강원도 속초 가볼만한곳This is an old temple located in Seorak-dong, Sokcho-si, founded by the Silla monk Jajang. It is the starting point when climbing Seoraksan Mountain from the Oeseorak side. After the nearby Geonbongsa Temple was destroyed during the Korean War, it gained the status of a temple representing the Yeongdong region. There are cultural assets such as the 1,400-year-old Beomjong cast at the time of its founding, Geungnakbojeon Hall, Bojeru, and the three-story stone pagoda of Hyangseongsa Temple. The wide grounds are great for a leisurely stroll. It is famous for the most beautiful rock formations in South Korea. The spectacular rock formations of Ulsanbawi Rock that you see from afar while traveling around Sokcho are always awe-inspiring. The path to the summit is one of the Seoraksan Mountain exploration courses and takes about 4 hours round trip. Starting from Seorak-dong Small Park, there is Heundeulbawi Rock in the middle, and when you climb to the 873m peak, you can see Seoraksan Mountain and the East Sea at a glance. The grandeur of Ulsanbawi Rock and the sound of the wind as seen from the summit create a majestic atmosphere. If it’s hard, you can also come back from the middle of the rocky cliff.
It’s a valley that spreads out on the 8km section from Seoraksan’s Biseondae to Daecheongbong. The name Cheonbuldong comes from the fact that the rocky cliffs on both sides of the valley look like a thousand Buddha statues lined up. It’s a representative hiking course on Seoraksan, and it’s especially crowded with tourists who come to enjoy the fall foliage. The hiking course that starts at Seorakdong Small Park has outstanding scenic spots such as Waseondae, Biseondae, Gwimyeonam, Oryeon Falls, and Yangpok. It takes about 6-7 hours round trip to Yangpok Shelter.
Photo courtesy of rma2403 (CC BY-SA 3.0) Modified
It’s a beautiful 16m high waterfall in Towanggol, Seoraksan. There’s a legend that a maiden was offered to the dragon living in the waterfall and sent up to the sky to avoid a severe drought. The trail to Biryong Falls is a relatively easy exploration course that starts at Seorak-dong Small Park and passes Yukdam Falls, and you can see many valleys and small waterfalls along the way. If you climb a little further from Biryong Falls, you will find the Towangseong Falls Observatory, where you can see the spectacular view of Towangseong Falls from afar. It takes about 3 hours round trip to Biryong Falls.
Photo courtesy of Elananna (CC BY 3.0) Modified
This is the easiest way for the general public to climb Seoraksan Mountain. The cable car that runs from Seoraksan Small Park to Gwongeumseong, 700m above sea level, is always crowded because you can comfortably take in the scenery of Seoraksan Mountain at a glance. From the top of Gwongeumseong, you can see the magnificent and beautiful scenery of the East Sea, Ulsanbawi Rock, and Towangseong Falls in the distance. It takes about 15 minutes to walk up to Gwongeumseong after getting off the cable car. It gets very crowded during peak season, so you should hurry early. Address: 1137 Seoraksan-ro, Sokcho-si, Gangwon-do
Operating hours: 09:00 – 18:00 daily (subject to change depending on weather conditions)
A representative beach in Sokcho, close to downtown Sokcho, with clean sand and water. It has good facilities and a wooden deck on the white sand beach, making it great for a walk. There is an island called Jodo in front of the beach, which offers beautiful scenery, and there are many restaurants nearby where you can enjoy fresh live fish. The charm of Sokcho Beach is that Seoraksan Mountain is nearby, so you can enjoy both the mountain and the sea. Abai Village is nearby, so take a look around.
A village located in Cheongho-dong, Sokcho-si, is a must-see attraction when traveling to Sokcho. It originated from the fact that refugees from Hamgyeong-do who followed the national army south during the Korean War formed a collective village on the seaside plain. It became famous as a filming location for the drama ‘Autumn in My Heart.’ The famous local specialty here is the Gaetbae. The human-powered, non-powered boat, Gaetbae, used to be the only means of transportation to this village, but it has become a representative tourist attraction since the bridge was built. Children can also experience pulling the Gaetbae themselves.
Photo courtesy of adam nicholson (CC BY 2.0) Modified
Yeonggeumjeong, located in Dongmyeong-dong, Sokcho-si, refers to a rocky area by the sea, but now it also refers to a pavilion built on a rocky shore. It is said that there used to be a tall rocky mountain where Yeonggeumjeong was located. It is said that the sound of the pavilion hitting the rocky shore was like the sound of a sacred zither, so it was called Yeonggeumjeong. If you climb up to the pavilion built on a rocky shore, you can enjoy a refreshing view of the wide ocean.
Along with Seoraksan Mountain and the East Sea, hot springs are a representative tourist resource of Sokcho. They are located in Nohak-dong, which connects the foot of Seoraksan Mountain and downtown Sokcho. The hot spring water, which is around 50 degrees, is rich in minerals such as sodium and sulfur, and is said to be effective for digestive diseases, neuralgia, and beauty. There are open-air baths, family baths, and a footbath park in the village, so you can experience the hot springs. The footbath park, where you can heal while breathing in the clean air of Seorak, is free. This article contains the opinions of the Go Guides editorial team. Hotels.com compensates authors for articles published on this site, and compensation may include travel or other expenses.