Ascending Mount Seorak

7.00am - we awoke and had our breakfast (buns we bought from the supermarket). Plenty of energy will be needed for our Mount Seorak adventure.  We packed some food and water and are all set to go. From the resort, we took a cab to Mount Seorak which took about 5 mins. You may also take bus no. 3 or 3-1 and then change to bus no. 7 or 7-1 in front of the Sokcho Fire Station. In my opinion, a cab would be very much more convenient. ^^

So finally, we are there at the entrance of Mount Seorak. Entrance fee to Mount Seorak National Park is KRW3,400. There, we were engulfed by rolls and rolls of beautiful trees with crimson maples. Such a magnificent sight!


Beautiful maple trees at Mount Seorak



Red maple trees at Mount Seorak



Map of Mount Seorak

Next, it's time to choose your hiking trail... Due to time constraint, we took route B although we would loved to scale Daecheongbong Peak. And for those who prefer a less straining experience can go for route D which is a cable car ride to Gwongeumseong Castle.

[Recommended Autumn Foliage Courses]
A: Ulsanbawi Rock Hiking Course
Sogongwon Ticket Office – Sinheungsa Temple – Heundeulbawi Rock – Ulsanbawi Rock (3.8km / 2hrs 30min)
B: Geumganggul Cave Course
Sogongwon Ticket Office – Waseondae – Biseondae – Geumganggul Cave (3.6km / 1hr 30min)
C: Daecheongbong Peak Course
Sogongwon Ticket Office – Biseondae – Cheonbuldong Valley – Daecheongbong Peak – Seorak Falls – Osaekjujeongol (16km / 11hrs 20min)
C: Osaekjujeongol Course
Osaek (Namseorak) Information Center – Seorak Falls – Daecheongbong Peak (5.3km / 4hrs)
D: Gwongeumseong Castle Cable Car Course
Sogongwon Ticket Office – Cable Car – Gwongeumseong Castle (1.5km / 30min)



Mount Seorak hiking trail



Buddha statue near the entrance of Mount Seorak



And so we began our journey. First, you will be greeted by a huge buddha statue ensuring your safe return. Being the kiasee Singaporean, we stopped and prayed for a smooth hike.

There are some food stalls here too, so you might want to grab some Gimbap (dried seaweed rolls similar to the Japanese california roll). We had our buns from the supermarket so we gave that a miss.

 After walking through rolls of trees, we saw the first attraction on this trail - Cheonbuldong Valley. This is the most well-known valley of Mount Seorak, and it extends from Biseondae to Daecheongbong Peak. It was named Cheonbuldong due to the large number of rocks and cliffs on both sides of the valley that look like a line of a thousand Buddha statues. The Cheonbuldong Valley boasts a gorgeous scenic view through all the four seasons, making it a must-visit attraction.

Here are the pictures we took as we trek along the Cheonbuldong Valley.

Cheonbuldong Valley

Cheonbuldong Valley



Scenic views of Cheonbuldong Valley



Before I go on, I have to warn you that this post is very picture heavy. Please do not continue scrolling down if you cannot take pictures of breathtaking sceneries (Just kidding). 

Biseondae Cliff at Mount Seorak



Mount Seorak



The road ahead will require a certain degree of stamina and physical endurance as we are going to begin our ascend to Geumganggul Cave. Although it is only a 600m hike from Biseondae Cliff, getting there was tougher than we thought.

The path ahead were made of uneven rocks and as we move on, it became steeper and steeper. You need to be take your time and be careful as a fall here would be disastrous.

The anticipation of what we will be seeing at the summit kept us going as we continue our ardous journey.

After about an hour of climbing (with breaks in between), we finally arrived at our destination - Geumganggul Cave.

Looking out from the cave, we were treated to a superb view of Mount Seorak. It was really worth the effort to make it up here. I can imagine how amazing it will be if we make it to the highest peak - Daecheongbong Peak.

That will surely be on my agenda the next time we caome. But first, we will need to build up our fitness level.

As promised, here are the pictures taken from Geumganggul Cave. Of course, what you see there will be more spectacular than the pictures here.

Looking back at Cheonbuldong Valley from Geumganggul Cave



Steep flight of stairs to Geumganggul Cave



View from Geumganggul Cave

View from Geumganggul Cave

View from Geumganggul Cave

We rested for about 20 mins before making our way down. It was much easier going down and before long, we were back at Cheonbuldong Valley. We had our lunch at a restaurant beside the Biseondae Cliff. The food was not very nice but the beautiful surrounding more than make up for it.

Lunch at Mount Seorak

After replenishing our strength, we walked back to the entrance feeling pretty satisfied of our little accomplishment. =P

Bridge at Mount Seorak

Did I mentioned to you that there is a Waterpia theme park next to the Hanhwa Resort? Well, there is some hot pool there where you can wash away your fatigue. However, you can be cheapskates like us and enjoy the free foot bath outside the water park. Arhhh..... feels so comfortable.

Foot bath

Enjoying my foot bath

Driving to Sokcho



Welcome to Sokcho Town



Early the next morning, my friend was so kind to drive me to Sokcho - a fishing town which is famous for their tasty squid and the gateway to Mount Seorak. It takes about 3 hours drive from Seoul to Sokcho.

So, remember to prepare water, snacks before embarking on this long journey. If you go there in autumn, you will be able to see all the moutains along the way covered in red leaves. Such a spectacular sight.

