Go Karting in Gyeongju
Looking to do something a bit different this weekend? Round up some friends and try the go-kart track in Gyeongju. Each race costs 12,000 won and lasts for ten minutes. They allow only about ten people on the track at a time, which means there’s plenty of space, and the mix of turns and straight-aways makes for some fun driving. There are even a few double-seater karts so kids can come, too. Keep in mind that places are always busiest on Sundays, so you may have to wait a while for your turn.
While there are guys monitoring the track who will tell you to corner more slowly, in general you can go full out with these karts. Some of them are better to drive than others, but you’ll have to watch a few races to figure out which ones are the fastest or handle the best. It’s not unusual to watch people spin out or crash into the tire-and-hay-bale barriers.
The track apparently also has mini-bikes and racing go-karts, but in order to drive those you need to have full-on racing gear, and a racing license. The fee for this is 100,000 won (as of Oct. 2011).
After racing, you can head up the hill to check out Bulguk Temple, which is Korea’s Historic and Scenic Site No. 1. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage site, along with Seokguram Grotto at the top of the mountain. Bulguksa is home to the Dabotap pagoda, which is featured on the 10 won coin.
If you get hungry, grab a meal at one of the many restaurants between Bulguksa and the go-kart track. There are also plenty of little souvenir shops in this area.
The train from Taehwagang Station to Bulguksa Station is only 2,500 won, but it’s a bit of a hike from there. Try telling a taxi “Gyeongju Kart Baelli” (경주 캍 밸리).
By car/motorcycle/scooter: Take highway 7 north towards Gyeongju. Take the first exit towards Bulguksa. There’s a long, straight stretch without much on it. You’ll see the signs and the kart track on your left hand side, before you hit the cluster of restaurants and shops below the Temple complex. Turn left at the intersection with the SK gas station, and then turn almost immediately left again for the go-kart parking.
