Theme Road

The Reason for Travel Found in the Strange and the Familiar

Yangyang

I ask myself this question every time I travel: What is the reason for this journey?
The answer is different for everyone, of course, but perhaps it also depends on where you're going. When and with whom you travel can be just as meaningful a question. With that crumpled question folded away in my mind, I arrived in Yangyang. The sun was blazing, and beneath it, the youthful energy burned even hotter.

Text and Photos by. Woonseok Lim, travel writer
The Strange and the Surfer’s Paradise, Yangyang
There was a time when my summer vacation spot was always the East Sea in Gangwon Province. Among many different places, I especially enjoyed visiting Yangyang. I can’t even count how many times I had passed the toll booths on the highway to Yangyang. Like many office workers, my vacations back then were not long—about four nights and five days at most. As such, traveling overseas was out of the question.
Looking back, my travels were solely focused on getting away from everyday life. There was a reason why I kept coming back to Yangyang every vacation: it was the sea. The emerald waters of Yangyang were like an emergency exit for someone like me who dreamed of escaping the daily grind. Through that door, I found joy, liberation, and comfort.
Opened in 2015 as Korea’s first surfing-only beach, Hajodae Surfyy Beach offers a little sanctuary for those wanting to break free from the everyday routine. The moment you step onto Surfyy Beach, a "strange, new experience" begins. Against the backdrop of the blue sky and sea, the bright yellow letters spelling “SURFYY BEACH” excite the heart. Looking left and right, a 1-kilometer stretch of surfing-only beach unfolds with bean bag zones and healing spots set up under fluttering shade tents facing the ocean. The exotic atmosphere created by various photo zones—including the chilling zone for surfers to rest, the sunset bar, and the palm trees—was palpable. Add a lively soundtrack of upbeat music, and your heart starts pounding with excitement.
Now, let’s enjoy surfing. This beach features a wide, straight shoreline with shallow water and consistent waves, creating the ideal conditions for surfing. Although not the giant waves you see in the movies, it’s perfect for beginners and intermediate surfers to enjoy the waves. The professional instructors and surfing equipment are top-notch. There is even a yoga program available. After a fun session riding the waves, cool off with a refreshing beer at the sunset bar. Take one crisp, clean sip of beer, and the fatigue from battling the waves disappears like the receding tide.
Besides Surfyy Beach, Yangyang has several other great surfing beaches. Among them are Jukdo and Ingu beaches, which lie side by side as if spreading wings separated by Jukdosan Mountain. Both beaches are modest in size with their sandy stretches roughly one kilometer long. The street facing Ingu Beach is called “Yangridangil,” named by replacing “Gyeong” in Gyeongridan-gil” in Seoul with Yang from Yangyang. Here, unique surfing shops, cafes, restaurants, and guesthouses cluster together. Many spots that are popular on social media can be found here. From exotic surfing cafes to handmade burgers, chicken, and fresh seafood boasting of authentic flavors, the choices are endless.
The sun was blazing as I headed toward the sea but the heat was blocked by the parasol, and the sea breeze made it cool enough to forget the heat. Beyond my sunglasses, the blue sea surged in waves. The tide shifted between ebb and flow, and the waves rose and then disappeared with white foam. The sea continuously repeats its waves without rest. Meanwhile, my swirling thoughts were swept away by the waves. As the grip on my thoughts loosened, my tense shoulders relaxed and my mind cleared. Is this the effect of sea-gazing meditation?
Yangridangil is even more charming at night than during the day. Young people who visit clubs surrender themselves to the dazzling lights and strong beats, responding with sing-alongs and synchronized dance moves. Their bodies are moving to the music, heated by the energy around them. Pool parties run by guesthouses are also popular. After splashing around in the swimming pool, people give themselves over as if enchanted by the dazzling DJ music. The night in Yangridangil pounds nonstop until dawn. In short, it’s a new world.
At Surfyy Beach, an after-party is held every night. What sets it apart from Yangridangil is perhaps the ever-changing, chameleon-like sky. Starting out yellow, then turning red, blue, and finally black, the sky leaves an unforgettable moment etched in your heart. If Ibiza is known for its nights in Spain, Yangyang has the nights of Yangridangil and Surfyy Beach.
Travel TIP

Yangridangil is home to guesthouses, surfing shops, bars, and clubs all gathered in one place. You can relax at a café or take surfing lessons during the day, and join the lively parties hosted by guesthouses in the evening. On the Yangridangil reservation site (www.yyroad.co.kr), you can purchase packages combining accommodations, surfing, and parties as well as hotel packages and party-only packages. There is also a surfing bus service from Seoul to Yangyang. If you plan to use a taxi in Yangridangil, it’s best to avoid the central area. Access to the central area by taxi is very difficult due to the parked cars and crowds.

