A temple stay is a Korean Buddhist cultural program where you spend a night in a mountain temple and experience meditation, ritual chanting, formal monastic dining, and tea talks with a monk. It ranks especially high with foreigners because it is not just lodging but a full day built on 1,700 years of tradition.
Booking and choosing a temple
You can book on the official site templestay.com in Korean, English, Japanese, and Chinese, with around 130 temples registered nationwide. Near Seoul, Jogyesa and Bongeunsa work well for one night, Woljeongsa on Odaesan in Gangwon-do has beautiful forest and valley scenery, and heritage temples like Tongdosa, Bulguksa, Songgwangsa, and Geumsansa also run programs. Access often involves mountain roads with limited transit, so check for a shuttle when booking.
A day's schedule
- 14:00 check-in, change into training clothes, orientation (phone handed in)
- 17:00 evening barugongyang (learn the bowls, leave not a grain of rice)
- 19:00 evening chanting; 20:30 tea talk with a monk (interpretation available)
- 04:30 dawn chanting (bring a warm, water-resistant jacket); 06:00 breakfast and light work; 10:00 closing
In short: Pick a temple that fits your goal on templestay.com and confirm the shuttle. Dawn chanting and the formal meal are the highlights foreigners rate most, and all you need is modest, comfortable clothing and a respectful attitude.