It's been a while since I posted anything about my roadtrip to Sokcho. Winter has officially settled in Korea and I use this post to remind me of the beautiful hot summer I had this past September. 

As part of my road trip to Seokcho, I went to Seorak Mountain (설악산). I've been in Korea for little more than 2 years by now and I heard that Seorak Mountain is a must see place. Like many things in the world, I thought it might have been exaggerated and even overrated. I couldn't have been more wrong. 

Seorak-san(mountain) is the third highest mountain in South Korea, after Hallasan and Jirisan. It's located in the east, in the Taebeak Mountain Chain. If you would like to know more about this mountain and how to get there, visit the tourist website and also Wikipedia for more info.

When we arrived we wanted to take the cable car to the top of the mountain. We had to wait for about 2 hours, because of the amount of people who visited the mountain that day. While we waited, we walked up to the beautiful Buddhist temple and stopped at the big bronze Buddha Statue for a some photos. This is also where I met fellow South Africans who live and work in South Korea. We chatted for a bit, sharing quick stories and tips about our travels to follow. These chance encounters make trips feel worthwhile. We also enjoyed a cup of coffee while we waited. 

At the temple we enjoyed the beautiful misty mountain. Looking up at the mountain, one could easily get swayed to become a monk, with the serene mountain backdrop to reflect upon. This felt somewhat surreal, as if it was a scene from a movie. The view was truly spectacular as you can see from the photos below. 

Most locals and tourists alike, prefer to hike around the area. There are lots of routes and peaks to visit, but unfortunately we did not have enough time for those adventures. The trip to the top is quite beautiful and the cable car system is very efficient and takes about 50 people per ride up and down. Most people get off at the top and hike down or just walk around at the top before going down again. We just enjoyed the view and some Korean food at the top, before heading down again to make the trip back to Seoul. 

Seorak Mountain is one of the most beautiful places in South Korea and a must see, especially recommended in the fall, when the beautiful leaf colors are all over, but I've heard that this mountain is also quite nice covered in snow. This is one place that I felt was definitely not overrated. There were a lot of things to do and see and I  recommend that you get an early start to see most of it. 

Be sure to check out my other posts about this Sokcho and what we experienced while traveling around. 

I'm nearing the end of my stay in South Korea, but luckily I still have a lot to post about. I can't wait to share it with you. Keep reading and following me as I share my experiences with you on my new website, which will be up and running next year.

Until next time. 

One of my favorite things about my trip to Sokcho (check out my post) was a cafe called - Coffee Brazil(브라질), located at YeongJin Beach (영진 해변). I posted about the beautiful beach and the clear waters have a look HERE. 

I really liked the style of this restaurant. The wood, cement and coffee worked perfectly together to make this place feel unique and relaxing. I always love to see these kinds of cafes, where everything just comes together. This cafe also has a spectacular view of the ocean and beach, what more can you ask for?  It felt as if you wanted to spend your entire day just sitting there and looking at the ocean, while enjoying a prefect cafe latte. 

Korea's Cafe/coffee culture is really amazing and it's something I will miss wholeheartedly when I return back home. I will have to actively seek out the good coffee spot in South Africa. Luckily for me, my one friend just started his coffee business (Roaming Grind Coffee Co.) in South Africa. If you want to know more about them, go to their Facebook page. 

Until then, this will serve as a perfect reminder of my amazing (I say amazing, but remember there are ups and downs, I count both) time here in Korea. 

For more of my trip in Sokcho, check out my other posts and feel free to share my posts with your friends even if it's just to show them what's going on in South Korea. A hint: it's not all war talk all the time. 

Until next time. 

Naksan Temple is located near Naksan Beach, on the North Eastern side of South Korea. It's quite a big place with a few temples and a huge Buddha statue.

Unfortunately this temple has been plagued by tragedies and has been rebuilt many times. The most recent was in 2005, when a fire that started in a nearby forest destroyed nearly everything. 

The fire was so hot that one of the iron bells melted. The bell can be seen in the museum, along with a violin and a cello that was made by temple wood that survived the fire. 

The temple as a few pathways, leading to different areas. The best of which is where the statue is located. It has stunning views of the ocean, beach and near by towns. After that you walk down to another temple and past that, you will end up at the museum. 

At the museum I saw this funny writing on the wall of the bathroom. "RESTROOM FOR UNTYING WORRIES".

I found this very amusing, as it's an exact description of how I feel when I have an emergency. 

So when you're ever in the area of Sokcho or Sorak Mountain, do yourself a favor and visit NAKSANSA (Naksan temple). You won't regret it. This is really must see part of Korea. 

Read more about my trip to Sokcho and nearby beaches, temples and mountains, by keeping an eye out for more posts to follow. 

It's the end of October and the temperature has fallen quite low in recent days. I felt it necessary to give some form of nostalgia or motivation, depending in what hemisphere you are. For us here in the Northern Hemisphere, it's just the start of a long and cold winter. For those in the Southern side of life, you just started your summer days an will get ready for your Christmas vacation at the beach or next to the pool.

The beach in the photos is YoungJin Beach(영진 해변)in South Korea. The east coast of Korea is well known for it's nice beaches and although this is just a small beach, it's clear to see what people were talking about. The nice clear and temperate water, makes you want to jump in the water, no matter the weather or time of year. 

I visited this beach in September (part of my trip to Sokcho 속초), and although it was still a nice time for swimming, you could barely see people taking a dip. This is because, from what I've seen in Korea, Koreans tend to be extremely seasonal people. They literally don't get in the water before or after a certain date. It doesn't matter if it's a hot sunny day or not. Even the public swimming pools are mostly empty before or after these dates. Don't ask me how they decide the dates or what they are, because I always seem to miss it. 

Nonetheless, it didn't stop us from having a great day on the beach and having some nice burgers at a restaurant with a great view, while taking in a fresh breath of sea air. 

I hope you liked this post. For us in the North, hold on to the heat as long as you can and you in the South, have fun in the sun. 

Keep a lookout for my next post for more about my trip to Sokcho and Seorak Mountain (설악산).