Right in the middle of Gimhae, a busy city just west of Busan, a low ridge of grassy mounds rises between apartment blocks and roads. These are the Daeseong-dong tumuli, the burial ground of the rulers of Geumgwan Gaya, one of the small kingdoms of the Gaya confederacy that flourished in the south of the Korean peninsula from the first centuries AD until it was absorbed by Silla in the sixth century. In 2023 a group of Gaya burial sites, including these, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Gaya was rich in iron. Its smiths produced armour, weapons and iron ingots that were traded across the peninsula and to Japan, and the tombs have yielded helmets, horse armour and pottery that show a sophisticated culture. A museum beside the mounds displays the finds, and a short walk takes you along the ridge between the tombs, some of which have been opened to show their structure. Gimhae also holds the tomb of King Suro, legendary founder of Geumgwan Gaya, who according to legend hatched from a golden egg, and the tomb of his queen, Heo Hwang-ok, said to have come from a distant land across the sea.
Riding in this part of Korea means dealing with dense urban traffic, wide multi-lane roads and a lot of trucks, especially around the industrial areas between Gimhae, Busan and Changwon. Beyond the city, the Nakdong River delta offers flat roads along the water, and the mountains to the north and west have winding routes with good surfaces. Korean drivers can be assertive, so stay alert. Note that motorcycles are generally not allowed on Korean expressways, so plan routes on national and local roads. Summers are hot and humid with a rainy season; spring and autumn are ideal.
Gimhae has fuel and all services, and the area around the tumuli has cafés and restaurants. Korean food is a pleasure for hungry riders: try dwaeji gukbap, a pork and rice soup popular in the Busan area, or bibimbap. Convenience stores are everywhere. In spring, cherry blossoms around the tombs make the park particularly lovely, and on a quiet evening the mounds are a peaceful refuge from the bustle of the modern city around them.