2 nights and 1 day in Gangneung
Unfortunately my year-long plan of going to China for vacation fell through because of the Corona Virus spreading. Instead, I hurriedly planned out a trip to travel around Korea.
I decided to spend two nights in Gangneung to start off my trip. I took the KTX from Seoul Station to Gangneung Station (approximately 2 hrs.). I arrived around 1 pm, but wasn't able to drop my bags at my Airbnb since I wasn't allowed to check in until 4 pm. Instead, I took a bus from the station to Anmok Beach and Anmok Coffee Street. There, I found a cafe (Cafe Albero) and settled down to relax and look at the ocean.
After dropping off my luggage at the Airbnb, I walked along Songjeong Beach, which was just a few blocks from the Airbnb. It was nice and quiet compared to Anmok Beach. I loved how the waves were bigger at Anmok Beach and Songjeong Beach compared to the waves in Busan.
From Songjeong Beach, I walked straight to Anmok Beach since the two are right beside each other. I strolled along the beach and admired the ocean while the sun was setting. There was a great view of the Coffee Street and the beach from the pier.
Cold and hungry, I decided to eat at a small restaurant called 한끼밥집. I ate a wonderful seafood kalguksu that helped warm me up.
The next day, I traveled about an hour by bus to get to Jumunjin Breakwater. This is where the famous scene from Goblin was filmed. My friend recommended this place to me, and I'm glad I went. It was super sunny, so it was really enjoyable to walk along the beach.
Conveniently located across the street was Haerang restaurant. I satisfied my seafood craving with a fish soup and some wonderful side dishes. After, I went upstairs to the Haerang cafe for some camomile tea and a muffin.
From Jumunjin, I took about an hour on the bus to get to Gyeongpo Beach. This area had a lot more restaurants and hotels than the area around Anmok Beach. The beach was almost empty, so I enjoyed just taking in the view.
From Gyeongpo, I walked across a bridge and arrived at Gangmun Beach. There were more cafes in this area. It definitely catered more towards couples and people who like to take photos, because there were quite a few photozones.
From Gyeongpo, I walked all the way back to Anmok Beach. It took about an hour to walk the whole distance. At Anmok Beach, I went back to the restaurant from the previous night and ordered some seafood tofu soup. After, we ended the night with a visit to Coffee C.L. It was honestly not the best cafe I've ever visited, but it fulfilled the need for something warm.
The next morning, I packed up and took the bus to Minimal Mood. Their beverages and desserts were to-die-for. The music and the atmosphere were really calming and made for a great end to the trip to Gangneung.
After finishing my drink, I took the bus to Gangneung Station where I took the KTX back to Seoul at 3:30.