โจ๏ธ Templestay in Korea: What It Is and How to Join
Templestay lets visitors share daily life at a working Buddhist temple for a few hours or a night or two. It is not a hotel stay: schedules are set by the temple, meals are simple and meditation is part of the day. For many travelers it is the calmest and most memorable way to experience Korean Buddhist culture.
Culture & wellness ยท Updated 2026-09-29 ยท 5 min read
What Templestay offers
The official Templestay portal groups programs into day-visit, experience, rest and group types. Day programs are a good first step if you only have a few hours. Experience programs add guided activities, and rest programs keep the schedule light so you can walk, read and sleep.
Common activities include a guided temple tour, seated meditation, tea and conversation with a monk, making a lotus lantern or prayer beads, chanting and the 108 bows. The formal temple meal, called baru gongyang, is eaten in silence and is a highlight for many guests.
The program began in 2002 and has grown into a network of well over a hundred temples nationwide. Only a portion of them run programs designed for foreign visitors, so filter for English on the official site before you choose.
How to book
Use the official English site of the Templestay Information Center (eng.templestay.com). Each temple page lists dates, program type, whether English support is offered and how to reserve. Popular temples, especially on weekends and in autumn, fill up weeks ahead.
Prices vary widely by temple and program. Overnight stays are commonly listed at several tens of thousands of won and up to well over 100,000 won per night with meals and temple clothing included, and discounted rates for foreign visitors are sometimes offered, so check the current price on the temple page.
The Information Center in Jongno, central Seoul, can answer questions in person if you are already in the city.
Etiquette and what to bring
Dress modestly in plain, clean clothes: no sleeveless tops, short shorts or short skirts, and no bare feet inside buildings, so bring socks. Alcohol and smoking are not allowed on temple grounds, and you should keep your voice low, especially in prayer halls and at dawn.
Temple food is plant-based. In the formal meal you take only what you can finish and eat everything you take. Wake-up is before sunrise at most temples, and bedtime is early, so bring a warm layer, a small flashlight, toiletries and slippers or sandals that are easy to remove.
Phones are usually asked to stay quiet during ceremonies. Treat the schedule as part of the experience rather than something to negotiate.