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Korea Travel Atlas

3-Day Gangwon Alpine Crest & East Sea Coastal Journey

A 3-day route through Gangwon-do: 12 stops, 5 of them with their own page on this site, with how to get from each stop to the next.

A dynamic 3-day outdoor exploration uniting the granite spires of Seoraksan National Park, historic coastal temples, Sokcho seafood markets, and Gangneung artisanal coffee culture.

The stop notes of this route have not been translated yet, so they are shown in English.

3-Day Gangwon Alpine Crest & East Sea Coastal Journey

Day 1: Seoraksan Granite Spires & Historic Mountain Monasteries

Getting around (route notes): Express Bus from Seoul Express Bus Terminal to Sokcho (2h 10m) + City Bus 7-1

  1. 1. Seoraksan National Park Sogongwon

    Start 10:30 · About 1 h 30 min until the next stop, travel included

    Enter through Sinheungsa Iljumun Gate and pay respects to the 14.6-meter Tongil Daebul bronze Buddha

    Place page: Seoraksan National Park (Sinheungsa)

    Seoraksan National Park (Sinheungsa)

  2. From Seoraksan National Park Sogongwon

    Same site as the previous stop.

    2. Gwongeumseong Fortress Cable Car

    Start 12:00 · About 2 h until the next stop, travel included

    Ride the aerial ropeway to 700m elevation for dramatic 360-degree vistas across Ulsanbawi Rock

    Part of Seoraksan National Park (Sinheungsa)

  3. From Gwongeumseong Fortress Cable Car

    Same site as the previous stop.

    3. Biryong Falls Mountain Valley Trail

    Start 14:00 · About 4 h 30 min until the next stop, travel included

    Hike the gentle shaded 2.4km forest boardwalk flanking cascading mountain streams and bamboo bridges

    Part of Seoraksan National Park (Sinheungsa)

  4. 4. Sokcho Tourist & Fishery Market

    Start 18:30

    Dine on freshly steamed East Sea red snow crabs and Sokcho dakgangjeong (crispy sweet fried chicken)

Day 2: Cliffside Ocean Temples & Sokcho Abai Village

Getting around (route notes): Sokcho City Bus 9 / Intercity coastal bus to Yangyang

  1. 1. Naksansa Cliffside Ocean Temple

    Start 09:00 · About 2 h 30 min until the next stop, travel included

    Walk the maritime pine forest path to the 16-meter Haesugwaneum statue overlooking crashing East Sea waves

    Place page: Naksansa Ocean Cliff Temple

    Naksansa Ocean Cliff Temple

  2. From Naksansa Cliffside Ocean Temple

    Same site as the previous stop.

    2. Uisangdae Pavilion & Hongryeonam Hermitage

    Start 11:30 · About 2 h until the next stop, travel included

    Look through the glass temple floor to view ocean waves pounding into the sacred sea cave beneath

    Part of Naksansa Ocean Cliff Temple

  3. 3. Abai Village & Gaetbae Manual Ferry

    Start 13:30 · About 3 h 30 min until the next stop, travel included

    Cross the harbor channel via hand-pulled cable raft and savor North Korean style squid sundae

  4. 4. Yeonggeumjeong Sunrise Pavilion

    Start 17:00

    Capture the ocean sunset and evening floodlighting over coastal granite reefs

Day 3: Gangneung Royal Scholar Heritage & Specialty Coffee Coast

Getting around (route notes): Intercity Bus to Gangneung (45m) / KTX-Eum Gangneung Station to Seoul

  1. 1. Ojukheon Black Bamboo Residence

    Start 10:00 · About 2 h 30 min until the next stop, travel included

    Tour the preserved 16th-century wooden birthplace of painter Shin Saimdang and scholar Yi I

  2. 2. Chodang Tofu Village

    Start 12:30 · About 2 h until the next stop, travel included

    Taste silky soft sundubu simmered using clean natural East Sea saltwater

  3. 3. Gangneung Anmok Beach Coffee Street

    Start 14:30 · About 3 h until the next stop, travel included

    Sip award-winning pour-over specialty coffee on rooftop balconies overlooking white ocean breakers

  4. 4. KTX-Eum High-Speed Rail Departure

    Start 17:30

    Board the streamlined high-speed train returning to Seoul Station in just 1 hour 45 minutes

About this route

The route and its stop notes are written by this site’s editors; the start times are suggestions. Prices and opening hours are not given here because they change: check each place page, which shows them only from dated official records.

Cover photo: Korea Tourism Organization (TourAPI 4.0), KOGL Type 1.

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