Gangwon-do(Pyeongchang-gun)

The Daegwallyeong Special Tourist Zone is made up of five cities and counties in Gangwon-do, including Pyeongchang-gun, which is the host city of the 2018 Winter Olympics. Blessed with picturesque highland scenery, the Daegwallyeong Special Tourist Zone includes the cities of Gangneung-si, Donghae-si, Samcheok-si, and the counties of Hoengseong-gun and Pyeongchang-gun. Gangneung is located the nearest to Daegwallyeong. Famous attractions in Gangneung include Gyeongpoho Lake and Gyeongpodae Pavilion. Two of Gangneung’s historic villas, Ojukheon House and Seongyojang House, have been beautifully maintained for centuries. The city of Donghae’s two ports, Donghae Port and Mukho Port, are always buzzing with the energy of coastal life. Donghae Port is a base for the distribution of materials, industrial development, and trade. Cruise ferries take passengers to Russia and Japan. Meanwhile, ferries going to Ulleung-do depart from Mukho Port, which is located near Mukho Lighthouse and the Bukpyeong 5-day Market. Samcheok is a coastal city in the southernmost part of Gangwon-do. With National Road No. 7 at the center, Samcheok is bordered by Donghae to the north and Uljin-gun to the south. Hwanseongul Cave, the biggest limestone cave in Korea, and Daegeumgul Cave are some of the city’s major attractions. Hoengseong-gun is famous for its hanu (Korean beef) and the diverse agricultural experience programs the county offers. The lush forests and the road with a scenic view of Taegisan Mountain also attract many tourists. At 700 meters above sea level, Pyeongchang-gun is home to many ski resorts, making it a major destination for winter sports. [Daegwallyeong Special Tourist Zone] Areas included: Areas around Hoengseong and Pyeongchang-gun, Gangneung, Donghae and Samcheok-si, Gangwon-do Area size: 428.3k㎡ (Gangneung 90.4k㎡, Donghae 48.4k㎡, Samcheok 11.3k㎡, Hoengseong 63.5k㎡, Pyeongchang 214.7k㎡) Tourist attractions: Yongpyeong Resort, Alpensia Resort, Phoenix Park, Daegwallyeong Sheep Farm, Donghae Port, Mukho Port, Seongyojang House, Cheongok Cave, etc.


Gangwon-do(Samcheok-si)

Samcheok Hot Spring Hotel is located in Samcheok-si, where it is famous for the mystery cave along the Donghae (East Sea). With alkaline hot spring available all year long, this is the perfect recreation area for anyone who wants to have a healthy and relaxing stay. Samcheok Hot Spring has various hot spring sites, featuring the largest hot spring facilities with hot spring water from Eastern and Southern areas of Gwangwon-do. Spacious parking facilities and a seaside driving course are available, and the newly extended expressway has granted easier access to this city. The hotel tries to fulfill their slogan “Kindness, Cleanliness, and Service” to help their guests to enjoy a more comfortable and exciting stay.


Gangwon-do(Hoengseong-gun)

Heongseong Hot Springs opened in March 2002, and is a bicarbonate alkaline hot springs located at the foot of the Adapsan Mountain. Hoengseong Hot Springs Silk Road boasts picturesque rock outcroppings and an open-air hot springs that has an expansive view of the Thousand Years Wood of Adapsan Mountain. Hoengseong Hot Springs offers different types of hot springs for visitors to select and experience, including a red clay charcoal sauna, cold waterfall pool, daily event pool with a different theme every day and a paradise pool for couples. Enjoy a restorative stay at Hoengseong hot springs, which also offers relaxing accommodations.The hot water pools are known to be relaxing, as the refreshing alkaline hot springs are rich in carbon dioxide. A variety of other activities are also organized for guests every month, including a treasure hunt, traditional yutnori and jegichagi games, a swing ride and a lucky draw event, which offers a free hot springs bath for the winner.


Gangwon-do(Taebaek-si)

Taebaek Highland Natural Recreational Forest is located in 700m above the sea level. Being in the highland, visitors can enjoy snowy landscape in winter, cool and breezy stay in summer, and a peaceful walk with clean and refreshing air in spring and autumn.


