[Joyongjun's Travel Miles] Leisurely Enjoying Early Summer 'Early Bird Vacationers'

Korea Tourism Organization June Travel Recommendations - 6 Early Summer Getaways to Enjoy at Leisure

A traveler visiting the quiet Samcheok coast is catching sea snails.

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Yong-jun, Travel Specialist] Summer has arrived. Interest in travel destinations and summer vacation spots to beat the heat is gradually increasing. If you are planning a summer vacation, how about leaving a little earlier? You can stroll through landscapes where mountains and the sea blend together, or enjoy refreshing fun sitting by a cool valley. A cheerful and leisurely summer vacation is only possible if you avoid the crowds of the peak season. Coincidentally, the Korea Tourism Organization’s recommended places to visit in June also focus on early summer vacations. Beat the heat and ride the waves at Siheung Wave Park, embrace the generous mountain peaks surrounding the sea at Samcheok Deokbongsan Coastal Ecological Trail, enjoy water play in the valleys and forest bathing in the recreation forests! There are a total of six places including Seosan Yonghyeon Valley and Yonghyeon Natural Recreation Forest.

◇ Beat the heat and ride the waves, Siheung Wave Park

Children taking surfing lessons at Wave Park

Siheung Wave Park is Asia’s first surfing park. It continuously generates waves of varying height, length, and intensity, enhancing the appeal of surfing. Advanced surfers can focus on surfing, while beginners can quickly learn the basic moves. The facilities are divided into the Surf Zone and Miokosta Zone. The Surf Zone is split into left and right Surf Coves (surfing areas) based on a central walkway, with a total length of 240 meters and up to about 1,000 waves generated per hour. The Miokosta Zone, ideal for family water play, includes a Surf Pool with waves, a Kids Pool, and a Recreation Pool. Additionally, scuba diving experiences are available in the Blue Hole Lagoon with a depth of 5 meters. Paid shuttle buses operate between Seoul Gangnam Station, Express Bus Terminal Station, and Sadang Station.

Oido offers a spectacular sunset view at Oido Port, where the Red Lighthouse and Tree of Life blend harmoniously. Nearby, Oido Prehistoric Site Park and Siheung Oido Museum are worth visiting together. The Gaetgol Ecological Park, featuring an old salt warehouse and a shaking observatory, is also a suitable resting spot during your trip.

◇ Generous mountain peaks embracing the sea, Samcheok Deokbongsan Coastal Ecological Trail

Travelers walking along Maeupcheon in front of Deokbongsan Mountain

If you leave early for vacation, Samcheok, where mountains and sea harmonize, is recommended. Campers can set up a base camp at Maengbang Beach Camping Site and enjoy a leisurely holiday. Maengbang Beach, famous as the BTS album jacket shooting location, is pleasantly quiet. At the southern end of the beach stands the broad Deokbongsan Mountain. Once an island, Deokbongsan is now connected to the mainland and flanks Maengbang Beach and Deoksan Beach like wings. Thanks to its beautiful scenery, it has become a famous spot in Samcheok.

The coastal ecological trail around Deokbongsan offers a delightful experience of emerald sea and rocky shores. From the 54-meter-high summit, you can see the vast sea and the Baekdudaegan mountain peaks inland all at once.

Samcheok’s remote valleys are also great. Samcheok Vitality Healing Forest is a pristine area with a cool flowing valley. Dip your feet in the valley water and say goodbye to the heat. Beyond the wall, Naritgol Emotional Village is worth a visit. The hillside village overlooking Samcheok Port has been newly renovated.

◇ Valley water play and forest bathing! Seosan Yonghyeon Valley and Natural Recreation Forest

A great Yonghyeon Valley where children play in the water

Seosan Yonghyeon Valley is a summer retreat where you can enjoy both the valley and the recreation forest. Yonghyeon Valley stretches along the left side of the approximately 2.7 km road from Yonghyeon-ri Ma-ae Sakyamuni Triad Statue (National Treasure) to Yonghyeon Natural Recreation Forest. The valley has abundant water and shallow depth, making it comfortable and safe for families. The valley becomes denser and deeper as you approach Yonghyeon Natural Recreation Forest. At the end of the valley lies the recreation forest, where forest houses and a forest culture recreation center are located around the ridges and valley. Walking along the trails and hiking paths in the forest fills your lungs with refreshing air.

