Take AREX Train And Go Back To Joseon Dynasty
[Visit AREX Station] From AREX Gongdeok Station to Visit Popular Restaurants in the Gongdeok Station - Daeheung Station Area & Yeomni-dong Salt Road
[Visit AREX Station] 🔍
by. Airport Railroad [AREX Magazine]
Let's check out AREX Station with Spee and Nareu! 🚄
Which station is this?
It is the Gongdeok Station!
Let's visit popular restaurants in the Gongdeok Station - Daeheung Station area & Yeomni-dong Salt Road
Huelgo Coffee
[Gongdeok Station Exit 3 → Walk 13 mins]
It is a cafe located at the three-way intersection of Yeomni-dong hill road that is overlooking the school, apartment and villa village. Unlike other cafes with dazzling visual that are popular on social media, this is a popular cafe among baristas. While keeping the best quality, they find unfamiliar special green coffee beans, take in a small quantity, and bring out the new taste and aroma from time to time.
[Information about Huelgo Coffee]
1. Address : 11 Mapo-daero 11-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul
2. Opening hours : Mon - Sat 11:00~20:00 / Sun & Public Holiday 11:00~18:00
3. Instagram : www.instagram.com/huelgocoffee
4. Contact number : 0507-1324-9265
Before It Melts
[Gongdeok Station Exit 2 → Walk 9 mins]
Although it is located inside a small alley at Yeomni-dong Salt Road, you can easily find it as there is an ice-cream cone sculpture outside the shop and the clock that hangs above door will draw your attention. Ice creams are made directly at the shop, and there are about 10 flavors every day. To date, they have made a total of 350 flavors. The unique point of this shop is that they present an endless world of ice-cream by making ice-creams using unimaginable ingredients.
[Information about Before It Melts]
1. Address : 127-24 Baekbeom-ro, Yeomni-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul
2. Opening hours : Mon, Wed - Sat 12:00~22:00 / Sun 12:00~20:00 *Closed on Tues
3. Instagram : www.instagram.com/before.it.melts
4. Contact number : 0507-1425-8020
Claude Coffee
[Gongdeok Station Exit 1 → Walk 11 mins]
You can feel the changes in nature from the glass window where you can see Gyeongui Line Forest Road and at the outdoor terrace garden that looks different in every season. The sofa seat where you can enjoy the view of Gyeongui Line Forest Road is so popular that if you don't go early, there will be a waiting line. The signature drink, Claude Latte has peanut cream and almond topping on the latte, so it tastes chewy and light, and is not too sweet. The cookies and scones baked in an open kitchen are delicious too.
[Information about Claude Coffee]
1. Address : 2F, 21 Baekbeom-ro 16an-gil, Daeheung-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul
2. Opening hours : Wed - Sun 12:00 ~ 20:00 / Closed on Mondays & Tuesdays
3. Instagram : www.instagram.com/claude_coffee
4. Contact number : 0507-1389-2608
Habana Indie Club
[Gongdeok Station Exit 1 → Walk 10 mins]
The Habana Indie Club seems to be hidden in the semi-basement of a house at Gyeongui Line Forest Road. To match the name of the shop, it offers a unique atmosphere as though you are at an alley in Havana, Cuba. The signature menu is Havana Original, a Cuban home-style espresso. It has an impressive strong and sweet taste. Besides that, the Havana Mojito is also popular. You can choose between non-alcohol and alcohol, and the refreshing and sweet taste is excellent.
[Information about Habana Indie Club]
1. Address : 29, Baekbeom-ro 16an-gil, Daeheung-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul
2. Opening hours : Wed - Sun 12:00 ~ 18:00 / Closed on Mondays & Tuesdays
3. Instagram : www.instagram.com/habana_indie_club
4. Contact number : 0507-1309-9526
Liebhaber Seoul
[Gongdeok Station Exit 1 → Walk 8 mins]
The owner, who is also the baker, is from Dresden, Germany. The German bread and cakes are baked directly at the store by the owner. All artificial elements including sugar are excluded. Instead, the owner uses healthy recipes, so you can't get bored of eating it as it tastes light. The representative menu is the German style natural fermented Rye Bread. The cheesecake made with German cheese Quark is also popular. Quark is a cheese that is served in German meal, and it features sour taste and creamy texture.
