A tourism program will let visitors walk along Gyeongju’s Yangnam Padosori Trail, listening to the sound of waves and wind, and take part in yoga and meditation by the coast. Gyeongsangbuk-do Province announced on the 3rd that Gyeongju and Yeongdeok County 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 for a 4,500-kilometer network of trails connecting the East, West and South coasts and the area around the DMZ. This time, 11 locations nationwide were selected, including Gyeongju and Yeongdeok.
A 4-kilometer walk listening to the waves and wind: Gyeongju’s King’s Sea, Path of the Waves
Gyeongju plans to add tourism offerings along a 4-kilometer stretch from Haseo Coastal Park, through the Yangnam Padosori Trail, to Nao Beach under the theme “King’s Sea, Path of the Waves.” Plans include sound walking along the coast while listening closely to the waves and wind, geological interpretation of the columnar joints, and coastal yoga and meditation programs.
The city will also develop tourism products connecting Gampo Public Market and the Tomb of King Munmu near the trail.
Yeongdeok: Haenyeo culture experiences and a two-day, one-night sea school
Yeongdeok County will combine fishing-village culture and local food along the coastal route from Yeongdeok Sunrise Park to Gyeongjeong Beach. It plans to offer haenyeo culture experiences and a two-day, one-night sea school for families, as well as programs to encourage spending in partnership with local lodging businesses and restaurants.
Walking trips that invite visitors to stay an extra day, on a path where the sound of the sea becomes meditation
Both regions aim to be places where visitors stay, not just pass through. Park Chan-woo, director 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," adding, "We will make it a walking-trip destination where many tourists want to stay in Gyeongsangbuk-do for an extra day."
The sound of waves is something one can meditate on simply by opening one’s ears; no instruction is needed. Coastal trails that bring the rhythm of footsteps and breathing into sync with the sea are appearing one by one along the East Coast.
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