This summer’s weather has been more erratic than ever.
Heavy rain poured until the day before the trip,
so much so that I was wondering if I could actually push through.
But even traveling is governed by luck, it seems, and when the day of the trip came,
I was greeted by clear and cool weather.
The place I headed to, leaving behind a city swept by heavy rain, was Cheongdo,
whose nature shined under the clear blue sky.

I chose to go to Cheongdo simply because “it was still summer.”
As the scent of fall began to linger, I wanted to take summer out for one last dance.
What better place to do so than Cheongdo,
where the beautiful nature wears the verdant green of summer remarkably well?

The most important thing for me when visiting an unfamiliar place is the accommodation.
Places near Unmunsa Temple, Cheongdo’s most famous attraction,
tend to be rather expensive during the peak summer season, but Cheongdo’s Fresh Hill,
which I chose for this trip, has no difference in fees between ordinary and peak seasons.
From a price-to-performance perspective, this was a huge factor in my choice.
It is also a Korea Quality (KQ)–certified accommodation chosen through a stringent review process
by the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), so I had no further reason to mull over my decision.

Fresh Hill is surrounded by nature, having a mountain at the back and water in the front.
Unmuncheon Stream flows in front of the property, while Jiryongsan Mountain stands to its back.
Perhaps because of this, the “fresh” part of Fresh Hill immediately stood out in the place,
giving a feeling that I was always with nature.

Fresh Hill is also an excellent choice for people who want to visit major tourist sites in Cheongdo because many such sites,
such as Unmunsa Temple and the Manghyangjeong Pavilion of Unmun Dam,are all located near the place.
Its other strength is breakfast, offering a spread of toast, jam, eggs, coffee, etc. from 7:30 to 10:00.

Love and rest in
Cheongdo’s clear summer
Deluxe Queen


All rooms at Fresh Hill were remodeled in 2021, and because of that, the interior design is uniformly clean and fresh.
The interior design uses dark brown wood tones to create a comfortable atmosphere enhanced by soft lighting.
Another highlight of the rooms was the bed, with fresh, crisp bedding laid out across the plush mattress.

Restrooms are of paramount importance for trips taken with other people.
With its remodeling work, Fresh Hill also revamped its restrooms to provide modern sensibilities and convenience.
Likewise, the amenities were not lacking in the least.

Luckily, there were several empty rooms near our room,
so with the management’s understanding, we could take a look around.
The Deluxe Korean Room, which brings the feel of a traditional hanok; Superior Queen,
which has an indoor swing chair; and other rooms offer various options to cater to different preferences.

We rested our spent bodies in the comfort of our room,
which was perfect for catching up on some work or having light talks with my companion while lying down.
A day on which I went away from the city’s noise to fall asleep in Cheongdo’s serene
and peaceful nature was my ideal image of summer vacation and rest like no other.


INFO:
Name: Fresh Hill
Address: 129-15, Unmunsa-gil, Unmun-myeon, Cheongdo-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do
Parking: Available
Capacity: May vary depending on the room type
No. of Rooms: 26
Check-in: 14:00
Check-out: 11:00
Cooking prohibited in the room
Fees: KRW 70,000 – KRW 110,000, depending on the room type and whether on weekdays/weekends
Amenities: Outdoor barbecue (payment required), breakfast (7:30–10:00)

A hidden gem of a temple within beautiful nature
in the southernmost edge of the Taebaek Mountain Range
Unmunsa Temple


Unmunsa Temple has stood since the Silla period.
Built in the 18th year of King Jinheung’s reign of Silla, it is a historic site that houses seven Treasures of Korea
and a Natural Monument “Weeping Pine Tree” with more than 500 years of history.
It can be reached within 20 minutes by foot from Fresh Hill, so it is a must-visit tourist site for guests of Fresh Hill.
The entire walking path to the temple is lined with pine trees, freshening up one’s experience considerably.

Remember Cheongdo’s past and
promise a clean new future
Manghyangjeong Pavilion and Downstream Recreation Area in Unmun Dam


If you want to see a serene body of water, head to Unmun Dam.
Built to ensure the water supply in the Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do area,
Unmun Dam has been fulfilling its task admirably since 1996.
Its construction, however, involved the loss of 657 households in the area, including the village of Daecheon-ri.
To remember and commemorate that past, the Manghyangjeong Pavilion (“pavilion of lost hometown”) exhibits photographs of the areas,
which were flooded during the dam’s construction, taken before being submerged.




Unmun Dam, on the other hand, continues to head toward a more sustainable future.
It is now home to campgrounds, grass parks, fountains,
and bicycle roads to accommodate new forms of tourism, and since May 2022,
it has been designated as a “waste-free pilot area” to protect Cheongdo’s green nature.

Ultimately, Cheongdo’s magnificent scenery, like the height of summer,
is something all its visitors have protected over the years.
As August’s seemingly endless heavy rain has shown us,
tourist sites are created through our combined efforts to nurture a healthy Earth we can live in.
I left Cheongdo with the thought that the Earth needs some time to cool down,
just like us with our busy lives, and a wish that I could meet the same beautiful Cheongdo next time.