Daereungwon

Before going to Korea, I hesitated for a long time because the attractions in Gyeongju are quite far apart, and I felt that taking the bus myself would take a lot of time waiting and transferring. In the end, being lazy, I booked a day tour on KKday. I was a little worried that it would be like those rushed tours for older people, but the experience was much better than I expected! We spent the whole day visiting Bulguksa Temple, Yangdong Village, having lunch, Daereungwon National Park, Hwangridan-ro, and then seeing Donggung Wolji Pond and Woljeong Bridge in the evening. Honestly, there were so many attractions, but I didn't feel rushed at all. The tour guide's timing was perfect; the time allotted for each place was just right—enough for us to stroll, take photos, buy some snacks, and not be bored out of our minds. Walking around Yangdong Village in the morning was very relaxing, the afternoon was spent shopping for souvenirs on Hwangridan-ro, and the evening's illumination of Donggung Wolji Pond and Woljeong Bridge was absolutely stunning; even a casual phone photo looked beautiful. After finishing our visit to Woljeong Bridge, everyone boarded buses to return to Busan. The buses dropped off other tourists at Haeundae and Busan stations, while we were the last to get off at Seomyeon. Obviously, once we arrived at Seomyeon, everyone went their separate ways, and the trip would have been a perfect end. But our tour guide was incredibly kind! He knew we were the last to get off, and could have simply clocked out, but seeing that we must have been hungry after walking all day, he kindly offered to take us to a pork soup rice restaurant he recommended. He led us all the way to the restaurant. It was a bit chilly that evening, and when that piping hot bowl of pork soup rice was served, I was incredibly touched! The broth was incredibly rich, the slices of pork were generous, and with a touch of shrimp paste and chives mixed in, one bite instantly erased the fatigue from walking tens of thousands of steps that day. We sat there, eating our soup rice with gusto, feeling truly warm both our hearts and stomachs. I used to think that day tours were just a rushed experience, but this time I met such a great tour guide that not only did I enjoy the sights, but I was also completely healed by a bowl of homemade soup at the end. If you want to go to Gyeongju but don't want to deal with transportation, I really think this kind of day tour is worth signing up for!