Donghae (동해) is a coastal city in Gangwon, South Korea.

Donghae

Understand

Donghae is a sizable port on the east coast of Gangwon province in South Korea.

Earliest records show that a settlement was built here in 1631 by King Injo of the Joeseon dynasty.

Get in

By bus

If using public transport, bus is the most convenient way to get to Donghae for most people. The bus terminal is a 20 minute walk north of the downtown area (5 minute cab ride.) There are frequent buses to the Express Bus Terminal in Seoul (takes a little over 3 hours), and less frequent buses to Dong Seoul (East Seoul.) There are also buses leaving every 10 minutes for Gangneung (35-40 minutes) as well as buses to most other cities in Gangwon Province. There are 3 overnight buses to Busan.

By train

The Yeongdong line goes through Donghae, stopping at Donghae Station (south of downtown) and Mukho Station (north of downtown). There aren't a lot of trains, however, and those there are don't go to too many places that are appealing to tourists, making the bus more convenient for most tourists.

By ferry

Donghae serves as the main access point to Ulleungdo, (₩51,000 each way) with regular ferry service throughout the year (usually once or twice a day in each direction, more frequent in the summer.)

Donghae has international connections operated by DBS Cruise Ferry to Vladivostok in far east Russia and Sakai Minato in Japan.

Ferries leave from Mukho Port, a 5 minute drive north of downtown.

By car

Highway 65 ends in Donghae and connects the city to Gangneung further north. From Seoul take highway 50 to Gangneung which then leads to the 65. The trip from Seoul takes about 3 hours when there is little traffic.

South Korea uses a toll system for their inter-provincial highways. Seoul to Donghae costs ₩11,400 one way in tolls. However if you are a group of people (at least 3) driving is a cheaper option than the bus.

See

• Cheongok Natural Cave. This cave is unique as it is located under the city streets of Donghae. The cave is 400 million to 500 million years old, and visitors can sight rare stones that are rich in academic value. 

Do

• 1 Mureung Valley (무릉계곡). This is a fantastic valley with several hikes of varying difficulties. You can hike to waterfalls, temples or up mountains. Admission to the valley is ₩1,500 for adults. The valley can be reached by taking any of the city buses numbered 12-something (e.g. 12-4.) The bus fare is ₩1,000. 

• 2 Mangsang (망상). Popular beach area 8 km north of the town. Very crowded in the summer, with a very small amusement park area with a batting cage and a few rides. 

• Chuam Beach. A less popular but more picturesque beach a few km south of town. 

• Donghae Cuttlefish Festival. Late September, for three days. People can make special memories by partaking in a wide array of events in the summer ocean. Tourists can participate in contests of catching cuttlefish with bare hands, while local fishermen take part in the cuttlefish cleaning and cooking contests. 

Buy

E-MART is the only big chain retailer in town. They offer everything from food to clothes and electronics (think wal-mart). Apart from them, there are a number of shops in the downtown area offering your usual services. English will be limited however and bargaining is not too common in the retail stores.

Eat

Donghae has limited food options but "Soma" is quite good. there are actually 2 locations located about a block away. They offer Korean food with a slight western twist (like pizza ddockboki and pork cutlet with pepper sauce), worth a try. The fast food options are limited to KFC, Dunkin Donuts and Lotteria (the Korean McDonalds). They have good pizza at Buena Pizza (try the bacon cheeseburger). Moreover there are of course the ubiquitous galbi and kimbab restaurants. However, those hoping for authentic western food may be disappointed.

• Pizza Hut. There is a Pizza Hut on the 2nd floor of a building in view of Lotteria and Dunkin Donuts 

Drink

Most of the options here are Hof and Soju bars that are all pretty much the same - they offer beer by the truckload (₩2,500 for 500ml) and soju. Many of them will expect you to order food as well since this is Korean tradition. Just politely say "no thanks" and most will leave you with you beer. Those looking for cocktails have to go to a cocktail bar and these are priced very highly. Your best bet is to head to E-Mart and get a few bottles of cheap booze if you want liquor.

Sleep

Winter in Donghae

• Love Motels. As with everywhere else in South Korea, there are love motels abound and Donghae is no exception. Don't be fooled by the name however, some of them can be seedy, however some can be quite special with huge beds and themed kitsch. Try the hotel "very six". A room with a pool table can be had for ₩90,000. Most rooms go for ₩50,000 a night (more on weekends).

• Jjimjilbang(찜질방). Donghae has a few of these as well. You can sleep in them for ₩6,000 a night (give or take). However its a communal experience and those looking for privacy won't find it here. For those that are willing to try a more authentic Korean experience, they are clean, safe and really cheap. The one close to the very six hotel is the best in town (near E-MART)

• Beach Camping. You can set up tents in the designated camping area at Mangsang Beach, which is 8km North of Donghae City. Camping is free.