Tongyeong Mireukbong Peak and Jeon Hyuck-lim Art Museum, South Korea

Jeon Hyuck-Lim is a Korean artist who worked in Tongyeong and drew many paintings with sea scenes. Mireukbong Peak is the highest point where one can see the 360-degree view of the ocean.

Jeon Hyuck-Lim Art Museum: 10, Bongsu 1-gil, Tongyeong-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea
Mireukbong Peak: 산189 Yeongun-ri, Sanyang-eup, Tongyeong-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea

I took a taxi to Jeon Hyuck-Lim Art Museum because the bus does not come frequently.  The area near the museum seems to cater to the tourist since it has many cute cafes and eateries.

This is the museum’s cafe.

The museum.

I came out of the museum and looked at the shops on the street.

When I learned that the cable car to the Mireukbong Peak would not operate for the next four months, I did not plan to go there.  But I heard from the taxi driver that it is possible to walk up there while coming to the museum.  I started walking for the Mireukbong Peak after I heard from the owner of an eatery where I ate the lunch that the starting trail to the peak is near from where I ate, and it would only take about an hour.  It was a big mistake.  Always plan for extensive hiking for safety.  It turns out that the trail was very challenging and scary for me, with narrow paths near cliffs and steep ascending with sharp rocks on the road.  Sometimes, the route was hard to find because it did not have clear markings. There was a safer way to the top, which I learned and used on the way down.

The best way to reach the peak is to use the cable car to get near the peak, then use the well-maintained stairs to the peak.  Unfortunately, the cable car is not operating presently and will not for the next four months.  So I had to hike.  The safe way to walk to the peak is to take a taxi to Mirae Buddhist Temple and then hike from there.  It is still steep but without cliffs and needs for rock climbing.

A Buddhist temple was on the way.

The hiking trail started easy with well paved road.  It was steep, but was safe.

Then it changed to this, which is still okay.

Then this with cliffs and rocks.  Unless one is familiar with hiking, it is not safe to hike this road.

Near the top, this person was sitting at the edge of the cliff and singing loudly.  He must have climbed this area often.

On the top, there is a large observation area where one can look around 360 degrees.

The panoramic view from left to right.  It was a bit foggy.

The panoramic view of the other side, from left to right.

The closer view of the town below.

The observation deck with the standing stone that mark the peak of 1512 feet.