By the time we arrive in Sokcho, it was already noon and we were really hungry. So our first stop was Daepohang port. This is a fish market where you can find rows of restaurants selling very fresh seafood. Bus 7 or 7-1 goes to Daepohang. Bus fare in Sokcho cost 1000KRW per trip.

Let's go fill our stomach with all the delicious food around this lovely port. =)

 

Daepohang port at Sokcho

Stone signage at Daepohang port  

  

Famous fried tempura prawns along Daepohang. Really nice!!

 

Ojingeo Sundae - something you can only find at Daepohang.
Must try!! 



Very fresh sashimi at Daepohang. Yummy!!

After our lunch, our host took us to the Hanhwa Resort. This resort will be our accomodation for the next 2 nights. Honesty, the place is pretty old but a convenient location to make our hike to Mount Seorak. The rooms here are like service apartments where you can do your own cooking. There are game rooms, billiard rooms but we never made use of these facilities. The supermarket at the lobby was very useful to get your supplies of snacks, instant noodles, 3-in-1 coffee, etc... A stone's throw away, there is the Waterpia - a water-based theme park with many different kind of pools including wave pools, slides, spa... Bus 3 or 3-1 goes to Hanhwa Resort.

Hanhwa Resort at Sokcho



Bautiful sunset from our room at Hanhwa Resort - Sokcho





 The sun has set and time for bed. A good rest is needed before our attempt to conquer Mount Seorak.
Good night~!!

Bimbimbap - Bonbap

Are you feeling hungry after walking all day at Herb Island? Our stomach were certainly growling from hunger. Sensing that, our kind host took us to try the must-eat in Korea - Bimbimbap. We went to a popular Bimbimbap chain restaurant, Bonbap, specializing in healthy bimbimbap. We had the squid bimbimbap as well as the seafood congee. Both dishes are very delicious and the price is very reasonable too (about KRW5500). There are Bonbap outlets located all over the country.  So do give it a try!!

Bonbap - Seafood Congee



Bonbap - Squid Bimbimbap

After the fulfilling meal at Bonbap, it's time to do some exercise. Tomorrow morning, we will head out to the beautiful and famous Mount Seorak. Have a good rest, lots of water and prepare for the long hike. See ya~!!

Soul of Asia - Herb Island

First, let me take you to the land of kimchi - South Korea. In my opinion, the best time to visit Seoul would be in autumn to catch the marvelous colors of the fall foliage. The weather is cool and comfortable to walk around.

This is my trip to Seoul in October 2010. When you first arrive at Incheon Airport, do not be intimidated by the Korean language. Most of the customer service staff are able to speak English and if you are interested, you may pick up some basics here. Actually, it is very much like English with vowels and consonants too. Have fun!

Now, you need to get to downtown Seoul. The most convenient method will be taking the airport bus. You can buy your ticket from the bus counter located at the arrival hall (1st floor). Most people will head to Myeong-dong, the heart of Seoul. If you are heading for Myeong-dong, purchase tickets for bus 6015 and wait for the next bus at berth 5B or12A (1st floor). The journey cost KRW10,000 and takes about 70 mins depending on the traffic condition. (which can be very congested during peak hours)

But for us, we were not going to Myeong-dong but Yangjoo City-hall where my friend is waiting. Hence, we boarded bus 7100 and arrived at our destination in approximately 90 mins. My friend was already there and brought us for our first meal. Paris Baguette - this chain of bakeries is very popular and you can find them all over Seoul. This became our no.1 source of breakfast for the days to come. =)

After breakfast, my friend drove us to Herb Island - a small theme park that showcases a variety of herbs and flowers. This is an attraction for the locals and we were like the only tourists there. Everything is written in Korean but it was a very different experience. Everything is very pretty and colourful there with little houses filled with the lovely scent from lavender, rosemary, lemon...



Welcome to Herb Island



Herb Island - Little houses where you can stick your head in to smell the different scents.

The rest of the day was spend walking around the park. Here are more pictures for your viewing pleasure. 



Herb island Bakery - Long queue to the bakery



Herb Island - A very European architecture and foutain

There was a square in the middle of the park where everyone would gather. This area was surrounded by a little canal with gondolas - Venice in Korea. we even caught a belly dancing performance. It was pretty chilly and we were wondering how these ladies could be dancing in their outfits.

Herb Island - The square where performance are held



Herb Island - Venice in South Korea



Herb Island - Belly dancers gyrating to the music

For the benefit of those who would want to visit Herb Island, here are the directions:

* Take the bus (#57, departs every 50 - 60 min) towards Sinbuk Hot Spring (Sinbuk Oncheon) from Soyosan Station (Seoul Subway line 1) >> Get off at Samjeong-ri

* Take the bus towards Pocheon from Dong Seoul Terminal or Suyu Terminal >> Take the bus towards Herb Island ( departs every 2 hour)

* Take the bus #138 from Uijeongbu Station (Seoul Subway line 1)

Enjoy your trip to Herb island!!

I'm alive.

Yes, finally a page to call my own. A brief introduction on myself - growing up on this tiny dot known as Singapore where it only takes an hour to drive from the east to the west. Therefore, many Singaporeans are travelling to different countries every year.

I myself really enjoy travelling too but sad to say, there are still so many places I want to go to. Taking a tour package is not for me as there are places I want to stop to take in the beautiful sights and food I want to try. And of course, to sit down by a cafe people watching and embracing the lifestyle and culture.

However, intensive research is needed before you can embark on your adventure. Hence, I would like to use my page here to share with you the places I have been to and directions on how to get there. Hopefully, this blog will be helpful to a few of you out there.

Stay tune for my next post. ^^