All you need to know for an incredible Temple Stay in South Korea

Last Updated on February 24, 2025 by Laura

If you are into tradition and want to embark on a once-in-a-lifetime experience while visiting South Korea, a Templestay is probably what you are searching for. From the moment I started planning my trip to this incredible country, I knew that I wanted to do this experience and learning first hand how Buddhist monks live in the mountainous South Korean countryside. In this blog, I will tell you everything about my experience and all you need to know to plan your own Templestay in South Korea.

What is a Temple Stay

The motto of the Korean Templestay (템플스테이) is “finding your true self”. This because Templestay is unlike any other stay you have experienced before. Indeed, if you think you are going just to visit a traditional temple and sleep there, you are starting with the wrong foot. Born in 2002, Templestay (or Temple Stay) is an experiential, cultural program that allows participants to experience life as a Buddhist practitioner/monks in all its aspects for the time being of the stay. This means that if you decide to undertake this program, you will have to follow its rules and leave behind your regular life to experience this at its best.

Participants are expected to meditate, walk, learn from the monks and engage in various activities for the time being of the program. Detached from technology and every day stress, you will have more time to reflect on the meaning of life and learn something about Buddhism, and probably also about yourself.

Why doing a Temple Stay is a great experience

Templestay in South Korea – Golgulsa Temple

I believe that a Temple Stay is one of those rare once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that need to be caught when arriving. To me, it was one of my South Korea trip’s highlights and bucket list things to do. Indeed, it doesn’t happen every day to have the privilege of learning life lessons from Buddhist monks, share a meal with them and wake up surrounded by beauty in the middle of nowhere in South Korea.

Temple Stay is an occasion to detach from everyday stressful life and implement new mindful practices into our daily routine, enjoy simply meals, make new friends and remember how to appreciate small victories and daily joys.

I want to stress out that this program is open to everyone, but it’s not for everyone. Indeed, if you expect a luxury stay and facilities and cannot detach from the commodities of life, wake up early and follow specific rules for a few days. This is not for you. To get the most of this experience, you’ll need to be ready to embrace it at 100%.

Useful things to know before booking a temple stay

Before illustrating the different types of Templestay(s) you can book and what to expect from this program, is better to provide you with a few useful information for your potential participation.

Do I need to be religious to undertake a temple stay?

NO. There is no restriction regarding religion. You don’t need to be religious or Buddhist to engage with the program. Templestay is open to everyone. Indeed, one of the Buddhist principles is accepting the others. Whether you are religious or not, it doesn’t matter as this is an occasion for meditating and learning about a different culture and religion. Of course, if you are uncomfortable about learning and practicing Buddhist way of life for a few days, maybe this program is not right for you. About the specific of the program read forward.

Do I have to follow a program for a temple stay?

If you decide to engage on the program, yes. You will receive a schedule to follow and you will be invited to respect the schedule as much as possible. Of course, if you feel unwell or tired, you’ll need just to communicate this and you will be allowed to remain in your room.

I have specific dietary requirements. Will this be a problem?

Most (probably all) temples in Templestay adopt a vegetarian diet. This means that no meat will be served during the meals provided. Of course, if you have any allergy, you must communicate this during the booking process.

Will be possible to stay in a private room or with my family/friends?

As the website says, the temple life is based on communal living. So all the monks in the temple live, eat, sleep and practice together sharing the same space. It is also a way of practice, and through this kind of life, a monk could have a better understanding of both himself and others. All the bedrooms are shared with other people in the program (gender separated). However, a few temples have private rooms that can be shared with family members. Other temples have private rooms, but they can’t be shared with family/friends.

How long is a Templestay in South Korea

Depends on the program you decide to book. There are 1 day to a maximum of 10 day programs. I recommend the 2 days 1 night program that is perfect for visitors and gives you a very good experience of monastic life.

Is Templestay always available during the week?

No. Templestay programs go forward only during specific days of the week. Usually during the weekend. This is probably done to avoid creating too much disruption in the monastic life within the temple.

Will I need a car to reach my destination?

It depends. Some temples are literally up into the mountains, some others are little peaceful oases in the middle of crowded cities. If you will opt for more remote locations that are difficult to reach by train or public transports, then a car is the only option you will have. Nevertheless, if you don’t feel like driving or explore the countryside, there are excellent locations also in Seoul or Busan.

How to choose a Templestay in South Korea

Templestay in South Korea – Map of temples in South Korea

Now that you have all your basic information about Templestay, is time to choose where to stay. This is very important because each Templestay program, in each temple, is different from another one. They share some common practices but they differ on activities on can do.

