Incheon Islands Part Two: Jawoldo



This is the second instalment in a series of posts about the islands off the coast at Incheon.

Jawoldo sits further out from the mainland than Muuido and the ferry ride from Incheon’s Yeonan Budu terminal feels like the start of a real island adventure. At the end of the hour long trip, a small van was waiting to take us to our home for the weekend, Oak Valley Pension

A pension is a modern, more upmarket version of a minbak-basically a family run guesthouse, usually found in the countryside or at the beach. Pensions usually offer a choice between smaller rooms for 2-5 people, which may or may not have beds, or the larger rooms where everyone crashes together on the floor, which can often accommodate up to 20 guests. Our triple rooms didn’t come with beds, but they did provide an en-suite bathroom and a small kitchen with a gas range and refrigerator-also common in pensions. The building is a cool and airy multi-level house perched on the top of a super steep hill, with a spacious outdoor deck allowing guests to barbecue their dinner with a view of the sea.

Oak Valley Pension



View from the pension down to the beach



Heading down the hill, we were greeted by the welcome sight of a clean and smooth stretch of golden sand. Despite the gorgeous late June weather, we were almost the only people there.  Like Muuido, the water recedes pretty far at low tide; however we were able to swim for much of the afternoon. Some members of our group headed out to explore the rest of the island, using the bikes provided by the pension and the ATVs which were being rented out opposite the beach. The lush, green interior of Jawoldo creates a dramatic contrast with the sandy coastline and some of the beaches are utterly empty, perfect for a true ‘deserted  island’ fantasy.

A small store and restaurant directly across from the beach kept us supplied with snacks and beer all afternoon and we were able to buy enough meat to cook up a feast on the deck of our pension later that evening. Little did we know that we were soon to become a feast ourselves, for the thousands of mosquitoes and sand flies which chomped away merrily at us through pants and shirts as we sat obliviously enjoying a bonfire down on the sand. Taking a late night stroll along the beach, a few of us discovered a large group of visiting school children whose minders were delighted to have the opportunity to encourage their kids to practice English with us and even more delighted to thank us for our meagre efforts by pouring large quantities of soju down our throats. 

The beach at low tide



Sometime around dawn, we staggered back up the hill for a few precious hours of sleep before the ferry back to Incheon. A little later, cries of dismay echoed throughout the pension as various people woke up to discover mosquito bites the size of baseballs (only a slight exaggeration) all over their bodies. It was a tired, hungover and pretty damn itchy group that made its way back to the ferry that lunchtime but we were all in agreement that we’d do it again next summer-and we’d be bringing industrial quantities of insect repellent.

Incheon Islands Part One: Muuido

The waters around Incheon are dotted with islands which make the perfect weekend escape from the city. This is the first in a series of posts covering the area.

Muuido is one of the closer islands to the mainland, with the loading of the ferry across taking longer than the ride itself. After taking a twenty minute bus ride from Incheon Airport (bus number 222) head into the ticket office perched on the edge of the dock and pay 3000 won for a return trip to the island. The boat shuttles back and forth regularly, so the wait is rarely a long one. On the other side, buses wait to take visitors to one of the two beaches on the island-Hanagae or Silmi. The buses are packed on sunny weekends and the trip down the winding roads of the island can be a hair-raising one.

On our most recent trip to Hanagae beach, we found that the island had become a lot more popular with locals and foreigners alike. The wide, sandy beach was dotted with families splashing around in the water to wash off the grime of the city. The entrance to the beach (there’s a 2000 won admission fee) is surrounded by numerous seafood restaurants and a small general store, selling all the beach weekend essentials such as roman candles, snacks and beer. On the beach itself, a small cluster of restaurants at one end offers some non-fishy choices like bibimbap and samgyeopsal.



Sunset at Hanagae Beach

Whilst Muuido can be done as an easy day trip from Seoul (and this seemed to be a popular option, with the island becoming notably quieter in the late afternoon) it pays to stay over to enjoy a few beers over the picturesque sunset. Right on the beach, Muuido’s ‘bungalows’ are basically small huts perched on stilts over the sand. They’re basic but clean and sleep three people comfortably, four if you’re willing to squeeze a little closer! At 30,000 a night, they’re a bargain sleeping option. For an extra 10,000 a night you can rent one of the cabins with an attached bathroom (bungalow guests can use the bathroom facilities on the beach which include open air showers and clean, western style toilets) and fridge, although these are further back in the parking lot and therefore lack the views of the bungalows. There are also a number of pensions scattered around the area.

