Gyeongju’s Autumn Peaks at Bulguksa’s 1,200-Year-Old Stone Bridges: Fall Foliage at Bulguksa and Seokguram

Part 11 of 39 in Only Here: 39 Things You Can Only Do in Korea

In early November the maples on both sides of Bulguksa’s stone bridges turn red at once, and the longest photo queue in Gyeongju forms right there. Both Bulguksa and Seokguram are free to enter.

Featured photo: Oh Gyeong-taek / Korea Tourism Organization, KOGL Type 1

Only Here: 39 Things You Can Only Do in Korea · Part 11 · Gyeongju

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At a glance

• What: See two UNESCO World Heritage sites, Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto, in one day during foliage season. Go up to Seokguram first, then come down to Bulguksa; it’s the shortest route (@wildmind_kr).
• Cost: Both free (national heritage admission fees were dropped on May 4, 2023). Parking is ₩2,000 per car.
• Hours: Both open from 9 a.m., every day. Last entry was reported as 5:30 p.m. in October and 5 p.m. from November to January (@wildmind_kr); check before you go.
• Crowds: Get into Seokguram before 10 a.m.; the queue grows after that (@sssukyung). On foliage-season weekends Bulguksa is busiest around lunch.
• Etiquette: Since 1976 the main Buddha at Seokguram can only be seen from behind a glass wall. The grotto is a place of prayer, so pass through quietly. No pets.
• Bring: Seokguram is up on the mountain and much colder than Bulguksa. Bring a jacket.

Also read: In Seoul's Hongdae, a Free K-pop Concert Starts Every Weekend Night: Watching Street Busking

Bulguksa and Seokguram, in the right order

1. Head up to Seokguram early

From in front of Bulguksa, take bus 12 to Seokguram, or walk up the old Tohamsan trail. Bus 12 runs infrequently, and some visitors report waiting over an hour in foliage season (travelmapjourney). If time matters, a taxi is better.

2. Stand before the Seokguram Buddha

Seokguram is an artificial grotto Silla carved from granite in the 8th century. You only get a few minutes facing the Buddha through the glass, but it’s the scene from Gyeongju that stays longest.

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3. Look east from the Seokguram courtyard

Seokguram sits on the east slope of Tohamsan, so on a clear day the view opens over the mountains toward the East Sea. That’s why it’s often described as built to face the sunrise.

4. Come down to Bulguksa and walk in from the gate

At Bulguksa you walk about ten minutes along a forest path from the Iljumun gate to the main hall. The foliage on this path and the afternoon light through the pines are lovely.

5. Take your photo in front of Cheongungyo and Baegungyo

This is where the classic front-on Bulguksa shot comes from. The bridges are a National Treasure, so you can’t climb them; walk around the side into the main hall courtyard.

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6. See the two pagodas in the main hall courtyard

Dabotap and Seokgatap stand facing each other in front of the main hall. The ornate one is Dabotap, the plain one Seokgatap. Dabotap is the pagoda on Korea’s 10-won coin.

Top 10 things to do at Bulguksa and Seokguram

1. Foliage photos at Cheongungyo and Baegungyo (photo spot)

The signature Bulguksa autumn shot. Mornings are backlit, so the color is best from 2 to 4 p.m.

2. Foliage reflected in Banyayeonji Pond (photo spot)

On a windless day the leaves reflect perfectly in Banyayeonji, the pond near the front of the temple grounds. A good first stop when the bridge queue is long.

3. Hold up a 10-won coin to Dabotap (experience)

Pulling out a 10-won coin and photographing it with Dabotap is an old Korean travelers’ game.

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4. Find the lucky pig at Geungnakjeon (experience)

Behind the Geungnakjeon hall’s signboard hides a wooden boar found in 2007. A golden pig statue placed in front is said to bring luck if you touch it, and people queue to pat it (@yoe.zip__).

5. The Seokguram Buddha (see)

A Buddha that has faced east from the same spot for more than 1,200 years. Today its interior climate is controlled by machines to keep out moisture (@sports.thescientist).

6. Walk down the old Tohamsan trail (experience)

A mountain trail links Seokguram and Bulguksa. It’s a downhill forest walk of roughly an hour, often faster than waiting for the bus. Check at Seokguram that the trail is open before you set off.

7. Foliage over the eaves (photo spot)

All over the temple you’ll find spots where maples hang over the eaves of the cloisters and Beomyeongnu pavilion. If you have a telephoto lens, stack eaves and leaves in one frame.

8. The Bulguksa moktak clicker (shopping)

The bestseller in Bulguksa’s souvenir shop right now is a tiny moktak, a wooden temple percussion block, that clicks under your finger. It went viral on Reels and sells out some days (@truelife0224).

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9. Korean set meals below Bulguksa (eat)

The village below Bulguksa is full of Korean restaurants that cover the table with side dishes. Close by on Google Maps: Songjeongwon Sundubu (4.7), Gyeongju Soban (4.6), Gyeongchunjae (4.5) and Bulguksa Milmyeon (4.2).

10. A night in a hanok stay (experience)

Gyeongju is too good for one day. Many visitors stay in a hanok guesthouse, drink tea, and see the city center the next day. Daereungwon and Hwangnidan-gil are Part 12; the Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond night view is Part 13.

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Nearby

• Bomun Tourist Complex: 15 minutes by car from Bulguksa. Cycling around the lake and the hotel cluster are Part 14.
• Tongiljeon ginkgo road: Famous for its tunnel of yellow ginkgo in November.
• Daereungwon, Cheomseongdae, Hwangnidan-gil: 30 to 40 minutes by city bus. Part 12.
• Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond: The heart of Gyeongju’s night view. Part 13.

Hotels nearby

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

• Right by Bulguksa: Bulguksa Family Hotel (4.2), about $44; Hidden Hill Bulguksa Hotel (5.0), about $85.
• Mid-range: Kolon Hotel (4-star, 3.5, hot springs), about $74; IJE Gyeongju (4.6), about $166.
• Lakeside at Bomun: Covered in Part 14.

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 city bus 10 or 11 from in front of the terminal to Bulguksa (about 40 minutes). Check the current timetable and fares before you go.
• Pohang Gyeongju Airport: Domestic flights from Gimpo and Jeju. Bus connections into Gyeongju are limited, so check the route before you fly in here.

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; check Korail for the current fare), then city bus 700 to Bulguksa. 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.” The old downtown Gyeongju Station closed in 2021.

From Myeongdong

• Line 4 from Myeongdong to Seoul Station (two stops), then KTX to Gyeongju Station. A day trip is possible, but to see Seokguram, Bulguksa and the city center, stay a night.

Sources

• 2026 foliage peak forecast (Korea National Arboretum), last entry, free admission: @wildmind_kr on Instagram (viewed October 15, 2026)
• Seokguram entry times and queue: @sssukyung on Instagram (October 2026)
• Hours, fee waiver, distances: Korea Tourism Organization
• Seokguram glass-wall viewing since 1976: Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
• Bus 12 wait times: travelmapjourney
• 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)
• Foreign visitors to Gyeongju up 18.3% (January–May 2026): Kyongbuk Maeil, June 24, 2026
• Names of Cheongungyo and Baegungyo: @1000y.kyungju on Instagram
• 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