Sunset on the West Sea: Burning Sea and Heart

If you pick sunrise as the East Sea’s main attraction, the sunset is the West Sea’s. It is a visual mystery at times, observing the sea and the blue sky suddenly changing into reddish hues when darkness approaches.

The sunset glow in Anmyeon Island (an island on the west coast) is one of the top three sunsets in Korea. The best time to watch sunsets during the year is from mid-October to late-November when the weather is clear and the horizon becomes distinctive. Many people visit Kkotji Beach on the island during this fall season.

If you take the west coast highway, you can make a one-day trip to the island. However, lodging for one night at a private house-turned-inn along the beach is highly recommended; you can enjoy the quiet, empty off-season beach along with the beautiful sunset glow, and you can listen to the sound of waves near you while you are sleeping.

Three Best Places for Sunset Watching On the West Coast-

Anmyeon Island, which is 30 km from Tae-an, is the sixth biggest island in Korea. The meaning of the island name is “an island that both animals and humans can lie on and rest.” It was not originally an island, but part of a rugged, octopus-shaped peninsula on the southwest end of the Taean Peninsula. When King Injo reigned in the Joseon Dynasty, people dug a canal to transport collected local taxes to the capital by boat, and this is how Anmyeon Island became an island. In 1968, a bridge connecting the island to the mainland was completed, and it is easy to access now.

You can visit the island by car and experience a faintly sweet pine tree scent on the island. Until the Japanese colonial period, the island was filled with pine trees, and people used to say, “You can feed your family simply by having an ax on the island.” While driving the road that smoothly encompasses the island, you will smell the strong scent of pine trees at the tip of your nose coming through the window.

The beaches along the rugged west coast of the island are also one of the attractions of Anmyeon Island. The names all sound familiar and cute: Kkotji, Baramarae, Jangdol, Batgae, and Satbyeol.

Of all the beaches, I recommend you visit Kkotji (which means “the land of flowers”). The beach got its name because it had plenty of red wild roses. The sunset glow on Kkotji is one of the three best sunset views on the west coast, along with Chaeseok River in Byeonsan and Seokmo Island in Gangwha.

With a back curtain of dense pine trees serving as a backdrop, appreciating the waves hitting the sand beach is enough to make one feel the sentiment of an out of season ocean, but if there had not been an “elderly couple,” it would not have become as popular as it is now.

The “Elderly Couple” is two tall rocks standing in front of the beach like guards. A sad story lies behind the rocks: In the Silla period, a wife waiting for her husband to return from war changed into a rock. The two rocks are close enough to touch each other, but they always simply look at each other brokenhearted, failing to get together like the never ending parallel of train rails.

The two rocks standing there for countless years helped making the beach the best spot for appreciating the glowing sky. Finishing the day’s job and crouching down to the sea, the sun slowly goes down between the two rocks. This is a magnificent scene.

The sunset is phenomenal, reminding watchers of a fireball plunging into the sea. But the sun leaves a long lingering trace of red when it disappears, as if it feels something is lacking in ending its daily life. As you take a longer look at it, it makes you feel sentimental. When you are mesmerized by the sunset, you can’t leave the spot due to your delicate emotions until the surrounding area gets dark. After the sun sets, street lamps start to light up one by one along Kkotji beach, signaling the start of a romantic night for couples.

Sandy Beach Lobster Festival from Today to October 22-

We can taste seasonal lobsters in Anmyeon Island. Cheonsu Bay near Anmyeon Island is the biggest habitat for shrimp. Shrimp lay eggs on shallow mud grounds from spring to summer and move further deeper in fall to pass the winter. The harvesting period of lobsters comes right before they advance into the sea after they all grow. Lobsters, known as a specialty of Anmyeon Island, are full of nutrition from head to tail. Being rich in iron, calcium, and vitamin B, it is cited as the best food for health and beauty.

If you want to taste a truly delicious lobster, visit the port of the sandy beach. After crossing the Anmyeon Bridge, make a right and walk along the road for some five minutes, and you will see the beach port where old ships are anchored down which may have enjoyed their hey day long before. This place is a very famous trading center for lobsters, where 70 percent of lobsters caught from the West Sea are brought in.

You can eat naturally grown lobsters from September to December, but the best season to have nutritious and big—around 25 centimeters long—lobsters is from mid to late October. Port raw fish restaurants put up signs that say “Fluttering Lobsters” and lure customers. There are even websites (www.anmyondo.com) that sell lobsters online.

Lobsters are good to eat raw or made to soup, but the best are grilled. The tasty smell goes up to your nose when they are roasted on the crackles of the salt. No need for additional seasoning because of the salty seawater.

Even though it is seasonal, the natural lobster is not too cheap. One kilogram, which amounts to 20 to 30 lobsters, costs 30,000 to 35,000 won. However, you may get a few more for free depending on your socializing skill.

The easiest way to distinguish naturally grown lobsters from cultivated ones is to see if the lobsters are alive or dead. However, a better way would be by the colors. Cultured ones have more black tints than natural ones. If you are not relieved yet, then check the gills. Because cultured lobsters usually grow in tidal flats and therefore have mud underneath the gills, but natural ones that swim in the sea do not.

Fresh shellfish and gizzard shads can also be good companion for the lobsters. You will be drooling when you see greasy grilled gizzard shads on grills.

The Anmyeon Island Lobster Festival is being held from October 8-22. Many events will be held, including lobster dish sampling, night guitar shows, traditional play called “Samulnori,” singing contests where tourists can participate, dancing contests, big “chegichagi,” and “tuho flying,” which are Korean traditional sports. For more information, call Saemaul Women’s Clubs Association at 041-673-5355, and Preparation Commissioner at 011-431-0077.

Choi Mi-seon, Trip Planner, tigerlion007@hanmail.net