Songjeong Beach (Gangneung)

Between Anmok and Gangmun beaches in Gangneung, Songjeong Beach pairs about 700 m of sand with a deep belt of black pines behind it. Walk a little north from the busy Anmok coffee street and the crowds thin out, and a path runs through the pines with the sea showing between the trunks.

A name from eight pine trees

The name Songjeong ("pine pavilion") comes with a legend. Choe Mun-han, son-in-law of King Chungsuk of Goryeo, is said to have brought eight pine trees with him when he moved from Songdo (today's Kaesong) to Gangneung, and the spot became known as Palsongjeong, "eight pines pavilion", before the name was shortened to Songjeong. The forest behind the beach today is of black pine. It works as a windbreak against sea wind and blowing sand, and gives beachgoers welcome shade.

Walking the pine forest

• Gangmun–Songjeong–Anmok pine trail: about 3.5 km from Gangmun Beach past Songjeong to near Anmok Beach, roughly 1 hour 20 minutes at an easy pace. It is an earth path, and bright street lights along the road mean you can walk it in the evening too.
• Haeparang Trail, Course 39: this stage of the long-distance east coast trail, from Namhangjin Beach to Sacheonjin-ri Beach, passes through the forest.
• Photo spot: the stretch of coastal pines in Songjeong-dong, where the sea glints between slender trunks, is a favourite with photographers, especially when the morning light slants in.
• Anmok coffee street: about 1.5 km south of Songjeong Beach, a row of cafés looks out over the sea.

Enjoying the beach

The beach is open for swimming in summer, and on windy days you will see paragliders and kiteboarders. It is quieter than its neighbours, so it suits anyone who just wants to sit and watch the sea.

Songjeong sits in the middle of a chain of beaches along the Gangneung shore. To the south it runs straight into Anmok Beach; to the north, past Gangmun Beach, the stream flowing out of Gyeongpo Lake marks the start of Gyeongpo Beach. The Haeparang Trail, a 750 km walking route along the east coast from Busan to Goseong in Gangwon-do, officially opened in 2016, and the Songjeong pines are one of its shadiest stretches, easy going even in midsummer.

Gangneung City has won funding to build a barrier-free trail of about 2.05 km through the coastal pines of Songjeong-dong, so that wheelchair users and families with pushchairs can enjoy the forest more easily.

Tripto tips

• When to go: July and August for swimming; the pine walk is good all year. This is the east coast, so early risers can watch the sun come up over the sea.
• Time needed: 30 minutes to 1 hour for the beach and forest, about 2 hours if you walk the whole pine trail from Gangmun to Anmok.
• Getting there: the beach is about 4 km from Gangneung KTX Station, roughly 10 minutes by taxi. Drivers can use the car parks around the beach.
• Access: some stretches still have coastal security fencing, where access hours may apply, so follow the signs on site.
• Combine with: walk south to the Anmok coffee street, or north to Gangmun Beach and the Gyeongpo area.