Mani Mountain

#summervacay Took a day trip out to Ganghwado to hike Mani Mountain and visit Chamseongdan, and it was such a cool mix of nature and history. The trail starts off pretty friendly, winding through the woods, but don’t get too comfy, it gets steep real quick. Lots of stairs and rocky bits that had my legs working overtime, but nothing too wild if you pace yourself. About halfway up, the views start peeking through, green hills, ocean sparkles, and that sweet salty breeze you only get near the coast. When you finally reach Chamseongdan, the ancient altar at the top, it hits different. There’s just something peaceful and powerful about standing there with the wind in your face, surrounded by sky and sea. It’s not the longest hike ever, but it packs a lot into a short climb, nature, culture, and some solid photo ops. Perfect for a half-day escape with a bit of meaning behind it. Mani-san, you sneaky little legend, you were awesome.