Therefore, before searching for a temple where to spend a few days, you’ll need to ask yourself: what I want to experience/learn from this program? To me it was always martial arts. Indeed, since I learned that warrior monks were living in the mountains of South Korea and teaching Sunmundo, I knew that was my place. Nevertheless, not all the people are that adventurous. Others prefer more calmer stays orientated in meditation practices, craft or even food based.

Ergo, it’s really important to chose a location/temple that is right for your needs and visiting purposes.

South Korea Temple Stay Locations

There are hundreds of Templestay across South Korea. Therefore, once again, it’s up to you deciding the location that fits your needs. Here below. I can give you a few suggestions for staying both in Seoul or undertaking a Templestay in a more remote area. Another aspect you want to perhaps consider is the location itself. Indeed, some of these temples are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Therefore, it can be an unique experience to stay in one of those places.

Templestay in Seoul

Templestay in South Korea – Bongeunsa and Jogyesa Temples

Despite being a huge, fast-moving city, Seoul has some beautiful temples that offer the program Templestay. These temples are ideal to those visitors who want to break from the city routine and don’t feel to drive in remote locations. Please note that this year (2025) Jogyesa Temple is no longer offering multi-day Templestay programs, but only a daily schedule. Therefore the only two temples that have a two-day program available for Seoul are Bongeunsa Temple or Hwagyesa Temple. To note that Hwagyesa is slightly out of Seoul. Indeed its located in the outskirts of the city featuring the fabulous backdrop of the Bukhansan National Park. However, it still easily reachable with public transportation.

Bengeunsa is a personal favourite of mine. Indeed, despite being quite close to a very popular neighbourhood (Gangnam), once you are in the temple, the city really seems far away! It’s a very peaceful place with a lovely hill walking path. They also offer one-day program that is useful for visitors who don’t have much time.

Templestay in a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Templestay is a unique experience. Nevertheless, if you want to elevate your stay even more, you might want to chose a UNESCO World Heritage Site as your base for the program.

Bulguksa Temple in Gyeongju is one of the most popular locations for Templestay. Founded in 528 by King Beopheung, this temple is home of at leat 7 national treasures and it’s also one of the oldest temples in South Korea.

Another impressive UNESCO World Heritage Site is Haeinsa Temple. Located in the heart of the Gayasan National Park, this majestic temple is home of the famous Tripitaka Koreana. A 13th-century collection of Buddhist scriptures uniquely carved onto 81,258 wooden printing blocks.

Please note that at the moment, the only way to visit the Tripitaka Koreana up close is by booking the Tripitaka Koreana Pilgrimage Weekend program at Templestay. Regular visitors can see the wooden blocks only from specific openings windows within the buildings.

Templestay in the Korean off-the beaten path countryside

Templestay in South Korea – Guinsa Temple

If you don’t mind driving or taking a long detour with the public transport to reach your destination, I warmly recommend you to book a Templestay out of big cities. This because you will experience the stunning Korean countryside that is mountainous and devoid of any tourists. Moreover, you will have the opportunity to really detach yourself from a busy routine to fully immerse in nature.

For obvious reasons (because it was my choice), I will tell you that Golgulsa Temple is the perfect location if you want to go in the countryside. Indeed, it’s close to Gyeonjiu but at the same time surrounded by mountains and beautiful landscape.

Another beautiful temple you might want to consider for a countryside Templestay experience is Guinsa Temple. Headquarter of Korean Buddhist Cheontae Order, Guinsa Temple is one of the largest temples in South Korea. It’s located in the Danyang countryside, a mountainous region in the north east part of South Korea. To note the temple is built inside a steep gorge and if you have mobility issues, might not be the right choice.

In this regard, you might be interesting in reading about my visit to Guinsa Temple here.

Last but not least, Mihwangsa Temple in the very south corner of South Korea features a double stunning background with the mountains on the back and the sea on the other side. It’s truly a unique spot for a stay!

Picking up the right Temple Stay Program for your stay

Templestay in South Korea -Golgulsa Temple

The second most important aspect to consider for your visit is the type of program you will like to participate. Indeed there 3 different types of programs that visitors can choose.

One day Templestay program

The one-day Templestay program is thought for those people who don’t have much time. Either tourists or busy people, the schedule for this program is usually of a couple of hours to 1 full day (depending on the temple). It gives visitors the possibility to appreciate this experience without the obligation of remaining overnight and undertake the monastic duties.

