes.
Tourism products linking Gampo Public Market and the Royal Tomb of King Munmu, both near the trail, will also be developed.
In Yeongdeok, haenyeo culture experiences and a two-day, one-night Sea School
Yeongdeok County will combine fishing-village culture with local food along the coastal trail from Yeongdeok Sunrise Park to Gyeongjeong Beach. It plans to run haenyeo culture experiences and a two-day, one-night Sea School for families, as well as a programme to boost spending in partnership with local accommodation providers and restaurants.
Walking trips that keep visitors an extra day: a coastal path where the sound of the sea becomes meditation
Both areas aim to be places where visitors stay, rather than simply pass through. Park Chan-woo, director-general of Gyeongsangbuk-do Province’s Culture, Tourism and Sports Bureau, said: "This achievement demonstrates the competitiveness of the East Coast’s beautiful coastal scenery and tourism resources. We will make it a walking destination where many tourists want to stay in Gyeongsangbuk-do for an extra day."
The sound of the waves is something to meditate on without any instruction: all you need to do is listen. More coastal paths are appearing along the East Coast, where the rhythm of the sea falls into step with your footsteps and breathing.
Enquiries about this article: fare3041@naver.com