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Major city · South Korea

Donghae동해

Give Donghae one night as a ferry or cave stop, not a beach base: the coast here is a port, and Gangneung has the sand and the trains.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
KRW
Best months
May–Jun, Sep–Oct
avoid Jul–Aug (crowded beaches, rain), Jan–Feb (cold, windy coast)
Airports
ICN · YNY · WJU
Nights
1
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 5
  • East Asia ↗Every border in East Asia is a full international border, Hong Kong and Macau included: an entry permission for one never covers the next.
  • East Asia ↗Ferries between Korea, Japan and China cancel in rough seas and typhoons; keep a flight or a spare day behind every sea leg.
  • South Korea ↗Check K-ETA and visa status on the official sites before you fly; the list of nationalities exempted from registering online changes year by year.
  • South Korea ↗Google Maps gives poor walking and driving directions in Korea; use Naver Map or Kakao Map for routes.
  • South Korea ↗Buy a T-money card (or use a phone-based transit pass) for subway and buses; it also pays at convenience stores and many taxis.

Donghae is a working east-coast port in Gangwon, built from a 1980s merger of Mukho and Bukpyeong around a fishing and chemical harbour. It is the mainland gateway to Ulleungdo and has one genuinely odd sight — a cave under the city streets — plus a string of small beaches and a lighthouse headland. Most travellers pass through on the bus between Seoul and Gangneung, or sleep one night before an early ferry.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Donghae, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee or bakery bread₩3,000–7,000 (≈ US$3–6)
  • Street or quick mealNoodle or dumpling soup₩8,000–12,000 (≈ US$6–9)
  • BeerDraught beer, 500 ml, in a hof₩2,500–5,000 (≈ US$2–4)
  • Taxi, about 5 kmTaxi base fare20% surcharge 00:00–04:00.₩3,800 (≈ US$3)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week₩20,000–40,000 (≈ US$15–30)
  • Museum or sight ticketCheongok Cave entry₩3,000 (≈ US$3) adult₩1,500 (≈ US$2) teen₩1,000 (≈ under US$1) child
  • Budget bedJjimjilbang floor space, a night, per person₩6,000 (≈ US$5)
  • Mid-range bedMotel double room, a night, per room₩50,000 (≈ US$40)
  • High-end bedMotel double room, a night, per room₩90,000 (≈ US$65)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget ₩50,000 (≈ US$40) · Mid ₩90,000 (≈ US$65) · High ₩180,000 (≈ US$130)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Cheongok Natural Cave under the cityMukho Port and the Ulleungdo ferryChuam Candle RockMangsang and Chuam beaches
Airports
ICN Incheon International (Fastest bus link is about 4 h; the practical arrival airport for Donghae.) · YNY Yangyang International (Closer, but few flights and weak onward bus links; total time is often longer than via ICN.) · WJU Wonju Airport (Closer on the map; limited flights and connections, so check before booking.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Donghae: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

4°C

−4°C

5 rd

Feb

6°C

−3°C

5 rd

Mar

11°C

1°C

7 rd

Apr

17°C

7°C

7 rd

May

22°C

12°C

8 rd

Jun

25°C

16°C

10 rd

Jul

28°C

20°C

14 rd

Aug

29°C

21°C

14 rd

Sep

25°C

16°C

9 rd

Oct

20°C

10°C

6 rd

Nov

13°C

4°C

6 rd

Dec

7°C

−2°C

4 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

Local buses cover the city and the coast, but service thins sharply after 18:00, so plan the last ride. Taxis are cheap and faster; the base fare is ₩3,800 with a 20% surcharge from 00:00 to 04:00. Mureung Valley is served by buses numbered 12-something (for example 12-4) for about ₩1,000. A car helps for the beaches and the valley.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Mureung Valley

go

Door to door: About 1 h

City bus 12-something from downtown, about ₩1,000 (≈ under US$1)

Admission about ₩1,500 for adults; hikes to waterfalls, temples and ridges.

Chuam Candle Rock and Chuam Beach

go

Door to door: 30–45 min

Bus or taxi south along the coast

Free; the rock viewpoint is open 09:00–18:00 in the warm season, shorter in winter. Beach only July–August.

Mangsang Beach

caution

Door to door: 20–30 min

Local bus or taxi 8 km north

Free camping in the marked area; very crowded in summer and little to do off-season.

Gangneung

go

Door to door: 35–40 min

Bus every 10 min from Donghae bus terminal

Better base for beaches, coffee and rail links.