Bungalows on the beach

Whilst many come to Muuido simply to relax and sunbathe on the sand, there are also a few more active options available. There are a number of hiking trails, including one starting at the entrance to Hanagae beach which leads up a small mountain for gorgeous views of the area. It is also possible to walk out to Silmido, a small uninhabited island, when the tides are right-ask beach staff for details. If you do choose to remain on Hanagae beach, digging for your dinner of clams and other seafood in the mudflats which appear when the tide recedes ( it goes out extremely far) is a fun activity.

Weekend evenings often see a bonfire or two being made on the beach and the atmosphere is friendly but a bit less hedonistic than that of some of the other islands such as Deokjeokdo. It’s the relaxed ambience of Muuido which makes it the ideal weekend getaway for those seeking a sun and sand filled escape from the city.

The Ultimate Chuseok Staycation

The mid week Chuseok holiday this year is both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, most public schools and some hagwons are offering the Monday and/or Friday off, giving a generous 6-9 days of continuous vacation-more than enough to escape the country if you wish. For those who are stuck with Tuesday-Thursday, the options are a little less open.


The problem with Chuseok is that it is one of the two major holidays each year where the majority of Koreans travel back to their home towns, creating a mass exodus out of Seoul. Planes and trains are booked up weeks in advance, whilst buses and cars squat motionless on the highways with their drivers and passengers stewing inside. The hassles involved in leaving the country can put off even the most determined traveller so with that in mind, Get out of Seoul presents the rather contradictory ‘Chuseok Staycation’-your guide to exploring the capital this Korean thanksgiving.

Day One: The Great Outdoors

Ease yourself in to vacation mode with a day of hanging out in the autumn sunshine (hopefully). Seoul might not be a city that screams ‘nature’ or ‘wildlife’, but there are certainly some decent enough spots to check out. For a lazy day of picnicking, the riverside parks at Yeouido/Yeouinaru (Line 5) are a good bet. Eastern Seoul residents are well catered for with Olympic Park (Olympic Park Station, line 5, exit 3) and Seoul Forest (Ttukseom Station, line 2, exit 8), whilst those in the south west of the city have Boramae Park (Boramae Station, line 7, exit 2). Seoul Grand Park (line 4) and Children’s Grand Park (line 7) are other options.

Yeouido Park

For those in the mood for something a little more active, Bukhansan National Park on the northern edge of Seoul has some great, rocky, hiking trails. Whilst locals who have stayed in Seoul over the holidays might well be out and about in this area, it’s likely to be a lot less crowded than a typical weekend in fall. Nearby Suraksan is another alternative. Further south, Gwanaksan is accessible from Seoul National University, Gwacheon and Gwanak stations. A wide variety of routes means there is something to suit everyone. For more details on hiking in these areas, see here.

Continue the outdoor theme into the evening with some al fresco dining and drinking. Whilst many Korean restaurants are closed for some or all of Chuseok, it’s largely business as usual in foreigner friendly areas like Hongdae and Itaewon, although they may be a bit quieter than normal. The ever popular ‘Roofers’ in Itaewon is a decent spot for food and a few beers and although Hongdae’s playground will undoubtedly be a lot quieter than normal, it’s still fun to grab some drinks from the convenience store and people watch with friends.

Day Two: Playtime

Wednesday is the actual day of Chuseok, when Korean families gather together to celebrate and as such, this will be the day when the most things are closed. However, all of Seoul’s major theme parks-Seoul Land, Everland and Lotte World-remain open, along with the COEX aquarium. Whilst you certainly won’t have these places to yourself-it’s becoming more popular for families to take advantage of the time off and head to popular attractions-they should be a lot quieter than on the average weekend. Everland is the most extensive of the three, offering a zoo and the Carribean Bay water park (admission extra) and is located a short way outside of Seoul-buses take about 45 minutes from Gangnam station and traffic on this day shouldn’t be too bad. Seoul Land and Lotte World can be reached by subway from Seoul Grand Park station and Jamsil station respectively.

Again, many Korean-owned restaurants and bars will be closed on this day so it’s the ideal time to treat yourself to a taste of home. Itaewon has the widest variety of foreign restaurants, with Thai, Indian and Mexican places competing for your business. Areas like Hongdae and Gangnam should also have a number of decent options available.

