Summer Getaway to Naksan: Beach, Food, and Family Fun
My wife booked our summer vacation at a guesthouse near Naksansa Temple. After preparing early in the morning, we arrived in Yangyang around lunchtime.
As a big fan of makguksu (buckwheat noodles), I headed straight for Yangyang Memil Ggot Hyanggi (양양메밀꽃향기).
The restaurant had a cozy, countryside vibe. Even though it was a bit past lunchtime, the place was bustling with people, a sure sign of a popular spot.
Without hesitation, we ordered makguksu, perilla oil makguksu, seasoned pollack, and yukjeon (thinly sliced beef pan-fried in egg batter).
The white kimchi and pickled onions were refreshing, and the dongchimi (radish water kimchi) broth was fantastic. The combination of yukjeon and seasoned pollack was truly amazing.
Our youngest is now old enough that we need to order one dish per person. The yukjeon was savory, the seasoned pollack was spicy, sweet, and mild, and the makguksu had a harmonious blend of subtle flavors and seasoning. Highly recommended!
First, we decided to drop off our luggage at our accommodation, Dongshin Guesthouse, which we booked through Airbnb.
It was a very old-fashioned countryside house, located right among the restaurants along the main road. Parking for 3-4 cars is possible in the yard if you're good at it. But there's also a free public parking lot just across the street, and you can park along the shoulder of the road in front of the guesthouse.
It was a small one-room minbak (Korean-style guesthouse), but it had everything we needed. They even provide complimentary cup ramen for each guest!
They also offer special lighting. They ask you to leave the used towels in front of your room every morning, and they generously provide fresh ones.
The bathroom was a bit cramped, but it was affordable and perfectly fine for showering, and the hot water worked great.
For a 2-night, 3-day stay, it was a good value compared to the peak season prices of other accommodations.
Naksan Beach was just across the street, so we unpacked and immediately took the kids to play at the beach.
The weather was a bit cloudy, but it was actually better because the sun wasn't too strong.
I even enjoyed a can of beer. I tried Modelo, a beer I saw for the first time at Emart. I remembered hearing that it was the #1 beer in the US, so I gave it a try. It was okay.
Naksan Beach has breakwaters on both sides, and so many resort buildings are being built nearby. It was a bit noisy, and the water wasn't as clean as I expected, which was a bit disappointing.
After playing in the water, we were all tired and decided to have some Korean BBQ!
Right next to the guesthouse was a Korean BBQ restaurant called Gogi Maeul (고기마을).
The small restaurant was packed with customers.
We placed our order using a QR code. These days, we often encounter this type of ordering system.
Because we were so hungry, we started with chadolbagi (thinly sliced beef brisket), then moved on to beef short rib, and finally seasoned galbi (marinated beef short ribs).
The side dishes were quite delicious. I prefer my chadolbagi a bit thicker than the super-thin style, and this was relatively thick and tender, so even our youngest enjoyed it.
We also had beef short rib, but I was too busy grilling and eating to take any pictures. LOL
The seasoned galbi we ordered last was very sweet, the marinade was well-infused, and there was no unpleasant smell, so it was very tasty. I recommend Gogi Maeul!
After dinner, we took a walk and captured some memories with a "Life Four Cuts" photo booth.
The kids were so excited about taking photos like this after a long time. Each booth had a bill changer and accepted credit cards. There were also various props for decorating the photos, which made it even more fun to take photos in a tourist spot.
In the middle of the night, our youngest had a fever and our oldest had an upset stomach! What a dynamic vacation...
Most of the convenience stores near the beach were closed late at night, but the GS25 Naksan Beach branch was open at 2:30 AM, and fortunately, they sold over-the-counter medicine, so I was able to buy fever reducers.
Even so, the beach is still a must-go in the hot summer!
Parasols at Naksan Beach cost ₩15,000 (transfer possible), and table parasols cost ₩30,000. LOL
Most of all, I cherish
ordinary life.
But most of all, I cherish the ordinary.
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