If for many of us South Korea is just Seoul, Busan and Jeju and other less well known cities like Jeonju, let me introduce you to a city that is much less well known to tourists: Pohang.
Located in the South-East on the country's coast in a quiet morning, Pohang is unfortunately abandoned at the expense of its neighboring cities Gyeongju and Busan.
One reason is that compared to these, there is theoretically not much to do or visit. At least that's what you're led to believe.
Because in fact, if you dig a little deeper, you will find that Pohang is full of many truly magnificent places and restaurants to try. You simply have to know how to find them, and Google Maps is not always able to help you.
To my great luck, I was able to have the opportunity to visit this city twice. Since my very good Korean friend who lives there gave me the best tips for things to do, I am going to give you my top recommendations so you won't regret your visit to Pohang!
How do I get to Pohang?
You have several choices when it comes to Pohang.
Coming to Pohang by train
The first and fastest mode of transport is the train. Indeed, there is an express line equivalent to the TGV called KTX in Korea. The trip takes about 2.5 hours and costs around 55,000 won (around €37) one way from Seoul station.
My advice : It is best to buy tickets directly at the counter because the prices are much cheaper. For comparison, I took the liberty of looking at the tickets on the Internet, and the prices can be double!
Coming to Pohang by bus
You can also travel to Pohang from Seoul by bus. The duration of the trip is approximately 4:30 and you will pay 38,900. It's cheaper than taking the train, but add 2 more hours to get to your destination.
My advice : Take the bus only for short and medium trips. Because you will indeed lose time on public transport and this can make you even more tired. In this case, see if a nearby city can be interesting to visit to optimize your trips. In the case of Pohang, you can arrive from Andong City, Gyeongju or Busan. And if you have time, then you can arrive from Gangneung.
Coming to Pohang by plane
The last way to get to Pohang is by plane. The flights are this time from Gimpo airport in Seoul, the equivalent of Orly in France. The duration of the trip takes 1 hour and you will pay an average of €80 for the return trip.
My advice : I don't necessarily recommend flying for the following reasons. Even if you save time traveling with the plane, the time to arrive at the airport, to check in if you have luggage to check in, and the wait for the flight, you will already have at least 1 hour to go. Especially since you will not be flexible in your trips because you will be forced to adjust your plans according to the departure time of your flight.
What transport options to go to Pohang?
It all depends on where you are from. From Seoul, I would rather take the KTX train for its speed and I would invest a little more money to optimize my trip.
On the other hand, if you are in Busan, Gyeongju or Andong which are nearby cities, then the bus is by far the best means of transport, and you will also get something for your budget.
What to see in Pohang?
Now let's get to the heart of the matter. Out of curiosity, I researched the Internet by looking at various sites, blogs and videos to get an opinion on what they offer to do in the city of Pohang.
To my surprise, almost no French blogs talk about Pohang, the same for English blogs.
Only one video caught my attention: that of curry cakes. In this case, it's a pretty relaxed vlog about the things she did.
That said, I think that his video is a bit too lifestyle-oriented and does not offer enough food to think about the city of Pohang.
But as you know, I am presenting the best things to do if you choose to come and visit what I consider to be “the hidden pearl” of South Korea.
Yeongildae beach
We start with the city's main tourist attraction, Yeongildae Beach.
Pohang is indeed known for its famous sandy beach and crystal clear water. Korean couples often come to stroll along Yeongildae for its calm aspect, given how few tourists visit it.
Not only can you swim there when temperatures allow you, but you can also walk along the entire coast to admire the sea from all angles.
One activity that many of them do is wake up early and watch the sunrise from the beach. Because its position easily allows you to have a clear view of the horizon and to see the first rays of the Sun.
A key monument to visit is of course the Youngil Pavilion. It is a pier with a traditional Korean pavilion at the end where you can have a view of the entire beach. According to locals, it's also one of the best places to watch the sunrise. A spot to do at least once when visiting Pohang!
In the evening, the atmosphere changes and you will notice the massive presence of young people who go out to eat at the restaurant next to the beach. Several bars and nightclubs are present on the coast, allowing you to discover another side of a Korean evening.
In short, Yeongildae Beach is the place where everything happens in the city of Pohang, both day and night.
Hwanho Park Space Walk
An architectural symbol of Pohang, the Hwanho Park Space Walk was built by the famous Korean steel company Posco.
