Gangwon-do Province is adjacent to the East Sea and it is well known to have many beautiful beaches & mountains, such as Mt. Seoraksan. It is surely one of the most popular summer vacation spots among Koreans along with Jeju Island and Busan.
Check out the best places in Gangwon-do where you can have the most unforgettable summer fun!
Book Hassel-Free Ways to Visit Gangwon-do!
- Intercity Private Van Transfer: Incheon/Gimpo Airport/Seoul → Gapyeong/Chuncheon/Gangneung/Sokcho/Suwon/Jeonju
- Express Bus Ticket Reservation: Seoul ↔ Busan/Daegu/Gyeongju/Jeonju/Gwangju/Sokcho/Gangneung
1. Surfyy Beach (Yangyang)
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Surfyy Beach is a hip Instagrammable beach in Yangyang, the east coast of Korea! It has amazing vibes of surfing, chillaxing, and clubbing with an exotic atmosphere. This hip private beach is only for Surfyy users with the best facilities.
Surfyy Beach is also well-known for being a perfect place for water activities. You can rent surfing equipment and learn surfing or enjoy stand-up paddleboarding!
2. Nine Beach
Located on the east coast of Korea, Nine Beach is a private beach in Donghae, Gangwon-do. This summer, SBS M&C is hosting an overnight beach party every Saturday at one of the most popular sunset and sunrise spots in Korea. Groove to the beat of a 9-hour non-stop DJ party from sunset to sunrise! You can also take a 2-hour surfing lesson before the party.
3. Jangho Beach (Samcheok)
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Jangho Beach in Smacheok is referred to as “the Naples of Korea”, a dazzling beach that boasts crystal clear water. It’s a safe beach with shallow water and low waves, which makes it a perfect place for children to enjoy water activities!
Why don’t you book transparent canoeing to see through the emerald ocean water and discover sea creatures at Jangho Beach?
- Book Jangho Beach 1 Day Tour from Seoul (+ Canoeing option) (Temporarily N/A)
- Book Samcheon Ocean Rail Bike Ticket
4. Deokpung Valley (Samcheok)
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Deokpung Valley in Samcheok is one of the most famous valleys in Korea, boasting clear and cool waters! If you are looking for thrilling water activities that can beat the summer heat, this is the right place to be.
Canyoning is a perfect outdoor activity to cool off during the hot summer. You can use a variety of techniques, such as walking, jumping, sliding, climbing, swimming, and more! Helmets are included and you will be guided by an experienced activity leader.
5. Vivaldi Park Ocean World (Hongcheon)
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in Korea, which is part of Vivaldi Park Resort in Hongcheon. You can easily get there with a round-trip shuttle bus from/to Seoul!
- Book Ocean World Water Park Discount Ticket
- Recommended Blog: Ocean World Promotions for Foreigners Only
Vivaldi Park Resort also has rooms specialized for dogs so you can freely enjoy the summer vacation with your lovely dogs! A free welcome kit and for your pets is also provided.
- Recommended Blog: Best Summer Vacation Destination with Your Pets in Korea
6. Seoraksan & East Sea
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There are so many places to explore in Gangwon-do and one of the must-visits are Seoraksan National Park and the East Sea. Seoraksan Mountain is the most iconic mountain in Korea loved by locals & tourists alike. The beautiful East Sea is in Gangneung, a coastal city with a famous coffee street on the beach. By joining the Gangwondo Wonderland 2D1N trip, you’ll get to visit Seoraksan, Naksansa Temple, Gangneung Jungang Market, Anmok Coffee Street, Daegwallyeong Sheep Farm, and Alpensia Resort.
- Seoraksan Hiking 1 Day Tour from Seoul
- Seoraksan National Park Private Tour
- Seoraksan + Naksans Temple Tour
- Seoraksan + Nami Island Tour
- Seoraksan + Nami Island + Garden of Morning Calm Tour
- Seoraksan + Alpaca World + Nami Island Tour
7. Hwacheon Tomato Festival
Visit one of the most unique summer festivals in Korea, the 2023 Hwacheon Tomato Festival! You’ll get to enjoy a variety of fun and exciting events and activities with home-grown fresh tomatoes available for all ages. The most popular main event is finding 10 gold rings hidden in tomatoes. You can easily join this festival from Seoul with a round-trip shuttle bus package on Trazy!
8. Healience Zen Village (Hongcheon)
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Healience Zen Village is Korea’s first wellness retreat resort in Gangwon-do Province, where you can focus on mind & body healing. You can experience a ‘digital detox’, a total break from all electronic devices and machines.
Healience Zen Village 2D1N Stay Program includes everything you need, such as accommodation, 3 healthy & fresh meals, and quality wellness programs & facilities. There are awesome programs, including 10 trekking courses, spa & group exercise facilities, yoga, and meditation.
9. High1 Resort (Jeongseon)
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Jeongseon has an exceptionally beautiful nature that will make you feel like you are in a painting. It’s a perfect place to take a really good rest and recharge your energy.
