8 places to watch sunset, sunrise in Incheon

Looking for the perfect spot to watch the sunset and sunrise that is not too far from Seoul?

Incheon, situated on the west coast, recommends eight top places to watch sunset and sunrise for the New Year.

The Incheon Development and Tourism Corporation suggests four great places to bid farewell to 2014: Jeongseojin, Mount Seoksan in Songdo, Sunset Village in Janghwa-ri, Ganghwa and Wangsan Beach.

Jeongseojin, located at the starting point of the Gyeongin Ara waterway, is known for a beautiful sunset that created a local love story about a young scholar who falls in love with a daughter of a guesthouse owner in the town on his way to Seoul to take a civil servant employment exam. The Jeongseojin Sunset festival will be held from 3 p.m. on Dec. 1, featuring music concerts and fireworks.

Famous as a shoot location for the hit drama “My Love from the Star,” Mount Seoksan has become a popular tourist spot. The small rocky mountain will greet visitors with the sunset event that starts from 4:30 p.m. and various programs such as sending away New Year’s wishes.

The sunset village in Janghwa-ri, Ganghwa is also a popular tourist site for its historical importance and the pristine natural environment. The village is surrounded by Ganghwa mudflat, one of the five best mudflats on the west coast. The sunset theme park will celebrate the New Year with a concert, a balloon event, a photo contest and more from Dec. 31 to Jan. 1. 

Four ideal sunrise spots are Geojam Port, Mount Manisan, Donggeomdo Island and the lighthouse on Palmido Island.

The sunrise train between Seoul Station and Yongyu Temporary Station will offer easy access to Geojam Port, which is 100 meters from Yongyu Temporary Station. The sunrise train will leave Seoul Station between 5:40 a.m. and 6:02 a.m. and depart from Yongyu Temporary Station from 8:41 a.m. to 9:27 a.m. The Korea Railroad Corporation will hand out hot tea and heating pads to visitors aboard the sunrise train.

Mount Manisan is one of the most popular places in Korea to visit to watch the first sunrise in the New Year. The historic mountain is known as the place where Dangun, the legendary founder of Korea, offered sacrifices to heaven.

For those tempted to hike the 470-meter Mount Manisan, Donggeomdo Island is the right spot to see the sunrise. The small island, connected by a bridge from Ganghwado Island, has a popular reed field and restaurants that serve local delicacies ― roasted eel and pork rib soup marinated with salted shrimp.

The white lighthouse in Palmido Island offers a breathtaking view of sunrise as it is located on the very front of the ship route to Incheon port. Registered as the first modern lighthouse built in 1903, it preserves the old structure and untouched natural surroundings. Incheon Ferry Terminal runs ferries to the island.

For more information, visit yourincheon.tistory.com or www.facebook.com/yourincheon.

By Lee Woo-young (wylee@heraldcorp.com)