A Refreshing Day in Muneungdowon, the Land of Peach Blossoms

Dutasan Mountain, located in Donghae City, stands at a considerable height of 1,353m above sea level. Meaning 'to cast off worldly troubles and cultivate the Buddhist path,' Dutasan is home to the thousand-year-old temple Samhwasa and Muneung Valley, where sages of the past are said to have enjoyed a simple, contented life. Following Muneung Valley upstream, you'll find spectacular sights such as Ssangpokpo (Twin Falls) and Yongchu Falls. Let's head to Dutasan, a true retreat where body and mind can rest in peace.

Along the way

1. 1

   Samhwasa

   삼화사

   Samhwasa Temple is located north of Dutasan Mountain (1,351m), in Muneung Valley, Samhwa-dong. Three founding legends are associated with this temple; according to records, its origin is said to date back to the founding of Heugyeondae by Master Jijang in the 11th year of Queen Seondeok of Silla (642), though this is not considered reliable. MoreLess

   

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2. 2

   Muneung Valley

   무릉계곡

   Formed against the backdrop of Dutasan and Cheongoksan mountains, Muneung Valley refers to the stretch from Hoamso Pool up to Yongchu Falls, about 4km upstream. The valley is notable for its wide rock floors and the broad pools formed where water gathers between the rocks. Its scenic beauty is striking, beginning with Muneung Banseok, a wide flat rock large enough for hundreds of people to sit on, and continuing past Samhwasa Temple, Hakso-dae, Ongnyu-dong, and Seonnyeotang, all the way to Ssangpokpo and Yongchu Falls, unfolding breathtakingly beautiful scenery. MoreLess

   

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3. 3

   Lunch (Gulttukchon)

   점심식사(굴뚝촌)

   This restaurant specializes in bamboo tube rice and offers healthy meals made using only natural seasonings instead of chemical seasonings that can cause various adult health conditions. Inquiries/Information: 033-534-9199 MoreLess

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4. 4

   Yongchu Falls

   용추폭포

   Located about 2.5km west of Samhwasa Temple, the entrance to Muneung Valley, Yongchu Falls is formed as the water flowing down from Cheongoksan Mountain (1,403.7m) collects in three deep, jar-shaped rock pools -- upper, middle, and lower. Ssangpokpo Falls, located about 70m below Yongchu Falls, is so tall and beautiful that its source seems almost to be the sky itself; the meeting of the water flowing down from Yongchu Falls with the water of Bakdal Valley here seems to express the natural principle of yin and yang, and together with Yongchu Falls, it forms the climax of Muneung Valley. MoreLess

   

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