Gangwon-do(Pyeongchang-gun)

Located on the highlands of Pyeongchang County where the 2018 Winter Olympics will be held, Uiyaji Baram Maeul (Uiyaji Wind Village) is a mountain village situated on top of Daegwallyeong. At Uiyaji Wind Village, one can enjoy various types of activities such as making cheese or ice cream as well as enjoying the beautiful sight of wind-mills standing high above the frozen plain. Also, visitors can try various food including memil-mandu (buckwheat dumpling), ongsimi-kalguksu (handmade knife-cut noodles with sweet rice dough soup), gamja-jeon (potatoes pancakes), memil-kalguksu (buckwheat knife-cue noodles), sanchae-bibimbap (seasoned wild vegetables bibimbap), and more.


Gangwon-do(Donghae-si)

Chuam Chotdaebawi Rock (추암 촛대바위) in Donghae-si, Gangwon-do Province is one of Korea’s most famous tourist attractions. The beautifully formed rock towers high into the sky and resembles a candlestick, from which it gets its name. "Chotdae” is Korean for “candle,” while “bawi” means “rock”; quite literally “candle rock.”The beautiful sight of Chotdaebawi Rock surrounded by 10 or so smaller rocks is sure to take your breath away. The surrounding rocks are named after their shapes; "Geobukbawi"(turtle), "Bububawi"(couple), and "Hyeongjebawi"(brothers).Chotdaebawi Rock is a popular place for visitors to come and enjoy the magnificent beauty of the sun slowly peeking its way over the edge of the rock face. The beauty of the rock at sunrise is so picturesque that it is even used as a backdrop for the Aegukga (the Korean national anthem) when it is aired on KBS (Korean Broadcasting System).Other nearby attractions include Chuam Beach and Haeamjeong (a type of pavilion dating back to the Joseon Dynasty).* The Legend of Chotdaebawi RockOnce upon a time, there was a man who lived in Chuam who had a concubine. His wife was jealous of the second wife and the conflict between the two women continually escalated. One day, god became enraged over their continual quarreling and threw lighting down from heaven, striking both women dead. The newly-made widower missed his wives so much that he remained frozen in his loneliness and eventually turned into a rock, which is now Chotdaebawi Rock that we see today. 


Gangwon-do(Gangneung-si)

Guryong Falls (구룡폭포) refers to the group of nine waterfalls, varying in size, located over a three-kilometer stretch of Sogeumgang River (소금강), Cheonghak-dong (청학동), Odaesan National Park (오대산). ‘Guryong’ means nine dragons and legend has it that each of the waterfalls was occupied by a dragon. The 6th waterfall is particularly attractive. It is simultaneously the most magnificent and serene of the falls, which is why it is also known as the ‘Gentleman’s Waterfall.’ Two kilometers away from the 6th waterfall, is a curious-looking piece of rock called ‘Manmulsang.’ The name literally means ‘tens of thousands of different looks.’ Some of these looks have earned it to other names such as ‘Giant Rock,’ ‘Phantom-Face Rock,’ ‘Iworam,’ and ‘Candlestick Rock’.


Gangwon-do(Pyeongchang-gun)

The Great Mountains International Music Festival & School (GMMFS) is operated by the government of Gangwon Province. Premier musical performances from some of today's most celebrated artists are held during the festival period, while the school operates all year round, providing highly-respected, intensive training for the next generation of classical musicians. Located in South Korea's spectacular Great Mountain region, renowned for its beautiful terrain, the festival brings together an impressive array of internationally recognized artists and faculty. The Great Mountains International Music Festival & School offers something for every music lover. Come and hear internationally acclaimed artists, observe how revered educators engage convey lessons in music and life, and discover the bright new talents of the future—all in the pristine mountain region of Gangwon Province!


Gangwon-do(Yangyang-gun)

Seoraksan Mountain, the highest amid the Taebaeksanmaek Moutain Range, boasts beautiful landscape and scenery all year round. To the east of Hangyeryeong and Misiryeong Ridges is classified as Oeseorak, to the west is Naeseorak; the Osaek District in the southern region of the Hangyeryeong Ridge is also known as Namseorak. The Namseorak area is famous for its mineral water, hot springs, and waterfalls including Yongso Falls, Sibi Falls, and Yeosin Falls. Jeongbongsan Mountain (1,424.2m) is also included in the area. There are also several different hiking courses varying in distance and duration.


