Sokcho: Third time is Charming
As many of you saw via the plethora of photos on my Instagram story (sorry not sorry 🙈) we spent some of our Chuseok holiday in Sokcho! Sokcho is a little beach city on the East Coast that is also nestled into the grandiose mountains of Seoraksan National Park and only about 2.5 hours by bus from Seoul! (And only an hour or so from North Korea! Which means... Lots of interesting history! (You thought I was going to say we went to North Korea, didn't you?!))
Anyway, we had tossed around the idea of going somewhere new (we had a week off for Chuseok so we had time) but we just love the place so much so why not go back? So glad we did!
Day 1
Our hotel was in the National Park area so we were only about 10 minutes from the entrance and about 20 minutes from town (btw, all my measurements are in times by bus) so we were really out of the city and plopped right into nature--exactly what we wanted. Our hotel, which was more of a hostel/guesthouse, was super cute. Nothing fancy so perfect for us! The hosts were so friendly and the kids loved their bunk-bed!
Naturally, after we checked in and Lucy napped it was time for a hike! Because, you know, resting in our hotel would have been so silly 😂. So, we headed down to the bus stop. Ok, so this bus stop was a hoot. Lucy not only learned the phrase "bus stop" on this trip but also could differentiate that this was a "butt" stop 🤣.
Our plan was to actually take the cable car up today but it was sold out so we decided to start exploring towards Biryeong (flying dragon) Waterfall. And if we got there, great, it was only supposed to be like 4 or so km roundtrip.
It was a beautiful stroll along the river with gorgeous, clear pools that looked so cool and refreshing to swim in! I was startled when we came to a bridge that I definitely did not realize was a suspension bridge until a hilarious gentleman started wiggling in sending me into a frenzy of "ooh"s and "oh no!"s and "what is going on?!"s and "I'm afraid of heights!" Made it across though...
We got to Biryeong Waterfall and saw that it was like .5 km to Towangseong Falls--why not, right?!
Ahhh it was sooo many stairs! But we persevered and made it to the top! The views were amazing and the falls were cool, but since it's Autumn, not really raging or anything but still an accomplishment.
However... It was starting to get dark. Quickly. What's more fun than hiking up 850+ stairs? Hiking down 850+ stairs 😑. It was fine.
Once down the stairs, it was definitely hustle time. We made a few jokes about how we are glad that there aren't any tigers* left in Korea, and of course Finn chimed in with, "well there might be one!" Great! THANK YOU. So comforting right now...
*There are rumors that tigers still exist in North Korea and that if Korea unifies, they might reintroduce tigers to the area that is currently the DMZ.
By the time we got back to the main area, pretty much everything was closed or closing up. I mean, it was 7:00 and dark... So, time to take a bus back. Got to the bus stop and it said the bus would be arriving any minute. Well that any minute came and went and said the next one would be in 15 minutes... Ugh we were so hungry!!
The bus arrived at 7:30 and when we got back we then had to figure out food. Good thing there was a row of restaurants just off our stop so we popped in, argued a bit between the three off us while wrangling a tires two year old, and ordered some bulgogi. It was so delicious!
After our meal, we headed back to the hotel, changed into our PJs, watched an episode of The Dragon Prince, and settled down for the night.
Day 2
After a terrible night sleep for 3/4 of us (Finn continually gets the best camper/sleeper award... PS remember how AWFUL of a sleeper he was as a baby? This makes up for it...) we were slow to get ready and didn't make it into the park until after 10.
We were torn between trying to do Ulsanbawi or take the cable car. We went to the cable car but it was going to be about an hour until the next availability. So, we walked around a bit more with the idea we'd hike up to Ulsanbawi. However, we passed by this map that made me question if going on such a tough hike was a good idea--especially since we were all pretty tired. And then we were all hungry because, you know, 10:30 am is a great time to eat lunch 🙄😅. We tried to figure out what to eat so started at Lotteria (like a Korean McDonald's) but they were sold out of fries--Lucy's only request--so that was vetoed. Walked around a bit more whilst getting all the more hangry and we finally settled one of the many Korean places with the seafood pancake Brett wanted.
Meanwhile, Brett had purchased tickets for the cable car because we didn't want to go on the hike only to come back and see they were sold out again for the rest of the day but that meant again postponing the Ulsan Bawi hike... We are lunch and killed some time walking around the grounds and then headed off for the cable car!
