Trying out a light aircraft is one of the most recommended sports in Taean County in South Chungcheong Province.

The flight experience is offered to anyone who has received brief training. After a takeoff, the plane will fly over the Taean Haean National Park and offer a spectacular view of beaches and forests.

The light aircraft experience is mostly available in the Gomseom area in Nam-myeon. At the Taean Airfield run by Hanseo University, you can even try an advanced course. The airfields in Anmyeon Island charge about 40,000 won to 100,000 won per ride. The Taean County plans to nurture light plane-related aerial activities and as a future growth industry.

In Shinjindo, you can take a wide view of the water and interestingly-shaped rocks on a ferry. If you go to the south end of Anmyeondo, the Yeongmok Port will offer sea fishing experiences as well.

Mado is an ideal place for fishing. You can catch mackerel and mullet near the breakwater. Out in the sea on a boat, you will catch flat fish and cod. Fishing boat day trips cost 70,000 won to 120,000 won per person.

Located about 30 kilometers away from Taean, Anmyeondo is the sixth-biggest island in Korea. The island has some 14 beaches and abundant pine trees.

The Anmyeon Recreational Forest should not be missed in any Taean trip. It is the only place in Korea where red pine trees called Anmyeonsong naturally grow in clusters. Straight-shaped Anmyeonsong wood was used in the construction of Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul. Behind the pine forest, wooden houses are lined up around a garden. On the hill of the garden, you can see Kkotji Beach in the distance. It is a unique tourism spot and features both a beach and lush wooded area.

Taean pleases not only your eyes but your mouth with great local foods. At the port on Shinjindo, ureok (a kind of fish) soup and steamed ureok are famous. Octopi obtained from the nearby sea are small enough to eat in one bite. They are often boiled with kalguksu (a noodle dish). For more information, call Taean County’s tourism department on (041) 670-2768.

(Source: Korea Tourism Organization)

Related Websites:

www.taean.go.kr

www.chollipo.org

www.shinjindo.com

By Kim Yoon-mi (yoonmi@heraldcorp.com)