A Weekend Getaway to Iksan City

When was the last time you rode the KTX in Korea? While you could easily jump on in Seoul and off in Busan, there are so many amazing sites to visit in between. You might even take a road trip towards Jeolla and see some magnificent sights all at once. Iksan is a fascinating area with several off-the-beaten-path attractions. Spend a weekend or longer and visit nearby Gunsan or Jeonju as well. Here are some activities to do in Iksan, as well as directions.

Iksan city

Iksan, located roughly three hours south of Seoul, was originally the capital of the Baekje Kingdom. The city is known as “The City of Jewelry” and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city has recently led the local jewelry sector, and visitors can even purchase precious stones at the Iksan Jewelry Museum and the Jewel Palace. The Iksan Jewelry Expo, a particular jewelry event, and the Jewelry Marathon are also held in the city. Iksan is a rather flat place with a lot of fertile soil, so you’ll see a lot of rice and other crop fields. It’s a peaceful place to visit.

Places to visit in Iksan city

Goseurak

Do you want to witness a field of traditional Korean fermenting pots? This is the location.

Goseurak produces traditional soybean paste utilizing natural fermentation techniques and only domestically grown and organic components. The ‘Jar Garden’ is home to 4,000 pots or jars, and the environs are beautifully kept, making it a pleasant and interesting location to simply stroll.

If you want to do more than just admire the enormous number of traditional pots in the garden, there are experiential packages available. Programs for gaining experience include:

You should apply for the experience programs on their website by selecting a date, a time, and then the experience you want.

Mireuksa Temple

During the old Baekje Kingdom in Korea, Mireuksa Temple was the greatest Buddhist temple. Mireuksa is thought to have possessed the most refined building skills of the Baekje, Silla, and Goguryeo kings. Unfortunately, much of the temple was destroyed, so I recommend hiring a docent to tour you around so you can fully appreciate why the grounds are still worth seeing.

The stone pagoda, Mireuksa Seoktap, and the flagpole supports are the two primary elements of Mireuksa Temple today. The stone pagoda is 14.24 meters high and is National Treasure No. 11. It is the world’s oldest and largest stone pagoda.

Address: 362 Mireuksaji-ro, Iksan-si, Jeollabuk-do (전라북도 익산시 금마면 미륵사지로 362)

Iksan National Museum

The Iksan National Museum is located just in front of the Mireuksa Temple. Because they’re together, you should view them both at the same time. The national museum should be visited for at least an hour and a half. More than 19,000 objects from archaeological studies conducted between 1980 and 1996 are on display. On-site cultural events and programming are also available at the museum. Also the admission to this museum is free.

Address: 362 Mireuksaji-ro, Iksan-si, Jeollabuk-do (전라북도 익산시 금마면 미륵사지로 362)

Hours: Tuesday – Friday: 9:00am ~ 6:00pm; Saturday & Sunday: 9:00am ~ 7:00pm* (Open until 9:00pm on Saturdays from April – October)

Days: Closed Mondays, and holidays

Iksan Prison Set

If you enjoy drama, you might be interested in this position. The jail set has been used in so many movies and television episodes that listing them all would take up a lot of space. IRIS, Private Lives, Zombie Detective, Psychopath Diary, Suits, Criminal Minds, Mystery Queen, Tunnel, and many more. If there was a prison in the movie or drama you just saw, it was most likely this one.

The jail set was built in 2005 for the film Holiday. It was the first and only prison set in Korea, which is why if you see a prison in a show, it’s definitely this one. This was not initially a prison, but rather an elementary school that had been converted into one. When you come, determine which role you wish to perform first! Yes, you can wear a costume while walking through the jail cell aisles.

Address: 11 Wacho-gil, Seongdang-myeon, Iksan-si, Jeollabuk-do (전북 익산시 성당면 와초길 11)

Opening Hours: 10:00am ~ 5:00pm

How To Get to Iksan:

By Bus: You can take a bus from Seoul Central City Bus Terminal to Iksan Bus Terminal. It takes approximately 3 hours and costs between W13,000 and W20,000 depending on the bus.

By Train: You can also take a train to Iksan Station. It takes an hour and 15 minutes and costs between W21,000 and W33,000 depending on what seat you choose.