With this year's National Liberation Day on August 15 falling on a Saturday, a three-day long weekend can be enjoyed without taking any separate annual leave.

According to the 'Regulations on Holidays for Public Offices,' when a public holiday overlaps with a Saturday or Sunday, the following first weekday is designated as an alternative holiday. Since this year's National Liberation Day falls on Saturday the 15th and the 16th is a Sunday, Monday the 17th has been finalized as the alternative holiday.

Accordingly, from Saturday the 15th to Monday the 17th, you can fully enjoy a three-day golden long weekend without having to plan a four-day schedule. Here are three short-term domestic travel destinations where you can make the most of the three-day holiday.

■ Gangwon Yangyang & Sokcho — Surfing and Swimming in One Go These are regarded as the most accessible coastal destinations from the Seoul metropolitan area. Since the opening of the Seoul-Yangyang Expressway, travel time has been significantly reduced, making it an easy trip even for a three-day schedule rather than a four-day one. The ability to enjoy surfing and swimming simultaneously has made these spots consistently popular as domestic tourist destinations for short getaways.

■ Jeollanam-do Yeosu — Marine Tourism by Day, Nightscape by Night Yeosu, a highly popular summer vacation spot, offers abundant attractions both day and night. It is well-equipped with daytime attractions such as the maritime cable car and Odongdo Island, while also featuring a variety of night sea and nightscape spots, making it especially popular among young travelers.

■ Jeju — Relaxed Exploration with Divided East and West Courses If you plan a four-day schedule for Jeju, an advantage is that you can divide your course between the east and west for a relatively relaxed tour. However, since mid-August falls at the tail end of the summer peak season, some advise booking flights and accommodations as early as possible.

[This article was written with the assistance of AI.]