Please note that not all the temples offer this program. Here below you can find a short list of temples offering this package:

Bongeunsa Temple
Geumsunsa Temple
Myogaksa Temple
Magoksa Temple
International Seon Center
Jogyesa Temple
Jinkwansa Temple
Golgulsa Temple

Experience-oriented Templestay

Templestay in South Korea – Sunmundo Demonstration at Golgulsa Temple

Experience-oriented Templestay is the one focused (as the word says) in experiencing monastic life in all its aspects. This includes chantings, 108 prostrations, Buddhist meals and specific activities that differs from temple to temple and the season one visits. This program is usually done during the weekend and includes an overnight stay and 2 days of activities. It’s the program I joined for my Templestay and the one I really recommend! To note that activities may vary from craft to physical exercise depending on the temple. I would recommend consulting carefully each temple’s program before joining.

Here below a small list of temples offering an experience-oriented stay:

Sudeoksa Temple
Golgulsa Temple
Naesosa Temple
Bulguksa Temple
Guinsa Temple
Jikjisa Temple
Haeinsa Temple
Beomeosa Temple

Rest-oriented Templestay

As the title of this program suggests, this type of Templestay is specifically designed for those who need a break from their stressing daily life. Indeed, the temple will become a safe refuge away from busy life and here one can rest mind and body without the need of focusing a specific schedule.

To note that monks will still give you a program of the day which includes the times for dinner, meditation and activities in the temple. Nevertheless, differently from the experience-oriented stay, it’s not compulsory to follow them.

Here below a small list of temples offering a rest-oriented templestay:

Hwaeomsa Temple
Lotus Lantern International MeditationCenter
Baekyangsa Temple
Mihwangsa Temple
Woljeongsa Temple
Jikjisa Temple
Donghwasa Temple
Haeinsa Temple

Practical information for Temple Stays in South Korea

Here below you can find some additional information for your temple stay.

Cost of a Temple Stay

As you can expect, each Temple Stay has a cost. The cost depend from the type of package you choose and the temple you choose. You should expect to pay between 60,000 and 150,000 KRW (£33 -83 / $41-104) per stay per person. If you chose to stay in a single room (without sharing) the price usually increase of 20% more or less.

The cost usually cover your room and board and your activities.

What to pack for a Temple Stay

Templestay in South Korea – Our uniforms at Golgulsa Temple

You won’t need much for your temple stay. Remember that you are embracing a Buddhist lifestyle so you’ll have to drop any unnecessary thing for the time being of the program. We had lots of luggage with us but we left them in the car and packed only two small backpacks with us. Indeed, many temples won’t allow large suitcases in the accommodations. Especially because there are many stairs to do! So if you don’t have a car, you will need to deposit your luggage at the Templestay office of your temple. Suggested packing list is the following:

1 or 2 plain t-shirts (for summer)
Change of clothes/underwear
Comfortable shoes
Toiletries
Hairdryer
Socks
Phone charger
Socks (at least 2 pairs as you will need them to walk inside temples)
Warm clothes (if booking a winter stay)
Camera (you are allowed to take picture when these don’t interfere with activities)
Meditation journal (optional)
Water bottle (you will also be provided with some in your room)
A small backpack in case of day trips/trekking

Most of the temples will provide hand soap, temple uniforms, temple hats (for summer) and sometimes toothpaste. Temple rooms are very simple with no electronics (e.g. TV) My room had just an open wardrobe a fridge and the futon(s). As I booked a single room for myself, and I have back problems, I stacked a few futon mattress on top of the other to be a little more comfortable. However I have to warn you! Mattresses are very thin, so even in this way, I was a little blocked in the morning. LOL.

Getting to your Temple Stay

Templestay in South Korea – Road in Danyang

Unless you book a stay in a big city (Seoul/Busan), there are high chances that your temple will be located in the middle of nowhere, with public transports arriving only up to a certain point. I recommend you to read carefully the instructions related to the location of the temple, particularly if the temple stay office is located on a separate location from the temple.

Korean taxis are very efficient in reaching distant places, but you’ll need to be certain also on how you will get back to the rest of your trip after your stay. We met a few fellow travellers who remained stuck in the temple were we were doing our stay and were panicking on how to return from the countryside without a car. This because there were no more train spaces from Gyeongju to Busan (and they didn’t book in advance). We couldn’t even offer them a passage because we had to drop off the car at a specific station and departing very early in the morning after our stay.

Therefore, when booking your stay, make sure to know how to get to your temple and how to return back. And for goodness sake, book your train tickets in advance!!!

If you need a car rental, I strongly recommend to book with LOTTE rental cars. They are amazing and all the procedures were tourist friendly and super smooth!

How to book a Temple Stay in South Korea

All the types of Templestay in South Korea must be booked via the official website Templestay.com. The monks of each temple and their admin offices are directly in charge of the bookings. Therefore, no other website (except the official one) is authorised to book a stay for you.

How long time before do I need to book my Templestay?

