Abai Village (아바이 마을)

19.5Km 42433 2021-04-09

122-1, Cheongho-ro, Sokcho-si, Gangwon-do
+82-33-639-2690

Located in Cheongho-dong, Abai Village bears a history of displaced people’s distress. The village was formed by refugees of the Korean War from North Korea, mainly from Hamgyeong-do Province. The word “abai” is a dialect of Hamgyeong-do that means a friendly old man like a grandfather. Visitors to Abai Village can get a sense of displaced people’s life and story, which fade away into a chapter of history. Although it has lost its original appearance now, old shacks without a gate still remain here and there. Mural paintings on the wall show the sentiment of nostalgia about their hometown and express sorrow and hard life of displaced people, who lived from hand to mouth by fishing and doing physical labor. The original houses built by refugees in the village were restored into the Refugee Village at the Sokcho Museum. Abai Village is also known as a filming location for the Korean TV drama Autumn in My Heart, attracting a lot of visitors and becoming a major attraction in Sokcho. The restaurant alley is packed with cafes and North Korean food restaurants serving local dishes such as Hamheung-style cold buckwheat noodles, stuffed squid, and North Korean-style sausage soup.

Abai Village Ferry (아바이마을 갯배)

19.5Km 44806 2022-12-21

39, Jungangbudu-gil, Sokcho-si, Gangwon-do
+82-33-635-2003

Gaetbae (boat without engine) is an exotic means of transportation to cross the Abai Village at the mouth of Cheongchoho Lake. It is a rapid means of traveling between downtown Sokcho and Abai Village along the 50 m-long waterway. This small barge-style boat without an engine can be run by pulling the wire manually. When fixing the solid steel wire on both sides of the waterway and pulling it hard with a hook, a boat moves forward slowly. As there is no boatman, passengers need to work together to move the boat. It takes about 5 min to cross the water by boat. This unique experience still attracts many tourists to Sokcho. Furthermore, it is known as the filming location for the Korean TV drama Autumn in My Heart, so many tourists from Japan and China visit the place.

Songjeonhaebyeon Beach (송전해수욕장)

19.6Km 38979 2024-02-05

21-7 Songjeon-ri, Sonyang-myeon, Yangyang-gun, Gangwon-do

This beach ranks among Korea's most favored surfing destinations. With its pristine white sand, it stretches 900 meters in length and 80 meters in x_width, and has a depth of 1 meter. It holds the distinction of being the second largest and longest white sand beach in Yangyang-gun, following Naksanhaebyeon Beach. Notably, the water here is so clean and clear that visitors can enjoy clamming.

Dancheon Sikdang (단천식당)

19.6Km 24897 2024-02-16

17 Abaimaeul-gil, Sokcho-si, Gangwon-do
033-632-7828

Dancheon Sikdang specializes in abai sundae (North Korean sundae), a sundae dish from Hamgyeong-do Province of North Korea. Abai sundae is made by stuffing pork large intestines with seonji (blood) and sweet rice, followed by steaming. Currently operated by the third generation, the restaurant also offers dishes like myeongtae hoe naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles with raw pollack), ojingeo sundae (stuffed squid), and gajami sikhae (salted and fermented plaice). It is located in Abai Village, an area established by war refugees from North Korea during the Korean War.

Yeongnangho Lake (영랑호)

19.8Km 15498 2022-12-21

140, Yeongnanghoban-gil, Sokcho-si, Gangwon-do
+82-33-639-2690

Yeongnangho Lake is a deep and large lake with a circumference of 7.8 km, an area of about 1.2 km2, and a depth of over 8 m, formed by the development of coastal dunes. The source water originates from the Jangcheoncheon Stream, passing through the lake, and goes to the East Sea via the waterway under the Yeongnanggyo Bridge. The lake is adjacent to the areas of Jangsa-dong, Yeongnang-dong, Dongmyeong-dong, and Geumho-dong. The pleasant trail is also established around the lakeside, surrounded by the beautiful scenery of cherry blossoms, azaleas, and reeds. According to Samguk yusa (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms), the name of the lake comes from Silla’s hwarang (elite warrior group in Silla) member named “Yeongnang.” After training at Geumgangsan Mountain, Yeongnang passed this lake on the way to get to the martial arts competition. As he was so taken by the splendid landscape, however, he forgot about the competition and stayed here for a long time. As the old record says, Yeongnangho Lake boasts outstanding scenery. Beombawi Rock, in particular, evokes visitors’ admiration as one of the Eight Sights of Sokcho. The rock, which resembles the shape of a tiger crouching down, has an aura of mystery. The nearby tourist attractions also include Gwaneumam Rock, which is known for the strange rocks and bizarre stones, Bogwangsa Temple, and the Wetland Eco Park, which is located in the west of the lakeside.

Abai Village (아바이 마을) - Area information - Korea travel information