It was as crowded as expected but we got a great spot in the back corner with views for all of us! It also went faster than I expected so that was pretty fun.
Amazing views yet again and some tasty snacks at the top. Apparently this was a hungry day...
We first made our way down a short trail that lead us to a temple and presumably the monks' home as well as some fun rocks to scramble up.
Then we made our way back up and continued up to another little trail that lead up to what we discovered was the ruins of Gwongeumseong fortress and that was pretty cool.
I mean, we thought it was pretty cool---Lucy thought it was nap time...
Relieved that Ulsanbawi would have to wait, we headed back to the hotel to regroup and then to walk around the fish market in downtown Sokcho. Brett's goal for this trip was to try all the local foods and we had already had the mountain bibimbap and bulgogi as well as the haemul pajeon (seafood pancake) so now it was time to find some stuffed squid and whatever else we could find! But not before wearing matching outfits for the boys 😅
The first thing we found wasn't necessarily a local speciality but holy smokes did it smell amazing...
The kids didn't care for it (which we anticipated so we fed them before the market) so they provided us with some dinner entertainment.
Found the stuffed squid! It was everywhere. Something I've noticed is that a lot of shops that are selling the same thing will actually be grouped together. It's really interesting and I can't figure out how to choose the best one 🤷🏻♀️ oh well, this one seemed just fine.
It was quite good but I was so full from the shrimp!
We made sure to make tonight an earlier night and hopped back on the bus to the hotel for a second round of PJs and the Dragon Prince! Not without seeing the amazing full moon that sadly could not be captured with my phone's camera.
Day 3
Alright. We slept SO well! It was glorious. We were all up by 8 and ready to start our day so we got a much earlier start and clearer minds so Ulsanbawi was back on the table. Getting to the park by 9 and not 10:15 also made a big difference.
So, in case you missed the picture above with the trail layout, distance is about 3.5 km but the last km is one tier below expert. Which can only mean one thing: ALL. THE. STAIRS. 888 to be exact... According to "the locals" so who even knows. Ugh. Oh well. I'm stubborn and I'm doing it. Besides, my other option was to just have Lucy with me for the day and I just didn't want to separate the family especially if we went to the ocean and Finn didn't get to.
Something that I was expecting and looking forward to were the random snack and rest areas along the way but they don't have them any more! Had I know that, I would have brought more water and snacks. Thats what I get for thinking it was a weird idea the last time we were here 🤦♀️.
It was a pretty steady uphill climb and Lucy did a little bit of it but spent most of the time in the backpack. Finn did the whole thing which is wildly impressive. I moved at a slow but fairly steady pace. If I were 5 inches shorter and 50 pounds lighter man, that would have been so much easier. Being the slow one, I did see more wildlife than anyone though-- didn't get a picture of the cool black Korean squirrel which is such a bummer. Just slow on the draw with that one. But did get a photo of a sweet caterpillar!
Once you get to the temple it's either you turn around or you continue on. So basically, here goes. The crowd gets smaller the farther up you go and you see more "familiar" faces. We passed you, you passed us. A few "fighting!" (Good job, or keep it up equivalent) and smiles/nods of encouragement and empathy towards others struggling. Stairs are awful but it beats needing to be an expert rock climber to see some amazing landscape.
We made it to the top! Just in time for lunch that I didn't bring, thinking it would be along the way... Haha oops! And goodness, did some people's rice and kimchi look delightful... Here kids, have a smooshed granola bar and the last few bits of a sandwich you didn't finish. Oh boy mom of the year award.. 🙄
The couple behind the kids gave them a chocolate which is why they are also smiling for the photo
We didn't spend too much time at the top. It's beautiful but it's a pretty small space annnnd we were hungry...
Going down was pretty quick. We did stop and read the legend of Ulsanbawi which was fun; I always think legends give a fantasical feel for a place, making it even more special.
The whole excursion was actually only 5 hours which with two small kids is pretty impressive.
We decided to leave the park for food and got some amazing spicy wild mushroom stew.
Since this was our last day, my only request was that if we hiked Ulsanbawi, we had to go to the ocean. So, off we went to change and head into town. (We aren't very good at relaxing on vacation...)
Time to explore town, but first, coffee!
