Iksan travel info

Iksan is a railway town where the Honam and Jeolla lines split. Leave the station and ride out of the city, and the scenery changes fast. On the plain at Geumma lies the site of Mireuksa, once the largest temple of the Baekje kingdom, with a tall stone pagoda standing on the lawn. Nearby Wanggung-ri keeps the foundations of a palace from King Mu's time. Together, the two were inscribed in 2015 as part of the Baekje Historic Areas on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Back in town, eating is half the trip. In Hwangdeung, raw-beef bibimbap comes with rice warmed in hot ox-blood soup, which is unusual. Restaurants near the Mireuksa site serve soft-tofu set meals, and there is a chicken soup made with Chinese yam. Wanggung also has a jewelry museum, since Iksan is known for gem cutting. In autumn the city holds a chrysanthemum festival.

The sights sit well away from the centre. Mireuksa and Wanggung-ri are close to each other, but many visitors say buses from Iksan Station are infrequent. A taxi or rental car makes the day much easier. From Seoul the KTX takes under an hour and a half, so a day trip works.

From Seoul (KTX)

From other cities (BUS)

From Incheon Airport (ICN)