At a stone's throw away from Korea's second biggest city, Gimhae is like a step back in time. We'll take you through a colorful tour of this wonderful city that is a must-visit whenever you're near Busan!
From museums to fortress walls and an awesome amusement park, there are a lot of cool things to do in Gimhae. The next time you want to head south, maybe head here. I actually spent 2 months in Gimahe back in 2020, when I first moved to Korea as part of a home stay at the Strawberry farm "Cloudberry". Here, I had a great local experience, and tried my hand at something I thought I would never do, which was working on a farm pretty much in the middle of nowhere, and you know what? I loved it!
Gimhae also has a lot of rich history, and according to the legend, King Suro was one of six princes born from eggs that descended from the sky in a golden bowl wrapped in red cloth. Suro was the firstborn and led the others in setting up the six states of Gaya (가야). What I was most intrigued by when I first visited, knowing nothing about the king or queen buried in the tombs and reading the information there, was that the queen is said to be from the Indian country Ayuta today identified as Ayodhya. This is great information if you are into history like me, and because of the remoteness that Gimhae has to offer, it's the perfect place to escape the city and soak in Korea's rich history and culture on a more local level.
If that isn't enough, then near the King Suro Tomb Complex, stop into the folk museum to see folk relics from the Gimhae region. On the first floor, there is food, clothing, shelter, and relics related to music. On the second floor, there are relics related to agriculture. This is worth a visit as well.
When the weather is hot or even during the cold bleak winters Gimhae National Museum is also worth checking out. Built to preserve the research and cultural heritage of the Gaya Kingdom, the museum is at the foot of Gujibong where you may have just come from if you checked out the fortress first. The exterior of the museum is really interesting and showcases black bricks to represent the iron ore and charcoal famous during the Gaya Kingdom.
Inside, the museum houses relics from as far back as the Neolithic Age, Bronze Age, and so on. It’s an impressive collection and pays great homage to the history of the area and the Gaya Kingdom. There’s also a fun children’s museum; it does require a reservation, however, if the spaces aren’t all full, you can go right in so be sure to ask like I did.
Actually next to the Strawberry farm I stayed at, is Lotte Water Park. Gimhae is actually home to the largest water park in Korea. Roughly the size of 17 football fields, the water park is home to some of your favorite rides like a 118-meter Tornado Slide, a Tube Slide, and a Tiki River. There are indoor and outdoor wave pools and a kid's pool so something for everyone. Fly into Gimhae in the summer and you’ll have a blast… a water blast, sadly when I stayed in Gimahe it was the middle of winter, however, I have been back since and I have loved the water park, some weekends outside of the peak time they open it as a dog water park too! That's crazy!!
Regardless of your interests, Gimhae despite its size has something to offer everyone, so definitely head south and check it out this year!
Let us know in the comments below if you have ever been to Gimhae, and what you favorite attraction is. Tag us in your photos!
Comentarios