Korea is rich with breathtaking locations but most tourists never leave Seoul to explore them. It’s such a shame that so many miss out on the rich variety that Korea has to offer - especially when it is so easy to travel to other parts of the country.

My trip started in Seoul Station where I took the KTX train to Gangneung Station. One of the best things about taking the KTX to Gangneung is that you can charge your electronic devices while you travel and what’s even better is that if you are in a group of four you can also turn the chairs around, allowing you to face each other and talk. Additionally, the train to Korea’s east coast is so fast, you’ll be there before you know it. I bought my ticket online on the letskorail.com English website.

The Coffee Museum is situated in a very beautiful place nearby the mountain stream and forest.

Koreans are known to be very passionate: they put all their enthusiasm into the things they love. Korean people have a very strong passion for coffee so the number of coffee shops in the country will blow your mind. You can enjoy the outcome of this passion for coffee by visiting the Coffee Street near Anmok Beach. I love this place because of the stunning sea view and variety of nice coffee shops. It can be quite windy at the beach but I like to grab a hot cup of coffee or hot chocolate and take it to the beach to enjoy with the sound of the waves and the refreshing, cold wind. If you are not up for a beach walk but still want to enjoy the view, many of these cafes have big windows so people can drink their coffees and look out from the warm cafe interior.

Coffee roasting experience in the Coffee Museum

The Coffee Museum Cafe

Continuing the passion for coffee I visited the Coffee Cupper Coffee Museum which is 50 minutes by bus from the center of Gangneung City. I recommend visitors to use Kakao Map or Naver Map to find the bus there or simply take a taxi. The Coffee Museum is situated in a very beautiful place tucked away in the forest-covered mountains, next to a stream. It looks especially breathtaking in the fall when the leaves are yellow and red. The museum has a nice collection of coffee making tools from all over the world and also allows visitors to try coffee roasting. For the regular ticket price of 8,000 won you can explore the museum, the coffee greenhouse and have a cup of coffee. For 12,000 won you can also try to roast and brew your own coffee in the experience hall.

A passion that took over the world is the Korean wave, known as "Hallyu.” Hallyu includes Korean pop music, movies and dramas. There are a couple of interesting places that you can visit in Gangneung that brings you closer to the Korean wave.

First place, is the filming location for Korean drama “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God.” It is situated on Jumunjin Beach, which is to the north of Anmok Beach. It is very easy to find as there are signs and it is always crowded with fans.

Jumunjin Beach is famous thanks to the “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God” drama.

The second Hallyu location is Hyangho Beach, which features the bus stop from the BTS group album cover “You Never Walk Alone”. The bus stop is similarly easy to find as there are signs telling you where to go.

The bus stop on the Hyangho Beach from the BTS group album cover “You Never Walk Alone”.

The third location requires a 2 hours trip to the west by train and taxi: take the train from Gangneung Station to Dongbaeksan Station and jump in a taxi to get to the Samtan Art Mine.

Alternatively, you can rent a car to go there and explore a bit more of the area. The former coalmine has a collection of over a hundred art objects from over 150 countries around the globe. There is something very artistic and unique about this place: contrast of the dark concrete walls with sophisticated art pieces makes it a place worth visiting. I think that’s what the creators of the “Descendants of the sun” drama thought when they decided to film one of the key scenes there. Besides the main collection hall inside the building you can visit the remains of the mine outside. It amazes me how the local authorities, in collaboration with artists, gave a second life to this abandoned coal mine.

The Samtan Art Mine

Sometimes it is difficult for tourists to explore Gangwon-do, as the distances between tourist spots can be very long. Also, public transportation cannot take you everywhere. In order to make it as easy as possible for tourists to explore the city, the Gangneung city government has started the Tourist Taxi Service. You can use the taxi service for 3 hours for 20,000 won. Travelers can get more information and order the service from the tourist information center at Gangneung Station or on their website gangneungtours.com.

Gangneung is very famous for the beef – Hanwoo

I couldn't leave Gangwon-do without tasting its signature food. Gangneung in particular is famous for a type of beef called hanwoo that is usually consumed as barbecued tenderloin steak. Another signature dish is freeze-dried Pollock, known as hwangtae. This fish is dried in the fresh air high in the mountains that explains its very unique taste. Usually hwangtae is fried and served with a red pepper-based sauce or boiled in soup.

On the way back to Seoul, I would suggest going to a cafe near the station while waiting for the train. Many of these cafes have a nice collection of books.

Gangwon-do is known for its spectacular nature and Gangneung, with its beautiful sea views, relaxing cafes and authentic Korean foods, is an essential place to visit. If you have any time to get out of Seoul, I’d definitely suggest heading to Gangwon-do and seeing another side of Korea.

Jumunjin Beach

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Samtan Art Mine

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Whenever I travel I try to find a room with a bathtub and gorgeous view. This time I wanted to stay closer to the forest so I decided to book a room at Motel Hill.

The room was very spacious with nice and clean bathrooms

As usual, I booked the room on booking.com as it is very convenient, secure and easy. I checked the direction to the hotel with Kakao Map application and discovered that the hotel is easily reached by bus, so I was able to relax while exploring Gangneung City. After a full day of exploring I went to my hotel. I took the bus from the center of Gangneung and since I’d chosen to stay near the forest area, the bus route to the hotel took me through the natural beauty of the countryside. It was especially beautiful when I was there as it was autumn.

Motel Hill is a very peaceful, small hotel run by a middle-aged woman and her mother. There were very kind and welcoming. My room was on the 6th floor and I was surprised to get an actual metal key with a key ring, as they are rare at hotels these days. The room itself was very spacious with a nice, clean bathroom. The view from the balcony did not disappoint me. The room looked over the forest and fields. Despite the rain and cloudy weather the room was warm and cozy. I was glad that the room had a kettle so I could make a cup of tea. After a great day of exploring it was amazing to take a relaxing bath with bath salts. I went to sleep in my warm and cozy bed.

Motel Hill bathroom with a bathtub

After a good night’s rest, I was ready for a new day. The view was especially nice in the morning when the first rays’ sunlight sliced through the morning fog. I would recommend Motel Hill to anyone interested waking up to such stunning scenery!