Footprints Recruiting

Gangwon is the capital city of one of the most picturesque provinces in South Korea.

This is one of my absolute favorite places in all of Korea.  Camping, fishing, hiking, beaches, serenity, mountains, skiing, nature and country living is all at it's best.

Food in Gangwon

• Most restaurants only serve one thing, so you order portion sizes.  For example, if you are dining with 4 people, you order 4 portions.
• Food Town – An area in Sokcho located just west of auto-route seven before the downtown area.
• Abai village – An area in Sokcho that comes with an interesting experience.  Many relocated North Korean families are settled here and there are many good home run eateries.
  • Take the hand drawn Gaet-Bae, or raft to cross over to the peninsula from the “Black Yak” retail store in the downtown area.
• Fork – A restaurant near Pyeongchang Traditional Market
• Ego Pizza, thin crust and oven baked
• Isaac Toast  - in Pyeongchang
• Brand New – in Pyeongchang
• Tekji is a new area in Gangwon
• Olive Kitchen
• Salute
• Ego
• Terra Tosa
• Dome House -  go towards jumunjin between highway 7 and the beach.  They have a store that sells hers infused soaps and lotions. Upstairs is a restaurant that serves Korean and Western Food.

 Activities in Gangwon

Sports

• Fitness clubs in Tekji, Oasis and Matric
• Swimming pool, ice rink and outdoor climbing wall in Tekji
• A gym located next to Emart.  The owner speaks fluent English.  A daily pass costs 7,000 won.  A book of ten passes costs 50,000 won and must be used in two months.  An unlimited monthly pass cost 70,000 won.
• Directly above the gym is a great Jimjilbang.  It costs 7,000 won.  There are numerous hot baths, a cold bath, steam rooms and saunas. It also has restaurant facilities, massage facilities and a bar.  You can also sleep there, great for travelers on a tight budget.
• Another Jimjilbang (ths first one ever built in South Korea) is located in Naksana, a short bus ride from Sokcho.  The water for the baths is taken from the ocean nearby.  Take the number 9 bus from the intercity terminal.
• Baseball team – in Sokcho.   They compete with other teams from Goseong and YangYang areas.  They meet every weekend to practice.
• Yeongrangho lake in Sokcho- very popular for cyclists, walkers and joggers.  The lake is eight kilometers in circumference and has scenic views of the Seoraksan mountains.  Take the number 1 bus from the intercity terminal heading north (1,000 won)
• Samcheok EPIK teachers have conducted a few sports days against other EPIK teachers in other cities.
• Pyeongchang – gyms in town are free.  There is one on the 2^nd floor of the Welfare building (across from the Post Office)
• Taekwondo - there are loads of places to learn Taekwondo in Gangwon.  Take the opportunity to learn the basics or get your black belt from the experts (Taekwondo originated in Korea).

Dancing

• Dance Studios – Home Plus might have dance classes.

Beach

• Anmok Beach
• Yeongjun beach close to Jumunjin
• Gyonpo Beach
• Coffee Hippie
• Sacheon Beach – between Jumunjin and Gyonpo
• Shelly’s and Hasla coffee shops

Movie Theaters

• Primus Cinema – Homeplus Shopping Center
• Cinus Group – In Sokcho
  • website is here, and the google map location is here

Shopping in Gangwon

English Book Stores

• www.Whatthebook.com – order books from Seoul
• http://www.bookdepository.com/ - better prices and free shipping to Korea.

Good Local Shopping

• Gangneung local outdoor market and fish market downtown with seasonal produce
• Samcheok or Donghae

Bars and Social Hangouts in Gangwon

• Coffee Namu – open mic-night once every two months for foreigners
• Bus Bar – in Samcheok
• There is a group in town that goes out together on the weekends to the following bars
• Rush
• The Warehouse
• WBar
• Kim’s Bar (in Tekji)
• Min’s Bar
  • Head to Eunbiryung downtown which is on Rodero St.  It’s a 7-story white-ish-yellowish building on the south side of the street (the lake side).  On the seventh floor the owner Min speaks amazing English as do the bartenders.

Shopping for Western Goods in Gangwon

• Behind Primus/Home Plus
• Nonghyup Shopping – in Sokcho operated by the NH consortium
• E-Mart

Festivals in Gangwon Not to Miss

• Coffee Festival in the fall
• Buddha Festival in Seoul
• Ice Fishing Festival in January
• Danoje
  • They have good people watching and Gyros street vendors

Places to Bring First Time Visitors

• Mureung Valley – about 30 minutes south that has some pretty good climbing and is less crowded than Seorak-san
• Gyeong-po beach
  • This is the most popular beach in Korea for watching the sun rise.  Loads of people make "pilgrimages" to this beach for spiritual reasons.
  • Very crowded in the summer, go down the road to Anmok beach to avoid the crowds

Places Not To Miss in Gangwon

• Hasla Art Museum- located along the coast
• The Penis Park – in Samcheok
• Odesan and Mureung Valley for hiking and temples
• See a soccer game at the stadium
• Ulleung-do island – only go if you check the weather first, two teachers were stuck there for a week due to bad weather
• Biryoung waterfalls – can take a cable car to the top
• Seoraksan – take the 7 or the 7-1 bus for 1000 won

Areas to Avoid in Gangwon

• DMZ unless on a tour - I know of two people who were "looking for a fishing spot" when shots were heard and shortly thereafter they were escorted OUT of the area.  Not a place to go "off the beaten track."

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