Gangneung (South Korea)

South of Sokcho on the coast of the Sea of Japan is the city of Gangneung . This is one of the most famous seaside resorts in South Korea.

Along the northern part of the city’s coast stretches the resort area Chumun-jin. Jumun-jin Beach is surrounded by vegetation, it is usually very quiet here, since there are not so many vacationers, the coastal waters are shallow and clean, and the sand is very fine, so families with children mainly come here to relax. Not far from the beach are such natural attractions as Muryn Gorge and Guryong Waterfall, which consists of 9 small waterfalls.

According to Rctoysadvice, Central Beach the city is usually crowded with vacationers, because there are many cafes, restaurants and entertainment venues.

In the south of Gangneung, Chyeongdong-jin Beach stretches. The beach is not only a great place for people with a wide variety of preferences to relax, but also a place where, in addition to the sea, there is something to see. The local train station is located right on the beach, which allowed her to get into the Guinness Book of Records. There is a hotel on one of the mountains surrounding the beach.in the form of a ship. It’s as interesting on the inside as it is on the outside, with quaint bars, museums and exhibitions. There are several parks around Cheongdong-jin. Of interest are the picturesque Sandglass Park with a huge 8 m high hourglass and the Unification Park with a North Korean submarine captured in 1996. Also on the beach there is the Clock Museum with more than 5000 exhibits. The mountains adjacent to Cheongdong-jin are home to Hasla Nature Park and Dongmyeong Monastery.

In addition to relaxing on the beaches of the sea coast , Gangneung offers holidays on the shores of Gyeongpo Lake. There is also an organized beach around it. You can also go fishing on the lake. Gyeongpo-dae gazebo is located near the Gyeongpo lake. This is a romantic place where couples in love meet. Poems of Korean poets are stored in the gazebo. Nearby stands a monument to the soldiers who died during the Korean War and a monument to Sinsaimdan, Yulgok’s mother. Songyo-jang’s estate once stood on the shores of Lake Gyeongpo, but over time, the size of the lake has decreased and now the estate is located a little further from its shores. It was built in the 18th century and belonged to a noble Korean family. Representatives of this ode live in some buildings of the estate to this day. A visit to the estate gives an idea of the life of the elite of that time.

In the city of Gangneung in a place called Ochzhuk-khon, where thickets of black bamboo stretch, there is a house-museum of Yulgok with buildings from the beginning of the 16th century. The museum exhibits the works of the 16th century artist Sinsaimdan, whose son Yulgok became a famous politician and philosopher of his time. In addition, in the museum you can get acquainted with the life of the Korean people of the 16th century.

Northwest of Gangneung is Ode-san National Park. It was created in 1975 on the slopes of the mountain range of the same name. The park has several hotels where you can stay overnight. The highest point of the park is Pirobon Peak (1563 m). Visiting these places, you will see vast forests, lakes and waterfalls. The park is home to the Botanical Garden, founded in 1999. The garden is divided into several parts: an indoor garden with indoor plants, an ecological garden with wild plants, a herb garden with mountain flowers and herbs, and a theme garden with plants bred in honor of famous people. But the most famous park Ode-san brought ancient Buddhist monasteries built in the era of the state of Silla. There are 9 of them in total. 2 of them are the most interesting. Woljong-sa Monastery was founded in 643. It consists of 60 small temples and 8 hermitages. At the entrance to the monastery there is a huge gate, the roof of which is decorated with drawings. On the territory of the monastery complex you will see the Museum of Relics, the main exhibit of which is a stone statue of Buddha squatting (this is the only Buddha statue in the world depicting him in such a position), a 9-story pagoda and a pavilion with the remains of Buddha. 8 km north of Woljong-sa is the Sanwon-sa monastery of the second half of the 7th century. The oldest bell in South Korea is kept in the courtyard of the monastery – Sangwon-sa Dongjong (725). The bell is decorated with fine engraving. On the altar of the main temple of the monastery stands a figurine of the god of wisdom, Munsu, who, according to legend, appeared to King Sejo in the form of a child and cured him. Not far from the monastery, the remains of Buddha Shakyamuni from China are kept in a special building.

South of the Odae-san National Park are the ski resorts of Yongpyeong and Phoenix Park .. Yongpyeong means “Dragon Valley” in Korean. The resort is open all year round. Here is the longest ski slope in the country with a length of 5600 m. The elevation difference in these places ranges from 30 to 700 m. The resort offers vacationers a choice of 31 slopes of varying degrees of difficulty. Half of the slopes are illuminated at night. The slopes are served by 15 lifts, among which is a gondola lift for 6 people. For snowboarders, the resort is equipped with a half-pipe. For families with children, there is a special Snow Sledge park. The resort has ski schools, experienced instructors, several hotels, a medical office, a playground, inventory rentals, a restaurant, an Internet cafe, a nightclub and even a hippodrome. During the summer, golf courses open here. The Phoenix Park ski resort has 12 slopes of various difficulty levels ranging from 230 to 1110 m, a snowboarding area and 9 lifts, including a gondola lift. On the territory of the resort there is a ski school, a hotel, villas and small motels, equipment rental, an ice rink, a swimming pool, a bowling alley, billiard rooms, a shooting range, Korean and Chinese restaurants, a karaoke club and a children’s playground. During the summer, golf is practiced at the resort.

Gangneung (South Korea)