[Information about Liebhaber Seoul]
1. Address : 1F, 11-4 Baekbeom-ro 24-gil, Yeomni-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul
2. Opening hours : 10:00 ~ 19:00 daily
3. Instagram : www.instagram.com/liebhaber.seoul
4. Contact number : 02-999-1234
Eer Coffee Roasters
[Gongdeok Station Exit 1 → Walk 8 mins]
It is a cafe that roasts their own coffee beans, and makes their own syrup and dessert. The owner will explain the characteristics of the coffee beans in details so you can choose according to your preference. The signature menu, Almond Latte is carefully made for more than 12 hours. The homemade cream almond on the Almond Latte is also very popular. We recommend the croffles that look nice and taste good, and the cookies with rich taste and thick texture.
[Information about Eer Coffee Roasters]
1. Address : 1F, 9 Baekbeom-ro 24-gil, Yeomni-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul
2. Opening hours : Mon - Fri 8:30~ 19:00 / Sat 11:00 ~ 20:00 *Closed on Sundays
3. Instagram : www.instagram.com/eer_coffee_roasters
4. Contact number : 02-706-9313
Heehee
[Gongdeok Station Exit 1 → Walk 7 mins]
Heehee is a restaurant that exudes the atmosphere of Kyoto's Gion. It is located in a residential area in front of the Gyeongui Line Forest Road, and is also a favorite place of the local residents. The main menu is made of noodles with 40 percent soba buckwheat, so the texture is soft and it smells really good. The homemade tsuyu made with 20 over ingredients is mixed with 200-year-old Sanuki soy sauce. Many people also go there for the Sea Urchin Soba that has the scent of the sea. They mainly serve snacks for dinner, and this place transforms into Izakaya in the evening, suitable for drinking.
[Information about Heehee]
1. Address : 291-5 Dongmak-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul
2. Opening hours : 11:30 ~ 23:00 daily *Close early when they've run out of ingredients
Break time 15:00 ~ 18:00 / Closed on Sundays
3. Instagram : www.instagram.com/heehee_official
4. Contact number : 0507-1323-2915
Istanbul Grill
[Gongdeok Station Exit 1 → Walk 4 mins]
Istanbul Grill is an authentic Turkish restaurant where you can taste charcoal barbecue food. The taste and aroma of the sauce that is difficult to find in Korea upgrade the flavor of meat and vegetables, and charcoal fire catches the meat smell that surprisingly suit the taste of Koreans.
The popular menu, Tavuk Pirzola let you enjoy the charcoal scent and the juiciness of chicken thighs at the same time. From 11 am to 1 pm, you can enjoy Turkish home-cooked meals as lunch set at an affordable price. Don't forget to try the Turkish traditional bread Ekmek that is kneaded and baked every morning.
[Information about Istanbul Grill]
1. Address : 152 Baekbeom-ro, Gongdeok-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul
2. Opening hours : 11:00 ~ 23:00 daily / Break time 15:00 ~ 17:00 (No break time on Weekends) /
*Closed on Seollal and Chuseok first day
3. Instagram : www.instagram.com/istanbul_grilll
4. Contact number : 02-711-1132
[Trekking in a Beautiful Island] Jangbong Island in Incheon
Jangbong Island, a beautiful island with the legend of Little Mermaid, is one of the most amazing and popular island trekking location. It is located in Bukdo-myeon, Ongjin-gun, Incheon and you can take the ferry (Approx. 40 mins) from Sammok Dock, passing through Shin-do, Shi-do and Mo-do. Every year, it attracts many people who likes trekking to this island.
When you arrive at Jangbong Island, we recommended you to visit the traveler center first. There is a booklet with detailed instructions on the Gaetti-gil in Jangbong Island. It might help you to find your way if you take one and keep it with you before you start trekking.
What is Gaetti?
It refers to the sand flat which is the midpoint where mudflat (intertidal zone that is submerged in seawater during high tide and exposed during low tide) and sea rocks meet. The island residents of Incheon named it Gaetti.
In Jangbong Island, there are 7 courses of Gaetti-gil (Course 1 Sinseonnori-gil, Course 2 Haneulnadeul-gil, Course 3 Gubineomeo-gil, Course 4 Jangbonghaean-gil, Course 5 Yadalino-gil, Course 6 Handeulhaean-gil and Course 7 Jangbongbomul-gil).
In this post, we will introduce some sections of Gaetti-gil and the newly installed barrier-free forest path in Jangbong Island. This is a beautiful walking tour in Jangbong Island which you can enjoy natural scenery along the way.
