I just had another fantastic weekend! It has been a while since my family went on a little trip together, so even though my sister isn't here, we decided to do an overnight trip to Sokcho, to see the beach and Seorak Mountain (설악산). I had never been there before and it was definitely on my list of places to visit in Korea.
The weather couldn't have been more cooperative the whole two days. It was simply beautiful with blue skies and light clouds the entire time. On the first day, we drove up to Sokcho and stayed at a camping ground by 'Yang Yang' beach. We rented a tent and got one-night access to the camping grounds for a total of 30,000won. It was kinda funny cause once we arrived at the camp grounds, the 'manager' was this old ajuma riding around on an ATV- not a sight you typically see in Seoul! She was super nice though, and was telling us about how she owns the land and keeps it maintained. The facilities were actually pretty impressive for a camp ground... they had toilets, shower booths, and an outdoor wash-up area. Everything was so easy! It was a great space and there were a few other families camped out, which was also nice to see.
Once we got everything set up in our tent, we went for a stroll on the beach before it got dark, which was literally about a 5-minute walk from the camp grounds. I was actually surprised at how blue the water looked, for Korean beach-standards.
After our walk, we returned to our tent and ate a delicious dinner of vegan kimbab and 'yubu chobab' that my mum made, vegan ramen, and some sweet potatoes. A total camping feast!
And ofcourse, fresh fruit.
The next morning, we woke up super early to catch the sun rise over the beach, since we were on the East coast of Korea. The sky was too cloudy to see the sun, but the peaceful sea and gorgeous colors in the sky were completely wonderful.
Later that morning, after getting some more sleep, eating breakfast, and packing things up, we headed for Seorak Mountain! We didn't have all day, so once we got to the National Park, we picked one of the 'half-day trails,' which led us to a beautiful creek/waterfall area, where we got to dip our feet and wade around in the refreshingly cool water. We also snacked on some corn that we had bought from one of the numerous vendors on the side of the road. This area is known for their corn, so we had to try it out! It was pretty darn good- the perfect hiking snack.
The hike to that point was really easy, but then we decided to go a little further and ended up hiking up an intensely steep mountain to reach a tiny cave that was in the side of a really high rock. Getting to the top was grueling, and the cave was really tiny- it was just a mediation cave with a buddhist monk keeping watch - but the views from the top were amazing. The endless mountains were truly breathtaking, and the cool breeze was so refreshing, it made all the sweating worth it.
This is why I like Korea:
Anyway, after soaking up all the beautiful nature and fresh air we could get, it was time to leave the mountains and head back to Seoul. But before we left Seorak Mountain, we stopped by one of the restaurants near the entrance of the National Park and ate some bibimbab. After hiking for about 4 hours, we had worked up quite an appetite!
Apprently, the Sokcho area is famous for their potatoes, so we also ordered a plate of their potato pancakes (no eggs- we asked), and potato ddeok (rice cakes, but made with potatoes, instead of rice).
So that pretty much sums things up. I'm so glad I finally got to see Seorak mountain, and I think everyone visiting should check that area out. I had such a great weekend, camping, hiking, eating good food, and just spending some quality time with my parents. I think our next trip will be to Songni Mountain in the fall to see the leaves changing color. I can't wait~ Life is good!