A 600-meter-long walkway over the water, a lake with sunsets and a historic Confucian academy showcase different sides of Nonsan-si. There are also springtime sights, temples and opportunities to explore history and local experiences. When planning your trip, it’s worth distinguishing between these highlights: some are tied to a particular season, while others relate to educational history, architecture or landscape.
Tapjeongho and Springtime
The 600-meter-long Tapjeongho Suspension Bridge is considered Asia’s largest pedestrian bridge over water and a landmark of Nonsan-si. Its features include night lighting and a skywalk. Tapjeongho itself is considered the second-largest lake in Chungcheongnam-do and is known for its clear water and sunsets. Thus, the same lake is associated with different highlights: the suspension bridge as a structure, and the lake as a landscape, with a regional size comparison and evening light.
April offers two different seasonal highlights. At the Nonsan Strawberry Festival, which is held annually around this month, picking strawberries in the fields is part of the experience; the exact festival dates vary. Also around April, cherry blossoms along the road between Nonsan-si and Gwanchoksa Temple form a cherry blossom tunnel. Many people use the route as a walking path. The festival and the blossoms offer different experiences, even though both provide a similar general indication of the season.
Educational History and Cultural Heritage
Donam Seowon in Yeonsan-myeon, Nonsan-si, is a historic Confucian academy. It commemorates the scholarly work of Sagye Kim Jang-saeng and his students, and was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2019. Jonghakdang offers a different perspective on educational history: Yun Sun-geo founded the institution in 1643 for the children of his clan. Children from the clan and related families lived together there and devoted themselves to their studies. The two sites thus represent different historical traditions: the commemoration of a scholar and his students on the one hand, and children living and learning together on the other.
The cultural heritage sites also have different designations. At Gwanchoksa Temple in Gwanchok-dong stands the upright stone statue of Maitreya Bodhisattva, a National Treasure of Korea. At Ssanggyesa Temple, at the foot of Bulmyeongsan, the Daeungjeon Hall, with its ornate floral lattice windows, is designated Treasure No. 408. Near Ganggyeong, the Modern History Street combines modern buildings and historic sites to create a cultural experience space. The examples range from an individual stone statue and temple architecture to a street that brings together buildings from different periods.
Experiences and Exhibitions
Nonsan Sunshine Land in Yeonmu-eup offers military-themed experiences such as VR, survival games, and indoor and simulation shooting. A visit to the 1950 Romantic Studio is also part of the experience. The Baekje Military Museum in Bujeok-myeon has exhibition galleries, the Hoguk Hall, a special exhibition room and an information research room. It also features a 4D theater and hands-on activities such as archery and horseback riding. The museum also has a permanent outdoor area. The formats are therefore distinct: Sunshine Land combines interactive experiences with a studio visit, while the museum brings together exhibition spaces, a theater and hands-on activities.
Landscape and Market
In the Nonsan area of Daedunsan are Surak Valley and Surak Waterfall; both are known for their clear water and beautiful scenery. These natural attractions offer a different focus from the buildings and exhibitions: here, water and landscape take center stage.
Nonsan Hwaoji Jungang Market is located in Daegyo-dong and has a covered arcade, shopping facilities and its own parking lot. Since details of the facilities may change, check the points important to your plans again before visiting.
Discover more destinations: Asan-Si, Gongju-si, Geumsan-gun, Buyeo-gun
Back to the main travel overview: Chungcheongnam-Do.