As a side note, Posco is the world's 4th largest steel producer and is mainly based in Pohang, where it all started. A strategic player in South Korea, it therefore plays a key role in the country's economy by producing steel. This material is subsequently used in the automotive industry and in shipbuilding. You can see this company from the beach very easily. End of the presentation!
Located north of Yeongildae Beach, you will have no trouble walking there to the top of the park. Allow about 20 minutes of walking including the ascent.
As a reward for your efforts, a breathtaking view of the city awaits you. Above all, you can also ride on this intriguing snake-shaped infrastructure, and all for free.
Le Mont Gonlyun
Some of the things to do in Pohang include watching the sunrise. As the city is very well located, you will be the first to admire the sun compared to others in South Korea.
Moreover, it is even customary for Koreans to come to Pohang on purpose to admire the sunrise on January 1. According to my Korean friend, it's a way to celebrate the new year by admiring the first rays of the sun, and start it off well.
One of the spots to watch the sunrise in Pohang is Mount Gonlyun. Heading north of the city by car, you can easily get there in under 15 minutes from Yeongildae Beach.
There is a way to get there by bus. The trip takes about 1 hour 40 minutes. On the other hand, you will surely have missed the sunrise just waiting on the bus. Personally, I may not recommend this mode of transport for this occasion.
The climb is quite steep, so you will need good shoes. Depending on your pace of ascent, it takes about 20 to 40 minutes to reach the summit.
NB : Bring food and water in your backpack, because once you start the ascent, you will have nothing nearby to buy your rations.
Once at the top, you will have an unobstructed and breathtaking view of the sea as well as the city.
Sit on the floor and simply look around for a few minutes.
On the other side of the Mount, you will have different views of the nearby cities as well as the surrounding mountains.
My advice : While young people prefer Seoul as the destination of choice to celebrate New Year's Eve, I suggest you go either to Pohang or Busan to admire the sunrise. There will be fewer people, and the atmosphere is just as festive in both cases!
Jukdo fish market
Now let's go back to the heart of Pohang, and this time we will discover a very famous fish market in the city: Jukdo.
Within it, it is an opportunity for you to do a bit of exploration because there are so many intriguing things to see.
Many stalls are present to allow you to discover many varieties of fish, but not only that. Because you can also find fruit sales, and knick-knacks of all kinds there.
It will be noted that almost all the stalls are held by elderly people. Like everywhere in South Korea, these places have always kept their traditional side, which makes the atmosphere quite special every time you visit these types of places.
And for fish lovers, know that it is possible to eat in local restaurants and taste freshly caught fish in the morning.
Fish bibimbap served with spicy fish soup
For the size of the market alone, it's about a good 30-minute walk to get around and get an idea of Jukdo.
What to eat in Pohang
With my Korean friend, I had the opportunity to eat in various very local places and avoid some classic restaurants. Here, I will reveal to you the names of restaurants that are fairly unknown to the public, especially because everything is written in Korean on Google Maps. Feel free to copy and paste the Korean name to make your search easier!
Korean Beef Plaza
We start with the very first one. This is an all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ located in the south of the city, near Pohang Airport: Korean Beef Plaza.
Unlike the all-you-can-eat restaurants that we know in France, those in Korea are of a higher level, and at really affordable prices.
Here, I am going to present you an all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ like no other, because guess the price... 10,000 won! I repeat again... 10,000 won!
At this price, you will surely tell me that it's rubbish, and that the quality of the meat must be awful. But think again.
As you know, I only recommend the best things on my blog The Solo Backpacker. Promoting uninteresting places to you is not in my values. Here, I only offer heavy items!
According to my friend, you should know that the owner of the restaurant offers some of the best local meats. The objective is to reach a majority of customers by promoting meats raised by farmers near the city of Pohang.
Offering an unlimited BBQ at this price may seem ridiculous, but commercial agreements are established in the background in order to develop the local economy, the city government is in particular part of the game, which is why the restaurant is still operating until now.
On the daily menu, unlimited meat and side dishes: pork, beef, sliced sausage at the counter. The same goes for the side dishes: onions marinated in soy sauce (a real delight), rice, radish, sauces, green salad available.
You can stay as long and serve yourself as many times as you want if you want to explode your belly. So there is no limit, it's up to you to play to finish what you have taken. By the way, you can order drinks for as little as 2,000 won to make it easier for food to pass through your stomach.
At the end, if you have a few pieces of meat left on the grill, there is a Korean tradition which is to add rice, salad, soy, dried seaweed and mix everything with the meat.
You can have fun making shapes while mixing foods. For us, it was a simple heart!
