Yangyang County

Understand

Yangyang is a small coastal town (population: 28; 000 in 2022) and a county in the very north east of South Korea in Gangwon province. In the east, there are beaches, ports, and ports as it faces the east coast. In the west, there are many mountainous areas such as Hangaryeong Pass and Seoraksan Mountain.

Information Yangyang General Passenger Terminal Tourist Information Center ☏ +82 033-670-2397~8, It provides various tourism information about Yangyang-gun.

History The original place name was 'Yangju' from Goryeo to the early Joseon Dynasty. However, during the reign of King Taejong of the Joseon Dynasty, most of the villages whose names end in 'Ju' were changed to 'Yangyang' as they were ordered to change their names to 'Yang', 'Cheon', and 'San'. Located in the middle of the Taebaek Mountains, which form the backbone of the Korean Peninsula, it connects Seoraksan Mountain in Yeong-dong, Gangwon-do to the East Sea, making it the "Sunrise Town" as it is.

Townships

Climate

Yangyang has a similar climate to Gangneung in the south. The Taebaek Mountains are blocked to the west, and the East Sea is bordered to the east, so the cold northwest wind crosses the Taebaek Mountains in winter, making the climate warmer than the west coast of the same latitude, and cooler than the west of the Taebaek Mountains in summer. Yangyang's annual average temperature is 10 degrees, which is said to be higher than the annual average temperature in Gangwon-do. Yangyang-gun's annual precipitation is 1,557mm, which is more than the average precipitation in Gangwon-do. The maximum temperature in summer is 25 degrees, and the minimum temperature in winter is -4 degrees.

Getting there

By plane 1 Yangyang International Airport (YNY IATA), 201, Gonghang-ro, Son YANG-myeon, ☏ +82 33-670-7317. As of 2015, it has no scheduled flights. There used to be scheduled routes to Seoul Gimpo, Busan's Gimhae International Airport and Gwangju that may operate again. The nearby ski resort area of Pyeongchang held the 2018 Winter Olympics. (updated Oct 2025)

By bus A number of buses leave from Seoul Express Bus Terminal daily, headed for Yangyang or Sokcho. Travel time on the tickets says 2 hours, but 3½-4 hours is more realistic (depending on traffic and weather conditions). When buying a return ticket, this paper ticket might work only for the Seoul/Yangyang leg. Before departure back to Seoul, the ticket would then need to be exchanged at Yangyang Intercity Bus Terminal. (August 2020) There are a few local buses (Line 9) that make the trip between the Yangyang bus station and the Naksan beach area, but they leave infrequently. A taxi ride for that trip takes around 5 minutes and costs around ₩8,000. (August 2020).

By car 1. Yangyang Expressway (2 hours and 10 minutes) You will arrive at Yangyang from Seoul via Chuncheon. 2. Yeongdong Expressway (2 hours and 30 minutes) You will arrive at Yangyang from Seoul via Gangneung.

By train There is no train station in Yangyang, so you have to get off at Gangneung Station and move. You can get off at Gangneung Station KTX and get on at Seoul Station, Cheongnyangni Station, and Sangbong Station. (₩26; 000-30; 000/ May 2023) It takes about two hours, and you need to use a bus or taxi to move to Yangyang after getting off at Gangneung Station. From Gangneung Station to Yangyang:

Bus: There is no bus that goes at once, so you have to transfer and it takes at least 1 hour and 30 minutes. Taxi: Travels about half an hour.

Getting around

By taxi Foreign tourism taxi, ☏ +82 033-670-2397. 10:00-17:00 (Reception time). Yangyang-gun operates foreign tourist taxis. Up to four people can take a taxi. You can apply online or at the tourist information center at Yangyang General Passenger Terminal. ₩20,000 for 3 hours of use, ₩15,000₩ per hour of additional time. (updated Oct 2023)

See

1 Naksansa, ☏ +82 33-672-2448. every day 06:00 - 17:30 - Entrance/Pet is not allowed until 17:30 (No moving place; no dog car). Possibly the main draw of Yangyang besides the ocean. Beautiful temple area with both mountain and ocean views. ₩4,000 entry fee. (updated Aug 2020) 2 Naksan Beach, 59, Haemaji-gil, Ganghyeon-myeon, ☏ +82 033-670-2518. Yangyang's main beach with swimming opportunities and parasol rental. Located 16 kilometers south of Sokcho, it is considered one of the most popular beaches in the East Coast region along with Gyeongpodae Beach. It has a 4-km white sand beach against a dense pine forest, and Namdaecheon Stream flowing from Mountain forms a large lake in the estuary, which is also rich in fresh water. As the water depth is around 1.5m to 70m off the coast, it is safe and has been booming since it opened as a beach in 1963. (updated Dec 2023) 3 Hajodae Beach, Hyeonbuk-myeon, ☏ +82 033-672-5647. A 1.5-km-long beach with fine, white sand. It is a famous spot for snorkeling in Yangyang. It is 1.5km long, 100m wide, 7,562.5㎡ wide, and 0.5 to 1.5m deep, 12km south of Yangyang-gun and 1km north of the 38th parallel. Behind the beach, pine forests are dense, and in the pine forest, there is Hajodae, a hexagonal pavilion where Ha-ryun and Jo-jo, the founding contributors of the Joseon Dynasty, spent their last years. (updated Dec 2023)

4 Yangyang Airport, 201, Gonghang-ro, Sonyang-myeon, ☏ +82 1661-2626. South Korea spent a great deal of money building airports all over the country. Yangyang airport is probably the best example of this, having an infamous reputation of being a fully functional international airport with hardly any flights at all. (updated Dec 2023) 5 Mulchi Beach, Jeongam, Ganghyeon-myeon, ☏ +82 033-671-5108. This is a simple beach. As it is at the entrance of Mt. Seorak, it is well-known as a place where many tourists stop by for a brief tour of the sea. Mulchi-

Do

1 Naksansa Temple Stay, 100, Naksansa-ro, Ganghyeon-myeon, ☏ +82 033-672-2417, [email protected]. It is located at the foot of Obongsan Mountain, one of the three famous mountains in Gwandong along with Geumgangsan Mountain and Seoraksan Mountain. In particular, Naksansa Temple is located in a place where you can see the East Sea at a glance. Temple Stay is a traditional cultural experience program that experiences the daily life of a practitioner in a mountain temple where the 1,700-year history and culture of Korean Buddhism live. The programs are divided into experience type and rest type, and various programs are held every time. You can check the detailed program through the website. Experience type (1 night; adult) ₩50,000. Experience type (1 night; middle; high school; college student) ₩40,000. Resting type (1 night; adult) ₩40,000. Rest type (1 night; middle; high school; college student) ₩30,000. (updated Dec 2023) 2 Sol Beach Yangyang Ocean Play, 678, Seonsayujeok-ro, Sonyang-myeon, ☏ +82 1588-4888, [email protected]. Middle season Oct-Dec: Indoor zone 10:00-18:00, Outdoor zone 10:00-17:00. It is a w