Sacheon Beach: 12,617 visitors in 2024 and five free car parks
Sacheon Beach in Gangneung is a quiet stretch of sand between Gyeongpodae and Yeongok beaches. Here are its 2024 visitor count of 12,617, five free car parks within 1.02 km, six passed water tests in 2025, and nearby hospitals and lodging.
Data as of 2026-10-30
Sacheon Beach in Gangneung sits between Gyeongpodae Beach and Yeongok Beach. According to the Korea Tourism Organization, it is 300 m long and covers 18,000 square metres, and it opened on 1 July 1975. A wide pine forest backs the sand, and the water is shallow. The tourism organization says the beach draws scuba divers, anglers and families. Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries data lists the sand as 200 m long and 50 m wide, so the length differs slightly between sources.
How busy is it?
Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries figures show between 3,051 visitors (2022) and 17,378 visitors (2016) a year from 2015 to 2024. 2016 was the highest year in that period. The count was 7,978 in 2019 and 15,720 in 2020, and it reached 12,617 in 2024. That is 158% of the 2019 level. The Korea Tourism Organization describes the beach as quiet, without big crowds.
Parking: five free car parks within 1.02 km
Korea's national parking registry lists five public car parks within 1.02 km of the beach. All five are recorded as free and open from 00:00 to 23:59.
| Car park (Korean name) | From the beach | Spaces | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sacheon Port public car park 1 (사천항 공영주차장1) | 610 m | 100 | Free |
| Sacheon Port public car park 2, temporary (사천항 공영주차장2) | 740 m | 60 | Free |
| Sacheonjin-ri beach road car park (사천진리 해변길 주차장) | 840 m | 11 | Free |
| Car park near the Sacheonjin health clinic (사천진 보건진료소 근처 주차장) | 870 m | 62 | Free |
| Car park in front of Hoban Verdium (사천 호반베르디움 앞 주차장) | 1.02 km | 49 | Free |
These are registered details and may differ on site. Follow the signs on the day.
Water and safety
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries tested the seawater at Sacheon six times in 2025, and all six results were rated suitable. Ten toilets are registered near the beach. For an accident at sea, call the Korea Coast Guard on 122. The nearest coast guard station is Gangdong Station (강동파출소), 5.4 km away.
If you need a doctor
The nearest emergency room is Gangneung Asan Hospital (강릉아산병원), a regional emergency medical centre 2.2 km away. Gangneung Dongin Hospital (강릉동인병원), a local emergency medical centre, is 6.7 km away. Three pharmacies are nearby: Sinbaksa Yale Pharmacy (신박사예일약국) at 0.9 km, Obeon Pharmacy (오번약국) at 1.1 km and Baeksae Pharmacy (백세약국) at 2.3 km. Only Sinbaksa Yale is listed as open on Sundays. In an emergency, call 119.
Where to stay
There are 56 licensed lodgings within 3 km of the beach: 40 residence-style, 8 motels and inns, 5 hotels and 3 others. Pensions and farm-stay guesthouses are registered under a different system, so they are not in this count. For camping, Seojeong Caravan Pension (서정카라반펜션, standard campsite) and Base Camp (베이스캠프, glamping) are both 0.6 km away, and Wow Park (와우파크, standard campsite) is 1.3 km away. The auto-camping site Yeongok Beach Solhyanggi Campground (연곡해변 솔향기캠핑장) is 3.9 km away.
Distances are straight-line. Opening hours and fees can change, so check again before you travel. Emergency 119 · Coast Guard 122
- Ministry of the Interior and Safety, national parking registry (records dated 2026-03-11 to 2026-10-01)
- National Medical Center, emergency departments (retrieved 2026-10-11)
- National Medical Center, pharmacies (retrieved 2026-10-11)
- Ministry of the Interior and Safety, lodging licences (retrieved 2026-10-11)
- Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, beach visitor statistics (2015 to 2024, retrieved 2026-10-11)
- Ministry of the Interior and Safety, public toilets (retrieved 2026-10-10)
- Korea Tourism Organization GoCamping (campsites) (retrieved 2026-10-10)
- Korea Coast Guard station locations (retrieved 2026-10-11)
- Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, beach water quality tests (2025 season tests, retrieved 2026-10-10)