©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Chungcheongbuk-do Includes ¨ Why Go? Cheongju ...................294 The only landlocked province in the South, Chungbuk (충청 Around Cheongju ....... 297 북도) as it’s known informally, is largely mountainous and Songnisan agricultural. The province is a sleepy sort of place and its National Park ............298 major cities are not particularly compelling, though bibli- ophiles may be inclined to make a pilgrimage to Cheongju, Chungju .....................299 where in 1377 Buddhist monks printed the world’s oldest Around Chungju.........300 extant book with movable metal type. The province’s charms can be better appreciated in its smaller towns and three national parks, which are home to an assortment of intriguing Buddhist sites. There’s plen- Best Places to ty to see and do here: climb the azalea-covered peaks of Sobaek- san, descend into the otherworldly caverns of Gosu Eat Donggul, or simply savour the views along the river and at ¨ Sangdangjip (p296) nearby Chungju-ho. Then there’s Guin-sa, a Buddhist tem- ¨ Satgatchon (p301) ple ensconced in a tight valley, as imposing as the mountain slopes on either side of it. If you have a few days to while ¨ Doljip Sikdang (p304) away, this is the place to do it. Best Places to Stay When to Go ¨ Birosanjang (p299) Cheongju °C/°F Te mp Rainfall inches/mm ¨ Hotel Lin (p295) 40/104 16/400 ¨ Rio 127 (p303) 30/86 12/300 20/68 10/50 8/200 0/32 4/100 -10/14 -20/-4 0 J FDM A M J J A S O N Apr The flowers in Jun Low season; Dec Sure it’s cold the national parks you’ll get in just but the sights come alive, plus before the heat are often coated the weather is wave, summer in picturesque mercifully cool for rains and price sheets of snow. hiking. hikes. File 20-chungcheongbuk-do-kor10 Book korea10 Initial Mapping Alison L Date 29/07/15 Road Scale All key roads labelled? Hierarchy Date Title Hydro Chapter chungcheongbuk Editor Cxns Spot colours removed? Hierarchy Nthpt Masking in Illustrator done? Symbols Author MC Cxns Date Book Inset/enlargement correct? Off map Notes dest'ns Border 3/4 page chapter openingKey Author Cxns Date Basefile kor9 Final Ed Cxns Date KEY FORMAT SETTINGS New References Number of Rows (Lines) Editor Check Date 294 MC Check Date Column Widths and Margins the place where the world’s oldest book was MC/CC Signoff청주 printed Dateusing movable metal type. Cheongju % 043 / POP 668,000 As a modern city it’s somewhat redeemed Like most provincial capitals, Cheongju by a youthful vibe, thanks to its universities, (http://english.cjcity.net) – not to be con- but if not for its proximity to Songnisan Na- fused with nearby Chungju – is not terribly tional Park and presidential villa Cheong- captivating. Its primary claim to fame is as namdae, there’d be little reason to stop here. 4 GANGWON-DO Seoul (50km) Namhan River 14 Jecheon GYEONGGI-DO Chungju Chungju-ho Anseong Guin-sa Danyang Suanbo 10 Chungju Cheongpung Sobaek-san Janghoe Woraksan Jebi-bong 1 National (721m) Park Worak-san Jincheon (1093m) Yeongju Suanbo-oncheon CHUNGCHEONGNAM-DO Sajo Ski Resort Cheongju Airport Songnisan Yecheon Sangdang San-seong National Cheongju Park Jochiwon CHUNG Andong Munui Songnisan Boeun National GYEONGSANGBUK-DO Park C Cheongnamdae Sang-il HEONGBUK-DO HEONGBUK-DO Daecheong-ho 14 Gyeryongsan National Park DAEJEON Nakdang-gang Daedunsan 1 Provincial CHEO Park Geumsan 0 30 km N 0 15 miles GJU GJU JEOLLABUK-DO Muju Jeonju Deogyusan Daegu (25km) National Park (10km) Chungcheongbuk-do Highlights 1 Waking up to glorious 4 Admiring the gold-plated 6 Soothing your stresses mountain views in Danyang Buddha at Beopju-sa in at an oncheon (hot-spring (p302). Songnisan National Park spa) in Suanbo (p300). 2 Hiking up nearby (p298), then overnighting at 7 Admiring the scenery as Sobaek-san (p304), where a charming yeogwan beside you cruise down azaleas bloom in May. a burbling river. Chungju-ho (p300). 3 Signing up for a 5 Contemplating ancient 8 Learning all about templestay at bustling Guin- Buddhist carvings and the the Jikji, the first book sa (p304), a modern but evocative ruins of Mireuksaji printed by movable type, awe-inspiring hillside temple at Woraksan National Park in the province’s capital of complex. (p302). Cheongju (p294)..