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Mountainous Gangwon-do (강원도) gives you some of South Korea’s most spectacular natural parks and scenic landscapes, up-close Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) experiences, and laid-back coastal towns and beaches on the East Sea. This is where many Seoulites escape – to get lost in the hills, chow down on Chuncheon’s fiery chicken dish dakgalbi or the raw fish of the coastal towns, or leap into a frenzy of sports such as skiing in Pyeongchang, which hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics.
While the province may not have that much by way of cultural antiquities, what it does have – Gangneung’s 400-year-old Dano Festival, for instance – it celebrates with zest. And Gangwon-do can be quirky, too. Near Samcheok you’ll find a park full of unabashed phallic sculptures standing cheek by jowl with a humble fishing village, while Gangneung has a museum dedicated to its founder’s lifelong obsession with all things Edison.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Gangwon-do.
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Revered as the birthplace of the paragon of Korean womanhood, Sin Saimdang (1504–51), and her son, the philosopher and government official Yi Yulgok (1536–84), this fascinating complex contains one of the oldest surviving Joseon-dynasty homes. The vast space has the feel of an elegant park, with ancient buildings nestled amid punctiliously maintained gardens, courtyards, lotus pools, the black-stemmed bamboo groves for which the property is named as well as huge open areas.
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One of South Korea's most beloved and beautiful national parks, and a Unesco Biosphere Protection site, Seoraksan is most celebrated for its oddly shaped rock formations and ancient Silla-era temples. It's also a hiker's paradise, a stunning realm of gnarled rock formations, dense forests, abundant wildlife, hot springs and plunging waterfalls. Peak season is July and August, while in mid-October visitors flock to see the changing colours of the autumn leaves – best appreciated over a bottle of meoruju (wild fruit wine).
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Scenic and mountainous Chiaksan (the name means 'Pheasant Peak Mountain') National Park is home to the lovely Guryong-sa and a host of other temples, and is top-notch hiking territory. A popular route threads up from Guryong-sa to 1288m-high Biro-bong (three hours, 5km) past the waterfalls of Seryeom Pokbo, which can be extended by a further two hours down to Hwanggol (황골) where you can get the bus back to Wonju, the main access town. Parking at the park costs ₩2000.
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This temple was originally established in AD 671 and enjoys a glorious perspective overlooking the sea. Also facing the sea is a majestic (but modern, dating to 1977) 16m-tall statue of the Goddess of Mercy, Gwaneum (관음), presiding over the East Sea from a promontory. The temple has fallen victim to the forest fires that have periodically swept by, razing the temple buildings (most recently in 2005).
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Of all the things you’d expect to find in a fishing village like Sinnam (신남), a ‘penis park’ is probably not one of them. There are more than 50 phallic sculptures, some taking the form of park benches or drums, attracting a large crowd of both young and old, including kids. It's a cheeky, eye-opening 20 to 30 minute walk if you don't stop, but you will stop. If you head downhill, you can detour towards the end to some rocky coves.
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Taebaek-san (Big White Mountain) is, for shamanists, one of the most sacred mountains in Korea. Five year-round hiking trails snake up through the park to the summit, Janggun-bong (1568m) and Cheonjedan (천제단), an altar connected with Korea’s mythical founder, Dangun. Included in the ticket is admission to the Taebaek Coal Museum, which documents the history of coal mining in the region.
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Sangwon-sa's intricately decorated bronze bell was cast in AD 725 and is the oldest bell in Korea (and one of the largest as well). Another prized object is the wooden statue of the bodhisattva of wisdom Munsu (in Sanskrit, Manjusri) – made in the 15th century, it is said, on the order of King Sejo after the bodhisattva cured his skin disease. The temple is 10km uphill from Woljeong-sa, where a hiking trail begins.
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Immediately behind Gyeongpo Beach is Gyeongpo-ho, which attracts local residents looking for a little peace and quiet. There’s a 4km bicycle path along the lakeshore, passing traditional pavilions. The most prominent is Gyeongpodae, from which it is poetically said that you can see five moons: the moon itself and its four reflections in the sea (now obscured by pine trees), in the lake, in your obligatory glass of alcohol and in your own mind.
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Set among the verdant hills of Chiaksan National Park, this colourful and vibrant temple is a beauty, its main courtyard festooned with vibrantly coloured lotus lanterns and orchids placed outside the main hall. Among other shrines is a small hall to Gwan-eum, the Goddess of Mercy. The temple is home to a Templestay operation, if you want to overnight and deeply fathom the silence of the mountains (but book ahead; no English spoken).