I visited here in fall of 2007.

Located a short distance out of Gyeongju, the Seokguram Grotto and Bluguksa Temple are two completely different w sites put under the same world heritage banner. The Seokguram Grotto was a real disappointment. It is much more difficult to get to, sitting on the top of a mountain, and up a winding road. You have to walk about 10-15 min to get there, and when you do get there, it is a tiny alcove where you can’t take photos, and the Buddha is walled off behind glass.

The Bluguska Temple, however, is the most impressive thing in the Gyeongju area. It was the best-preserved temple I visited in South Korea and is a rather large complex. The above photo is the front of the Seokguram Grotto. Both the temple and the shrine can be visited from Gyeongju on a half day trip via taxi or organized tour.

Read more about the Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple on my website.