Sokcho Travel Guide: Mountains, Sea and Seafood on Korea's East Coast

Few places in Korea let you hike granite peaks in the morning and eat raw fish by the harbor at night, but Sokcho does. The small city on the East Sea faces Seoraksan National Park, whose jagged ridges rise right behind the town. Add sandy beaches, two lakes, a lively fish market and a refugee-founded village reached by hand-pulled raft, and you have a compact trip with plenty of variety.

We group the sights into five areas. Seoraksan & Nohak-dong holds the national park gate, Sinheungsa Temple, the cable car, hiking trails and hot springs. Daepo Port & Oeongchi covers the main fishing port, crab and sashimi halls and a coastal boardwalk. Cheongho-dong & Sokcho Beach is the city's seaside core, with Abai Village, the Ferris wheel and Cheongcho Lake. Jungang Market & Dongmyeong is the food and shopping district with dakgangjeong, a bookstore and a harbor lighthouse. Yeongnang Lake & Jangsa Port runs north to the lake, quiet beaches and crab restaurants.

The usual way in is an express or intercity bus from Seoul. Services leave from Dong Seoul Bus Terminal and from the Seoul Express Bus Terminal, taking roughly two and a half hours depending on traffic. Sokcho has two terminals, one for express and one for intercity buses, so confirm which one your ticket uses. From there, local buses and taxis are the practical choices for Seoraksan, while downtown can be explored on foot. Install Naver Map or Kakao Map and use Papago for menus, because many seafood restaurants have Korean-only signs.

Season matters. Autumn foliage in Seoraksan usually peaks between mid-October and early November and brings long queues. Spring has cherry blossoms around the lake and temple, summer opens the beaches and water parks, and winter is for snow crab and hot-spring soaks. Hikers should check trail closures with the park service, and prices and hours at restaurants and attractions may change, so confirm near your travel date.