Templestay in Korea

A templestay is one night in a working Buddhist temple, or a two-hour taster, booked on the official Templestay site. In October 2026, one-night English programs at well-known temples cost ₩80,000–130,000 per adult with meals, and short day programs start at ₩10,000. Expect shared rooms, men and women apart, vegetarian meals and a 04:00 wake-up. Refund rules differ by temple, so read them before you pay. Prices were checked on 17 October 2026.

Your situation	What to book
Curious, but short on time in Seoul	A day program at Jogyesa in central Seoul, from ₩10,000
First time, want the full routine	A one-night experience program, such as Jogyesa or Bongeunsa in Seoul, or Beomeosa in Busan
You want rest more than activities	A rest (relaxation) program, such as Geumsunsa in Seoul or Woljeongsa in Gangwon
You are touring Gyeongju	Golgulsa, which teaches Seonmudo, a Buddhist martial art
Travelling as a couple and want one room	Book a temple that offers a private room for an extra fee, or skip the overnight

For most first trips, one night is enough. A city temple in Seoul is the easiest to reach, and a mountain temple such as Beomeosa, Haeinsa or Woljeongsa feels quieter.

What a templestay is

A templestay lets you sleep inside a Buddhist temple and follow part of the monks’ day. The programs are run by individual temples and listed on one official site, operated by the Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism. That site is the place to book; the English version is eng.templestay.com.

You do not need to be Buddhist. The official FAQ says anyone can join, whatever their religion, nationality or age, and that most participants follow other religions. Every activity is optional. If 108 bows go against your beliefs, you can sit quietly.

Which type of program to choose

The official site sorts programs into three types.

Type	How long	What happens	Best for
Day (one-day)	About 2–3 hours	Temple tour, meditation, tea with a monk or a craft such as a paper lotus lantern	Short trips, families, a first look
Experience	1 night, 2 days, often at weekends	Evening and dawn ceremonies, 108 bows, a temple meal, meditation, tea with a monk	First-timers who want the full routine
Rest (relaxation)	1 night or more	Only the core ceremonies, or none; the rest is free time	Quiet, a break from sightseeing

The Korean FAQ recommends the experience type for a first stay. You can stay longer by combining experience and rest programs. The English FAQ says the limit varies by temple but is usually about ten days.

How much it costs

Each temple sets its own fee, and it covers the program, bedding and meals. These are the prices listed on the official English site.

Temple and program	Where	Adult	Child
Jogyesa, Always Templestay (day)	Central Seoul	₩10,000	₩10,000
Jogyesa, Regular Templestay (1 night)	Central Seoul	₩80,000	₩80,000
Geumsunsa, Relaxational Templestay (1 night)	Northern Seoul, Bukhansan	₩80,000	₩60,000
Myogaksa, 2 days 1 night	Eastern central Seoul	₩95,000	₩95,000
Bongeunsa, Regular Templestay (Sat–Sun)	Gangnam, Seoul	₩120,000	₩120,000
Beomeosa, Experiential Templestay (weekends)	Busan	₩100,000	₩80,000
Golgulsa, Seonmudo program (1 night)	Gyeongju	₩120,000	₩120,000
Woljeongsa, Relaxing Templestay (1 Oct–1 Dec 2026)	Odaesan, Gangwon	₩100,000	₩70,000
Haeinsa, Tripitaka Koreana Pilgrimage (weekends)	Hapcheon	₩100,000–130,000 by room	₩90,000–120,000

Per person, from each temple’s program page on templestay.com, checked 17 October 2026. Teen prices match one of the two columns or sit between them. Golgulsa and Woljeongsa also list pre-school prices, ₩60,000 and ₩50,000.

Many temples charge the same for children as for adults. Programs have set run dates, so check that yours runs on your travel dates.

The government sometimes subsidises templestays. From 1 to 30 September 2026, for example, a special program for foreign visitors cost ₩30,000 for one night at temples around the country. Offers like this are announced in the Notice & Event section of the official site, so check it before you book.

