Hyangilam temple, Yeosu 향일암 여수

Day 2 of 4-day trip to Yeosu

After Geumodo, we visited Hyangilam temple (향일암) which lies one island north on Dolsaneup (돌산읍). I was very taken with this place of trees, rocks, and its many hidden paths. And we managed to get there and explore before the sun went down and enjoy a nice jujube tea looking out to the sea.

Once parked, there’s a steep walk to the entrance area, with lots of cafes and restaurants; you can tell this place is a massive tourist trap on season. Got to love week day travelling!

The actual temple start with a path and steps up through a forest. Then it’s a left turn along a path featuring see-no, hear-no, speak-no evil Buddha statues. This is all before the main entrance.

Next, we get into first section of rocky passages! There are boulders and cracks and steps through crannies to navigate, and it’s all fantastic. I’m like a big kid who loves this kind of stuff, like I’m Indiana Jones!

Then we got to the first section of temple buildings. They are on a terrace overlooking the sea. It seems like there’s a communal seating area, perhaps where the monks eat. And a very business-like area where I guess all the donations come in! Its got to take some cash to keep this place looking as good as it does.

After this, it’s up through more rocky passage ways! These a formed by massive boulders overlapping each other creating intricate pathways up to more temple buildings.

This leads to the last set of temple buildings. This area has lots of gold coloured leaf-shaped ‘offerings'(?) with messages or prayers written on them. I think this is a way the temple takes donations, similar to having prayers written in roof tiles and under lanterns.

To exit you go back through the last set of passage ways, then take a different route through a last set of passage ways through the rocks.

Finally, the exit down a road to the restaurants. We found a cafe with a terrace and had some jujube tea and waffles. The place was Green Na Rae (그린나래까페).