The whole forms what is called a Bokkeumbap, It literally means “fried rice.” Try it for yourself, I am confident you will love it. You should still be hungry!
Jinbae Gihalmae Gukbap ()
Now let's go in the opposite direction, let's head north in the vicinity of the Space Walk infrastructure.
In this area, there is a very local restaurant where only the local population comes to eat a hot soup: it takes place in Jinbae Gihalmae Gukbap ().
As the name suggests (or maybe not after all), the main meal served is Gukbap. It is a beef-based soup with a fairly light taste, but with the possibility of making it a bit more salty with a mini-shrimp sauce.
A platter as an accompaniment to your soup is served to you in addition in order to vary the taste pleasures. Between hot, cold, spicy, salty, you have a complete meal for a really affordable price. Count approximately 8000 won.
Cheongchuntong Dak ()
Not far from the Gukbap restaurant and right in front of Yeongildae Beach, sit on the terrace on the first floor to have a magnificent view of the sea by day in the restaurant Cheongchungtong Dak ().
Its specialty is mainly fried chicken. Vary the pleasures by choosing different marinades: spicy sauce, salty sauce, marinated with honey, garlic.
A special feature in fried chicken restaurants in South Korea is the possibility of making half and half in the marinade. You can then take two marinades instead of one, simply here, the quantity will be divided between each marinade.
On the side, tart radishes as a side dish are offered to add a little freshness between each bite.
Finally, if you like beer, know that the chicken-fried + beer combo is called in Korean”Chimaek”. It is a meal that is very famous for being delivered at home in South Korea.
My advice : take fried chickens without bones, for me they are the best. You'll pay a bit more, but just putting all the chicken in your mouth feels so good. Twisted minds, I see you coming!
Where to stay in Pohang?
During the two times I came to Pohang, I mainly lived with my Korean friend. Except for one night when I chose to sleep in a guesthouse so as not to disturb him.
If you want to be close to all the amenities and the main places I mentioned, then I suggest you stay in Pohang Youngildae Guesthouse.
The price is affordable for its location and what it offers. Count around 37,000 won (around €26) for one night.
In addition, you have a pizzeria just below the guesthouse with a fairly modern decor. For my part, I have never tested, but looking at the images, it seems to be good, but not incredible either.
Here are some images from the site Booking.com to give you a first impression of the accommodation. Sorry, I didn't take a photo this time!
My opinion : Of all the accommodations that exist in Pohang, this is the only guesthouse available in the city. Despite the name “guesthouse”, it is more of a hostel because there is no real common space, which I find unfortunate. But hey, for the price that it is, we can't complain!
How long should I stay in Pohang?
Although Pohang is in South Korea one of the largest cities in the country, in terms of tourism, it has little coastline.
But by knowing the good spots to do, you quickly realize that there are quite a few things to do around.
However, if you don't have a car, it can be complicated to be able to do the places I mentioned above.
If that's the case, then a total of two days is totally sufficient to have done the tour. On the other hand, if you decide to use only public transport, two full days may also be enough, but maybe you can only do the things that are close to Yeongildae Beach.
What to do after Pohang?
When you think you've toured Pohang and want to discover something else, then it's time to move to another city.
In particular, I recommend three cities in the surrounding area that are really worth a visit: Andong, Gyeongju and Busan.
To find out more about Gyeongju, I wrote a full article for a 2 day itinerary on site.
And if you want to go directly to Busan, I also suggest you discover my complete 3 to 4 day itinerary.
For the first, an inter-city bus will allow you to reach it in 1 hour. For Gyeongju, you can also take the bus for a trip of about 1 hour. And for the last one, same but the trip will be longer, about 1 hour 40 minutes.
Conclusion
After writing you a piece about Pohang, I hope to have opened your eyes to this hidden pearl that many tourists ignore at the expense of its neighboring cities such as Gyeongju or Busan.
Even if for several decades Pohang has been considered an industrial city and where the population is mostly employed, it is still an attractive city in the eyes of Koreans.
Between the sunrise, the beach, and local products from fishing and cultivation, you won't be able to find anything more authentic.
Since few people seem to want to talk about this city, I was able to show you through my experience that there are many interesting things to do that are off the beaten track.
Finally, here is the map with the complete list of things to do in Pohang. There are some things that are on the map that I didn't talk about in this article. But if I put them on, then that means it's a place that's definitely worth getting around!
So if you liked this article, tell others about it, I would really like it! 😊
