What Templestay Actually Is
Templestay is an official program run by the Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism under the Jogye Order, Korea's largest Buddhist sect. It started in 2002 to give visitors somewhere to stay during the FIFA World Cup, when Seoul's hotels were booked out, and it stuck around because it worked. Today roughly 130 participating temples across the country offer stays, many with English-language programs built specifically for foreign visitors.
This isn't a themed hotel or a wellness retreat brand — you're staying inside a working Buddhist temple, following (a simplified version of) the daily schedule the resident monks actually keep. Some temples are urban and easy to reach, like Jogyesa in central Seoul; others are mountain temples that take a couple of hours to get to and feel much more remote. Both styles are worth considering depending on whether you want convenience or immersion.
What a Typical Overnight Includes
Most temples offer two formats: a one-night, two-day "Experience" program, and shorter day programs for people who don't want to stay over. The overnight version generally runs from Saturday afternoon to Sunday morning (though weekday dates exist at many temples) and typically includes:
- Orientation and temple etiquette briefing — how to bow, how to walk through a Dharma hall, where you can and can't go.
- Barugongyang, the formal monastic meal — eaten in near-silence from a set of nested bowls, following a specific sequence, with a rule against leaving any food behind. It's the closest most visitors get to real Korean temple food (sachal eumsik), which is entirely plant-based and avoids strong alliums like garlic and onion.
- Seon (Zen) meditation — usually a seated session with basic instruction, sometimes paired with walking meditation.
- 108 bows (prostrations) — a devotional practice tied to the 108 earthly desires/afflictions in Buddhist teaching; expect it to take a while and to feel it in your legs the next day.
- Evening chanting service and sometimes a tea ceremony or informal conversation with a monk, where you can ask questions about practice, the temple, or Buddhism generally.
- An early wake-up, often before dawn (around 3–4 a.m. at many temples) for the temple's regular morning service — this is standard practice, not something added for visitors.
Some temples also offer a "Rest" type program with a lighter schedule and no mandatory participation in the ceremonies, aimed at people who just want quiet time on temple grounds.
What It Costs
Prices vary by temple and program length, but a one-night, two-day Experience program generally runs somewhere in the ₩50,000–100,000 (roughly $35–$70 USD) range per adult, with day programs cheaper. Exact pricing is set per temple and changes over time, so treat any number as a ballpark and confirm the current price on the temple's own listing when you book.
How to Book
Book through the official Templestay site, eng.templestay.com, which lists participating temples, program types, available dates, prices, and language support, and lets you reserve directly. Popular Seoul-area temples like Jogyesa fill up, especially on weekends, so booking a few weeks ahead is a reasonable habit rather than a strict requirement.
What to Bring and Wear
- Modest, comfortable clothing that covers your shoulders and knees — loose pants rather than shorts or skirts. Many temples provide a simple uniform (often a vest or sash over your own clothes) for ceremonies, but it's still smart to dress conservatively underneath.
- Comfortable, easy-to-remove shoes. You'll take your shoes off constantly moving between outdoor areas and temple buildings.
- Toiletries and basic personal items — mountain temples in particular may have simpler facilities than a hotel, sometimes with shared bathrooms.
- Weather-appropriate layers if you're visiting a mountain temple, where it's noticeably cooler than Seoul.
Etiquette to Expect
- Sleeping quarters are typically gender-segregated and shared (sleeping on a mat on a heated floor, ondol-style, is normal).
- No meat, alcohol, or smoking on temple grounds during your stay.
- Phones are expected to be silenced or off during services and meals.
- Follow the lead of monks and staff on bowing (a half-bow with palms together is the general default when greeting monks or entering halls) — you won't be expected to know the details in advance, and staff will walk first-timers through it.
- Participation in the ceremonies and early wake-up is the norm rather than optional, even for visitors, since the point of the program is to experience the temple's actual rhythm rather than watch it from the sidelines.
A Templestay isn't a spa weekend — the early hours and physical demands of the bows surprise some first-timers. But it's also one of the few ways an outside visitor gets a direct, sanctioned look at how a working Korean Buddhist temple actually runs its day.
More: Templestay Official Site