Photo: Basile Morin / CC BY-SA 4.0Open in Google Maps · Directions from your berthGoogle Maps gives no walking or driving directions in Korea: Kakao Map · Naver Map app
Checked · Researched, not yet visited · travel times are our map estimates · Takumi Yamada
Bulguksa is the temple Silla built to show the land of the Buddha on earth, on the slopes of Tohamsan above Gyeongju. It is a World Heritage site together with Seokguram, the grotto further up the mountain. The double stone stairways to the gate and the two pagodas in the main court, Dabotap and Seokgatap, are the pictures everyone knows.
For a cruise passenger it is the one sight worth the hour on the road by itself. In spring, in the weeks before Buddha’s Birthday, the courtyards are hung with paper lanterns; Heritage Expeditions found them up on 13 May 2024.
Three things the plaques won't tell you
- Go first thing: it opens at 09:00, and the coach groups arrive later.
- Bring won for the taxi; card payment in taxis is not confirmed.
- Ask the ship to write the berth name in Korean before you leave, so the driver can find the ship again.
In spring, in the weeks before Buddha’s Birthday, the courtyards are hung with paper lanterns; Heritage Expeditions found them up on 13 May 2024.
Questions people ask here
Is Bulguksa free?
Yes. Under the revised Cultural Heritage Act, entry has been free since 4 May 2023. The small Bulguksa museum inside charges ₩2,000 for adults.
How do I get to Bulguksa from Ulsan cruise port?
By the line’s coach or a taxi booked through the ship: 35.4 km, about 55 minutes and ₩31,000–40,000 each way on the meter, our estimates.
What time does Bulguksa open?
At 09:00 every day of the year. Last entry is 18:00 from March to September, 17:30 in February and October, and 17:00 from November to January.