[One Day Walk] Haepallang-gil Course 11 Where History and Nature Meet

‘Haepalanggil’ is a 750km walking trail consisting of a total of 50 courses that connect the coastal paths, forest trails, and village roads along the East Coast, from Oryukdo Sunrise Park in Busan to the Unification Observatory in Goseong, Gangwon.

Haepalanggil is a compound word combining the East Sea’s symbol, the ‘rising sun,’ the blue color of the sea, ‘parang,’ and the particle ‘rang,’ meaning ‘together.’ It means ‘a path to walk together, accompanied by the sound of waves, while looking at the rising sun and the blue sea.’

Course 11 of Haepalanggil is the Gyeongju section, connecting Yangnam-myeon and Gampo-eup in Gyeongju. It is a historical exploration trail with historic scenic spots and cultural assets, passing through fishing ports and beautiful harbors. The total length is 17.2km and it takes about 6 hours and 30 minutes.

Starting from Naa Beach, at a point 6.3km away at Bonggil Daewangam Beach, you can enjoy nature and history. This place has fewer vacationers compared to other beaches on the East Coast, making it ideal for a relaxing holiday. About 200m offshore from the sandy beach lies the underwater tomb of King Munmu, who unified the Silla Dynasty. It is said that King Munmu, after his death, became a dragon of the sea and left a will to hold a funeral at sea to protect the country.

Course 11 offers several cultural assets from the Unified Silla period. There are historic sites such as the three-story stone pagoda of Gameunsa Temple, an early Unified Silla cultural asset, as well as Girimsa Temple, Golgulsa Temple?the headquarters of Seonmudo martial arts?poet Goyu-seop’s monument, Yongyeon, and Igyeondae.

Walking along the coast, you will reach Jeonchon Port. This place is small and quiet but features a grand Geomma statue and beautiful night scenery. Here, you can take stunning photos at Jeonchon Yonggul and Saryonggul caves. These two dragon caves are sea caves formed by waves, and visiting in winter allows you to capture the sunrise between the caves, making it a famous sunrise spot.

2.9km from Jeonchon Port is the course’s endpoint, Gampo Port. This is the largest port in Gyeongju, celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2025. Fresh fish are auctioned daily, and convenience facilities such as restaurants are well maintained, making it a great place to finish the course.