At Gyeongju’s Bomun Lake, You Walk the Shore Where APEC Leaders Met: A Lakeside Loop and Theme Park Day

Part 14 of 39 in Only Here: 39 Things You Can Only Do in Korea

The 2025 APEC leaders met on the shore of Bomun Lake, and now anyone can walk that same lakeside loop, see the recreated summit hall and finish on a roller coaster. It is the perfect second day in Gyeongju.

Featured photo: Korea Tourism Organization, KOGL Type 1

Only Here: 39 Things You Can Only Do in Korea · Part 14 · Gyeongju

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At a glance

• What: Walk (or cycle) the Bomun Lake loop, visit the APEC summit memorial hall and Gyeongju Tower, ride the Gyeongju World roller coasters, and spend a night in a lakeside hotel.
• Cost: The lake path is free. Check current prices for Gyeongju World, the memorial hall and Gyeongju Tower on their official sites.
• Distance: The Bomun lakeside path is about 8 km around, roughly two hours on foot.
• Bikes: There are bike and e-scooter rental shops in the Bomun complex. Some sections of the lakeside walkway are reported to be closed to bikes, so ask which paths you can ride when you rent.
• Autumn: In early to mid-November the cherry and maple trees along the shore turn red. Posts recommending the autumn lake walk keep coming (@dosgardenias222).

Also read: Seoul's Freshest Sashimi Is the Fish You Point At: Picking Your Own at Noryangjin Fish Market

A day on the lake: from the shore to the roller coasters

1. Walk the lake path in the morning

Start in front of the lakeside hotels and go clockwise, and you’ll alternate between waterside decks and forest paths. Some mornings there’s mist on the water.

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2. Go into the APEC summit memorial hall

The memorial hall recreates the summit hall and the bilateral meeting rooms, with exhibits from the APEC record. The opening ceremony was billed with a photo exhibition, a drone show, and performances by Gyeongju ambassadors RESCENE and singer Park Ji-hyun (@hotgyeongju). Check the official Gyeongju tourism site for regular hours and admission after the opening.

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3. Stand in front of Gyeongju Tower

In the same park, Gyeongju Tower is a glass building with the silhouette of Silla’s nine-story Hwangnyongsa wooden pagoda cut out of it. In autumn, foliage covers the ground below; at night, the pagoda-shaped void is lit.

4. In the afternoon, scream at Gyeongju World

Gyeongju World is the amusement park right next to Bomun Lake. A first-person video of its signature coaster, Draken, has 3.71 million views, and another first-person video has passed 20 million.

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5. Head back to a lakeside hotel at dusk

Bomun Lake is ringed by large hotels, from 5-star properties to condos. Sunset from a hotel terrace or a bench by the water is the last scene of the day.

Top 10 things to do at Bomun Lake

1. Walk the Bomun lake loop (experience)

The 8 km path is flat; sneakers are all you need. If you only want half, the stretch from the hotel cluster toward the Mulneoulgyo bridge has the best views.

2. Bikes and scooters by the lake (experience)

On Google Maps, rental shops in the Bomun area include Gyeongju Leisure (4-71 Bomun-ro) and La La Land (545-14 Bomun-ro, 5.0). Some people rent near Daereungwon downtown and ride out to Bomun, but there are hills, so an e-bike is easier. Compare prices on the spot.

3. Take a moon boat (experience)

At night, round glowing “moon boats” float on Bomun Lake. They’re small boats you drive yourself, and some can take your dog along (@moonboat__classic).

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4. Draken (experience)

Draken climbs straight up, pauses at the top, then drops. This summer it made the news after stopping twice in two days just before the vertical drop (YTN). Check the official account on the day to see if it’s running.

5. Gyeongju World’s Dragon Race (experience)

It looks like a kids’ ride, but it does a 360-degree loop. One review called it “a total mini Crack,” after another of the park’s coasters (@flowerpig93). Recommended if Draken scares you.

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6. Gyeongju World at night (see)

After sunset the main gate and rides light up. Gyeongju World is currently running events promoting its evening hours (@gyeongjuworld_official); check night opening times on the official site.