Something that I probably needed to mention before, is that there is only a limited number of spaces that are available for each temple stay. This is due mainly for two reasons. The first is because the program is limited to only a few days each week. The second is because the number depends on how may guests the temple can hosts. Therefore, the smallest is the temple and its facilities, the smallest would probably be the number of participants each program can take.

On top of this, you’ll need to account that more popular temples like Golgulsa and Bulguksa can get fully booked very easily. Available places for each temple are usually published at the beginning of each year. For example, now you can book a place for the whole 2025 but not for 2026 as places will be published in January 2026.

Therefore, as soon as you confirm your trip, I do recommend booking your space for Templestay.

Step-by-step guide on how to book a Templestay in South Korea

Booking a Templestay in South Korea is very easy. The website is user-friendly and also in English. As a first thing, you’ll need to go to Templestay.com. On the home page you will have a few options. You can either search by temple, type of program, date or area of South Korea where you want to do your stay. Once you have finalised your research, the research results will appear as per following picture.

You can add an additional filter selection that will select only English-speaking temples. Once you get into this page, you can select either “Reservation” (to book) or “Temple Info”. If you already know which temple and program you want to book, click Reservation on the desired program/temple. The website will then take you to the official reservation page that will include the calendar and the schedule for that program. In this case, I’ve selected a two days program, just to show how this looks from the booking form.

Confirming your Templestay

Once you have chosen your date, the system will take you to the page where you have to confirm your personal details. Here you will have to provide basic information for your stay like your full name, email, nationality etc. To see how this look see the pictures below. To note this is a staged booking so I just insert random details and didn’t confirm at the end. The system has been improved greatly since I’ve booked my temple stay and I really like how user friendly is this new version! Payment is in cash on arrival.

Important. If you would like a single room (no sharing with anyone), please specify this in the comment box. You will need to pay the single room surcharge that is usually an extra 20,000 to 40,000 won per person.

Once you complete the booking, you will receive an email from the temple confirming your reservation details and giving you all the info you need to have to reach your destination. To note that we received our confirmation from a personal email (someone called D. Kumkang). I initially doubted this was legit as I was expecting something directly from Templestay. So, check your spam folder if you don’t find anything in your inbox. The email was legit BTW. You don’t need to bring any confirmation as the office where you will go for your orientation will have a list of participants.

What to expect from a Temple Stay in South Korea

Templestay in South Korea – Sunmundo Hall, My room at Golgulsa Temple and the the meal

I want to start this paragraph by setting a little bit of your expectation for a Templestay in South Korea. In particular, I want to stress out that this is NOT a luxury stay. You will be asked to sleep on the floor with a futon and wake up at 4/5 am to follow the monks in their morning chantings. You will share meals, experience and, if you are willing to, also your room with other people. Moreover, you will take care of your space, clean your room before leaving and wash your dishes when finishing your meals. Also, smoking and drinking are strictly forbidden on the temple grounds.

If you are expecting to be served and behaving like a princess, this is not your space. Therefore, I want to be sure that you have the right perspective when embarking on this type of adventure and be respectful of what has been given to you.

My Temple Stay experience in South Korea

As I mentioned before, my Templestay was one of my South Korea trip’s highlights. Despite being uncomfortable at times (because of my back pain), I will cherish the memories of this stay forever as one of the best experience I had in my trips.

We decided to book our stay at Golgusa Temple because I really wanted to do learn a bit of Sunmundo in its headquarter. I will write soon more about the details of this experience but I can tell you that it was quite challenging despite very special!!

Indeed, this type of temple stay is very active and the schedule quite tight! Being also full summer, I was half death at the first steep hill I had to climb in order to reach the first meeting point.

Templestay program

Templestay in South Korea – Golgulsa Temple

The first evening was really packed with Sunmundo training, activities and an early meal. Nevertheless, we still had some free time that we used to explore the temple grounds and a local cafeteria that we loved. The temple had a curfew at 9 am. Therefore, by then we were already in our rooms.

At 5 am, the day after, we were ready for another walk uphill (this time in the dark) to participate to the morning chantings. Sunrise from the Buddha carved rock of the temple was very memorable! We completed the wake-up activities with a walk/stretching in the woods before a filling breakfast in the shared hall.

Later in the morning a bus was ready to take us to the local beach for a Sunmundo training near the water. We returned to the temple for a final meal and goodbye. People had the option to extend their stay and participate to an archery session but our train was calling so we had to leave quite early.

Conclusions

If you want to experience a side of South Korea that is not very known to western visitors, this is a unique chance to travel in a different way. It’s true, maybe sleeping on the floor or waking up at 5 am might not sound exciting to many. Nevertheless, the things you will learn from this experience and the privilege of being in such unique place(s) make the effort really worth.