On August 17, 2024, I had two days and one night to myself. I decided to visit a friend who lives in Sokcho, taking my drone so I could photograph any beautiful scenery along the way. Instead of using the expressway, I followed ordinary national roads. Getting there quickly was not the point this time.
Table Of Content
- The trip at a glance
- My first drone flight of the trip, at Jingogae
- A beach where I felt a little out of place
- A room near the port, then an evening with a friend
- Breakfast at Yeongsigine Sundae Gukbap
- One more look at the sea in Jigyeong-ri
- Taegisan gave me a final reason to stop
- What I would keep in mind for another solo trip
- Visitor notes checked in September 2026
- A few practical questions
- Was this a trip with your children?
- Did you book accommodation in advance?
- Where did you fly the drone?
- Can dogs swim at Jigyeong-ri?
- A friend to see, and room for a few detours
This is usually a blog about life and travel as a dad of three girls. For this outing, though, I was on my own: mountain views at Jingogae, a slightly awkward beach stop in Yangyang, an evening with an old friend and an unplanned mountain detour on the way home.
The trip at a glance
- Dates: August 17–18, 2024; one night away.
- Day one: National-road drive → Jingogae Rest Area → a Yangyang beach around Hajodae → a room near Dongmyeong Port in Sokcho → a coastal walk and evening with my friend.
- Day two: Breakfast at Yeongsigine Sundae Gukbap → Jigyeong-ri beach → Taegisan → home.
- Transport: My own car. I found accommodation after arriving rather than booking ahead.
- Photographs and an edited travel film, including drone views of Jingogae, Jigyeong-ri and Taegisan.
Watch the journey from Jingogae to the coast and Taegisan, filmed August 17–18, 2024.
My first drone flight of the trip, at Jingogae
Sokcho was the destination, but I had not filled the drive with fixed stops. If somewhere looked worth a closer look, I wanted to have time for it. Flying a drone was one of my hobbies, and Gangwon’s scenery gave me a good reason to take the slower roads.
My first stop was Jingogae Rest Area. I had obtained flight approval in advance through Drone One Stop, and this was where I launched the drone for the first time on the trip.
From above, the road curved between green mountains, with clouds hanging around the ridges. It was a satisfying start. I had set off to see a friend, and I was already bringing home photographs of the journey.
A beach where I felt a little out of place
I had heard about a popular beach in Yangyang that drew a young crowd, so I headed that way. I remember it as being around Hajodae. The photographs show surfboards and beach facilities, although I cannot now identify the precise stretch I walked.
Once I arrived, I felt a little shy. There seemed to be so many fit, stylish young people who looked completely at home there. Meanwhile, I was an ajusshi—a middle-aged Korean man—wondering whether I quite fitted the scene.
Nobody had said anything to make me uncomfortable. It was my own self-consciousness. I took a short walk along the beach, then went back to the car and continued toward Dongmyeong Port, where my friend was.
A room near the port, then an evening with a friend
Finding a place to sleep was harder than I had hoped. It was the summer holiday season, and I had arrived without a reservation. Fortunately, I found a small place near Dongmyeong Port, put my things down and took a shower before meeting my friend that evening.
We walked along the coast behind Yeonggeumjeong. Near Deungdae Beach, there were inviting-looking drinking spots, restaurants and pojangmacha-style places. My friend knew one of them well, and we took a table upstairs on its second floor.
We caught up over drinks and stayed talking late into the night. I had spent the day following my own interests, and now I could spend the evening with someone I had come all this way to see. That was a lovely balance for a short break.
Breakfast at Yeongsigine Sundae Gukbap
My friend had work the next morning, so he could not join me. He recommended a nearby restaurant, Yeongsigine Sundae Gukbap, and I went there for breakfast.
I ate sundae gukbap, a Korean soup-and-rice meal with blood sausage, as my morning-after meal. Then I set off toward home. I still wanted to stop wherever something caught my attention, rather than treating the return drive as time to get through.
One more look at the sea in Jigyeong-ri
That brought me to Jigyeong-ri beach in Yangyang. At the time, I understood it to be somewhere people could enjoy the water with their pets. I did not have a pet with me; I simply stopped to look around.
The photograph records white waves rolling onto the sand. I had walked a lively Yangyang beach the day before, and now I was getting one more look at the sea before heading inland.
Taegisan gave me a final reason to stop
Farther along the return journey, I saw Taegisan. I had heard it was a high mountain that you could drive some way up, so I made another detour. I drove as far uphill as I could on that visit and flew the drone there.
The view was wonderful. The wind turbines standing across the mountain landscape were what stayed with me most. It was exactly the sort of scene I might have missed if I had decided to go straight home.
The sky photograph is from this part of the journey. The travel film above also includes the wind turbines; the Taegisan chapter begins at 8:26.
What I would keep in mind for another solo trip
- Keep a few accommodation options ready, even with a flexible route. Finding a small room without a booking was not easy during the summer holiday season.
- Choose a proper place to park before stopping for scenery. Do not stop unpredictably on a mountain roadside or operate a camera while driving.
- Bring water, a hat and sun protection for the beaches, plus a light layer for the mountain stops. Shoes with a good grip are useful too.
- After an evening of drinking, be cautious about driving the next day. Feeling better after breakfast is not proof that it is safe to drive.
Visitor notes checked in September 2026
These notes were checked on September 9, 2026. They are separate from my memories of the August 2024 trip.
- Hajodae and Surfyy Beach: The Korea Tourism Organization describes Surfyy as a surfing beach north of Hajodae Beach. That is consistent with the atmosphere in my photographs, but I have not labelled my exact walking route as certain. Ask the operator about facility access and prices. KTO Surfyy Beach information
- Pets on the beach: KTO’s Meong Beach listing says opening dates and admission conditions can vary each year. That does not establish present-day permission for pets to swim everywhere at Jigyeong-ri. Check the exact beach, designated zone and operator before bringing a dog. KTO pet-beach information
- Driving toward Taegisan: My account describes what I did in 2024, not guaranteed road access to the summit today. Confirm current access with the site manager, observe barriers and follow road-closure notices.
- Drone flights: Drone One Stop provides flight-area checks and flight-approval and aerial-filming application information. Previous approval is not blanket permission for every location or time. Check its scope and any separate site-management conditions. Drone One Stop
- Rooms and meals: I have not recorded the names or prices of the accommodation or evening venue. Confirm current hours, menus and prices directly with Yeongsigine Sundae Gukbap before visiting.
A few practical questions
Was this a trip with your children?
No. I travelled alone for two days and met my friend in Sokcho.
Did you book accommodation in advance?
No. I found a small place near Dongmyeong Port after arriving. It took some effort during the summer holiday season.
Where did you fly the drone?
At Jingogae and Taegisan. I had obtained flight approval through Drone One Stop before the first flight at Jingogae. My account is not authorization for someone else’s flight.
Can dogs swim at Jigyeong-ri?
I understood it to be a pet-friendly swimming spot when I visited. Current designated areas and operating conditions need checking; I cannot describe the entire beach as open to dogs in the water year-round.
A friend to see, and room for a few detours
For two days, I could follow my own pace. I stopped for photographs, left a beach after a short and slightly self-conscious walk, and talked with a friend late into the night.
The sea and Taegisan gave the journey home something of its own. If another short solo break comes along, I would like to travel this way again: choose a destination, then leave some room for what I find on the road.