7. Stroll the APEC Memorial Park (see)

The former Gyeongju Expo Park was renamed Gyeongju APEC Memorial Park after the summit. From October 30 to November 1, a Yeongnam–Honam unity festival was scheduled there, with bands including Guckkasten (@far_east_asian_tigers).

8. A lakeside hotel stay (experience)

Bomun’s hotels sell themselves on pools and lake views. Hilton Gyeongju is known for its outdoor pool and kids’ water play area (@travelfairy.pick), and lake-view rooms at Lahan Select Gyeongju are popular.

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9. A night walk by the lake (see)

The lake path in front of the hotels is lit at night and full of walkers. Hotel lights and moon-boat glow overlap on the water.

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10. An autumn foliage drive (see)

The roads inside the Bomun complex are lined with cherry trees: a tunnel of blossoms in spring, of red leaves in autumn. You’ll see plenty from a bus window.

Nearby

• Bulguksa and Seokguram: 15 to 20 minutes from Bomun by bus or taxi, Part 11.
• Daereungwon, Cheomseongdae, Hwangnidan-gil: About 20 minutes by city bus, Part 12.
• Donggung and Wolji at night: Part 13. From Bomun it’s about 15 minutes by taxi.

Hotels nearby

Prices are Google Maps nightly rates, checked October 26, 2026 ($1 = about ₩1,325).

• Big lake-view hotels: Lahan Select Gyeongju (5-star, 4.3), about $141; The-K Hotel Gyeongju (4-star, 3.9), about $124; Commodore Hotel Gyeongju (4-star, 4.1), about $103; Sono Calm Gyeongju (4.0), about $162.
• For the pool: Hilton Gyeongju; check rates on booking sites.
• For a hanok stay downtown, see the hotel lists in Parts 12 and 13.

Getting there

① From Gimhae Airport (the closest international airport to Gyeongju)

• Intercity bus + city bus: From the Gimhae Airport stop, take an intercity bus to Gyeongju Intercity Bus Terminal (reported at about 15 a day, about 1 hour 4 minutes, ₩9,500 / $7.20 for an express seat), then a city bus toward the Bomun complex from in front of the terminal. Check the route number on Naver Map, and the current timetable and fares.

② From Incheon Airport

• AREX + KTX + city bus: AREX from Incheon Airport Terminal 1 or 2 to Seoul Station, a KTX toward Busan to Gyeongju Station (formerly Singyeongju, about 2 hours 10 minutes, roughly ₩49,000 / $37 in standard class), then a bus via the Bomun complex from outside the station. Check the route number on Naver Map. About four and a half hours in all.
• Mind the station name: Since December 28, 2023, the former Singyeongju Station has been called “Gyeongju Station.”

From Myeongdong

• Line 4 from Myeongdong to Seoul Station (two stops), then KTX to Gyeongju Station. With two days in Gyeongju, the shortest order is downtown on day one (Parts 12 and 13), then Bomun (Part 14) and Bulguksa (Part 11) on day two.

Sources

• APEC summit memorial hall opening (October 31, 2026): @tbc_funfun_event and @hotgyeongju on Instagram (October 2026). Memorial hall plans: Herald Economy, February 26, 2026
• Bomun Lake’s history as a reservoir (completed 1963): @ted_placer on Instagram (October 2026)
• Bomun lakeside path, about 8 km and two hours: travel information sites
• Draken stoppage report: YTN on YouTube
• Yeongnam–Honam unity festival (October 30 – November 1): @far_east_asian_tigers on Instagram
• Singyeongju renamed Gyeongju Station: Kyongbuk Maeil, December 29, 2023
• Gimhae Airport to Gyeongju intercity bus: Korea express and intercity bus timetables (updated July 28, 2026)
• YouTube view counts, Google Maps ratings and hotel rates: checked October 26, 2026
• Photos: Korea Tourism Organization (KOGL Type 1), photographer credited on each photo; embedded public Instagram posts and YouTube videos