Sokcho Beach

Step off the express bus and in a few minutes you are on the sand. Sokcho Beach sits right against the city centre, so you can reach the sea with your luggage still in hand, with the ridges of Seoraksan behind you and the East Sea in front. Its 940 m strip of sand slopes gently into shallow water, and since opening in 1976 it has become one of the signature summer beaches of Gangwon's east coast.

The beach

The sand is 940 m long and 43 m wide, compact by east coast standards but easy to get around. The Sokcho Express Bus Terminal stands at the northern end, and to the south the beach runs into Oeongchi Beach. A belt of pine trees backs the shore, with a small park and walking paths inside, good for a shady break even in midsummer.

Visitors keep coming outside summer thanks to the installations scattered along the sand: letters spelling "ㅅㅊ", the Korean initials of Sokcho, a giant compass pointing to countries around the world, dolphin sculptures, a huge picture frame that turns the sea into a painting, and a staircase that seems to climb into the sky. They are the beach's favourite photo spots.

What to see

• Sokcho Eye: a Ferris wheel that opened on the beach in March 2022. From the top you take in the sand, the pine belt, the city and the ridgeline of Seoraksan in one sweep.
• Pine forest path: the path through the pines runs parallel to the beach and shelters you from the sea wind.
• Sunrise: the beach faces the East Sea head-on, ideal for sunrise, with a small island and the breakwater turning into silhouettes.
• Events: concerts and festivals are often held on the beach stage.

Oeongchi Badahyanggiro

From the southern end of the beach, the Oeongchi Badahyanggiro ("sea scent path") runs to Oeongchi Port: 850 m along Sokcho Beach plus an 890 m boardwalk on the Oeongchi coast, 1.74 km in all. The Oeongchi shore was a military zone guarded against armed infiltrators and closed to the public for decades; it opened only when the path was completed in April 2018. The boardwalk runs just above the rocks, so the waves break right below your feet. Sections of the 2 m-high fence and guard posts have been left on purpose as a reminder of the divided peninsula.

Tripto tips

• Swimming season: the beach is officially open from early July to late August each year; in 2026 it ran from 3 July to 23 August (52 days). Lifeguards are on duty only during this period.
• Night swimming: for part of midsummer the beach opens at night. In 2026, from 21 July to 12 August, a 130 m stretch around the central path was open for swimming until 21:00. Dates change every year, so check Sokcho city notices.
• Crowds: in July and August tens of thousands come on peak days. For a calmer walk, try June, September or early morning.
• Time needed: about 1 hour for a walk and the installations, 1.5–2 hours with a ride on Sokcho Eye; add an hour for the Oeongchi path there and back.
• Getting there: express buses from Seoul arrive at Sokcho Express Bus Terminal, a short walk from the sand. There is also parking.
• Nearby: to the north lie Cheongchoho Lake and Abai Village, which you reach by the little hand-pulled ferry. The entrance to Seoraksan National Park is also a short drive away.