6 hours from Seoul, the capital of Korea, there is a little island called Jindo (or Jin Island, `do` is a Korean word for `island`). In the Summer of 2007, I decided to explore this mysterious island. The main reason was because of Admiral Lee. He was the bravest man of all time. He built Gubooksun (kind of submarine) and he won most of his battles with this ship. You can see him and his ship in Gwanhamun Square, in the center of Seoul. During that time, I read many good things about Admiral Lee and I decided to go to feel his courage, because Admiral Lee fought for our country in this area.
Jindo is the third biggest island in Korea located in the South Sea. Jindo is quite famous because of Jindo gae (= Jindo dog). A Jindo dog is really smart and we have many stories related to the Royal Jindo dog and his/her family.
My very first impression of Jindo was that it`s still untouched. Even though many people know Jindo and it`s quite famous, most places still remain as they were. No neon sign everywhere, no 20 story buildings and no crowds.
During the 4 days I stayed in Jindo, everything was just lovely. Peace & quiet and I needed that. I visited several places because of Admiral Lee and among these visits, I came across one beach that really impressed me. That is why I remember traveling to Jindo as a magical time.
I am not a big fan of crowded places. That is why I normally dont go to the beach in the summertime here in Korea. But this one is totally different! Of course there are many beaches around the island but I want to go somewhere where the local people go. I stayed at a little house right by the ocean and I asked a man who worked at a ferry dock: Where is your favorite beach around here?. He drew the whole route on the map that I was carrying using a marker. He was so excited about having a tourist in his town and very enthusiastic! Thats how I got this great information.
After a 20 minutes drive, there it was: Seomang beach. It`s located on the Southwest side of Jindo with a great view. Soft blue ocean, mild waves, welcoming summer sunshine, little islands floating on the ocean, as soon as I saw this beach, I instantly fell in love. Like I said, I`m not a big fan of crowds. There were only 5 people: parents with their two children and an owner of a little supermarket. The sound of little girls giggling while the waves softly crash what could I want more? Seomang beach is certainly not a big or a fancy place, but for me it`s more than any other great place in the world.
Now, sharing this fabulous place, I am having these two thoughts. I certainly want to introduce this place and say you should see this place! but on the other hand, I am worried about `what if this place turns to a touristy place?` This place is charming because of the lack of human touch. Well, this isn`t the case just for this particular place of course. I dont know the right answer here, but what I do know is that I want to share this moment with my fellow travelers.
How to get there?
If you are going there from Seoul, take Seohaean highway (West sea high way) to the end. The last tall gate is Mokpo. Drive a little bit further. There you`ll see two bridges that connect with Jindo. It will take you about 6 hours from Seoul. No traffic, I promise.
More on this Guest Blogger
@RunawayJuno took her first steps into the world of backpacking and instantly she knew it was going to be a big part of her life. She started her own blog (just recently) because she wants to share, learn and keep up her dream of traveling the world. You can read more about her travel experiences at her blog: Runawayjuno.com.
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