If you like nature, hiking and smelling the fresh outdoors, then you’ll probably like some of the national parks of South Korea.

Gaya Mountain National Park (가야산국립공원) is a great hiking destination. The slopes are relatively gentle, so even hiking amateurs can join. The Park is located in an isolated area; so much of the Park was protected from the razing of Japanese soldiers in the 1590s. Other scenic attractions in the Park include a Buddhist figure carved in stone, a waterfall and the ruins of a temple and castle.

The picture of Sobaeksan National Park (소백산국립공원) on the left is a picture of the heavy snowfall in winter. The location of this park crosses the borders of Chungcheongbuk Province (충청북도) and Gyeongsangbuk Province (경상북도). Sobaeksan National Park is an important preserve because it is home to thousands and thousands of plant and animal species.

With an area that covers 2,321.5 kilometers square, Dadohaehaesang National Park (다도해해상국립공원) is the largest national park in South Korea. The Park includes an island with many bird, fish, reptile and amphibian species. Dadohaehaesang is known for its beautiful sunset, clean waters and diversity of flowers.

Hallyeo Haesang National Park (한려해상국립공원) is a park that includes both land and marine areas. There is a large mountain named Geumsan (금산). The legend says that a man who wanted to become king promised to cover the mountain with silk if he became king. When he became a king the mountain was so large that he couldn’t find enough silk to cover it. Hence the name Silk Mountain or Geumsan.

Wolchulsan National Park (월출산국립공원) was named after Mount Wolchul (월출산). It is the smallest national park in South Korea, and is known for a suspension bridge that connects the two peaks of the Mountain. The bridge is called “Cloud Bridge” (구름다리) because the Bridge is so high up that when you look below everything looks tiny.