Naeyeonsan Twelve Falls

Naeyeonsan rises behind the coast north of Pohang, and the valley cut into it above Bogyeongsa is the reason to come: a stream drops through a gorge in a sequence of twelve named falls, from Sangsaenpokpo near the bottom to Siryongchu at the top, linked by a trail that runs several kilometres up the valley on paths, steps and bridges. The best known is Yeonsanpokpo, the seventh, dropping about thirty metres into a deep pool below a cliff and reached by a suspension bridge - most day visitors turn round there, which takes about two hours return and is the sensible half-measure. Going to the twelfth and on to the ridge makes a full day. Bogyeongsa at the foot is a Silla foundation with old halls and a stone pagoda. Water volume is everything here: after summer rain the falls are loud and full, and in a dry autumn several are barely running.

What you actually see

• Yeonsanpokpo - the thirty-metre fall and its suspension bridge.
• The twelve falls - the named sequence up the gorge.
• Bogyeongsa - the Silla temple at the valley mouth.
• The gorge trail - steps, bridges and pools along the stream.

When to go

May to June and October, and ideally within a few days of rain - in a dry spell the falls thin considerably. Autumn colour in the gorge is good.

Honest expectations

The trail is rocky with many steps and gets harder past the seventh fall. Water levels vary hugely and a dry visit disappoints. Entry fee is collected at the temple gate.

Nearby

Pohang and Homigot are on the coast; Juwangsan is inland to the north-west.