Gyeongpo Lake

Gyeongpo Lake is not the sea, though the sea is right next to it. Separated from the East Sea by a narrow strip of sand, this lagoon holds a stillness the ocean never could. You can hear the waves on one side while the lake surface stays mirror-flat on the other. The 4.3-kilometer trail circles the water — reeds on one bank, cherry trees on the other. Spring turns the path into a pink tunnel; winter fills the surface with migratory birds. The lake's real hour is sunset. When the western sky flushes red, a second sky appears on the water. On windless evenings the reflection is so perfect that the boundary between air and lake dissolves entirely. Rent a bike and loop the whole trail if you like, but sitting on a bench and watching the water change color is enough. Seongyojang and Ojukheon are within walking distance, so half a day covers the entire Gyeongpo area.