Jeongdongsimgok Badabuchae-gil
정동심곡 바다부채길
Today
Why go
This is a sea path of about 3 km that follows a marine terrace along the East Sea. It is designated Natural Monument No. 437, and it made the Korea Tourism 100 Selections 2025–2026 for the first time.
Admission
- Ways in free
- Infants and young children with a guardian
- People with disabilities as defined in Article 2 of the Welfare of Persons with Disabilities Act
- Korean national merit recipients and their families (per Korean law)
Buy at the gate — no booking needed.
Highlights
History
The name holds both position and shape. According to the operating organization, "Jeongdong" comes from its position due east of Gyeongbokgung in Hanyang, and "Simgok" from a village lying deep inside a valley. Badabuchae-gil (sea fan path) got its name because the fan-edge terrain of Jeongdongjin and the shape of the land where the trail lies look like a fan opened toward the sea.
The operating organization introduces this as a marine terrace where you can see traces of crustal movement from 2 million to 2.5 million years ago. It explains that before the trail was built the route was used only as a military border-guard patrol path for coastal security. The Gangneung City tourism portal writes that this section has been open since September 2016.
This is a walking-only trail running from the Jeongdong ticket office to the Simgok ticket office, and the operating organization gives its length as about 3.01 km and the walking time as about 1 hour. There is no toilet along the way, so you need to use one near the ticket office beforehand. Some sections have steel-plate flooring where you can slip or catch a heel, so you are advised to avoid dress shoes. Military facilities along the trail are by law off limits to photography and posting on the internet. The Gangneung City tourism portal gives the length as 2.86 km, so the sources differ slightly.
Getting there
- Address
- 강원특별자치도 강릉시 강동면 심곡리 114-3
Photos
Tips
As of the viewing date (2026-10-10), the entry hours in the operating organization's table are 09:00 to 17:30 in the summer season (April to October) and 09:00 to 16:30 in the winter season (November to March). The Gangneung City tourism portal announces extended hours from 08:00 in July to October, which differs from the operating organization's table. Please check before you go. Tickets are sold until 1 hour before closing, so sales end at 16:30 in the summer season and 15:30 in the winter season. The Gangneung City tourism portal says there is no fixed closing day. However, entry can be blocked when disasters such as earthquakes, typhoons or heavy snow are expected, or when there are military operations or facility repairs.
Individual admission is 5,000 won for adults, 4,000 won for youth and soldiers, and 3,000 won for seniors and children, slightly lower for groups of 30 or more. You buy tickets at the ticket office. Pets (except guide dogs for the visually impaired) and bicycles may not enter, and swimming and cooking are not allowed.
Public transport starts from central Gangneung. Take bus No. 112 from opposite Gangneung KTX Station or from the Gangneung intercity and express bus terminal; for the Jeongdong side, get off at the Moraesigye Park parking lot and walk about 800 m (10 to 15 minutes). For the Simgok side, take No. 112 to the Gangdong free parking lot, change to the No. 958 Masil bus, get off at the Simgok stop and walk about 450 m (6 minutes). The Masil bus fare is 1,700 won for an adult in cash, and it says to check the intervals on the Gangneung bus information system. The operating organization notes that there is no parking lot around the Jeongdong ticket office, so you have to walk from an outside free parking lot.
Show details
- Address
- 강원특별자치도 강릉시 강동면 심곡리 114-3
- Hours
- Jan–Mar · Nov–Dec 09:00–16:30Apr–Oct 09:00–17:30
- Admission
- ₩5,000