Before heading to the recreation forest, there is Seosan Bowon Temple Site. Five relics excavated from this temple site have been designated as treasures. The most visited place by travelers to Seosan is Haemi Fortress. Along with Nagan Fortress in Suncheon, Jeollanam-do, and Gochang Fortress in Gochang, Jeollabuk-do, it is considered one of the three major Joseon-era fortresses. The road from Haemi Fortress passes through the pasture area of Unsan-myeon and connects to Gaesimsa Temple.

◇ Leisurely vacation in Seongju, Hangae Village and Pocheon Valley

Stone and earth wall of Hangae Village

Seongju Hangae Village is a traditional village where residents live and preserve its old appearance. Behind it, Yeongchwisan Mountain gently embraces the village, and in front flows Baekcheon Stream, making it a typical baesanimsu (mountain at the back, water in front) auspicious site. Since the Joseon Sejong era, it has been a clan village of the Seongsan Lee family and has produced many notable figures throughout its long history. These include Lee Seok-mun, the royal guard of Crown Prince Sado; Lee Won-jo, a representative Joseon Confucian scholar and writer; Lee Jin-sang, a renowned late Joseon scholar; and Lee Seung-hee, a well-known independence activist. It is pleasant to walk slowly, accompanied by the elegant old houses and charming stone walls where they once lived. About 20 minutes by car from Hangae Village is the picturesque Pocheon Valley, created by Mt. Gayasan. Along the abundant streams, large flat rocks and small waterfalls spread out, making it a popular water play spot among locals. Especially, Mangwijung Pavilion in the upper stream adds to the charm.

On the way from Hangae Village to Pocheon Valley, stop by Gyeongsan-ri Seongbak Forest. This forest, one of Seongju’s eight scenic spots, has about 50 royal willows aged 300 to 500 years, providing cool shade.

◇ Beautiful healing and relaxation time, Hapcheon Odosan Natural Recreation Forest

Healing Forest Hammock in Odosan Natural Recreation Forest

Located at an altitude of 700 meters, Odosan Natural Recreation Forest is surrounded by pine forests and has deep valleys, making it perfect for enjoying both forest and valley. The healing forest within the recreation forest offers time for healing and rest. Forest walks, forest stories, forest yoga and meditation, and lying on hammocks or sunbeds facing the forest enrich both body and mind. Especially, the thermal healing program is attractive as it offers the latest facilities at affordable prices. The 81 camping decks along the valley are ideal for summer vacations. If you stay overnight in the recreation forest, be sure to visit Odosan Observatory. It is easy to reach the summit, and beautiful scenery unfolds along the ridge.

The Record Culture Hall inside the Tripitaka Koreana Theme Park exhibits interactive media art, making it a popular photo spot for families and couples. The Hwanggang River, which flows around Hapcheon town, offers free canoe experiences from late June.

◇ Hydrangeas and the 10-ri Zelkova Road, Sinan Dochodo Island’s Fantasy Garden

A magical garden where hydrangeas and hackberry trees harmonize

About an hour by high-speed ferry from Mokpo, Dochodo Island, as its name suggests, is lush with grass and trees and is rapidly emerging as a representative tourist destination of Sinan County. Starting from the Hydrangea Park where millions of colorful hydrangeas bloom, it gained fame as the filming location of the movie “The Book of Fish,” and now the Fantasy Garden, where hydrangeas and zelkovas blend, has opened. The Fantasy Garden, formed by about 700 zelkovas aged 70 to 100 years creating a tunnel, is healing just by walking slowly. Along the 3.5 km waterway embankment from Hwapo Ferry Terminal, the gateway to Dochodo, zelkovas line the path. Although it is slightly less than 10 ri (about 4 km), it is called the 10-ri Zelkova Road.

Near the Fantasy Garden is the filming location of “The Book of Fish,” a thatched house that served as the main stage of the movie. Standing in the yard with a well, the sea view seen between the thatched houses looks like a framed painting. The southern Simok Beach of Dochodo is suitable for swimming in calm waters thanks to the natural breakwaters formed by the Dadohae Islands. Hanunum Beach on Bigeum Island, connected to Dochodo by a bridge, is famous for its heart-shaped beach.

Cho Yong-jun, Travel Specialist jun21@

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.