If you want to spend a peaceful summer holiday in Jeongseon, book High1 Resort! High1 Resort is one of the biggest resorts in Korea with a variety of recreational facilities including a sightseeing gondola and trekking course. It has recently opened High1 Water World, the largest water park in Korea with fun and exciting water slides and attractions! You can have perfect summer fun with a 2D1N package that includes a 1-night stay at a resort, High1 Water World 1-day pass, locker rental, life jacket rental, and round-trip train ticket (optional).
- 2D1N High1 Resort Water World Package (+ Transfer option) (Temporarily N/A)
- Book Jeongseon Rail Bike Ticket
More Places to Have Summer Fun in Korea
Bonus 1. Daecheon Beach (Boryeong)
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Daecheon Beach is very famous for holding the Boryeong Mud Festival every summer. This year, the festival will take place from July 21st to August 6th.
There will be many fun activities to do, such as mud games, mud slides, mud wrestling pool, mud prison, mud painting, and more!
Also, famous music festivals take place at the Boryeong Mud Festival, such as World K-pop Festival (July 22), GS25 Music Festival (July 29), and World DJ Festival (August 5), featuring Mike Perry, Krewella, Gray, Paul Kim, Golden Child, H1-KEY, and many more.
- 2023 Boryeong Mud Festival & Suspension Bridge Tour from Seoul (Jul 21~Aug 6)
- 2023 Boryeong Mud Festival Shuttle Bus Package (+ Music Festivals) from Seoul (Jul 22~Aug 5)
Bonus 2. Buyeo
Every summer, Buyeo Seodong Lotus Flower Festival takes place, where you can witness the blooming of legendary lotus flowers, water nymphs, red lotus flowers, and millions of other clusters of lotus flowers. This year, the festival period is from July 13th to 16th. By joining 1-day tour from Seoul, you’ll also get to visit Jeonju Hanok Village and enjoy the unique architecture of the Hanok houses.
- Buyeo Seodong Lotus Flower Festival & Jeonju Hanok Village Tour (Jul 10~21)
- Buyeo & Gongju 1 Day Private Tour from Seoul
Bonus 3. Gapyeong
Gapyeong’s Nine Water Park is a perfect place to beat the summer heat! You can enjoy more than 12 water rides and big water slides surrounded by breathtaking views and sceneries of the northern Han River. With a 4-hour unlimited ride pass, get the most of your day with a variety of exciting water rides!
Bonus 4. Siheung
Located just 1.5 hours away from Seoul, Wave Park in Siheung has Asia’s largest wave pool offering the best surf experience. It provides perfect waves and surfing conditions for all levels from beginners to advanced surfers. You can also choose an option of a basic 90-minute surfing lesson provided in English.
- Wave Park Entrance Ticket & Shuttle Bus Package (+ Surfing Lesson option)
- Siheung Wave Park & Sunset Yacht Tour Package (+ Surfing Lesson option)
Bonus 5. Yeosu
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Yeosu is a beautiful coastal city in the southwest of Korea and it became more popular with the song ‘Yeosu Night Sea’ sang by a Korean singer-songwriter, Jang Beom June.
If you are looking for a place to stay with a stunning ocean view, the Sono Calm Hotel is strongly recommended. Sono Calm is located right in front of the water and you can visit nearby attractions, such as the Big-O Fountains show, Yeosu Sky Tower observatory, Yeosu Maritime cable car, and Aqua Planet aquarium.
- Yeosu 1 Day Private Tour from Busan/Daegu
- Recommended Blog: Ultimate Travel Guide to Yeosu
Bonus 6. Yangpyeong
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Yangpyeong is very close to Seoul and you can take the subway to get there. It’s a great place to spend a relaxing summer with the pristine atmosphere of the Namhangang River.
- Book Tandem Paragliding in Yangpyeong
- Yangpyeong Sheep Ranch + The Greem Botanical Garden + Dumulmeori Tour
Bonus 7. Gyeongju
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Gyeongju is a city with 2000 years of history and culture with many UNESCO World Heritage Sites to explore. If you want to see the historical landscapes in Korea, Gyeongju is the place to be! You can easily get there from Busan.
Recommended Tours in Gyeongju:
- 1 Day Private Tour to Gyeongju
- Gyeongju City Tour Bus Ticket
- Gyeongju Private Taxi Tour
- Gyeongju 1 Day tour from Busan
- Gyeongju Instagram Spots 1 Day Tour from Busan
- Gyeongju Day & Night Full Day Group Tour from Busan/Ulsan
Recommended Activities in Gyeongju:
- Tandem Paragliding in Gyeongju (from Gyeongju/Busan)
- Hanbok Rental in Gyeongju
- Traditional Soju Making Experience in Gyeongju
- Make Your Own Wooden Cutting Board in Gyeongju
- Korean Traditional Sauce (Gochujang/Doenjang) Making Class in Gyeongju
- Paint Traditional Folk Illustrations on Folding Fans in Gyeongju
- Authentic Korean Traditional Dessert Making Class in Gyeongju
Was this blog helpful enough for you to plan your summer trip? Check out more latest, trendiest, newest things to do in Korea on Trazy.com, Korea’s #1 Travel Shop!
[Photo Credits]
- Surfyy Beach Official Website
