Pohang Highlights Day Trip
Space Walk thrills, raw fish in the sea breeze, a drama village & Korea's sunrise hand
Pohang surprises every visitor: a roller-coaster-shaped walkway with panoramic East Sea views, the freshest raw-fish bowls in Korea, a perfectly preserved Japanese colonial street made famous by a hit K-drama, and a giant bronze hand rising from the sea at the peninsula's easternmost tip. This day trip covers the city's greatest hits from north to south.
Seoraksan National Park & Gwongeumseong Cable Car
⏱ 3.0hBegin at Sogongwon, where the towering bronze Sinheungsa Unification Buddha sets an impressive tone. Then take the cable car up to Gwongeumseong fortress — the panoramic view of jagged granite peaks and Sokcho city stretching to the sea is utterly breathtaking. Well-maintained paths mean no hiking gear needed.
Haksapyeong Sundubu Village (Lunch)
⏱ 1.0hOn the way down from Seoraksan, stop at this cluster of restaurants specialising in sundubu — silken tofu made with 100% Korean soybeans and East Sea brine. Light, clean, and deeply satisfying: a perfect healthy Korean lunch after a morning in the mountains.
Sokcho Beach & Sokcho Eye Ferris Wheel
⏱ 1.5hWhite sand and clear East Sea water right in the city. The Sokcho Eye — a giant Ferris wheel perched at the beach's edge — gives a brilliant aerial view of the coastline and is wildly popular with younger foreign visitors for its Instagram-worthy gondola shots over the sea.
Oeongchi Badasonar Coastal Walk
⏱ 1.0hA recently opened coastal boardwalk along a cliff face that was closed to the public for decades as a military restricted zone. The path runs directly above the crashing waves, with dramatic rock formations and zero crowds — a hidden gem just minutes from Sokcho Beach.
Sokcho Central Market (Evening & Night)
⏱ 2.0hThe beating heart of Sokcho at night. Join the crowd grazing on dak-gangjeong (sticky-sweet fried chicken), ojingeo sundae (squid stuffed with rice), ssiat-hotteok (seed-filled pancakes) and fresh tempura. Head downstairs to the fish market for ultra-fresh hoe (sashimi) at local prices — one of the best-value seafood experiences in Korea.