Booking it
The Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism runs the official Templestay booking site, which lists participating temples and programmes. You can search and book through its English site.
- Search with the filters. Area, temple, party size — and the one that matters, Temples for Foreigners, which keeps to temples running programmes for non-Korean speakers.
- Sign up by email. The English sign-up sends a code to your email, valid three minutes, instead of the Korean phone check; Google and Facebook sign-in work too, and a Guest booking needs no account at all — it is looked up later by the phone number and password you gave, so keep both.
- Pay, or write. The site does not say which foreign cards its payment page takes. If it refuses yours, every programme page carries the temple's own email, and several — Bongeunsa among them — invite you to write when the system fails.
- Book early. Cut-offs are per temple: Bongeunsa one day before, Beomeosa, Woljeongsa and Golgulsa two, Jogyesa three. Bongeunsa opens its calendar only a month ahead.
If you cannot complete the booking, contact the temple or ask the 1330 travel helpline about interpretation assistance — “What the 1330 interpretation line can do for you”.
The three programmes
| Type | Korean | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Experience | 체험형 | The full programme — etiquette, temple tour, evening service, 108 prostrations, meditation, the 04:00 service, tea with a monk. One night, two days. |
| Rest | 휴식형 | You stay and eat; services and meditation are optional. Often several nights. |
| Day visit | 당일형 | Two hours or more, no overnight — a tour, a tea ceremony, a meditation sitting, prayer beads. |
Choose an experience programme if you want a guided introduction to temple activities. A rest programme may suit you better if you want more independent time; check which activities are expected or optional.
What a night costs
Each temple's own price, per adult:
| Temple | Programme | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Bongeunsa (봉은사), Gangnam | Regular, Saturday–Sunday | ₩120,000 |
| Jogyesa (조계사), Jongno | Seon of Tea, one day / one night | ₩50,000 / ₩100,000 |
| Beomeosa (범어사), Busan | Rest, per night / Experience, weekends | ₩70,000 / ₩100,000 |
| Woljeongsa (월정사), Pyeongchang | Rest, per night | ₩100,000 |
| Golgulsa (골굴사), Gyeongju | Seonmudo martial-art programme, one night | ₩120,000 |
Golgulsa is the one built around moving meditation — it is the home temple of Seonmudo (선무도), a Buddhist martial art — and its rest programme can be booked for up to 29 nights.
What happens
Bongeunsa’s published timetable gives one example of an overnight experience programme. Other temples set their own schedules:
| 13:50 | Check in, room, change into the temple uniform |
|---|---|
| 14:15 | Temple etiquette |
| 14:50 | Temple tour |
| 17:00 | Monastic meal |
| 17:40 | The four Dharma instruments, then evening service (예불) |
| 18:30 | Meditation |
| 21:00 | Lights out |
| 04:00 | Wake |
| 04:20 | Dawn service |
| 05:00 | 108 prostrations (108배) |
| 06:00 | Breakfast |
| 09:00 | Tea with a monk (차담) |
| 10:00 | Fold bedding, clean the room, leave |
Non-Buddhists are welcome. Ask your temple which activities are optional and whether you can sit quietly or use an alternative if an activity is difficult. The 108 bows — kneel, forehead to the floor, rise, 108 times — take about half an hour and can be physically demanding. Some temples also run 발우공양, the silent formal meal from four nested bowls, ending by rinsing the bowls and drinking the water.
Food, rooms, packing
Temple meals generally follow Buddhist vegetarian practices and may avoid pungent alliums such as garlic and onions. Confirm ingredients and dietary needs with the temple before booking. Accommodation varies. Some programmes use shared rooms separated by gender, while others offer family or private rooms. Confirm your room arrangement, bathroom access and the temple’s evening access rules before booking.
Many programmes provide temple clothing, but toiletries and other supplies vary. Read your temple’s packing list. Bring shampoo, a toothbrush, a towel, socks (bare feet are not acceptable in the halls), a change of clothes, your medicines, a water bottle and — outside high summer — a warm layer, because a mountain temple is cold at 04:00.
Cancelling
Cancellation terms vary by temple. For example, Bongeunsa refunds 100% at 14 days, 70% at 7, nothing from 6 days out, and bars no-shows from future programmes. Read the refund block on the programme page before paying.