Gaetti-gil, Jangbong Island
The first place that we will show you is the Geoneojang beach. There is a type of boat (gosbae) displayed at this place. Gosbae boat is a non-power vessel where residents of Jangbong Island used for fishing and the boat was installed so that they will remember the fishery activities while shrimping. There is a unique story in this island so it adds on the fun when you travel around.
Geoneojang Beach is the last destination of Gaetti-gil Course 5 - Yadalineo-gil; and the starting point of Course 4 Jangbonghaean-gil.
This place is almost known as the trekking paradise and it is so well guided as you can find sign boards at many places. You will see the ribbon indicating that it is the Gaetti-gil so you can easily find the direction.
Gaetti-gil Course 4 - Jangbonghaean-gil is the most famous coastal road in Jangbong Island, and it is a high difficulty course where you will walk on a cliff that touches the sea. It is also a course where you can feel the wonderful nature along the way.
Although there are some nicely built sections, most of them are steep forest paths, so it is recommended to wear hiking boots and clothes with long sleeves, and use the insect repellent spray before starting the journey.
It is very beautiful as you can see the Geoneojang Beach along the coastal road. As it was mid Summer season when we visited so the rice paddies and green fields attracted our attention. In addition, the blue sea makes you feel cooling and refreshing. Take a deep breathe in and out as you enjoy this beautiful scenery of nature~! It will cheer you up immediately.
While walking along the Jangbonghaean-gil, we saw a green frog. It is a precious friend of nature that cannot be easily seen in the city, so Nareu took a picture with it. When you walk along the Gaetti-gil in Jangbong Island, it is recommended that you walk leisurely and enjoy the surrounding nature instead of walking fast and hurriedly. This is because you might discover something special along the way if you walk slowly and enjoy the view.
Unfortunately, we couldn't walk down the cliff on the coastal road as the sea water was high. That's fine! We can visit this place again next time. If you wish to complete the Gaetti-gil Course 4 -Jangbonghaean-gil, do check the water tide before visiting.
Link: https://www.badatime.com/160.html
Barrier-free Forest Path
Leaving behind the feeling of regret, we walked to the newly built barrier-free forest path (Manmungogae) in Jangbong Island. This path was designed to allow the elderly, children, infant, pregnant women and others who have difficulty walking along steep forest path so that they can also enjoy forest bathing and walk comfortably here.
By looking at the picture, you can tell that it is less burden to walk on this nicely built deck. This section is not long, but you can also enjoy the forest and sea just like on the Gaetti-gil. Moreover, it is a safe path where you won't get tripped, so you can walk more leisurely here.
Upon entering the barrier-free forest road, you will first come to an observatory facing the sea. The view is indeed superb! However, do take note that there will be a fork in the road. In order to get to the observatory, you have take the path that is on the left.
From the observatory, if you walk about five minutes along the deck, you will arrive at the shelter observatory. It was a little disappointing as we were expecting to see the sea, but the trees grew thick and blocked the view. However, the sea breeze was so cooling and refreshing. No wonder it is called the "shelter observatory".
We walked back the same way as we came, and came out to the entrance of the barrier-free forest path. Check out the sign board and decide your next destination. From the Malmungogae, you can go to Neulnongogae, Jangbong 2-ri, and Guksabong. The approximate distance is also written on the sign board, so it will help you choose a destination that is suitable for your physical strength.
If you find it difficult to walk, you can use the Jangbong Farming and Fishing Village's Public Bus. This is a bus that circulates through Jangbong Island. It starts operating from 6.15 am, with interval of 50 mins. There is a bus stop at Malmungogae (Jangbong 4-ri). The bus fare is KRW 1,000 for adults and KRW500 for students, and only cash is accepted. There won't be change, so you have to prepare the exact amount in advance.
If you have more time, you can also visit Ongam Beach by walking from the dock. Just sit on small pebbles on the beach and enjoy the sea and waves. It will wash away your tiredness.
If you are looking for a leisure trekking trip during your holiday in Korea, we recommend you to put Jangbong Island in your itinerary. You can enjoy breathtaking scenery at this beautiful island in Incheon!
[Information about Jangbong Island]
1.Getting There: At AREX Unseo Station, transfer to Bus #307 ▶ Get off at Sammok Dock, Take Ferry (40 mins)
2. Address: 55 Yeongjonghaeanbuk-ro 847beon-gi, Jung-gu, Incheon
3. Contact Number: 032-751-2211
4. Fee: Ferry - Adult KRW 3,000 / Child KRW 1,500 / Bicycle KRW 1,500
*Information subject to change