TOP 5 Ocean View Hiking Spots in Gangwon-do
① Ocean View Trails in Gangwon Province
Gangwon Province has many coastal trails that are perfect for strolling along the sea. The Chogok Dragon Cave & Candlestick Rock Trail in Samcheok, Gangwon Province, is located in a coastal area where rocks are stationed. The open sea and majestic rocks create a breathtaking view.
The Chogok Dragon Cave & Candlestick Rock Trail has a 1,680-foot deck trail and a 183-foot suspension bridge, totaling a 2,165-foot exploration trail. The middle part of the suspension bridge that crosses the cliff is glass, allowing you to see the waves crashing below. As you walk along the trail, you’ll eventually reach a viewpoint. The view from the first viewpoint is the most beautiful.
The trail is a comfortable walk, and the round trip takes about 30 minutes. The Chogok Dragon Cave & Candlestick Rock Trail is considered a hidden gem of the East Sea.
- Address: 236-4 Chogok-gil, Geundeok-myeon, Samcheok-si, Gangwon Province
- Operating hours: Summer season (March ~ October) 09:00 – 18:00
The Sokcho Oeongchi Badahyanggiro Trail is a representative spot in Sokcho. This coastal trail stretches 1.08 miles from Sokcho Beach to Oeongchi Port and can be divided into two major sections: Sokcho Beach and Oeongchi.
The Oeongchi section contains military facilities, and civilians have been restricted from entering for 65 years. Since it was opened to the public, it has quickly become a popular tourist destination in Sokcho. Although it has been closed off for a long time, it retains its untouched natural scenery.
You can encounter unique natural landscapes as you walk along the trail, in the deck section you can see the endless blue sea, and in the Oeongchi section, you will pass through the Bamboo Meditation path, Sky Deck path, and National Security Experience path.
- Address: 656-14 Daepo-dong, Sokcho-si, Gangwon Province
- Operating hours: 06:00 – 20:00
② Recommended Places to Visit in Gangneung
The Jeongdongsimgok Badabuchae Trail is a 1.78-mile exploration route from the Jeongdongjin Sun Cruise parking lot to Simgok Port. You can enjoy the breathtaking views of the blue sea of the East Sea and the majestic unique rock formations. This place was used as a military patrol route for coastal defense but has been open to the public since 2016.
Gangneung City spent about $6 million in approximately four years from 2012 to create the trail. The Jeongdongsimgok Badabuchae Trail is a place designated as Natural Monument No. 437. It is the only coastal terrace where you can observe diastrophism that occurred from 200 to 250 million years ago. It’s a great place to take a 70-minute walk along the sea.
The operation status of the Jeongdongsimgok Badabuchae Trail can change depending on the weather. When a weather warning is issued, access is controlled for safety reasons. You can check the admission status through the website. Please note that it is prohibited to take photographs of military facilities within the Jeongdongsimgok Badabuchae Trail and upload them on the Internet.
As the Jeongdongsimgok Badabuchae Trail was opened, numerous visitors flocked in, and Gangneung City started charging admission in June 2017.
- Address: 950-39 Heonhwa-ro, Gangdong-myeon, Gangneung-si, Gangwon Province, Sea Fan Trail Jeongdong Ticket Office
- Operating hours: Winter season (November ~ March) 09:00 – 16:30, Ticket sales until 15:30
- Admission: Adults $4.20, Teenagers $3.37
As the name suggests, the Sodol Adeul Rock Park is in Jumunjin, with unique rock formations. It’s a place with various rocks with unique shapes carved by wind and waves. Sodol Village is a port village known to have been formed about 400 years ago.
The Sodol Coastal Circular Trail was built, connecting Sodong Port and Sodol Adeul Rock Park. It’s a great place to look at the East Sea, blending with the bizarrely shaped unique rock formations. It takes about 20 minutes to tour the Sodol Adeul Rock Park.
③ A Section of the East Sea Haeparang Trail
The Mangsang Beach Trail in the East Sea is a section of the 34th course of the Haeparang Trail. The Wave Trail symbolizes the East Coast and is the longest trail in South Korea. It consists of 50 courses starting from Busan Oryukdo Park and reaching the Goseong Unification Observatory in Gangwon Province.
The 34th course starts from Mokho Station and passes through Mokho Lighthouse, Eodal Port, Daejin Port, Mangsang Beach, and Simgok Yakcheon Village, ending at Okgye Market in Gangneung. In the 34th, the course, especially the path from Mokho Port to Mangsang Beach, has a gentle slope so you can take a leisurely walk with breaks. Walking along the trail, you can observe Mokho’s scenery. If you start from Mokho Port, where you can feel the atmosphere of a fishing village, you can also tour the famous spots of Mokho.
Mokho is ideal for walking tours as major tourist spots such as Nongoldam-gil, Dojjaebigol Sky Valley, and Haerang Observatory are not far away.
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