8 Traditional Korean Temples That Allow Overnight Stays

These temple stays make for an experience like none other, whether it's sleeping under a 100-foot Buddha statue or sharing tea with monks.

September 18, 2014

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Bongeunsa
Seoul, South Korea
Buddhism has a 1,700-year history in Korea, marked by the many temples hidden away in the mountains—a few you can even stay in. With a Seoul address, Bongeunsa is unique in that it's located in an urban area. The temple has been around for 1,200 years, and today it serves as the center of Buddhist practice in South Korea. Should you choose to extend your visit, you can participate in a temple tour, tea ceremony, meditation, rosary making, and spending time with the monks themselves. Visit TempleStay.com for more information.
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Beopjusa
Songnisan National Park, North Chungcheong Province
Beopjusa is one of Korea’s most famous temples. Located on Mount Songni in Songnisan National Park, the temple is home to numerous national treasures. Sleep in the shadow of a 100-foot gilded bronze Buddha statue, visit the five-story pagoda, or walk through one of Korea’s three major Buddhist halls adorned with dancheong (traditional decorative painting) during your stay.

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Beomeosa
Busan, South Korea
Beomeosa is a tiered temple perched on the side of the mountain Geumjeongsan in Busan, Korea’s second largest city located on its southeastern coast. Beomeosa is regarded as the main temple for Seon meditation, and it offers overnight programs focused on the topic. Guests can participate in meditation and quiet contemplation, conversations with monks, and traditional tea ceremonies.
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Geumsansa
Gimje, North Jeolla Province
Geumsansa is one of Korea's most popular temples to call home for a few days. It invites visitors to share tea and conversation with the resident monks and take lessons on Seon (Korean Zen) meditation. The temple sits at the foothills of beautiful Moaksan, which Koreans know as Mother Mountain.

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Golgulsa
Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province
Located just outside of Gyeongju, one of Korea’s most culturally rich cities, Golgulsa is the only cave temple in Korea. A temple stay at Golgulsa will find you admiring Buddha sculptures carved into rocks and practicing the meditative martial art known as Sunmudo.
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Haeinsa
Gayasan National Park, South Gyeongsang Province
Haeinsa is one of Korea’s Three Jewel Temples, making it one of the most famous Buddhist sights in the country. Aside from its beauty, the temple is home to the Tripitaka Koreana, a collection of 81,258 tablets containing Buddhist writings. The structure they’re housed in has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. The temple offers overnight guests a chance to participate in meditation walks that begin with the dawn ringing of the Dharma drum, along with plenty of interaction with the resident monks.

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Woljeongsa
Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province
Hidden back in a fir tree forest on Odaesan, a mountain just two hours outside of Seoul, is Woljeongsa. The temple is famous for its nine-story pagoda. Overnight programs at the temple offer meditation, as well as participation in 108 prostrations, communal work, and prayer bead threading.
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Yakcheonsa
Seogwipo, Jeju Island
Yakcheonsa is a relatively new temple (built in the 1990s), located on Jeju Island off the southern coast of South Korea. It claims to be Asia’s biggest temple and is definitely worthy of an extended visit. Participants in Yakcheonsa’s temple stay program are offered the usual activities, such as Zen and walking meditation, with the added bonus of experiencing it all among palm trees.

Bongeunsa