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This New Year from December 31 to January 1, Gangneung City will hold its annual ‘Sunrise Event’. As well as visiting the area’s attractions such as Gyeongpodae town, visitors will be able to welcome in the New Year by watching a beautiful sunrise. The ‘Sunrise Event’ will include the countdown to the New Year, fireworks, and various enjoyable cultural events.


Gangwon-do(Goseong-gun)

Every June, the areas around Eocheon-ri in Goseong-gun are covered with the purple lavender fields. During this season, many local and international visitors attend the annual Goseong Lavender Festival. This year, the festival will have a variety of programs, from exhibitions to performances.Some of these include a lavender photo exhibit and a photo contest at the farm and the village, as well as a photo gallery and a classical music concert, to name a few. The lucky draw event is something that should not be missed.


Gangwon-do(Samcheok-si)

A small and quiet beach, Jeungsan is close to Chotdae (Candlestick) Bawi Rock in Chuam Beach, which is famous for its breathtaking sunrises. With an average depth of 1 to 2 meters, it attracts numerous vacationers in the summer. Nearby is Suro Buin Park where visitors find the Dragon Ball structure that grants peoples’ wishes. In winter, the sea and seagulls combine to create a romantic winter scene.


Gangwon-do(Yangyang-gun)

Uisangdae (의상대) is located on a seaside hill, on the way to Hongnyeonam Hermitage’s Gwaneumgul Cave from Naksansa Temple. It is a small temple, believed to have been built by Great Monk Uisang (625-702) during King Munmu’s reign (661-681) during Silla Period, on the spot where Uisang used to meditate while building Naksansa Temple. The current pavilion was built in 1925.Hongnyeonam Hermitage is a place you shouldn’t miss when you visit the octagonal Uisangdae. Believed to be built 5 years after Naksansa Temple, it is also where Great Monk Uisang used to meditate. It was named Hongnyeonam ('Hong' meaning 'red' and 'Ryeon' meaning 'lotus flower') because there is a legend that a red lotus flower bloomed in the sea during Great Monk Uisang’s seven days of prayer. It is built against the cliff beside a rocky cave, making it part of a great scenery, and the sunrise from Uisangdae is absolutely spectacular.Songgang Jeongcheol, who was a poet from the mid Joseon Period (1392-1910) expressed his feeling on the spectacle of sunrise from Uisangdae like this: “After the pear-tree flowers have fallen and when the cuckoo cries sadly, beyond the hill east of Naksan Mountain at Uisangdae, I get up in the middle of night to see the sun rise. The auspicious clouds look like they are blooming, and the sun look as if it is being held up by six dragons. As the sun rises majestically from the sea to the sky, the whole world shakes and the sun rises swiftly, shining more brightly than a thousand candles.” That is how much wonder the view of sunrise from Uisangdae has created from long ago.


Gangwon-do(Goseong-gun)

Hwajinpo (화진포) is named so because there are sweet briers that bloom by the lake, and it is one of nature’s great lagoons. It is designated Gangwon Provincial Monument No. 10 with a circumference of about 16 km, and it has a wide reed field which is an important place for migratory birds and swans in the winter. Hwajinpo Lake is surrounded by evergreens and white sandy beaches; it is a lagoon where the river and the sea meet. Materials drifting down the river deposited at the bottom of the river become a sandy beach that eventually block off the river from the sea, creating a lagoon. Hwajinpo Lake is the largest lagoon near the East Sea, and has many ancient artifacts around it, such as the Ten Goindol rocks (also called Jiseokmyeo) scattered around the lake. Because of its excellent scenery, Kim Il-Seong (1912-1994) of North Korea and the South Korean president Lee Seung-Man (1875-1965) had summer houses here after the independence of Korea in 1945. The two houses that originally faced each other with the lake at the center are gone now, but the sites still remain as tourist destinations. They have been converted to Hwajinpo’s Museum of History, and opened to public as a security exhibit center.