Friday, June 3, 2011

Head to the East Sea and relax on the white sand of Sokcho beach

Living in Seoul is great, but as a native California girl its great to get out of the big city and head to the beach!


A speed boat will take passengers on a fast ride around in circles!
    As I stood on Sokcho beach I was in awe as I looked back at the beautiful mountains within Seoraksan National Park. Sokcho's white sand reminded me of the thick grainy sand that I see on the beaches in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. There is no train going to Sokcho, but the 3 hour bus ride from Seoul will leave you dreaming about the salty remnants left on your skin after a long day at the beach.
   A trip to Sokcho is hard to do in one day, especially because there is so much to see. I recommend spending a weekend so that you can go hiking at Seoraksan National Park, and then enjoy the beach the next day. Sokcho beach has crystal clear water, and many Koreans who are not fond of swimming (or don't know how too) leave plenty of room for those that love to swim. I took a trip to Sokcho in May, the water was not warm enough for swimming then, but I jumped in anyway! All the Korean's thought I was crazy, and not for only going in the water, but for wearing a bikini on the beach! Almost no one was wearing a swimsuit, and everyone was decked out from head to toe in skin protective clothing and giant hats.

A cool tree sculpture on the pier.
    There are plenty of love motels to stay at right near Sokcho beach. There is also a jimjilbang down the street if you are looking to save even more money. The sauna costs about 7,000 won, and if you want a private sleeping room you can spend another 5,000 won. I'm not a fan of sleeping in jimjilbang's due to my lack of comfort with strangers and need for pillows to snuggle with. If you're like me, you might like to check out The House Hostel. Its not directly in front of Sokcho beach, but it has great reviews and seems very comfortable and cheap.


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10 comments:

  1. I recommend Naksan beach- a short bus ride south- next time.

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  2. Hi. I was planning on heading to Sokcho and Seoraksan National Park in early May. Is it possible to explore both the park and the beach, and travel to and from Seoul in one day? Also, I heard the beach is "open" only in July and August. Were you still allowed in May? Thanks!

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  3. I did that same thing. First I went to Seoraksan, But you need one full day for hiking there. Then I spent the night at a jimjilbang right next to sokcho beach. I'd say its virtually impossible all in one day. You would need 2. Yes you are allowed in May! The water will be colder and it is not officially beach season in Korea, but that's good because the beaches aren't crowded.

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  4. well I take that back. You could do it in one day if you left Seoul very early and returned late at night. But its alot to pack into one day. Seoraksan is huge! If you're not planning on hiking there it would be possible.

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  5. Thanks for the advice! I'll see if my friends prefer an early morning ride or an overnight stay. I am really excited now.

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  6. That's great advice ... I'll be heading there for sure this summer!

    John Teacher
    ===
    http://teachenglishseoul.com/

    ReplyDelete
  7. Great!

    link:www.teachenglishseoul.com/

    ReplyDelete
  8. link:http://teachenglishseoul.com

    ReplyDelete
  9. Très approprié. Très intéressant, bon travail et merci de partager un si bon blog. Votre article est tellement convaincant que je n'arrête jamais d'en parler. Vous faites du bon travail. Continuez comme ça. Écrire pour nous Technologie 스포츠토토


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