After exploring the coast and ancient capital in my previous posts, Busan and the Busan to Gyeongju itinerary, our journey continued inland. This Andong travel guide with nearby villages and temples covers one of the most culturally and traditional regions of South Korea.
If you love UNESCO sites, wooden architecture, colourful temples, and authentic festivals, Andong might surprise you. It felt like stepping into traditional Korea, slower, deeper, and more rooted in history.
Stay Connected in South Korea
Before diving into this Andong travel guide, a quick practical tip: stay connected.
I always use Airalo eSIM when travelling. It allows me to land in a new country with instant data, perfect for maps, translations, and bookings. In South Korea, Naver Maps works best for navigation, and Papago is excellent for translations.
You can use my code DANIEL22410 if it’s your first time using Airalo.
From Ulsan to Andong – A Cultural Route
We left Ulsan early in the morning by our touring bus and headed toward one of Korea’s most important Buddhist temples.
🛕 Haeinsa Temple – UNESCO Wonder
Our first stop was Haeinsa, located in Gayasan National Park.
This UNESCO World Heritage Site is famous for housing the Tripitaka Koreana, a complete collection of Buddhist scriptures carved onto wooden blocks between 1237 and 1248.
Walking through the temple complex truly feels like stepping into the Joseon period, or into one of those beautiful Korean historical dramas. The architecture is colourful, detailed, and incredibly peaceful.
I would absolutely love to join a temple stay or monk retreat here one day. The atmosphere feels calm and grounding. It is quite a walk to the temple, but definitely worth it.
Souvenir tip: Many temple shops sell delicate silver rings and bracelets. Beautiful, meaningful pieces to take home.
🏘 Hahoe Folk Village – Living Joseon History
Next, we visited Hahoe Folk Village, a traditional village from the Joseon Dynasty, founded in the 14th–15th century.
This UNESCO-listed village preserves traditional Korean homes, wooden structures, and mask culture. Walking through the village feels authentic and untouched.
The craftsmanship here is impressive. If you’re looking for souvenirs, I recommend wooden masks or handcrafted utensils; the quality is excellent.
🎭 Andong International Maskdance Festival
After exploring the village, we headed into Andong city for the Andong International Maskdance Festival.
The atmosphere was festive and full of life. There was a parade, cultural performances, and dances from different countries; we even saw performers from Indonesia.
One of the highlights was Talchum, a traditional Korean mask dance drama recognised by UNESCO.
The festival area has many local restaurants. It’s great if you like trying new foods. If you’re vegan, options may be limited, but I personally enjoy exploring local cuisine because it enriches the travel experience.
Where We Stayed in Andong
That evening, we stayed at CM Park Hotel Andong.
To be honest, this was purely a practical stop. Because of the Mask Festival, many hotels were fully booked. The hotel is not luxurious and doesn’t have many nearby restaurants, but it worked well for a one-night stay before continuing our trip the next day.
Is Andong Worth Visiting?
Yes, especially if you are interested in:
- UNESCO heritage sites
- Buddhist temple architecture
- Traditional Korean villages
- Cultural festivals
- Authentic local experiences
Andong feels more traditional and less modern compared to Busan. It gives you a deeper understanding of Korea’s cultural identity.
Travel Tips for Andong
📅 Best Time to Visit
Autumn is ideal, especially during the Maskdance Festival season.
🚍 How to Get There
- Tour bus (as we did)
- Train from Gyeongju or Busan
- Private guided day tour
🎒 What to Buy
- Wooden masks, utensils from Hahoe Village
- Handmade silver jewellery from temple shops
Before you continue planning your trip, make sure to visit my South Korea travel hub, where you’ll find all my detailed South Korea itineraries, travel guides, and destination tips in one place. This hub makes it easy to follow my full route across the country and plan your own adventure step by step.
Upcoming posts will cover the Andong to Seoul travel route and a complete 2-day Seoul itinerary, so bookmark the hub to easily navigate every destination in this South Korea series.
👉 Next blog post: Andong to Seoul travel route.
