Yangyang



Yangyang (양양) is in Gangwon. It is a name of a small town and of a bigger county of which it is the capital. It used to be an unpopular tourist destination compared to Sokcho and Gangneung, but it became famous for surfing and now attracts about 15.22 million tourists a year. Yangyang is an area famous for its beautiful beaches and natural scenery. It is where the southern and eastern coasts meet, and the clear and clean sea stands out. In Yangyang, you can enjoy various beach activities such as bathing and surfing. Also, Naksansa Temple, a famous tourist attraction, is located in Yangyang and gives tourists a good experience.

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 ~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.

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.

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.

See










Do










Festivals

 * Yangyang Songi Salmon Festival Festival held in autumn. Yangyang's representative festivals, the Songi Festival and Salmon Festival, which have been held since 1997, will be held for the first time in 2023.

Buy
The gift store at Naksansa temple has some nice or interesting souvenirs.

And in the town there are several shops and stalls selling dried fish, squid, ...

Eat
The line of restaurants along Naksan Beach mostly offer dishes with raw fish. For solo travellers, Hoe-deop-bap (회덮밥) is a good meal choice.

In the street Naksan-sa-ro (낙산사로), also nearby, the focus is more on baked/grilled fish. If looking for a vegetarian main dish, quite delicious Deodeok-gui (더덕구이) can be found here, too.

Sleep
It feels like the Naksan area of Yangyang consists almost entirely of "motels", all not-so-cheap with mediocre quality. If Korean is not a problem, it might be best to check out Korean websites and compare to find the best deal.



Connect
The area code for Yangyang and the rest of Gangwon province is 033.



Go next

 * The town of Gangneung is a short journey to the South. It is a tourist destination similar to Yangyang, but stop by at least once as it is the most visited place in Gangwon-do.
 * The town of Sokcho and the Seoraksan National Park are a short journey to the North.
 * The town of Pyeongchang is a short journey to the west. You can see great natural scenery such as Daegwallyeong sheep ranch.