Gangwon’s Coast, Culture, and Mountain Calm
Gangwon is a province of South Korea and the least densely populated subdivision of the country. Gangwon is one of the two provinces with special self-governing status, the other being Jeju-do. It is on the east bound by the East Sea. Pyeongchang County in Gangwon hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics and 2018 Winter Paralympics.
The beautiful province of Gangwon-do in South Korea is rich with wondrous outdoor sites, perfect for laidback excursions and thrilling adventures. We had a great time!
We stayed one night in Lakai Sandpine resort that is located in very nice place and rooms have beautiful view to the beach. We had a balcony where we enjoyed the sunrise. The resort is on Gyeongpo beach, city of Gangneung. This beach has a beautiful sandy shore that extends to a length of 1.8 kilometers and shallow waters, making it a popular beach attraction. By the beach is a lush pine forest where visitors can enjoy forest bathing. We had a nice walk along this beach.
We also visited Naksansa. Naksansa or Naksan Temple is a Korean Buddhist temple complex in the Jogye order of Korean Buddhism that stands on the slopes of Naksan Mountain (also called “Obongsan Mountain”). It is located about midway between Sokcho and Yangyang, Gangwon Province, eastern region of South Korea. Naksansa is one of the few temples in Korea to overlook the East Sea.
We went to Seongyojang House. It is the former upper class residence of Lee Nae-beon (1703-1781) and his family in Gangneung, Gangwon-do. It was designated as a National Folklore Cultural Heritage in 1967. The one-syllable word “Seon” in Seongyojang means boat. Gyeongpo Lake was right in front of Seongyojang House at the time it was built, thus making is accessible by boat. Seongyojang House has all the features of a typical upper class residence during the Joseon period. The complex even has a large pond with a pavilion named Hwallaejeong Pavilion.
In the end of the day, We visited Ojookhun. Ojukheon House was where Yi I (penname Yulgok; scholar and politician of the Joseon Period) was born. It was built during the early Joseon dynasty and was designated as a Treasure in 1963 for its historical value.Inside the house is Mongryongsil, where Yi I was born. The household complex also features the household shrine, Munseongsa, the sarangchae (men’s quarters), Eojaegak Pavilion, Yulgok Memorial Hall, and Gangneung Municipal Museum.
Before going back home, We stopped in Chuncheon (capital city of Gangwon Province). We had lanch in Chuncheon , visited Soyang Dam and had a coffee in one of the coffeeshops enjoying amazing view!. Soyang Dam was built in October 1973, Soyang Dam is the largest dam in Korea. It stands 123 meters high and 530 meters long and can hold up to 29 million tons of water. The stored water which has become Soyangho Lake, is Korea’s largest man-made lake, spanning a large area that borders the Gangwon-do cities and districts of Chuncheon, Hongcheon, Yanggu, and Inje.
During this trip, We had amazing korean food. For example, Chimaek (치맥; from Korean chikin ‘fried chicken’, and maekju ‘beer’) is a pairing of fried chicken (either plain huraideu or spicy yangnyeom) and beer, served as anju (English: food with alcohol) in the evening in many South Korean restaurants including a number of specialized chains.Or korean barbecue (Korean: 고기구이, gogi-gui, ‘meat roast’) is a popular method in Korean cuisine of grilling meat, typically beef, pork or chicken. Such dishes are often prepared on gas or charcoal grills built into the dining table itself.