How to book

1. Pick a program. On the official site, open Reservation and filter for temples that run programs for foreigners.
2. Read the program page. It shows the price, schedule, what to bring, the refund policy and how far ahead you must book. Jogyesa’s one-night program closes 3 days ahead, Beomeosa’s 2 days and Bongeunsa’s 1 day.
3. Choose a date and the number of guests. The calendar asks for adults, teenagers, children and pre-school children separately.
4. Book with an account or as a guest. Guest bookings are looked up later by email and password.
5. Pay the way the temple asks. Payment is set by each temple. Jogyesa takes card payment online or a bank deposit, not card on arrival, and cancels unpaid bookings after a set time. Geumsunsa and Golgulsa take card or cash on arrival; Myogaksa takes cash at the temple or a deposit. The site does not say whether foreign-issued cards work at online checkout. If yours is declined, choose a temple that takes payment on arrival.
6. Keep the email. You do not need to print a confirmation. Some temples do not send one; if yours does not, email support@templestay.com.

Some programs need an email first. Jogyesa’s day program for groups, for example, asks you to email before booking.

A typical night at a temple

Schedules vary by temple. Jogyesa’s one-night program in Seoul is typical:

Time	What happens
13:30	Check in, change into the temple clothes, etiquette briefing
Afternoon	Lotus lantern craft, tea or sutra copying, temple tour
16:30	Evening temple meal
17:55	Evening ceremony (optional)
19:00	108 bows (optional)
21:00	Lights out
04:00	Wake up; dawn ceremony at 04:25 (optional)
07:00	Breakfast
10:00	Check out

The Korean FAQ describes a standard one-night program the same way. You arrive around 14:00–15:00. The day ends with lunch, and you leave between 12:00 and 13:00, a little later than at Jogyesa. Golgulsa wakes at 05:00, and Beomeosa from 03:30.

Rooms, food and rules

• Shared rooms, men and women apart. Couples sleep in separate rooms. Rooms range from large halls for 15 or more people to rooms for 4–8. Same-sex friends and families are placed together where possible. Some temples offer a private or small room for an extra fee.
• Shared bathrooms are the norm. Some rooms have their own toilet.
• Clothes are provided. You get a temple vest and trousers at check-in. Most temples supply only soap and toothpaste.
• Vegetarian meals. No meat, eggs or instant food. Some temples serve the formal monastic bowl meal, barugongyang.
• No alcohol and no smoking. Jogyesa also asks you not to wear sleeveless tops or flip-flops. Bongeunsa asks you not to go barefoot in the halls.
• Safe for solo travellers. Rooms lock, outsiders cannot come in after 22:00, and templestay staff live at the temple.

What to bring: towel, shampoo, toothbrush, cleanser, hair dryer, socks and spare clothes. Mountain temples are cold in the morning and evening except in midsummer, so pack a warm layer.

Templestay Information Center in Seoul

The official information centre sits across the street from Jogyesa, in the Templestay Center at 56 Ujeongguk-ro, Jongno-gu. It is open 09:00–18:00 every day except New Year’s Day, Lunar New Year and Chuseok. Phone +82-2-2031-2000. From Jonggak Station (Line 1) exit 2, or Anguk Station (Line 3) exit 6, it is about a 5-minute walk.

Jogyesa is in the palace quarter, a short walk from Insadong.

Common mistakes

• Booking on an unofficial reseller. Book on templestay.com, where each temple’s own price and refund rules apply.
• Missing the refund deadline. Jogyesa refunds in full only 7 or more days ahead and nothing after that; Bongeunsa refunds in full 14 days ahead. Most others refund in full 3–4 days ahead.
• Expecting a hotel room. You will likely share a floor-mattress room and a bathroom.
• Assuming couples can share. They cannot, unless a temple offers a private room.
• Arriving late. Programs start at a fixed time, and mountain temples can be an hour or more from the nearest station.
• Not checking the minimum group size. Some programs are cancelled if too few people book. Myogaksa, for example, cancels if 5 or fewer people have signed up 4 days before.

Where to next

• Where to stay in Korea: all lodging types, Airbnb rules and the hotel VAT refund
• Korea’s Buddhist temples: the main temples, ranked by region
• Hanok stays: another traditional night, with more privacy
• Korean etiquette for tourists: temple manners and local rules