Seoraksan: A Mountain for All Seasons

Seoraksan is my all-time favorite destination in South Korea. I've been there seven times, in all four seasons, and I'd recommend it any time of year, although late spring and fall are probably best. If you're looking for a weekend getaway in a beautiful national park with a variety of trails and scenery, be sure to check out Seorasksan. Below you'll find photos and travel tips to help you plan your own trip and give you a feeling for what to expect.

Getting there:
First, unless you've got a car, you'll need to take a bus to Sokcho (Gangwon province) on the northeast coast of South Korea (click here for map). You can use the Korean bus site (in English!) to get the bus information from your city of departure. If you're leaving from Seoul, the fare starts at 17,000 won and it takes about 2hr 50min to get there. There are several bus terminals in Seoul, so make sure you go to the right one (the Express Bus Terminal, where subway line 3 intersects with line 7; or Dong Seoul Bus Terminal, at Gangbyeon subway station, line 2). I would recommend buying your return ticket as soon as you arrive at the terminal in Sokcho, especially if you're returning the same day or next day. Buses bound for Seoul fill up fast, especially in peak season! But if your schedule is flexible, you shouldn't need to worry--buses leave for Seoul every 30 minutes.

When you arrive in Sokcho, exit the front door of the bus terminal and walk half a block to the right to the nearest bus station. Take bus 7-1 or 7 to Seoraksan National Park, about a 30-40 min ride. Be forewarned, no transportation cards on this ghetto bus; you will have to pay the 1,000 won fare in cash. :-)

Lodging:
There are many hotels and condo options in Sokcho, but if you're looking for a place to stay right inside the park, there is just one option outside of camping: the Seoraksan Tourist Hotel. I've been pleased both times I've stayed there--clean and quiet rooms (the hotel's been kind of empty when I was there), friendly staff, free computer and internet access in the lobby, and relatively cheap price (by American standards, mind you; my Korean friends balk). A room with one queen-size bed and one twin bed is 65,000won on weekdays during off-season (which is when I've stayed there). One of the perks to staying there is you don't have to pay admission to re-enter the park should you go out for dinner in Sokcho or something. One of the drawbacks to staying inside the park is that there is just one formal restaurant and it closes pretty early in the evening.

View from the balcony

There's a lot to explore at Seoraksan, and I've really only taken a few of the many trails. If you've got several days and extra ambition, hike up to Daecheongbong, the highest point in the park. Take a backpack and stay overnight in a lodge close to the summit.

Mutjaengee teachers on a school trip (Sept. 2010)

View from the lodge we stayed at



The great descent

 If you're staying for just one night, I'd recommend taking the cable car (8,000won, across from the hotel) up to Biseondae, where you can get a FANTASTIC view of the mountains, park, and even the East Sea. It takes about 15-20 minutes to walk from the top of the cable car to the summit. A relatively easy walk up steps until the last 5 minutes, when you have to climb up a steep and narrow rock face with no safety ropes or railings.

View from the cable car

Climbing up the last stretch



Taegukgi!





Do you need any more convincing?!



The cable car and climbing around at the top takes just about an hour, so after you come back down use your spare energy to hike up to Biryeong waterfall. The trailhead is just east of the cable car, across a bridge that spans a mostly dry, rocky riverbed. It takes about an hour and a half roundtrip of moderate hiking, with an outdoor "restaurant" and a trail almost completely to yourself.

Biryeong Waterfall

Another trail I'd love to finish is the Ulsanbawi course. But I've always run out of time and had to stop midway at Heundeulbawi, a boulder that sits precariously at the foot of a temple. People line up in swarms to take their picture trying to tip the boulder off its perch. It takes about one and a half hours to get there and back, and the trail runs next to a picture-perfect river for part of the way.

Sami and Justin at Heundeulbawi

Ulsanbawi

As I said before, there are a lot more hiking options; I just have yet to explore them. There's not a lot to do besides hiking, but if it's beastly hot or you just want to stroll around close to the hotel, you can't go far without running into the giant buddha. There's also a temple a couple minutes' walk from the buddha.

You can pay to write a wish on a tile.

Busy fending off evil spirits, or something like that...

You'll have to visit in May if you want to see the luminaries for buddha's birthday.

Seoraksan is a beautiful destination year-round. I hope you'll have a chance to visit sometime! If not, just enjoy the pictures. :-)

Spring/Summer:

Fall:

Winter:

This is a different area of the park. I went there on a school trip, so I can't tell you just how to get there.

View of Seoraksan from a condo outside Sokcho.

Another view from the condo