Gacheon Daraengi Village
Gacheon Daraengi Village is backed by Seolheulsan Mountain and faces a steep coastal cliff. The village is famous for its terraced paddy fields, which are recognized as a unique feature in Korea. These terraced paddy fields were artificially created on the mountain slope to make way for rice farming. Depending on the degree of the slope, the paddies form various layers. Just beyond the village, the road divides into a coastal path and Gacheon Jiget-gil Trail, a walking path leading to the terraced fields. If you go down to the coast, you will be walking on a suspension bridge connected to the bedrock; the view of the waves crashing down below the cliffs is splendid.
Geumsan Boriam Temple
With a name that means beautiful as silk, Geumsan Mountain is a significant mountain that represents Namhae and is a part of the Hallyeohaesang National Park. Located at the summit entrance of Geumsan Mountain is Boriam Temple. The legend goes that visitors will be granted at least one wish at this temple. The temple’s Haesu Gwaneum Statue overlooking the Namhae region is one of the three major Haesu Gwaneum Statues in Korea. You can drive from the parking lot up to the temple, or take the shuttle bus that goes up to the entrance to the temple. From there, one can get a birds-eye-view of Sangju Silver Sand Beach below, which blends well with the surrounding mountains and cliffs. The view of the Hallyeohaesang National Park from Boriam Temple is recognized as the best scenic view in Namhae.
German Village
The German Village was built to accommodate Korean-Germans who lived in Germany. The village is home to many beautiful residential buildings with white exteriors and orange roofs. Most of the buildings have a German name like Heidelberg or Frankfurt. As you walk up to the village from its entrance, you can get a better view of Mulgeonhang Port and the Mulgeon Windbreak Forest. With all its colors, the village blends strikingly well with the blue sea. Visitors can also get a firsthand experience of German culture by visiting Namhae German Exhibition Hall, German restaurants, and German Culture Experience Center, featuring German promotion hall and a gift shop. You can also find beautiful gardens of various flowers at the House N Garden near the experience center.
Mulgeon Windbreak Forest
Looking down below the German Village, you will see a long band-like forest known as the Mulgeon Windbreak Forest along the coast. Many forests in Korea were created to serve specific purposes long ago, and the Mulgeon Windbreak Forest was one of them. Mulgeon Windbreak Forest was formed about 300 years ago to protect the village against vigorous sea winds as well as attract fish with the vivid green colors of the forest.
Jukbangryeom
Jukbangryeom is a time-honored, primitive fishing method in Korea and a unique fishing practice that can only be seen in Namhae. The name refers to the bamboos used to set up a trap in an open-fan shape. This V-shaped installation on the sea can be seen from Changseongyo Bridge. The fish that are mostly caught are anchovies, but there are also hairtails, mackerel pikes, pomfrets, and shrimps. In particular, jukbang myeolchi, anchovy caught in Jukbangryeom, commands the highest price and is sold nationwide. There are many restaurants within Namhae that offer dishes made of anchovies such as the myeolchi-ssambap (anchovy, rice, and side dishes, eaten wrapped in lettuce) and myeolchi-hoe (fresh, raw anchovy). Getting a taste of the unique local cuisine while catching the sunset over Jijok Beach should be well worth your time.
Sangju Silver Sand Beach & Dumo Village
With clean and clear seawater and quality mud flat, the sea of Namhae is great for various activities such as swimming and water sports. The most famous beach in Namhae is the Sangju Silver Sand Beach in Sangju-myeon. The name Sangju Silver Sand Beach was given to the beach in appreciation of the beautiful sandy beach. The 2 kilometer-long pine tree grove surrounding the sandy beach in a semi-circle offers another splendid scene. With Mokseom Island in front of the fan-shaped beach and the mountains surrounding the beach on each side, the beach forms gentle waves and shallow waters, making it ideal for swimming and water activities. Situated in Sangju-myeon, Dumo Village is well-known for leisure sports like sea rafting, kayak and boat fishing, as well as mudflat activities like collecting littleneck clams. In addition, Dumo Village blossoms with canola flowers in spring and buckwheat in fall, providing splendid scenery all year round.