Author's product rating: 
| Advantages: |
breathtaking scenery, cable car, temple site, easy access |
| Disadvantages: |
misty, cost, very busy |
| Recommend to potential buyers: |
yes |
Soraksan is in the north of South Korea.
It's about 4 hours from Seoul by bus.
It's easiest to get to if you first go to Gangneung Bus Station and then get another bus to Sokcho.
It's about 45 minutes from Gangneung and costs about 5000W.
From Sokcho bus terminal you need to get a local bus to the national park. (no. 5-7)
Entrance to the national park is about 3200W and includes access to the temple sites.
The cable car costs 7000W and takes about 3minutes to climb up the steep moutainside to take you to a peak. From the cable car station there's a short (optional) walk to viewpoints and the peak.
It's well worth the ride becuase the views from the cable car station of the park, peaks and east coast are incredible.
You can see across the mountainous region to one side, and out to the port town and see to the other. You can also look down on to the temple site with it's large seated buddha statue.
There are plenty of rest stops along the walks inside the park, including restaurants.
To get to the rocking stone you have to climb several steps. It doesn't take too long however and offers some lovely views.
Some of the flatter paths can be a little rocky so they would be tricky to negotiate with a wheelchair/pushchair. However there are picnic areas and the initial temple sites that can easily be accessed.
There's information available in English although it's worth contactong the Sokcho tourist information before you go to the park as they sometimes run out of leaflets in the park.
If you gave yourself a day you would find plenty of time to walk to waterfalls and temple sites, to climb to the rocking stone and the peak above it, to ride the cable car and have some lunch!
There are a lot of things to see and if you wanted to take longer there are hotels right at the entrance to the park, with a youth hostel not far away.
