Cheongcho Lake & Yeongnang Lake
Sokcho City is one of the smallest cities by land area in Korea. But it boasts several natural wonders, including two coastal lakes that lie within two kilometers of one another.
These naturally formed freshwater lagoons sit near the heart of Sokcho’s vibrant downtown. Let’s give them a tour!
Cheongcho Lake
Cheongcho Lake (청초호; map) is an 880,000-square-meter lake in the heart of downtown Sokcho. Around its 4.2 kilometer circumference, you’ll find fishing boats, an expansive park, and scenic views of Sokcho.
Along with Gyeongpo Lake in Gangneung and nearby Yeongnang Lake, Cheongcho Lake is one of the three premier coastal lakes along Korea’s east coast.
Cheongcho Lake formed over centuries as sediment from Cheongcho Stream (청초천; map; Cheongchocheon), which originates high up in the Taebaek Mountains, built a sandbar at the mouth of the stream as it flows into the East Sea. Over time, the freshwater collected inland and formed a freshwater lagoon.
The channel that connected the lake to the East Sea limited development on the lake. Only small fishing vessels could navigate the passage between the lake and the East Sea. So in the 20th century, engineers excavated a portion of the channel near today’s Abai Village. Now the Cheongcho Lake acts as an extension of Sokcho Port (속초항; map) and Dongmyeong Port (동명항; map), which sit along the East Sea coast just east of Cheongcho Lake.
Though natural forces created Cheongcho Lake, take a look at the lake today and you’ll find plenty of straight edges. Why? Development in Sokcho City reclaimed bits of the lake’s shores for buildings and seafood restaurants serving delicacies offloaded from vessels docked along the water’s edge.
Cheongcho Lake Park
Want to check out a bit of nature around Cheongcho Lake? Visit Cheongcho Lake Park (청초호호수공원; map). Established in 1999 to commemorate the Gangwon International Tourism Expo in Sokcho, this park claims the western and southern banks of Cheongcho Lake.
Cheongcho Lake Park holds walking paths lined with 3,700 pine and oak trees, and seasonal treats like tulips in spring, sailboats in summer, chrysanthemums in fall, and snow in winter. Binoculars that line the waterside paths offer visitors a chance to spot migrating birds.
The north end of Cheongcho Lake Park holds the old Chilseong Shipyards (칠성조선소; map), now a hip cafe full of rustic naval artifacts, and Cheongcho Pavilion (청초정; map), a viewing platform that hangs over the lake’s waters at the end of an 80-meter long walkway.
The south end of Cheongcho Lake Park keeps a marina that offers sailing tours of the lake, and a promenade filled with sculptures. One sculpture depicts a Blue Dragon and Yellow Dragon. Legend says that they represent the epic love between Cheongcho (Blue) and Yeongnang (Yellow) Lakes.
Sokcho Expo Tower
The southwest point of the park presents the Sokcho Expo Tower (엑스포타워; map). This 74-meter-tall tower was built for the 1999 Gangwon International Tourism Expo.
Wrapped in offset metallic rings, and featuring an IMAX pavilion at its base, the tower’s observation deck provides a panoramic view of Sokcho and its surroundings, including Cheongcho Lake, the East Sea, Jodo Island, and Seorak Mountain’s Ulsan Rock and Dalma Peak.
- Hours: 9 AM ~ 10 PM
- Fee:
- Individual Adult: 2,500 KRW
- Individual Teenager/Military: 2,000 KRW
- Individual Child: 1,500 KRW
Yeongnang Lake
Yeongnang Lake (영랑호; map; Yeongnangho) hangs two kilometers north of Cheongcho Lake on the top edge of Sokcho’s urban heart. With an 8 kilometer circumference, it is larger and greener than Cheongcho Lake.
Like Cheongcho Lake, Yeongnang Lake formed when sediment from Jangcheon Stream (장천천; map) built a sandbar as it flowed into the East Sea. The blockage built up a freshwater reservoir that became Yeongnang Lake, which supports water-bound species and migrating birds.
Legend of the Lake
Ancient Texts have described Yeongnang Lake’s scenery as exquisite, from its winding shoreline, to its rocky cliffs, to the hillside jutting onto the water’s edge. Tales also claim that immortals once rested and basked in the lake’s ravishing nature.
One legend describes how ancient Silla-era (57 BCE ~ 935 CE) warriors known as Hwarang (신라사선) once traveled and trained in Gwandong (Gangwon Province coast). One of the warriors, Yeongnang, visited the lake and was so captivated by its scenery that he forgot to attend a martial arts competition on Geumgang Mountain (금강산; map) just over today’s DMZ in North Korea. Hence, the name: “Yeongnang Lake.”
Tiger Rock
Yeongnang Lake’s most famed feature is Tiger Rock (범바위; map; Beombawi), listed as one of Eight Scenic Views of Sokcho.
Why the name “Tiger Rock?” Since antiquity, many have believed the rock resembles a crouching tiger. Before urban development expanded into the area, tigers once prowled the dense pine forests that surrounded Yeongnang Lake.
People who follow Korean shamanism still believe the rock holds sacred energy. For centuries, shaman priests have visited Tiger rock to pray and perform ritualistic dances.
Visit Tiger Rock today and you’ll find a set of stairs that lead up to its top. There you can climb on top of the rock, which is actually a collection of boulders, or visit the restored Yeongnang Pavilion (영랑정; map; Yeongnangjeong), where legend says that ancient Hwarang Warriors lounged.
Recreation
Compared to Cheongcho Lake, Koreans know Yeongnang Lake more for its full menu of recreation activities.
- In warm months, boaters and water skiers glide across the lake’s water.
- The Yeongnang Lake Country Club (영랑호CC; map), which sits on the lake’s south banks, offers an 18-hole course.
- And 8 kilometers of walking and cycling paths surround the lake’s perimeter.
Yeongnang Lake Path (영랑호수윗길; map), opened in 2021, is a 400-meter long, 2.5-meter wide pontoon bridge that crosses through the middle of Yeongnang Lake. Plazas at the north and south end of the bridge hold binoculars that offer views of the lake and the many craggy faces of Seorak Mountain. The bridge is open year-round from 7 AM to 9 PM with no entrance fee.