Ulleungdo

overnight

Door to door: About 3 h crossing

Ferry from Mukho Port, once or twice daily, more in summer

About ₩51,000 each way (check); sailings cancel in rough weather.

Taebaek

caution

Door to door: 1.5–2 h

Bus or the Yeongdong line

Trains are few; check times before committing.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Downtown / Cheongok-dong

Around the cave, E-Mart and the bus terminal: cafés, bakeries, motels, easiest for one night with bags.

Mukho

North of downtown, 5 min by taxi to the ferry terminal; pick this if you have an early Ulleungdo sailing.

Mangsang

Beach strip 8 km north; camping and summer resorts, quiet and car-dependent off-season.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
₩50,000–80,000 (≈ US$40–60) excl. bed
Mid
₩80,000–140,000 (≈ US$60–110) excl. bed
High
₩140,000 (≈ US$110)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Motel double room1 × 1 night × ₩50,000₩50,000
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × ₩90,000₩180,000
Local bus rides, one day2 × ₩3,000 · check₩6,000
Cheongok Cave entry2 × ₩3,000₩6,000
eSIM, about a week of data2 × ₩25,000 · check₩50,000
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge₩29,200
Trip total≈ ₩160,600 per person per day, bed included₩321,200≈ US$250

Weekends cost more; themed rooms with pool tables run higher.

2026 estimate in won; long-distance transport excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee or bakery bread₩3,000–7,000 (≈ US$3–6)
Noodle or dumpling soup₩8,000–12,000 (≈ US$6–9)
Draught beer, 500 ml, in a hof₩2,500–5,000 (≈ US$2–4)
Taxi base fare20% surcharge 00:00–04:00.₩3,800 (≈ US$3)
Cheongok Cave entry₩3,000 (≈ US$3) adult / ₩1,500 (≈ US$2) teen / ₩1,000 (≈ under US$1) child
Sky Cycle rideClosed Tuesdays.₩15,000 (≈ US$11)
Yuchunji by Mureung entry₩6,000 (≈ US$5) adult Jun–Sep, ₩4,000 (≈ US$3) Oct–May
eSIM or data SIM, about a week₩20,000–40,000 (≈ US$15–30)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Donghae is a small, safe port city; the real risks are the cold sea, thin bus service after 18:00 and ferry cancellations in rough weather.
  • Buses after 18:00 are few: check the last departure before you go out.
  • Chuam and Hansom beaches are only open in July and August.
  • The Dojjavigol observatory closes in bad weather.
  • The Sky Cycle is closed on Tuesdays.
  • Ferries to Ulleungdo can be cancelled in rough weather: build a spare day.

Emergency numbers

Police
112
Fire and ambulance
119
Travel helpline (24 h, English)
1330

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Donghae동해

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

이 주소로 가 주세요To this address, please

Emergency

  • Police112
  • Fire and ambulance119
  • Travel helpline (24 h, English)1330

Embassy

No embassies in Donghae; most are in Seoul. US: Embassy Seoul (check the address).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Donghae → Seoul Express Bus Terminal: about 3 h 10 min (check)
  • Donghae → Gangneung bus: 35–40 min, every 10 min (check)
  • Mukho → Ulleungdo ferry: about ₩51,000 (≈ US$40) each way, about 3 h (check)
  • Seoul → Donghae tolls by car: ₩11,400 (≈ US$9) one way

Say or show

  • 안녕하세요 — Hello (annyeonghaseyo)
  • 감사합니다 — Thank you (gamsahamnida)
  • 이거 주세요 — This one, please (igeo juseyo)
  • 얼마예요? — How much is it? (eolmayeyo)
  • 카드로 될까요? — Can I pay by card? (kadeuro doelkkayo)
  • 화장실이 어디예요? — Where is the toilet? (hwajangsiri eodiyeyo)

Tipping is not expected. Buses thin out after 18:00.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Donghae. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Jun, Sep–Oct · avoid Jul–Aug (crowded beaches, rain), Jan–Feb (cold, windy coast) · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 6 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for ICN arrivals: last bus times field-checked, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Walking clusters with rescue anchors: Cheongok-dong downtown, Mukho port and lighthouse, Mangsang, Chuam.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Cheongok Cave, Dojjavigol observatory, Sky Cycle, Chuam) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Ferry-day fixtures for Ulleungdo so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to South Korea

Sources