Note: I’m still working on populating old posts since migrating my blog to WordPress. The original Substack post with images can be found here.
The popularity of Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha, the K-drama of the moment, had nothing to do with our one-day trip to Pohang this fall. In fact, we weren’t planning to venture out to the coast at all during our trip to Gyeongju. But as it turns out, we unknowingly booked a family trip to Gyeongju during one of the busiest seasons in the city. After perusing Naver for suitable lodging for a family a four, we decided to drive east to Pohang for our second night of the weekend.
A mini trip to Pohang within our trip to Gyeongju was born: We stopped by a buzzing fishing port for fresh seafood, dipped our toes (and unintentionally, to the kids’ delight, our entire bodies) in the chilly sea, and stayed overnight at a pension with sweeping views of the east coast.
While scouring oceanfront properties on Naver map, I came across Dalbodre Pension (달보드레펜션), a relatively new pension along the coast, about an hour’s drive from Gyeongju. While it seemed out of the way for just one night, we also found that Bulguksa, one of the most historic and famous Buddhist temples in Korea, is halfway between the heart of Gyeongju where we were staying and this coast of Pohang.
Once we booked the lodging, the itinerary quickly followed:
Start the morning at Bulguksa Temple, a UNESCO world heritage site. Be prepared for crowds.
2. Drive to Gampohang Port for lunch at Myung Sung Hoe Center (명성회센타)
3. Dip in Oryu Koara Beach (오류고아라해변 – Naver map – a nice sandy beach that’s technically still part of Gyeongju)
4. Drive to nearby K Mart, the biggest local mart, for dinner and breakfast.
5. Check into Dalbodre, a pension looking out into the beautiful rocky coast so the kids can ignore this view and ask for Netflix.
Dalbodre Pension
We stayed at Dalbodre, a pension that opened in 2020. The views speak for themselves, and the reviews raved about the cleanliness, which is the main concern I have with many pensions in Korea. When we checked in, we found ourselves walking barefoot on steam-cleaned heated floors and listening to the owner explaining how they sanitize each jet head between guests. Surprisingly, this was the first time we used any tub while traveling or staycationing anywhere in the world.
What to bring
This is a typical Korean pension, so there is a stocked kitchen for cooking, and you need to bring your own food. (There is a cafe downstairs but it doesn’t serve food—just sweeping views of the coast, if you’d like to take it in without staying overnight)
Where to shop
There is a large local mart about 15 minutes away called Kmart (K마트, 경북 경주시 감포읍 감포리 625) and it appears to be the only place where you can buy a range of groceries like meat for grilling and yogurt for breakfast.
Extra heads and bedding
The accommodations are based on two people, so there’s a double bed, modest table, and two chairs. They do provide children’s cutlery and floor bedding for additional heads, but the padding is quite thin, so you might want to bring additional cushioning. (Even the Ajeossi, who had no problem sleeping on the floor of the hanok at Hanok Inn in Gyeongju, struggled with the floor here)
Recommendations
While all units have an unobstructed view of the East Sea, we booked 달202, one of the loft units, whose terrace appeared to be less visible from other units. I don’t believe any of the units have curtains, so we woke up naturally around 6 am with the sunrise 😅 Something to consider if you value sleeping in