Samgwangsa Temple in Busan is most famous for having a beautifully elaborate lantern display for Buddha’s birthday. The temple is illuminated by thousands of lanterns, giving the hilltop location an ethereal feel. There’s definitely a reason CNN put it on their list of 50 beautiful places to visit in Korea.

This year, Buddha’s birthday was celebrated on May 14. People flocked by the busload to Samgwangsa, and for good reason. I would recommend visiting the temple during lantern season, as there’s really nothing like it.

Getting there:

The quickest option is to take a taxi straight to the temple. This is probably your best bet if you have problems with inclines, because the temple itself is situated at the top of a pretty steep hill. Another option would be to hop on a bus bound for Seongyeong apartments. Bus numbers 44, 63, 81, 83-1, 103, 112, 133, or 201 will get you there. Bus 15 from Seomyeon runs about every 10 minutes taking people to and from the temple.