Gangwon-do(Samcheok-si)

Standing at 1,352 meters above sea level, Dutasan Mountain is a major mountain amid the Taebaeksanmaek Mountain Range. It is especially known for the Swinumjeong Pavilion, plunge basin, azalea trees, nut pines, and colorful fall foliage. In the Samcheok-si region, there is Cheoneunsa Temple where Lee Seung-Hyu resided during his exile. Lee was the author of Jewang Ungi, a historical poem written in the late Goryeo period. The name “Duta” is a Buddhist term that means "retiring from the world to go on a Buddhist retreat."


Gangwon-do(Gangneung-si)

Sandglass Park is surrounded by the East Sea, mountains and Jeongdongjin 2-ri Village. Sandglass Park has pine trees, benches facing the sea, and access to Jeongdongjin Beach. A sandglass doesn’t show the present time like a sundial and a water glass and it measures the time elapsed by sand volume descending through gravity. So, the sandglass was used for determining the velocity. Jeongdongjin Sandglass Park was established in 1999 by Gangneung-si and Samsung Electronics Co. to commemorate the upcoming century. Part of this commemoration was the building of the giant sandglass at the park. The Sandglass has a diameter of 8.06m, its x_width is 3.2m, a weight of 40 tons and holds 8 tons of sand, making it one of the biggest sandglasses in the world. It takes a whole year for sand to trickle to the bottom and then the sandglass restarts again on New Year’s Day each year at midnight.


Gangwon-do(Jeongseon-gun)

Gariwangsan Mountain in Gangwon-do is one of the major mountains that make up the Taebaek Mountain Range. It is home to numerous alpine tree species, as well as wild flowers and herbs. Its slopes are gentle enough to allow for pleasant hiking. The mountain natural recreation forest is located at the Hoedong-ri Village entrance. It has paths that are lined with thick, tall trees that almost cover the sky. It also has several conveniene facilities.


Gangwon-do(Taebaek-si)

Cheonjedan are altars set up by people a long time ago to offer goods to Heaven. In old records such as the Samguksagi (History of the Three Kingdoms), there are records that "The Silla Kingdom organized rituals in Taebaeksan Mountain, which it considered as a Bugak Mountain (Northern Mountain, one of the mountains for rituals)." This shows that Taebaeksan Mountain was considered to be a holy mountain in the past. Cheonjedan, or the altar, is situated at the summit of Taebaeksan Mountain. With Cheonwangdan altar in the center, there is the Janggundan Altar in the north and a smaller altar in the south. The altars are built by stacking stones, a sign of a sacred ground. The Cheonwangdan altar is made of natural stone. It has an oval shape and measures 27.5 meters in circumference, 3 meters tall, 7.76 meters wide, and 8.26 meters from front to back. The natural stone is a sort of gneiss, with the upper stone being round and the bottom stone rectangular. Such a form is based on the philosophy of Cheonwon Jibang. In the valleys nearby, there are small or large stacked stone pagodas and stone platforms, which were used for prayers. It is forbidden to kill wild animals or break off tree branches in the area.


Gangwon-do(Gangneung-si)

Namhangjin Beach is a white sandy beach covering an area of 24,000㎡ and a length of 600m. Near the beach, there's a number of hoetjip (raw fish restaurant) with spacious parking lots. In addition, the dense pine tree forest and well-built accommodations add to appeal of this place. Namhangjin Port is the where Seomseokcheon Stream meets Namdeacheon Stream. The name Namhangjin originated from an old port in Songjeong, which was located on a street leading south to Hansongsa Temple.


Gangwon-do(Yangyang-gun)

Micheongol Valley starts from the Yangyang area and ends right before Guryongnyeong Pass. With not many visitors here, the valley is left in a pristine condition. The area is famous for its rich forest, clean water, uniquely shaped rocks, wild flora and fauna, underground mineral water tap, cultural heritages of the ancient kingdom Silla, locally produced honey and other forest products. The Micheongol Valley Recreational Forest is 5,652,000㎡ in size filled with broadleaf trees. At the entrance of the valley is the Seollimwon temple site, which was originally established under the reign of King Beopheung of Silla Kingdom and then closed off at the end of Goryeo Dynasty. Other relics include a stone lamp, 3-story pagoda, Honggakseonsa Monk Pagoda, and a Stupa. With Donghaean Beach and Seoraksan National Park located nearby, Micheongol Valley makes a perfect destination for tourists.