Spontaneous Trip to Gangneung: Surfing and Ocean Views
I was feeling a bit stifled, so I spontaneously headed out to see a friend who lives in Gangneung (on the east coast). On the way there via the Yangyang Expressway, I stopped at the Naerincheon Rest Area, and the cloudy sky made for a truly spectacular view. It's the most beautiful highway rest stop I've ever been to. Regular gas is cheaper in Hongcheon, but the scenery is better at Naerincheon. So, getting gas in Hongcheon and eating at Naerincheon seems to be the ideal itinerary when taking the Yangyang Expressway. Since I was there, I grabbed dinner, looked around for a bit, and hit the road again.
On the first day, I arrived, chatted over a cup of coffee, and headed back to my accommodation. On the second day, I just sat in a coffee shop looking out at the ocean, surfing the internet, and spacing out. It was a day of on-and-off rain.
I've been to many Starbucks locations across the country, and they really know how to pick spots with incredible views. Among them, I think the Starbucks right in front of Gangmun Beach in Gangneung has the prettiest view in the whole country. Of course, my credibility is zero because I'll probably say the exact same thing about the next place I visit, but I highly recommend checking it out.
The weather cleared up a bit, so I went surfing later in the day. I couldn't remember a thing about how to surf, but I foolishly thought, "I can probably still do it," so I just rented a board and went out. I rented it from Poipu Surf in front of Sacheonjin Beach, and the rental fee was 30,000 KRW—maybe that's the standard price nationwide. The facilities seemed pretty decent, and they took good care of me even though I came alone. They also have a space for light snacks, so I'll probably come back next time.
The problem, however, was the ocean. When I surfed in Bali or Sydney, the waves came in nice, neat lines, so you just had to wait and ride them. But here, if you stop paddling for even a second, you get pushed far away, and the waves form in narrow, unpredictable spots. So, forget about standing up—I just paddled around chasing waves for an hour, got completely exhausted, and gave up. I spent such a short time out there that the staff even told me to go back and paddle some more to get my money's worth. Still, it counted as a workout, and the hot dog I ate when I got back tasted like absolute heaven.
I definitely want to visit again, but I'm on the fence about whether I'll surf. The waves are just too difficult...