East-sea beaches, coffee towns and pine-lined coast.
East of Seoul the land buckles into mountains and then drops, suddenly, to the sea. Gangwon is Korea's outdoors: the granite ridges of Seoraksan flaring red each autumn, ski slopes that hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, and a long East Sea coastline of clear water and pine.
Gangneung pairs its beaches with a famous coffee culture; Sokcho serves some of the country's best raw fish straight off the boats. Hike a misty trail, ride the coastal rail bike, then warm up over grilled squid as the sun comes up over the water. From alpine passes to seaside towns, this is where every Gangwon thread — what to do, where to eat, sleep, and shop — comes together in one place.