Um, best coffee so far in Korea. We picked our beans and she ground them and made us pour over. So delicious. We then made our way over to Abai Village to ride the ferry boat. The ferry boat only travels about 50 meters but you get to help pull it across!
Apparently this ferry system was set into place by a group of refugees who escaped North Korea during the Korean war and created a settlement here. The houses were built to just keep them until the war subsided but since it ended the way it did, they stayed. You can read more about it here.
Not quite sure why she was doing this but it made me laugh.
These two had a great time. We saw some ladies fishing, cute old houses, and got our toes in the surprisingly warm ocean water.
After we crossed back over it was, you guessed it, time for more food! I just wanted one thing and we spent an hour trying to find it because the sign was flipped around... That was quite irritating.
Totally worth it though because my corn dog had fries on it and I got to 30,000 steps 😂 And after that we headed home for, you guessed it, PJs and the Dragon Prince!
Afterword
It was super easy getting to the bus terminal in the morning and we arrived with more than enough time. Unfortunately, I drank too much coffee and too much water and missed my chance for a potty break. I have never had to pee that bad in my life or at least without any control over when to stop so that was the WORST. I figured out where the rest stop was that we took on the way out and focused on how many kilometers to kind of keep my mind occupied. Annnnd we passed that rest stop. Um hey what now?! Brett went and checked with the bus driver who held up 4 fingers that Brett took to mean 4 minutes. Well those 4 minutes came and went and after 10 started to see signs for another possible rest stop and eventually came to the conclusion that that 4 meant 40 km 😱😭.
Finally pulled in to this rest stop and I walked hunched over ALL the way across the parking lot to the women's restroom to which was OF COURSE in the farthest corner of the building but hey, no line!
Anyway, with that all sorted out, I was able to enjoy the rest of the bus ride home(both kids were occupied with some TV time on our phones).
It was definitely clear that the weather was changing in Seoul. The weather in Sokcho had been crisp, clean, and cool but now it's turned to grayer, cold, and windy. We were so lucky to have such nice weather; the last time we were in Sokcho, it rained most of the time. The leaves were just barely starting to turn this time and it's really even more spectacular when the fall foliage is in full effect. I would have like to spend more time on the water but overall this was a great trip. Everyone really benefitted from the fresh air, change of scenery, and some brisk exercise!
Hoping that will not be the last time we visit so for now, bye bye Sokcho!
Anyway, we had tossed around the idea of going somewhere new (we had a week off for Chuseok so we had time) but we just love the place so much so why not go back? So glad we did!
Day 1
Our hotel was in the National Park area so we were only about 10 minutes from the entrance and about 20 minutes from town (btw, all my measurements are in times by bus) so we were really out of the city and plopped right into nature--exactly what we wanted. Our hotel, which was more of a hostel/guesthouse, was super cute. Nothing fancy so perfect for us! The hosts were so friendly and the kids loved their bunk-bed!
Naturally, after we checked in and Lucy napped it was time for a hike! Because, you know, resting in our hotel would have been so silly 😂. So, we headed down to the bus stop. Ok, so this bus stop was a hoot. Lucy not only learned the phrase "bus stop" on this trip but also could differentiate that this was a "butt" stop 🤣.
Our plan was to actually take the cable car up today but it was sold out so we decided to start exploring towards Biryeong (flying dragon) Waterfall. And if we got there, great, it was only supposed to be like 4 or so km roundtrip.
It was a beautiful stroll along the river with gorgeous, clear pools that looked so cool and refreshing to swim in! I was startled when we came to a bridge that I definitely did not realize was a suspension bridge until a hilarious gentleman started wiggling in sending me into a frenzy of "ooh"s and "oh no!"s and "what is going on?!"s and "I'm afraid of heights!" Made it across though...
We got to Biryeong Waterfall and saw that it was like .5 km to Towangseong Falls--why not, right?!
Ahhh it was sooo many stairs! But we persevered and made it to the top! The views were amazing and the falls were cool, but since it's Autumn, not really raging or anything but still an accomplishment.
However... It was starting to get dark. Quickly. What's more fun than hiking up 850+ stairs? Hiking down 850+ stairs 😑. It was fine.
Once down the stairs, it was definitely hustle time. We made a few jokes about how we are glad that there aren't any tigers* left in Korea, and of course Finn chimed in with, "well there might be one!" Great! THANK YOU. So comforting right now...
