Summer is fully upon us, and with the weather hot and muggy we thought the best thing we could do was fight fire with fire- by enjoying the beachside! Although we had already visited Busan (and the famous Haeundae Beach) the next on our list was Sokcho.
Located on the East Coast of Seoul, Sokcho is a beautiful beachfront that is very popular with Koreans, and some international travelers “in the know”. However Sokcho has gained in popularity recently because it was the first place where you could actually play the famous and addictive game, Pokemon Go!
Yes, Sokcho! Although even at this moment Pokemon Go is not released in South Korea, for some fluke you could catch Pokemon in Sokcho! We thought- while we are not big players, it would be nice to visit one of the most pristine beaches in South Korea.Especially if it was going to be fun and crowded!
Sokcho is 2 and a half hours away from Seoul, and very easy to travel to from Seoul Express Bus Terminal. We recommend that you book your tickets in advance, however- because it is the peak summer season and there are a lot of Pokemon Go! fans in South Korea, you might find that the bus is fully booked. Leaving in the morning, we made sure to time it right so that we would arrive in time for lunch- because what better place to eat fresh seafood than by the beach?
The Sokcho Tourist & Fishery Market is very close by the bus station, and so we took a quick taxi to save time. The seafood is cut fresh from the East sea, and there are many restaurants where you can buy the fish and eat it on the spot!
If you are not a fan of seafood, Sokcho is also famous for Dakgangjeong (deep fried chicken in a sweet sauce) as well as Sundae (Korean blood sausage) but today we wanted to come and try something that a lot of foreigners didn’t actually know about: Mulhoe!
What is Mulhoe (물회 in Korean)? Mulhoe is a Korean seafood dish that is served in the summer. It consists of fresh raw fish that has been sliced like noodles, with a sweet and spicy “broth” that is very light and appetizing. It comes with lots of vegetables (usually radish, cabbage and cucumbers) and shaved ice, it is easy to eat by itself. What Koreans order on the side is a hot piping bowl of rice!
Mulhoe is served in many different seafood restaurants, also in Seoul- but there was something very authentic and delicious about eating it in Sokcho by the beach!
Instead of running around trying to do everything in one day, what about just enjoying the beach? The weather was very hot and pleasant, and we couldn’t think of anything better than just tanning and lounging by the beach! (Thank goodness we bought that bikini for our trip to Caribbean Bay!) Sokcho has a beautiful, wide expanse of beach you can walk along with your friends, family, or significant other- the cool water against your feet and the warm sun against your shoulders- what a nice way to take some time off the hectic world and just relax?
The beach is only 500 meters away from Sokcho Express Bus Terminal! With buses running to Seoul until 11 pm, it was a great place just to lounge and enjoy the wonderful weather.
Did we see a lot of Koreans playing Pokemon Go? Well, anyone who was completely engrossed on their phone despite being at such a wonderful beachside must be a player!
Sokcho beach plays an important role in displaying Sokcho-si as a great tourist area along with Seorak Mountain, Cheoksan Hot Springs, Cheongchoho, and Yeongrangho etc. It is incredibly popular with Korean travelers as well as international tourists, and is a great destination for a day trip, or for longer!
For more detailed information on transportation, sight seeing activities and accommodation check out our highlight feature on Sokcho.
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