Day Three: History and Culture

The final day of vacation is the perfect opportunity to finally check out a few of those cultural sights you’ve been meaning to get to for ages, if only the weekends didn’t disappear in a blur of much needed sleep and soju. Both Gyeongbukgung and Changdeokgung-Seoul’s two main palaces-are open, with Changdeokgung allowing independent visits on Thursday, unlike other days when you must join a group tour. The War Museum at Samgakji is also open, along with the Hanok village at the foot of Namsan. For those wanting to do some more modern sightseeing, both Namsan Tower and the 63 Building remain open also.

Gyeongbuk Palace

Garden at Changgyeong Palace

It’s likely that a least some of the traditional shops and stalls in Insadong, close to Gyeongbukgung, will be open on this day. In the evening, the excellent Korea House (Chungmuro station) offers a traditional Korean meal and performance in an old Hanok building-the perfect way to relax before heading back to work.

Five Tips for Travelling in Korea

Travel in South Korea is, for the most part, pretty straightforward. This isn’t Cambodia, where your bus is going to stir reluctantly to life at the start of the trip only to die with a cough and a splutter at some tiny town that brings new meaning to the phrase ‘middle of nowhere’ or Myanmar, where you can kiss any chance of sleeping through your night bus trip goodbye as you’re hauled outside for passport inspection at numerous check points. Nevertheless, there are a few things that will make your trips around the country run a little more smoothly if you bear them in mind...




Learn to Read Hangul

It takes about two hours- you could do it in a couple of long subway rides. Grab a book or a printout off the internet, or just ask a friend for help. Not only does it make your everyday life heaps easier, it also means that you will avoid ending up on the wrong side of the country thanks to the lack of consistency in Romanising Korean place names. Plus many smaller destinations have road signs in Hangul only. Definitely a couple of hours well spent.

Beat the Crowds (or at least be prepared for them)

Anyone who lives in Seoul knows how crowded Korea is. Whilst you might expect this in the capital city, it can come as a shock to realize that rest of the country can be just as packed as the subway at rush hour. Being trampled by an adjumma on Line 2 is one thing, but halfway up a mountain? Come on....

If you are looking to avoid the crowds, that means avoiding particular places at certain times of the year. Many Koreans tend to be quite focused on the idea that certain activities are meant to be done at certain-quite limited- times of the year. Probably the best example of this is the summer beach period-for around 2 weeks in July and August, almost every easily accessible beach in the country is crammed with visitors but outside of that, many are empty no matter how good the weather. The upside is that it’s often possible to take advantage of this by visiting at other times and almost having the place to yourself-early September is normally a great time to hit the beach in Korea, although the rain may put paid to that idea this year. Other crowd flashpoints include Seoraksan in autumn for the leaves changing colour and anywhere with cherry blossom trees (Jinhae and Gyeongju are particularly popular) in the blossom season in spring.

The alternative is to embrace the crowds and enjoy the upsides-the convivial atmosphere at festivals, the sharing of soju and fruit on mountain tops and the general hospitality and friendliness of Koreans out and about enjoying their leisure time.

Timing is Everything

Following on from the theme above, when you have masses of people all wanting to escape the city for the weekend, you also have some massive logistical issues. Traffic out of Seoul on the weekends can be the stuff of nightmares if you are unlucky enough to get caught in it. The obvious alternative is to use the train, especially with the availability of the speedy KTX service. However tickets tend to book up pretty quickly for some services and the KTX can also be quite pricey, with a return from Seoul to Busan costing around 100,000. If you do take the bus, the best advice is to leave as soon as you can-there are late night buses to many destinations, which often cruise along relatively traffic free, especially if you leave after 10.00pm. Alternatively, getting up really early on Saturday is also a smart option. It can also be a good idea to use more local bus depots rather than the central Seoul terminals such as Dong Seoul and Express Bus Terminal. Most satellite cities of Seoul will have at least one or two cross country services which can save a lot of time. This is where reading Hangul helps-do some digging online or ask a Korean friend to help out. When returning to the city, afternoon-shift workers might want to consider coming back in on Monday morning if the trip isn’t too long.

A Good Night’s Sleep

Many readers will have already discovered the joy of the ‘love motel’-the seedy sounding crash pad of choice for travellers and privacy-starved couples alike. These are actually one of the greatest things about travelling in Korea-for between 30,000-60,000 a night you can often expect a clean, spacious room with a variety of amenities ranging from flat screen TV and PC to an in-room Jacuzzi! Love motels are often clustered together in the same area, making it easy to compare facilities.

