#1 Sokcho Ripoff: Seorak Waterpia

If you come to Sokcho, there are a lot of things you can and should do, but there are also more than a few tourist traps to avoid. At the top of the list is Seorak Waterpia.

Unless you can get huge discounts with your phone club card or credit card, Waterpia is really overpriced and way too crowded. (35,000 entry plus 6,000 for a lifejacket if you want to get into the little wave pool.) If you sit in the couples tubs, people will come and ask you to let them use it, and the place is so crowded, we never got more than 2 minutes uninterrupted. Not only do all the Korean tourists come here, but several busses arrive each day with Chinese tourists from Shanghai and Hong Kong. There is a major expansion underway, but you'll have to wait a few years for that. The two waterslides are Asian-sized only, not allowing anyone over 80 kg. A variety of fast-food is available, but it comes in miniscule portions at high prices.

My wife and I like to go to Seorak Pines Resort, just down the road from Waterpia towards Seorak Park. They have a large indoor swimming pool (for laps and such), and several outdoor warm pools in a peaceful setting. It's only 12,000 won (7,000 if you area alocal resident), and it's almost never crowded. I would guess that at certain times on weekdays you might have the whole place to yourself. There are also nice deals on hotel rooms with the sauna included, although I can't say anything about the rooms since we live in town.

Of course, if you come in the summer, there are many fine beaches, and if you’ve arranged public transport, they’re all absolutely free.