Jeongdongjin Beach: The Most Beautiful Beach In Gangneung
Jeongdongjin is one of the most beautiful stretches of beach in the Gangneung area of Korea. While everyone else is hanging out on Gyeongpo Beach just north, this gorgeous beach is quiet but epic especially considering the giant and quirky Sun Cruise Ship, oh wait it’s a resort in the shape of a cruise ship, that towers above the the seaside here.
When looking for beaches on the east coast of Korea, don’t miss this one. Here’s what to expect when you get to Jeongdongjin Beach (정동진해변).
Get ready to see more in Gangneung starting with the Jeongdongjin area:
- How To Get There
- Where To Stay
- What To Know About Jeondongjin Beach
- Things To Do Near The Beach
- Other Beaches To Visit In Gangneung
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How To Get There
Address: 17 Jeongdongjin Station Road, Gangdong-myeon, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do (강원도 강릉시 강동면 정동역길 17)
By Train: The best way to get from Seoul to Jeongdonjin Beach is to take a train from Seoul Station to Jeongdongjin Station. There are trains throughout the day starting at 7:00am and they take just over 2 hours. The train costs between W26,000 and W44,000 depending on the train and where you’re sitting.
Where To Stay
Jeondongjin Sun Cruise Resort
Definitely the most iconic place to stay in Jeondongjin is the Sun Cruise Hotel. Want to have that “cruise ship” experience but not really, this is the place to go. Actually, it’s a real hotel just in the shape of a magnificent cruise ship and everyone from couples to families loves a good stay here.
Book a stay here on Agoda.com
Haslla Art World Museum Hotel
If you’re looking for an epic stay, look no further than Haslla Art World Museum of Art. This stay is NOT your normal hotel by any means. It’s a truly artistic and inspirational experience. The 3-star hotel features a restaurant, garden, an actual art museum as well not including all of the art that is around the premises already. It’s got all of the views and all of the fun.
Check out Haslla Art World Museum Hotel on Booking.com now.
What To Know About Jeongdongjin Beach
Jeongdongjin is a beach made famous by the drama “Hourglass”. Shot in 1995, this drama was a huge hit and now in the Joengdongjin area you can also visit the Hourglass Park. The actual beach though is 250 meters of white sand and nice clear blue water with some rocky areas popular for divers to swim around enjoying the views.
Shellfish, mussels, sea urchins and other sea life make the rocks their abodes which of course makes for lots of happy children and divers in the water. The day we visited I was surprised to find practically no one taking a dip even though the beach and water is just stunning here. Would you be so lucky?
Jeongdongjin Beach, though, was all that and more. It was beautiful and had numerous cafes and restaurants in the vicinity to enjoy a good cup of Joe and some delicious food. The sand was gorgeous, the water crystal clear and plenty of space to spread out. Food vendors cooked up skewers on the shore and umbrella rental was easily accessible. It’s a busier location due to the fact that the station is there and not only does the rail bike start from here but the seaside train also stops by.
- Hours: Every day: 6:00am ~ 12:00am but swimming is only permitted from 6:00am ~ 6:00pm
- They do police this so don’t swim outside of these hours and only during swimming season.
- Amenities: parking, umbrella/inner tube rental, changing room, bathroom, shower room (for a minimal fee), food
Things To Do Near The Beach
Visit Hourglass Park (모래시계공원)
As I mentioned above, Jeongdongjin was made famous by the drama “Hourglass” which was shot here in 1995. The drama was a huge hit and now there is an Hourglass Park which features one of the largest hourglasses in the world. This hourglass is 3.2 meters wide and weighs 40 tons. Inside there is 8 tons of sand and it takes an entire year to completely empty. The hourglass is restarted every year at midnight on New Year’s Day.