The other budget friendly way to sleep is to make use of the Korean style rooms in ‘Pensions’. Usually found at the beach or in the countryside, these guesthouses often have large, ondol heated rooms where guests sleep on mats on the floor. With prices from as low as 100,000 for a room sleeping ten, these can be a great deal if you’re travelling in a large group.

Get off the Beaten Track

Whilst Korea has some deservedly famous tourist sights-Gyeongju, Seoraksan and Jeju do, amongst others-it’s often the little things that make you really appreciate travelling in this country. Whether it’s being force-fed soju shots by grandmothers in front of a crowd of curious children on an otherwise empty beach, or being offered a lift in a police car after you stopped to ask for directions, it’s the people here, not just the places, that will make your trips memorable.

An honorary mention goes to the Korea Tourism Hotline-dial 1330 for free travel advice in English. They can help with transportation, accommodation bookings and generally anything to do with travel and tourism. Reports of this service have run the gamut from ‘fantastic,’ to ‘useless,’ so it’s probably luck of the draw depending who picks up the phone. Definitely worth a go if you don’t speak Korean.



Links:

• http://www.hotel365.co.kr/ (Korean) ‘Love Motel’ website-many listings are for Seoul but also covers some parts of Gyeonggi-do, Daegu, Busan, Gwangju, Chuncheon, Daejeon and Jeju.

• http://www.kobus.co.kr/web/eng/02_service/service01.jsp (English) Long distance buses from satellite cities.

• http://www.easyticket.co.kr/ (Korean) Buses from Central City (Opposite Express Bus Terminal, Gangnam) and some from Dong Seoul Terminal.

• https://www.ti21.co.kr/ (Korean) Buses from Dong Seoul Terminal.

• http://info.korail.com/2007/eng/eng_index.jsp (English) Train schedules and reservations.

Gyeongju

Shilla capital Gyeongju is on almost every visitor to South Korea’s itinerary. Located in Gyeonsangbuk-do, around 4 hours drive from Seoul, the city and its outlying areas are bursting with historical and cultural treasures waiting to be explored. The only downside is that Gyeongju’s popularity means you may well be sharing it with many, many others. If at all possible, a midweek visit will allow you a bit more space to relax and drink in the atmosphere, but failing that set off late on a Friday night or early Saturday morning from Seoul to try and miss the traffic if travelling by bus.

As usual, a convenient glut of reasonably priced love motels sits almost adjacent to the bus terminal. On an exploratory stroll through the city, most visitors are likely to run into the centrally located Tumuli Park sooner rather than later. The Tumuli are actually the tombs of important figures in the Shilla dynasty and resemble small, rounded hills. The contrast of the clean, quiet, greenery-filled park with Seoul’s urban centres means it’s possible to spend at least an hour or so strolling here.

Many of Gyeongju’s other significant sights are within easy walking distance of Tumuli Park. Anapji Pond is a pretty place to visit, whilst Wolseong Park contains a few ruins of interest such as Cheomseongdae (an ancient astrological observatory) and Seokbinggo (an ice house). Although the sights themselves may not be overwhelmingly impressive, like Tumuli park the overall ambience and wide open spaces make the area pleasant to explore.

The real stars of Gyeongju’s show are located outside of the city center. By far the most popular are Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto, both of which can easily be reached by public transport. Bulguksa has earned itself a well deserved place on UNESCO’s World Heritage List and the beauty of the structure itself is further enhanced by its enchanting location, on a hillside surrounded by forest and with a picturesque garden and pond at its entrance.

Seokguram Grotto is perched in the mountains behind Bulguksa and the winding journey upwards through the trees ends at the grotto’s car park, where visitors are deposited. From there it is a short walk along a wide, shady path to the beginning of the stairs leading up to the grotto. At the top, the grotto contains numerous Buddhist sculptures and the views over the surrounding area are magnificent, stretching as far as the sea on a reasonably clear day.

The amount of culture and history in Gyeongju means it is impossible to cover everything here, grab one of the excellent city maps from tourist information and explore to your heart’s content.

Transport: Gyeongju is around 4 hours from Seoul by bus. Direct rail services from Seoul Station take 4 and a half to 5 hours. The alternative is to take a KTX train to Dongdaegu and transfer to a local service there, which could reduce travel time to 3 hours excluding transfer time in Daegu. In Gyeongju, buses 10 and 11 go to Bulguksa, where there is a service to Seokguram Grotto once an hour. The driver will usually advise you of the return bus time when you are dropped at the Seokguram car park. Most of the city centre sights are within easy walking distance of each other, although hiring bikes has become a popular way to get around town.

