Asia > South Korea > Miryang
Miryang sits inland from Busan and Ulsan, where the Miryang River runs below wooded hills and old pavilions. It is not a big-city stop. The appeal is a quieter Korean day of views, temples, valleys, and the local version of Arirang, one of the country's best-known folk songs.
The town's classic sight is Yeongnamnu Pavilion, set above the river and often counted among Korea's great pavilions. Outside the centre, the hills become more important: Eoreumgol is the strange cold valley known as Ice Valley, and Pyochungsa Temple sits in the Yeongnam Alps with a strong link to monk-soldier history.
Miryang works best with a car, taxi budget, or a patient day on local buses. The sights are spread out, but that is also why the place feels more open than the large southeastern cities nearby.