*There are rumors that tigers still exist in North Korea and that if Korea unifies, they might reintroduce tigers to the area that is currently the DMZ.
By the time we got back to the main area, pretty much everything was closed or closing up. I mean, it was 7:00 and dark... So, time to take a bus back. Got to the bus stop and it said the bus would be arriving any minute. Well that any minute came and went and said the next one would be in 15 minutes... Ugh we were so hungry!!
The bus arrived at 7:30 and when we got back we then had to figure out food. Good thing there was a row of restaurants just off our stop so we popped in, argued a bit between the three off us while wrangling a tires two year old, and ordered some bulgogi. It was so delicious!
After our meal, we headed back to the hotel, changed into our PJs, watched an episode of The Dragon Prince, and settled down for the night.
Day 2
After a terrible night sleep for 3/4 of us (Finn continually gets the best camper/sleeper award... PS remember how AWFUL of a sleeper he was as a baby? This makes up for it...) we were slow to get ready and didn't make it into the park until after 10.
We were torn between trying to do Ulsanbawi or take the cable car. We went to the cable car but it was going to be about an hour until the next availability. So, we walked around a bit more with the idea we'd hike up to Ulsanbawi. However, we passed by this map that made me question if going on such a tough hike was a good idea--especially since we were all pretty tired. And then we were all hungry because, you know, 10:30 am is a great time to eat lunch 🙄😅. We tried to figure out what to eat so started at Lotteria (like a Korean McDonald's) but they were sold out of fries--Lucy's only request--so that was vetoed. Walked around a bit more whilst getting all the more hangry and we finally settled one of the many Korean places with the seafood pancake Brett wanted.
Meanwhile, Brett had purchased tickets for the cable car because we didn't want to go on the hike only to come back and see they were sold out again for the rest of the day but that meant again postponing the Ulsan Bawi hike... We are lunch and killed some time walking around the grounds and then headed off for the cable car!
It was as crowded as expected but we got a great spot in the back corner with views for all of us! It also went faster than I expected so that was pretty fun.
Amazing views yet again and some tasty snacks at the top. Apparently this was a hungry day...
We first made our way down a short trail that lead us to a temple and presumably the monks' home as well as some fun rocks to scramble up.
Then we made our way back up and continued up to another little trail that lead up to what we discovered was the ruins of Gwongeumseong fortress and that was pretty cool.
I mean, we thought it was pretty cool---Lucy thought it was nap time...
Relieved that Ulsanbawi would have to wait, we headed back to the hotel to regroup and then to walk around the fish market in downtown Sokcho. Brett's goal for this trip was to try all the local foods and we had already had the mountain bibimbap and bulgogi as well as the haemul pajeon (seafood pancake) so now it was time to find some stuffed squid and whatever else we could find! But not before wearing matching outfits for the boys 😅
The first thing we found wasn't necessarily a local speciality but holy smokes did it smell amazing...
The kids didn't care for it (which we anticipated so we fed them before the market) so they provided us with some dinner entertainment.
Found the stuffed squid! It was everywhere. Something I've noticed is that a lot of shops that are selling the same thing will actually be grouped together. It's really interesting and I can't figure out how to choose the best one 🤷🏻♀️ oh well, this one seemed just fine.
It was quite good but I was so full from the shrimp!
We made sure to make tonight an earlier night and hopped back on the bus to the hotel for a second round of PJs and the Dragon Prince! Not without seeing the amazing full moon that sadly could not be captured with my phone's camera.
Day 3
Alright. We slept SO well! It was glorious. We were all up by 8 and ready to start our day so we got a much earlier start and clearer minds so Ulsanbawi was back on the table. Getting to the park by 9 and not 10:15 also made a big difference.
So, in case you missed the picture above with the trail layout, distance is about 3.5 km but the last km is one tier below expert. Which can only mean one thing: ALL. THE. STAIRS. 888 to be exact... According to "the locals" so who even knows. Ugh. Oh well. I'm stubborn and I'm doing it. Besides, my other option was to just have Lucy with me for the day and I just didn't want to separate the family especially if we went to the ocean and Finn didn't get to.