Accommodation: There are numerous love motels on the streets behind the bus station for around 50,000 per night. There are also a couple of youth hostels/Yeogwon available through www.hostelbookers.com.

Chungju and Danyang: A 24 hour escape from Seoul

I’ve seen my fair share of soju-swilling partiers in this country (both Korean and foreign), but I wasn’t expecting to be greeted by a pack of them at 10.00am on a Sunday morning. I also wasn’t expecting them to be well over twice my age....

Our plan was to use the Chungju Lake ferry as a scenic way of getting across to Danyang, where there was a large cave to explore. A rather raucous Friday night had meant that we’d spent Saturday in Seoul nursing hangovers and had departed from Gangnam’s Express Bus Terminal on Sunday at the pretty painful hour of 7.30am. With only twenty four hours before we had to be back in Seoul, we were determined to make the most of our smog free surroundings and pack in as much in the way of scenic sights as we could. Now as we stood bleary eyed and queuing for tickets, the ‘adjosshi’ and ‘adjuma’ (older men and older women) of Korea had decided that Chungju was the place to be that morning. As we waited to board our ferry, they crowded onto the dock, trading cackles and squid flavoured snacks. Once on board, the party started in earnest and bottles of soju were cracked open with an impressive enthusiasm given the early hour. We felt rather staid refraining from knocking back shots out of paper cups and sipping on juice instead.


Clear and sparkling the water of the manmade lake is not, but the surrounding rock formations more than make up for that. Towering over the boat, they inspired the adjummas (who by now had made their way down to the lower deck for what can only be described as a midday rave to some pounding techno beats) to leap into a frenzy of photography.

The scenery reached a climax shortly before the boat arrived at the dock, although the entire ride was a relaxing and altogether delightful way to spend a few hours on a Sunday morning. By the time we arrived, the sun which had felt warm and soothing on the open deck of the boat was beating down fiercely and we were eager to make our way to Gosu Donggul, the large limestone cave. A few inquiries later, we discovered we’d actually disembarked a stop before Danyang which is apparently common practice when the water levels further across are too low. A short bus ride took us into the town, where we stopped for some lunch before heading on to explore the cave.


Gosu Donggul is about a fifteen minute walk out of Danyang, nestled in amongst some beautiful greenery. This is not the kind of cave where you crawl in and explore yourself-the inside has been filled with walkways, gangplanks and staircases which guide you around the interior. The cave is stunning, packed with delicate formations and fascinating features-however the sheer volume of people in the place can, at times, be overwhelming. The walkways become something of a human traffic jam and appreciating the scenic surroundings can be tough when you are being jostled from all sides. It wasn’t without some relief that we exited into the sunlit car park and made our way back over the bridge into Danyang to continue our journey.

Rock formations inside the cave

In order to make getting back into Seoul as easy as possible on Monday, we’d decided to head back to Chungju and spend the night there, leaving us perfectly placed to hop on an express bus back to Seoul the following morning. Three tired waegookin snoozed their way through the ride back to Chungju and stumbled dozily off the bus in search of what the Lonely Planet had proclaimed as ‘Chungju’s Flashiest Motel’-the Titanic. We were drawn in by the castle-like exterior which screamed ‘love motel’ and dumped our bags before heading out in search of food, eventually ending up in a pretty standard galbi restaurant.



Chungju on a Sunday night wasn’t the liveliest of places, but then that wasn’t really why we were there. Deciding to return to the motel for an early night, we reflected on a day of boat rides, drunken pensioners and fascinating scenery-twenty four hours out of Seoul well spent.







Transport: Buses run to Chungju from Seoul’s Express Bus Terminal and Dong Seoul Terminal and take around two hours. Chungju ferry terminal can be reached by bus 301 from the bus terminal, or by taxi (around 15,000). Buses from Danyang to Chungju run frequently and take around one hour thirty minutes. The ferry trip from Chungju to Danyang or Janghoe (the stop before) takes around two hours and costs approximately 20,000.



Gosu Donggul can be reached on foot from Danyang-cross the bridge and follow the signs (Hangul only).



Accommodation: There are several other love motels in the same neighbourhood as the ‘Titanic’. Most cost around 35,000 per room per night.



Nearby Attractions: The temple complex Gu-Insa, in Sobeaksan National Park, can be reached via a thirty minute bus ride from Danyang bus terminal. There are also several smaller caves in the area. From Chungju, the Suanbo Hot Springs are thirty minutes away.