Sokcho is a coastal city located in the North East of South Korea. It is mostly known as the gateway to Korea’s famous Seoraksan National Park, located only 30 minutes away by bus, and many tourists stay in the city to explore the many hiking paths the National Park has to offer.
During my 1 month trip to South Korea, we decided to stay in Sokcho for two full days: one for hiking and one for exploring the city. Two days proved to be a good amount of time for exploring Sokcho and the Seoraksan National Park, although if you are a avid hiker, you might want to stay for longer.
Unfortunately, it rained a lot when we were there so we couldn’t make the most of the blue sea and beachy vibes, but we still loved our stay in Sokcho!
So, here’s what you can do if you want to spend 2 days in Sokcho.
Things to see and do in Sokcho for a 2-day stay
- Hike in Seoraksan National Park
- Visit the Tourist and Fishery Market (Jungang Market)
- Admire the horizon from the Yeonggeumjeong Pavilion
- Walk by the beach
- Go to Cheongcho Lake or Yeongnangho Lake
Two days in Sokcho – Practical info
- How to reach Sokcho from Seoul?
- Where to stay in Sokcho?
- How to get around Sokcho?
- How to reach the Seoraksan National Park from Sokcho?
- What is the best time to visit Sokcho and Seoraksan National Park?
Things to see and do in Sokcho for a 2-day stay
I recommend spending at least one whole day in Seoraksan National Park, and one day will be enough to see the rest on this list.
Hike in Seoraksan National Park
I recommend spending at least one whole day in Seoraksan National Park, and one day will be enough to see the rest on this list.
Hike in Seoraksan National Park
While Sokcho has many beautiful things to offer tourists, the Seoraksan National Park is undoubtedly the city’s main attraction, with stunning landscapes, beautiful forests and towering peaks.
There are many hiking trails with different lengths and levels of difficulty, and there is also a cable car that allows you to see the beautiful views without hiking. We did the hike to Ulsanbawi rock and it was very difficult but extremely rewarding.
If you can, try to avoid visiting the Seoraksan National Park at the weekend because it can get very busy!
Visit the Tourist and Fishery Market (Jungang Market)
If you are spending 2 days in Sokcho, a visit to the Tourist and Fishery Market is a must! In the different alleys of the large building you can buy clothes, different kinds of products, but also fresh fish and seafood, and food in general.
I’d recommend going there for lunch, dinner or a snack, then you can stop in one of the many food stalls that serve deliciously prepared meals, like Sangnamja for steak or Manseok for sweet and sour chicken.
Admire the horizon from the Yeonggeumjeong Pavilion
This beautiful pavilion, standing on the sea at the end of a 50-meters bridge offers stunning views over the East Sea. It is an incredibly scenic spot to admire the sea and sunrise, but really it is beautiful at any time of day, even on a cloudy and rainy day!
Walk by the beach
Enjoy the salty sea breeze from the beautiful Sokcho beach, by the promenade or on the white sand. Weather and temperatures allowing, you could also enjoy water sports like jet skiing or kayaking.
I have to mention here though that I didn’t get to experience the peacefulness of Sokcho beach because there was a huge storm!
Go to Cheongcho Lake or Yeongnangho Lake
Just like for the previous point, these were on my list of things to do in Sokcho in the 2 days that I had there, but it was just raining too much.
Cheongcho Lake is located at the heart of Sokcho and it is a peaceful place to relax and walk around admiring the boats in the harbour, and you might also see the Taebaek mountain range in the distance.
Yeongnangho Lake is located in the north of Sokcho and has a stunning view on Ulsan-bawi on a clear day and it is lined by cherry blossoms in spring.
Two days in Sokcho –
Practical info
How to reach Sokcho from Seoul?
The cheapest and easiest way to reach Sokcho from Seoul is to take the Express bus. There are many buses running during the day so you have a lot of flexibility.
Unfortunately if you don’t have a Korean credit card you cannot buy the tickets online, so you’ll have to purchase your ticket for Sokcho from the Express Bus Terminal in Seoul. Unless you are travelling during a holiday, you won’t need to purchase it in advance.
Buses in Korea are very comfortable, with plenty of leg room and wide seats, so you won’t feel the 2 to 2.5 hours it can take to reach Sokcho from Seoul.
One thing to be mindful of is that you’ll arrive in Sokcho at the Express Bus Terminal, but if after your two days in Sokcho you plan to visit another city that is not Seoul, you’ll likely depart from the Intercity Bus Terminal, that is at the other side of town. It is easily reachable by public transport or by taxi.
Where to stay in Sokcho?
If you plan to go to Seoraksan during your 2-day trip to Sokcho, I highly recommend staying anywhere near the route of buses 7 or 7-1 that go to the national park.
We stayed at The House Hostel in Sokcho and I highly recommend this accommodation! The owner is extremely kind and available and he will give you loads of local recommendations of places to see and where to eat.
The rooms and facilities are quite simple, but the location is amazing (next to the Intercity bus terminal, bus 7/7-1 stop and the Yeonggeumjeong Pavilion) and the prices are very affordable.
How to get around Sokcho?
The easiest way to get around Sokcho is either walking (the centre is relatively small) or by public transport. You can pay the bus driver with cash or use your T-Money card.
If you have a lot of luggage you can also take a taxi and it will be pretty cheap.
How to reach the Seoraksan National Park from Sokcho?
From the city of Sokcho you have to take the buses 7 or 7-1 to reach Seoraksan National Park and ride it until its last stop. It takes 30-45 minutes to reach the entrance of the park depending on where you get on board.
You can pay the bus driver with cash or simply use your T-Money card. Again, please note that Google Maps doesn’t work in Korea, so I suggest using Naver Map.
What is the best time to visit Sokcho and Seoraksan National Park?
The best time to visit Sokcho is in autumn or spring because summers can be pretty wet and humid with lots of rain. We went there at the end of September and on our second day it rained so much that we got flood alert notifications on our phones strongly suggesting everyone not to go hiking.
I would say that autumn is definitely the best season to visit Seoraksan National Park because of the nicer weather, cooler temperatures and stunning foliage!
I hope this inspired you to pay a visit to Sokcho, that is not (yet) a very touristic destination for international travellers, but a beautiful city to relax and get your nature fix in.
