Sokcho travel info

Sokcho is a harbour town where the East Sea and the Seoraksan mountains share one view. From the end of the beach you can look up at the jagged granite of Ulsanbawi, and the national park gate is a 30-minute bus ride from downtown. Two lakes, Cheongchoho and Yeongnangho, sit inside the city, so sea, mountain and lakeside walks fit into a single day.

Across Cheongchoho lies Abai Village, settled by people who came down from the north during the Korean War. You cross the lake mouth on the gaetbae, a small ferry pulled along a steel cable by hand. The food is mostly around the markets: fried chicken people queue for, squid stuffed like sundae sausage, red crab weighed on the spot, and a bowl of potato dumplings in broth, all within a few streets of each other.

From Seoul it takes about two and a half hours by express bus. Trains do not reach Sokcho yet, so you either take the bus or ride the KTX to Gangneung and switch to an intercity bus. There are two bus terminals about 3 km apart, so pick where to get off based on where you are sleeping.

From Seoul (BUS)

From Gangneung and Yangyang (BUS)

From Incheon and Yangyang airports (AIR)