- Address: 6-2 Jeongdongjin-ri, Gangdong-myeon, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do (강원 강릉시 강동면 정동진리 6-2)
Ride On The Jeongdongjin Railbike (정동진 레일바이크)
There are railbikes all over Korea. Any time there’s a derelict rail line, it seems the idea of creating a railbike pops up. The first thing you’ll likely see when you reach the beach is the Jeongdongjin Railbike is the closest rail bike to the ocean in Korea and runs along a 5.1km long track. In total, it takes 40 minutes to go down around and back again. Even in the hottest part of summer, 40 minutes is just enough. I thought it was a bit short personally, but that’s because I’ve been on longer runs over bridges and through tunnels. It’s a fun quick break though.
- Admssion: 2 person rail bike W12,000; 4 person rail bike W18,000
- Hours: Available every hour on the hour from 9:00am – 11:00am and then from 1:00pm – 5:00pm
- Website: www.sunbike.kr
Take A Tourist Taxi To See More
There have been quite a few dramas and music videos filmed in the area. Coffee must tries too. Don’t miss them. The region has invested in providing “tourist taxis” that are budget friendly and get you to the must-see sights.
The tourist taxi options include:
- K-Wave Tour: Take this route to visit the BTS Bus Stop on Hyangho Beach, visit the “Goblin” site at Youngjin Beach, find the Anmok Cafe Beach, and visit Jungang Market and Wolwha Street.
- Coffee City Gangneung – Old and New: Gangneung is famous for their coffee. Go on this tour to visit Myeongjudong Cafe Street, Anmok Cafe Street and try Soon-Tofu ice cream, visit a Gangneung Hanok Cafe.
- Gangneung History Tour: Learn more about the history in the region at Ohjukeon, Seongyojang, Gyeongpo Lake, and walk through a beautiful pine tree forest.
See The Sun Cruise Resort Theme Park (썬크루즈 테마공원)
As mentioned above, the Sun Cruise Resort is one of the best places to stay in the area. Not only is it iconic, but even if you’re not staying there, you can visit. There’s a theme park, sculpture park, and walkways to meander along. Head up to check it out if you’ve had enough of the beach… like that could happen. But it does offer some spectacular views out over the ocean.
- Address: 950-39 Heonhwa-ro, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do (강원도 강릉시 강동면 헌화로 950-39)
Walk On The Jeongdong Simgok Badabuchae-gil (정동심곡바다부채길)
When I first visited this area a decade ago, there was a lot more fences and metal keeping people out. Now, it’s all open to the public but there are still remnants of the past remain. The Jeongdong Simgok Badabuchae-gil was a metal railing patrol route that the military coast guard used, but now it’s open for the public to get out over the water and walk along the rocks.
The path around the rocks is 2.86km long and stretches from Jeongdongjin Sun Cruise Resort and Simgok Port and takes about 1 hour to walk along and enjoy the views.
- Address: 950-39 Heonhwa-ro, Gangdong-myeon, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do (강원도 강릉시 강동면 헌화로 950-39)
Other Beaches To Visit In Gangneung
There are really beautiful beaches throughout the Gangneung area. Most people head to Gyeongpo, but let me lay out a few other beaches to look out for.
Sungeut Beach: Set between the more popular areas named Jumunjin and Gyeongpo, this small beachside area has a quieter atmosphere which suited us just fine. Even though smaller, it does still have amenities like umbrella rental and plastic lounge chairs. There was plenty of space and a modern look out area on the southern end of the beach that was cool to check out as well.
Naksan Beach: Gangneung can be extremely popular in the summer so sometimes it’s just better to look elsewhere. You don’t have to look too far though. Naksan to the north was one of our favorite getaways. Not only is the beach beautiful with plenty of restaurants and cafes to sup in, but there is a cliff with a stunning temple on the top as well.
Gyeongpo Beach: Gyeongpo Beach is by far the most popular beach in the Gangneung area. It’s gorgeous, big and is not just a seaside. There is also a lake, a ton of activities, and don’t miss a stop into the near Chodang Sundubu Village for a local delicacy that is super delicious.
Chuam Beach: The KTX train line was recently extended and now heads to Jeongdongjin Beach mentioned above as well as Donghae Station which is just a bit further but lesser known and all the better for it. This beautiful coastal area also features a suspension bridge and sculpture park to check out.
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