Chungcheongnam-do

 Chungnam has two cities that once hosted the capitals of Baekje, an ancient Korean kingdom. Gongju and Buyeo run a city tour program around the historical relics of Baekje that were once sparkling in richness, thus confirming their positions as cities of history and culture.

A city tour to Gongju runs till November 27, 2011 for the year and offers various courses including the downtown tour and rural tour of one night and two days.

The experience course offers a variety of experiences with historic relics, traditional Korean culture, rural village, companies, and a stay at a traditional Korean house. The Gongju City Tour is in operation on the first, third, and fifth Sunday every month, covering the major relics of Gongju. The one-night, two-day rural experience tour is in operation on the second and fourth Saturday every month between May and October. The rural experience tour is in operation on the second and fourth Saturday and Sunday between May and October, offering seasonal features.

The Gongju City Tour charges 5,000 won for an adult, 3,000 won for an elementary, middle or high school student, and nothing for a child aged six or younger. You can book the tour at the Gongju homepage (www.gongju.go.kr).

Buyeo-gun runs “City Tour to Explore the History and Culture of Baekje” under the theme of “Communication with Baekje 1,400 Years Ago.” On the tour, the tourists ride on a tourist bus along the relics of Baekje culture with Buyeo.

The tour is provided twice a week on every Saturday and Sunday until late November, 2011 for the year. It starts at the parking lot of Buso Mountain Arbor at 10:00 am and returns back by 5:30 pm after a tour around the major relics and tourist attractions accompanied by a session of historic education.

In the morning, the tourists will visit Baekma River, Nakhwa Rock and Buso Mountain Fortress on a sailboat. In the afternoon, they will visit the Five-Story Stone Pagoda at the site of Jeongrim Buddhist Temple, watch a traditional Korean music performance at the Hall of Traditional Korean Music, and look around at the National Buyeo Museum. On Sundays, the traditional Korean music performance is replaced with a visit to the Baekje Cultural Complex with the rest of the itinerary remaining the same as Saturday.

A visit to National Buyeo Museum is also replaced with an ecological tour to Seodong Park (Gungnamji), which is called one of the best naturalist tourist attractions and where you can enjoy the festival of lotus flowers, between May and September. Foreigners can use the translation service provided by the cultural tourism guides at the field trip to the historical and cultural sites of Baekje, the traditional Korean music performance, and Baekje Cultural Complex.

The tour fee is 5,000 won for an adult aged 19 or older, 3,000 won for an adolescent, and nothing for a child aged six or under. You can submit your application at the starting place by 9:40 am on the tour day or book at Buyeo‘s culture and tourism homepage (www.buyeotour.net).