Follow along as I visit the spiritual sights of the world, soaking up devotion and prayers in places of worship, embarking on pilgrimages, and looking inwards as I take in the Mother Earth’s religious, cultural, and natural wonders.
Haedong Yonggunsa, or Haedong Yonggung Temple, is one of the most impressive Buddhist temples in South Korea. It is without a doubt one of Busan’s top temples and makes my list of top 50 things to do in Busan. Haedong Yonggungsa is famous for its picturesque seaside location. Busan’s “Temple on the Coast” is also …
Read moreHaedong Yonggungsa: Mixed Feelings about Busan’s Temple by the Sea
South Korea’s second city and largest port, Busan, is home to a surprisingly impressive array of breathtaking temples. Busan’s temples are a varied lot, from sea-facing temple complexes to ancient mountain retreats with Buddhas carved into cliff walls, and everything in between. Seeing the temples of Busan and writing this article was the main purpose …
When I was planning my most recent trip to South Korea, the thing I was most excited about was visiting Busan’s incredible array of temples. The tough thing was deciding when to go. Visiting for the Buddha’s birthday was an obvious choice. The event is a major national holiday in South Korea. At that time, …
Temple lovers, hiking fans, and anyone looking to get a little off-the-beaten-path in Busan, you have to add Seokbulsa Temple (Seokbul Temple, more correctly, since “–sa” means “temple”) to your Busan bucket list. This is no ordinary Korean temple; Seokbulsa is built into the sides of sandstone cliffs on Geumjeongsan (Mt. Geumjeong), the highest mountain …
Read moreSeokbulsa Temple: A Rewarding Temple Hike in Busan, South Korea
Are you looking to dig a little deeper into Korean Buddhist culture during your travels in South Korea? If so, doing a Beomeosa temple stay in Busan is an experience you won’t soon forget. Recently I took advantage of insanely cheap flight deals (only $200 return!) from Taipei, where I live, to Busan, South Korea’s …
Read moreMy Beomeosa Temple Stay: Uncovering Korean Buddhist Culture
This article was written by Danny Newman. Staying present is a key skill for any traveller to develop. The more I reflect on it, the more I come to see the discipline of mindful travel as the only way to reap the full rewards on offer, whether you are traveling alone for the first time, …
Read moreMindful Travel: Why the Present Moment is a Crucial Tool for Travel
So you’re heading on a Mt. Fuji day trip from Tokyo? With only one day, you may need a bit of luck to get a clear view of the elusive mountain. But not all hope is lost, as there are many other great things to do in Mt. Fuji area, whether you get clear views …
Lion’s Head Mountain (also known as Shitoushan or 獅頭山) is one of the most underrated attractions in Taiwan. Whether you enjoy hiking, are interested in Taiwan’s Buddhist and folk religious culture, want to spend a night in a temple, or simply want to get off the beaten track in Taiwan, Lion’s Head Mountain should be …
Read moreVisiting Lion’s Head Mountain and Nanzhuang, Taiwan
Museums have never really been my thing. I lived in Taipei for five years before I ever stepped foot in the National Palace Museum, one of the most important museums in the Chinese-speaking world. But I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the comparatively small Museum of World Religions Taipei (世界宗教博物館), the only …
Read moreFinding Peace at the Museum of World Religions Taipei
Every year on the 15th day of the first lunar calendar month, a sleepy town in southern Taiwan called Yanshui (鹽水) lights up from what has been called “the world’s most dangerous festival.” It is without a doubt the most exciting (or rather, terrifying) event associated with the Lunar New Year in Taiwan. The notorious …
Read moreYanshui Beehive Fireworks Festival: Taiwan’s Most Dangerous Festival