Familiarity: A Glimpse into Everyday Life in Yangyang
The comfort that comes with familiarity is surely one of the many reasons we travel. Now, it’s time to immerse ourselves in the familiar daily life of Yangyang. Our first stop is the Yangyang Traditional Market. Though it’s a permanent market, a five-day market is still held every 4th and 9th of the month. I quietly watched the rugged daily lives of the market folks as I strolled through the narrow alleyways of the market.
If you’ve come to the market during your travels, chances are you’re here for the food. Recommended dishes include gamja-ongsimi (potato dumpling soup), jang-kalguksu (spicy noodle soup), and memil-jeonbyeong (buckwheat crepes). Among them, gamja-ongsimi is made by kneading grated potatoes and starch into dough, which is then boiled. Some places add a bit of kalguksu noodles to the mix. It looks very rustic. The thick soup with large, thin dumplings torn like sujebi (hand-pulled dough soup) makes it similar enough to be called potato sujebi. Because of the starch, the soup is thick and it holds heat well, making it hard to judge the temperature. So if you eat too hastily, you might burn the roof of your mouth, It’s best to blow gently and eat slowly. The crunchy texture of the potato is delightful, with the deep, warm broth giving you a full-on experience of “fighting fire with fire.” On market days, you’ll also find countless other snacks like crispy fried chicken, chewy donuts, and fish-shaped buns stuffed to the brim with sweet filling.
After exploring the market, I headed to Namae Port, a small fishing port cozily embraced by its breakwater. Though modest, it is considered one of the three most beautiful harbors on Korea’s East Coast along with Chogok Port in Samcheok and Simgok Port in Gangneung. There’s a monument commemorating the filming of the final scene from the movie Whale Hunting, with a glass-floored skywalk observatory standing behind it.
But Namae Port’s true charm lies elsewhere. It’s in the simple joy of watching the everyday life of the harbor: relaxing with the scene or observing anglers casting their lines as if trying to catch the sun. It’s about finding happiness in the ordinary. I was lucky to witness a sunrise at Namae Port. I quietly took in the view: fishermen waking up the darkness, fishing boats blaring their horns toward the red-tinted sea, with a silent red lighthouse watching over it all. That scene looked just like us, living out our own everyday lives—only the setting is different.
Perhaps the ultimate reason for traveling to Yangyang is to reflect quietly on the joy and romance of the unfamiliar while appreciating the value of the familiar. At some point, I became a full-time travel writer who doesn’t go to an office every day. But whether then or now, travel remains the same to me. It’s another doorway to face the world.
Yangyang Traditional Market Dessert Café Yangyang Sand

On the second floor of the Yangyang Traditional Market building is Yangyang Sand, a cultural café run by the Yangyang Women’s Cooperative. The popular menu items here are sandwiches and salads, for which freshness is the key. Everything here seems freshly picked from the garden. If you want to take a piece of Yangyang with you, try the Songi Sand (pine mushroom sandwich) or Salmon Sand, or grab some of the cute souvenirs.

  • A 2F, 9 Nammun 5-gil, Yangyang-eup, Yangyang-gun, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province
  • T 0507-1406-0585
Namae Port Hangover Cure Soup Namae Port Haenyeo Raw Fish Restaurant

This is the perfect place to cure a hangover. With 40 years' history as a model business, it’s a clean, well-kept restaurant that puts your mind at ease. Its signature hangover cure is Seopguk, a hearty soup made with beef bones and chicken broth loaded with seop (mussels), abalone, and bean sprouts. The soup is refreshing, spicy, and rich in flavor. Their fresh sashimi is excellent, too.

  • A 163 Maebawi-gil, Hyeonnam-myeon, Yangyang-gun, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province
  • T 0507-1389-7475