Roaming the open grounds of a sacred temple during an afternoon offers a short respite from the chaos of everyday life. But for a more grounding, immersive experience, consider a Korean temple stay.
Listen to the BlogCast
Don’t want to read? Listen to the South of Seoul BlogCast which provides accessible content through the use of AI technology. We don’t have time to read each article but we do our best to make more of our content accessible. If you would like to join our Accessibility Team apply to volunteer with South of Seoul. Please note that the pronunciation of some Korean words may be inaccurate due to AI technology’s limitations.
About temple stays in South Korea
Many Buddhist temples in South Korea offer these cultural programs, where participants experience the life of Buddhist monks by engaging in daily monastic activities. This includes Temple Stays where you can spend one or more nights in a Korean Buddhist temple.
All temple stay programs differ slightly, but typically run for a weekend or a quick overnight, (longer if requested). You can attend solo, with a small group of friends, and, at certain times of the year, with children during family stays.
The information below is an example of how programming may look, using a recent stay at Magoksa Temple as a guide. This 1000-year-old temple is designated a UNESCO World Heritage site and is situated in the Taehwasan Mountain range in Gongju, a location believed to have powerful pungsu (feng shui).
Magoksa
041-841-6221
Copy and paste phone numbers into Naver Maps to get directions
Before any temple visit, it’s important to read up on basic etiquette.
What to expect during your temple stay
Upon arrival at a Korean temple stay, you will be given temple clothing to wear during the duration of your stay. It is expected to wear this uniform for all activities, including meals, ceremonies while hiking on temple grounds, and additional programming. This is followed by a brief orientation explaining what is expected during your stay and the proper cultural nuances of temple life. You will then be guided to your accommodations, a simple room within the temple buildings with two blankets – one for sleeping on and one for covering – and a small pillow.
Sample programming for a weekend temple stay
The daily schedule for monks begins with a wake-up at 4:00 a.m. and ends at 9 p.m.
*Note all programming is optional. You are not required to participate, but it’s highly recommended for the full experience. All meals are vegetarian and included in the temple stay pricing.
Friday:
- Arrive by 5 p.m. for welcome and orientation
- 5:30-6 p.m.: Dinner
- 6:30 p.m.: Evening ceremony followed by meditation
Saturday:
- 4:30 a.m.: Morning ceremony
- 5-6 a.m.: Meditation
- 6:30-7 a.m.: Breakfast
- 9:30-11:30 a.m.: Accompany a monk on a hike, or tour of the grounds
- 11:30 a.m.: Lunch
- 12-1:30 p.m.: Free time.
- 1:30 p.m.: Cultural activity, lantern making, creating a Buddhist rosary, etc.
- 3-5:30 p.m.: Free time
- 5:30 p.m.: Dinner
- 6:30-7:30 p.m.: Evening ceremony and meditation
Sunday:
- 4:30 a.m.: Morning ceremony
- 5-6 a.m.: Meditation
- 6:30-7 a.m.: Breakfast
- 7-9:30 a.m.: Free time
- 9:30-10:30 a.m.: Tea ceremony. Sip tea while conversing with a monk. This allows for an open dialogue to ask any questions you may have. You will also create a beaded bracelet.
- 11:30 a.m.: Lunch
- 12 p.m.: Check Out
What to bring to a temple stay
- A light layer of clothes that can be changed for under the temple clothing (only one set of temple clothing is provided).
- Extra pad/pillow and blankets if you require more padding for sleeping.
- Extra socks: Inside temple buildings, you must wear socks.
- Slip-on footwear for ease of taking on and off to enter buildings.
- Hiking shoes.
- Towel and all toiletries.
- 220 plug for your smart phone.
- Snacks if needed.
- Padlock for your room (optional).
What NOT to bring to a Temple Stay
- Alcohol or tobacco.
- Meat snacks.
- Revealing clothing.
Where to find a temple stay
A list of temples that allow foreign visitors exists here.
Join the Pyeongtaek Travelers Group
You are also welcome to join our Pyeongtaek Travelers. The South of Seoul moderated a community of active and friendly travelers (most who live in Pyeongtaek, South Korea) sharing their adventure across the country.
Volunteer with South of Seoul
Interested in working with a fun team of talented volunteers? The South of Seoul volunteer team is always looking for other like-minded folks to research information, compile blogs, and edit content.
Journalist Molly Hayden has worked in the journalism field in Germany and the United States. In 2021 she relocated to South Korea.
As a volunteer Cultural Liason and Content Creator, Ms. Hayden reports on a variety of life & style topics with a focus on families living in rural South Korea.
