Naksansa Temple in Yangyang has been free for cultural-property admission since 4 May 2023. Address: 100 Naksansa-ro, Ganghyeon-myeon, Yangyang-gun, Gangwon-do. Temple office: +82-33-672-2447~8. The Haesugwaneum (Sea Avalokitesvara) Statue stands about 16 m tall. Uisangdae Pavilion and Hongnyeonam Hermitage (also spelled Hongryeonam) together form Scenic Site No. 27 (designated 7 December 2007 · 74,593 m²). Passenger-car parking is ₩4,000 on VisitKorea. Hours differ by source: use Access VisitKorea (updated 10 September 2026) for summer 06:00–18:00 / winter 06:00–17:00, and VisitKorea EN Naksansa for 06:00–17:30 with exit by 18:30 — then call the temple office before you go. Figures below were verified on 30 September 2026 (KST).
What should a day trip aim for?
Set the core goal as Haesugwaneum → Uisangdae → Hongryeonam. Allow at least about two hours for that set. No official dwell time is published, so do not treat minute counts as official. With extra time, pair the temple with Naksan Beach and Naksan Provincial Park on the same coast. VisitKorea lists Naksansa among Korea’s three Avalokitesvara pilgrimage centers with Bomunsa (Ganghwa) and Boriam (Namhae), and presents Uisangdae as a Gwandong Eight Views / sunrise overlook (VisitKorea).
Summer suits a beach combo; year-round, sunrise at Uisangdae draws interest. Winter closing is earlier on Access VisitKorea, so start sooner. VisitKorea and CHA note a 2005 wildfire that destroyed about 20 buildings before restoration. The precinct is also a Historic Site (92,637 m² · designated 18 December 2008); the Seven-story Stone Pagoda (Treasure) is a short stop inside the grounds.
How to run the visit in steps
Suggested order: choose a lot → temple grounds (Haesugwaneum) → Uisangdae → Hongryeonam → optional Naksan Beach. Yangyang Tourism notes a Naksan lot (main gate) and an Uisangdae lot (rear). The rear lot shortens the walk to Uisangdae and Hongryeonam but can queue; the main lot usually has more space with a longer walk through the grounds.
Step 1 — Parking and admission check
Cultural-property admission is ₩0. The Cultural Heritage Administration’s fee relief for Jogye Order temples with nationally designated heritage took effect on 4 May 2023, and Naksansa is included (CHA release). VisitKorea and Access list the site open year-round. Parking is available; cars are ₩4,000 on VisitKorea EN ParkingFees. A ₩6,000 bus fee appears on secondary listings but not on VisitKorea EN — mark it uncertain and confirm on site or by phone. Do not assert veteran/disabled/compact discounts; those are unverified officially.
Step 2 — Haesugwaneum and grounds → Uisangdae and Hongryeonam
From the main gate, see the ~16 m Haesugwaneum and halls first, then continue toward Uisangdae and Hongryeonam via the wish path / Haemaji-gil area. From the rear (Uisangdae) lot, the short order is pavilion → seaside hermitage. CHA lists pavilion and hermitage together as Scenic Site No. 27, known for East Sea cliff and shore views. VisitKorea’s Uisangdae page lists fees Free, hours 06:00–18:30, last entry 17:30 (VisitKorea Uisangdae).
Step 3 — Optional beach and transit
Naksan Provincial Park and Naksan Beach share the coastal belt with the temple (VisitKorea Naksan Provincial Park). Park inquiry +82-33-670-2518; Korea Travel Hotline 1330. Without a car, local guides often cite buses 9 / 9-1 from Yangyang Bus Terminal (~10–15 minutes) plus a short walk. VisitKorea does not publish those route numbers, so do not treat them as confirmed, and recheck the same day with Yangyang terminal +82-33-672-4100 or Gangwon Passenger +82-33-671-3013. Sokcho listings mention the same routes as reference guidance only.
Cost and hours checklist
Lock these before you leave. Do not invent a single “official” clock. Cite Access VisitKorea and VisitKorea EN together, then call.
| Item | Amount / value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Admission (cultural fee) | ₩0 | Since 4 May 2023 |
| Parking (car) | ₩4,000 | VisitKorea EN |
| Parking (bus) | ₩6,000? | Secondary · confirm on site |
| Access VK summer | 06:00–18:00 | Updated 10 Sep 2026 |
| Access VK winter | 06:00–17:00 | Updated 10 Sep 2026 |
| VisitKorea EN (Naksansa) | 06:00–17:30 · exit by 18:30 | vcontsId=111119 |
| Temple office | +82-33-672-2447~8 | Call before visit |
| Hongnyeonam | +82-33-672-2478 | |
| Templestay | +82-33-672-2417 | Program fees separate |
| Source | Hours published | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Access VisitKorea | Summer 06:00–18:00 · Winter 06:00–17:00 | Updated 10 Sep 2026 · year-round |
| VisitKorea EN Naksansa | 06:00–17:30 · leave by 18:30 | english.visitkorea |
| VisitKorea EN Uisangdae | 06:00–18:30 · last entry 17:30 · Free | vcontsId=110834 |
Yangyang Tourism “10 Views” rows that still show paid admission or summer 04:00–20:00 / winter 05:30–18:00 may be outdated — do not treat them as authoritative. Templestay fees and any free noodle offering can change; verify with the temple or official channels only.
Failure points that trip visitors up
The biggest miss is trusting old paid-admission figures or extra-long opening hours from stale local pages. Prefer free admission since 4 May 2023 and the dual Access VK + VisitKorea EN clocks. Never invent one locked “official” closing time.
Second: car parking ₩4,000 is VisitKorea-backed; bus ₩6,000 is a reference figure only — do not label it as a VisitKorea fee. Unverified “no discount” blog claims stay out of the article. Third: buses 9/9-1 are not VisitKorea route locks — recheck at the terminal. Fourth: do not publish a minute-by-minute official itinerary; keep pacing as 2+ hours guidance only.
FAQ
How much is Naksansa admission? Cultural-property admission is free (from 4 May 2023). Car parking is ₩4,000 on VisitKorea; a ₩6,000 bus parking figure is for reference only — confirm on site.
What are the hours, and whom do I call? Access VisitKorea (updated 10 September 2026): summer 06:00–18:00 / winter 06:00–17:00. VisitKorea EN: 06:00–17:30, exit by 18:30. Call the temple office +82-33-672-2447~8 before you go. Hongnyeonam +82-33-672-2478; Templestay +82-33-672-2417.
In one line
For a free day at Naksansa (Haesugwaneum, Uisangdae, Hongryeonam / Scenic Site No. 27), lock car parking ₩4,000, the dual hour sources, and a temple phone call, then choose the main or rear lot. Skip stale paid-admission rows and overconfident bus or bus-parking claims.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons — Haesugwaneum, Uisangdae, Hongryeonam (CC0, Bernard Gagnon); Naksan Temple grounds (CC BY-SA 4.0, Choism97). Figures: VisitKorea, Cultural Heritage Administration / Korea Heritage Service, Access VisitKorea (verified 30 September 2026 KST).
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