Give Sokcho three days. Spend the first in Outer Seorak: Sinheungsa, then the climb to Ulsanbawi, or the cable car to Gwongeumseong if your legs say no. On the second, pull the Gaetbae ferry to Abai Village for sundae, walk the fish market, and watch the sun come up at Yeonggeumjeong the next morning. Keep the third for Yeongnangho, Sokcho Beach and Naksansa down the coast.
Sokcho is a fishing port of about 83,000 people on the East Sea, in Gangwon State, two and a half hours from Seoul by expressway bus. The granite peaks of Seoraksan rise behind it, and the Outer Seorak entrance at Sogongwon is a city bus ride from the harbour.
Six granite peaks in a wall above Outer Seorak, reached by 3.8 km of trail from Sogongwon and close to 900 steel steps at the end. The summit looks over Sokcho to the sea, and it is the climb that defines the park.
The Seon temple at the foot of Outer Seorak, ten minutes on foot from the bus stop. Its seated bronze Buddha is 14.6 m tall and faces the entrance road, and every main trail on this side starts past it.
A 1.1 km line that lifts you to about 700 m in five minutes, then a short scramble to the rocky top of Gwongeumseong. It is the easy way to a summit view of Seorak's ridges.
An engineless raft that passengers haul by steel cable across a 50 m channel from downtown to the sandbar settled by refugees from Hamgyong Province in the Korean War. Eat Abai sundae once you land.
Sokcho's central market, known to most visitors as Jungang Market, with dakgangjeong counters at street level and a raw-fish hall downstairs. Come hungry and graze rather than sit down.
A pavilion on a rock outcrop at Dongmyeong Harbour, joined to the shore by a footbridge, facing due east over the water. Pair it with the lighthouse observatory on the hill behind.
A flat valley walk along the Cheonbuldong stream to the smooth rock shelf of Biseondae, then a steep climb of stairs to Geumganggul, a cave shrine about 600 m up. Stop at Biseondae for an easy day.
A lagoon of about 7.8 km around, cut off from the sea by dunes, with a waterside path and Beombawi, the tiger rock, on its shore. Climb the rock for the sea, the lake and Seoraksan in one view.
The town beach, a long sweep of sand a short walk from the express bus terminal, with the 65 m Sokcho Eye wheel at its northern end. Walk south on the Oeongchi coastal trail for the rocks.
A seaside temple 30 minutes south in Yangyang, founded by the monk Uisang, with the Uisangdae pavilion and the Hongnyeonam hermitage on the cliffs below. City bus 9-1 runs there from Sokcho.
Stalls frying shrimp, crab and vegetables by the harbour, ten minutes south by car.
The largest of Sokcho's raw-fish ports: pick from the tanks, eat upstairs.
A 1.74 km boardwalk round the rocks from Sokcho Beach to Oeongchi Port.
A boatyard opened in 1952 on Cheongchoho, now a cafe, bookshop and exhibition space.
Founded in 1984 as a tiny neighbourhood shop, now a big, curated independent.
A 28 m lighthouse on the hill above Yeonggeumjeong, with a deck over the sea.
The refugee story of the city, with an outdoor folk village of displaced northerners' houses.
A lookout over the DMZ to North Korea's Kumgang coast, with the DMZ Museum behind it.
Crowds gather on Sokcho Beach and at Yeonggeumjeong before dawn to see the first sun of the year.
Two days of stalls and stages under the blossom on the lake shore. The 2026 edition ran 11 and 12 April.
Local food at Sokcho Expo Park over three days. The 2026 dates were 15 to 17 May.
The refugee heritage of Abai Village, at the Expo lawn and the village. The 11th ran 12 and 13 June 2026.
Night stages and a food market on Sokcho Beach. The 2026 edition ran 31 July to 2 August.
Sokcho Beach is staffed for swimming in high summer, when the town fills with families from Seoul.
The maples turn top down. The Korea Forest Service forecast the 2026 peak for 20 October.
Sokcho's long-running city festival, held at Expo Park as the foliage peaks.
By Sokcho Beach in the south of town. Buses from Seoul Express Bus Terminal take about 2 hours 30 via the Seoul-Yangyang Expressway and run through the day.
North of the centre, near Abai Village. Dong Seoul buses arrive here, along with services up and down the coast to Goseong, Yangyang and Gangneung.
The way into Outer Seorak: both end at Sogongwon, 25 to 40 minutes from town. Pay with a T-money card for the lower fare; 7-1 runs more often and later.
Yangyang (YNY), south of town, has a short list of domestic routes. Most visitors fly into Incheon (ICN) or Gimpo (GMP) and take a bus from Seoul. Sokcho has no passenger railway yet.
Squid stuffed with rice and vegetables, sliced and pan-fried in egg.
Cold buckwheat noodles with raw fish, a dish of the northern refugees.
Sliced raw fish in an iced, sweet and spicy broth, with noodles to finish.
Pork intestine sausage packed with rice and blood, the Hamgyong way.
Fried chicken in a sticky sweet glaze, sold by the box at the market.
Red snow crab, steamed whole or mixed raw with spicy dressing.
A platter of mixed fish, grilled at the table on the wharf.
Battered fried shrimp from the stalls at Daepo Port.
Subscribe to the Wimup newsletter for new guides, travel news and more.
South Korea