Something that I was expecting and looking forward to were the random snack and rest areas along the way but they don't have them any more! Had I know that, I would have brought more water and snacks. Thats what I get for thinking it was a weird idea the last time we were here 🤦♀️.
It was a pretty steady uphill climb and Lucy did a little bit of it but spent most of the time in the backpack. Finn did the whole thing which is wildly impressive. I moved at a slow but fairly steady pace. If I were 5 inches shorter and 50 pounds lighter man, that would have been so much easier. Being the slow one, I did see more wildlife than anyone though-- didn't get a picture of the cool black Korean squirrel which is such a bummer. Just slow on the draw with that one. But did get a photo of a sweet caterpillar!
Once you get to the temple it's either you turn around or you continue on. So basically, here goes. The crowd gets smaller the farther up you go and you see more "familiar" faces. We passed you, you passed us. A few "fighting!" (Good job, or keep it up equivalent) and smiles/nods of encouragement and empathy towards others struggling. Stairs are awful but it beats needing to be an expert rock climber to see some amazing landscape.
We made it to the top! Just in time for lunch that I didn't bring, thinking it would be along the way... Haha oops! And goodness, did some people's rice and kimchi look delightful... Here kids, have a smooshed granola bar and the last few bits of a sandwich you didn't finish. Oh boy mom of the year award.. 🙄
The couple behind the kids gave them a chocolate which is why they are also smiling for the photo
We didn't spend too much time at the top. It's beautiful but it's a pretty small space annnnd we were hungry...
Going down was pretty quick. We did stop and read the legend of Ulsanbawi which was fun; I always think legends give a fantasical feel for a place, making it even more special.
The whole excursion was actually only 5 hours which with two small kids is pretty impressive.
We decided to leave the park for food and got some amazing spicy wild mushroom stew.
Since this was our last day, my only request was that if we hiked Ulsanbawi, we had to go to the ocean. So, off we went to change and head into town. (We aren't very good at relaxing on vacation...)
Time to explore town, but first, coffee!
Um, best coffee so far in Korea. We picked our beans and she ground them and made us pour over. So delicious. We then made our way over to Abai Village to ride the ferry boat. The ferry boat only travels about 50 meters but you get to help pull it across!
Apparently this ferry system was set into place by a group of refugees who escaped North Korea during the Korean war and created a settlement here. The houses were built to just keep them until the war subsided but since it ended the way it did, they stayed. You can read more about it here.
Not quite sure why she was doing this but it made me laugh.
These two had a great time. We saw some ladies fishing, cute old houses, and got our toes in the surprisingly warm ocean water.
After we crossed back over it was, you guessed it, time for more food! I just wanted one thing and we spent an hour trying to find it because the sign was flipped around... That was quite irritating.
Totally worth it though because my corn dog had fries on it and I got to 30,000 steps 😂 And after that we headed home for, you guessed it, PJs and the Dragon Prince!
Afterword
It was super easy getting to the bus terminal in the morning and we arrived with more than enough time. Unfortunately, I drank too much coffee and too much water and missed my chance for a potty break. I have never had to pee that bad in my life or at least without any control over when to stop so that was the WORST. I figured out where the rest stop was that we took on the way out and focused on how many kilometers to kind of keep my mind occupied. Annnnd we passed that rest stop. Um hey what now?! Brett went and checked with the bus driver who held up 4 fingers that Brett took to mean 4 minutes. Well those 4 minutes came and went and after 10 started to see signs for another possible rest stop and eventually came to the conclusion that that 4 meant 40 km 😱😭.
Finally pulled in to this rest stop and I walked hunched over ALL the way across the parking lot to the women's restroom to which was OF COURSE in the farthest corner of the building but hey, no line!
Anyway, with that all sorted out, I was able to enjoy the rest of the bus ride home(both kids were occupied with some TV time on our phones).
It was definitely clear that the weather was changing in Seoul. The weather in Sokcho had been crisp, clean, and cool but now it's turned to grayer, cold, and windy. We were so lucky to have such nice weather; the last time we were in Sokcho, it rained most of the time. The leaves were just barely starting to turn this time and it's really even more spectacular when the fall foliage is in full effect. I would have like to spend more time on the water but overall this was a great trip. Everyone really benefitted from the fresh air, change of scenery, and some brisk exercise!
Hoping that will not be the last time we visit so for now, bye bye Sokcho!
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