Gangneung is the largest coastal city in the province. Jeongdongjin, the town situated the furthest east from Seoul, is one of the greatest spots for seeing in the sunrise anywhere in Korea. Situated the furthest east in South Korea, the place is filled with all the wishes of people who want to welcome the New Year earlier than others do. Historically, Jeongdongjin was the place where kings once prayed to the Dragon King of the sea for the prosperity of their country. Today, it is the venue for the nation's largest sunrise festival.

Gangneung is also famous for its coffee. Gangwon-do’s climate offers a natural advantage to the cultivation of coffee plants, but the sea itself has played an important role in establishing a coffee-culture. Couples love having a cup of coffee while enjoying the lovely atmosphere of the sea. Naturally, great coffeehouses serving nice coffee began to spring up, leading to a thriving culture of coffee in this town. Gangneung has fast become the city of coffee in South Korea, with fans of the coffee bean flocking there to study coffee making and coffee tasting. It is a romantic city where you can learn how to make drip coffee while watching the sunset over the East Sea through the open windows. With desserts now a staple accompaniment to coffee, you do start to wonder about how Gangneung will change in the years to come.

Despite being a little further from the tourist trail than other cities in Gangwon-do, Yangyang is a place where you can still enjoy the pure and untouched nature of the East Sea coast. The vast sea, waves breaking against strange rocks and bizarre stones, and old pine trees enduring coastal winds. There are many spots that bring you the authentic beauty of the East Sea. One of them is Hajodae, a pavilion named in honor of two friends in the Joseon Dynasty era, Ha Ryun and Jo Joon, who enjoyed watching the sea and writing poems there. Despite the cold winds blowing in from the sea in winter, I was still able to admire the unique waves of the sharp sky thanks to the relative comfort of the pavilion. I felt rejuvenated and ready to face another week of my life while watching the beautiful sea from the pavilion built on the coastal cliff. Another sight of Hajodae is its unmanned lighthouse. The white lighthouse stands in harmony with pine trees on fantastically shaped rocks to create an utterly romantic view. If you arrive before the sun goes down, you will be able to see the beautiful lighthouse begin casting light on the dark sea beyond.

Another tourist spot in Yangyang is Naksansa Temple which was built in 671 by Uisang, who built the temple to follow the Buddha's intention. Uisangdae Pavilion that named after him has endured the coastal winds over the centuries to stand in harmony with the strangely curved old pine trees around. It is now one of the most representing spots of the temple. I was told Naksansa Temple was renovated in the 1950s. It was amazing to think that this single temple had borne witness to the vicissitudes of Korean history. Everything, even a stonewall, seemed so precious. The Haesu Gwaneum Statue is a statue of Buddha built in the 1970s to represent Naksansa Temple. It stands a staggering 17 meters in height, making it clearly visible from afar. Being the tallest statue of the Buddha in all of Asia, its construction shows the deepest religious devotion and respect.

I visited Samyang Ranch, one of many ranches rearing cattle and sheep amidst Gangwon-do’s pristine environment. The ranch itself is run by the food company Samyang, which is famous for its ramen, amongst other things – and it’s open to the public. If you visit in the spring, summer or autumn, high visitor numbers mean admission is restricted to particular hours and by designated buses only. However, in the relatively quiet winter season, you can enjoy the ranch as much as you like without any such restrictions. Admittedly, I was not able to see any cattle or sheep grazing peacefully on the grass as they had been moved to warm buildings to keep them safe on cold winter days. Luckily, I could try my hand at feeding sheep. The ranch offers a unique view of the wind farm built to harness the strong winds of Gangwon-do, with the East Sea in the distance and snow-covered fields close by. Locals may not welcome the heavy snow for all the hardships it can cause, but I felt my frozen heart melt away while walking in the white snowfields.

It is said that Odae Mountain in Pyeongchang rivals Geumgang Mountain and Jiri Mountain for the mystical safety it provides from disaster thanks to the sacred energy that lives there. Located on this sacred mountain, Woljeongsa Temple is famous for the peace and tranquility of its paths, buildings and pagoda. The 700-year-old fir forest creates a fresh and pleasing air for which many people suffering from asthma or lung disease visit this place. While walking through the tall fir forest and breathing its fresh air, I felt myself cleaned and purified.

Sokcho is famous for Seorak Mountain, the most famous tourist spot in all of Gangwon-do. The mountain is full of people hiking and climbing the mountain – in all seasons of the year. People flock here in autumn for the beautiful autumn colors on the mountain visible from a cable car. Ulsanbawi on Seorak Mountain are as distinctive as they are magnificent - you can even see them from far away. But, why are the rocks named Ulsan, which is the name of a city located in Gyeongsang-do? Here is an old story about the name of the rocks. "Many beautiful rocks from various regions of the nation were traveling to Geumgang Mountain, where a beautiful rock contest would be held. One rock from Ulsan fell asleep while on its way to the contest and, when it woke up; it realized that the contest had already ended. The rock felt ashamed and could not return to its hometown, but ended up living there."
It is a happily ever after story for all, though, because the rock became the beautiful rocks of Seorak Mountain. So, even though not a winner, it has achieved lasting fame.

The Sokcho coast from which you can see the Ulsanbawi boasts a wide sandy beach. The beach is famous and people from all over Korea love coming here to go swimming in the sea in summer. In recent years, the city has seen surfers come here in winter, too, in pursuit of its mighty waves.

Naturally, blessed all year round, Gangwon-do is South Korea's foremost tourist location for people who love swimming in summer and for people who love skiing and snowboarding in winter. Gangwon-do used to be a barren land with insufficient food due to the harsh conditions of its land, such as high mountains and strong winds, which made farming tough. The province has grown on the back of its thriving tourist industry and it is set to grow still further with the hosting of the Winter Olympics. In addition to its beautiful natural environment, including its seas and mountains, the province also attracts people for its unique regional culture, such as its beautiful coffee culture. I strongly recommend you to visit it. Just imagine how great it will be in 2018 when the Winter Olympics are held here!