APRIL10, 2000 VOL. 155 NO. 14

Detour

TRAVEL WATCH Afoot and Afloat, Kerala Is Worth the Journey Wherever you go in Kerala, in every hotel, doss house or beach hut, you are invited to an ayurvedic massage.t Detour Established in 1572 and enlarged for its 200th anniversary, Oksan Sowon was lucky to survive campaigns against Confucian schools throughout history Web Crawling Descriptions of Kerala's hotels and restaurants guide you to the hot spots and offer insight into the local experience

Nestled in the farmlands north of South Korea's ancient capital Kyongju, the Oksan Sowon Confucian School held more political sway in the 17th and 18th centuries than even the monarchs of the Yi Kingdom. These days the school, perched beside a stream in an idyllic, historical valley, doesn't have much governmental influence, but day-trippers and campers revere it as great place to picnic or pitch a tent for the night.

Established in 1572 and enlarged for its 200th anniversary, Oksan Sowon was lucky to survive both the Japanese rampage under Emperor Hideyoshi in 1592 and Korean King Kojong's campaign against Confucian schools in the 1860s. A fire early in the last century destroyed all but 14 buildings, which still stand in a bright red, yellow and turquoise pattern against a wooded backdrop.

The Oksan Valley also boasts Chonghyesa, Korea's only 13-tier pagoda, a stone structure that is the sole remnant of a long-lost temple and now juts out alone from verdant rice fields. The valley is connected to Kyongju by the Angang bus, which runs from 7:20 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. ($1.50 for the half-hour trip).

At the far end of the valley, the dreamy mountain temple Todoksa is accessible only to the adventurous, by foot. The approach is a steep, 3-km hike. Trees line most of the way, so even on a summer day it's cool enough to climb. You can camp for free back in the valley next to Oksan Sowon, and feast on pulgoki (Korean style barbecue) at either of the valley's two restaurants, starting at $12. If you don't want to rough it, catch the bus back to Kyongju, where accommodation ranges from yodogwan (guest houses) for about $15, to hotels for $90.

By Jamie Trost