East Asia · South Korea
Sokcho & Goseong
Canyon and boulder reefs in cold East Sea water, a few hours from Seoul
Sokcho and the Goseong shore just north of it are a cold-water rock coast on Korea's East Sea, with 35 dive businesses registered in Goseong and 11 in Sokcho. The boat from Gyoam runs to Ulsanbawi, a canyon full of rockfish, and to the massive granite boulders of Geumgangsan. Seopbawi lies near Sokcho port, and Ayajin adds beach and breakwater entries. The bottom deepens quickly, and at Geumgangsan the mountain landscape of the Geumgang range carries on beneath the waves.
About diving in Sokcho & Goseong
At Gyoam port the Cheonhakjeong base sends divers out on a speedboat fitted with a lift, and the usual run takes in Ulsanbawi, then the square artificial reef, then Geumgangsan. At Cheongganjeong the boat has two small platforms that lift divers out of the water, and it goes out for one dive at a time with everyone kitted up. Boat dives need a minimum number of divers. Surface current can build on the way down, so descents follow the mooring line to the bottom. Ayajin is the shore option, with beach and breakwater entries as well as boat dives.
The coast is rock. Bedrock and underwater cliffs with seaweed run along the Goseong shore, and the East Sea floor deepens quickly. Where the rock gives out, flat sand takes over, and life gathers on big rocks and concrete reef blocks for shelter: sea stars, sea anemones, gorgonians, nudibranchs and shrimps. Octopus live among the rocks and seaweed at Ayajin.
The coast suits divers who are at ease in cold water and come for rock scenery rather than fish; at Daejidae the fish are few and not very colourful. The deep bottom layers stay cold, which makes a drysuit the sensible suit for the deep sites. Visiting foreigners face a real hurdle: there is no English text on the dive centre websites, most centres keep only a Korean Naver blog, and a centre may turn down a booking when it cannot brief in English.
Beginners have a place here, since resorts run try dives, fun dives and training, and Geumgangsan has shallow ground beside its deep rock. Beach access at Ayajin is easy, though the nearby sites deepen quickly, so a shallow plan needs watching. Divers who want warm water and reliable clarity will find the East Sea hard going, especially in summer when plankton blooms cloud the water.
Best time to dive Sokcho & Goseong
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good |
In January and February the east coast sits at 2 to 4 °C. Cheonhakjeong's resort stays open every day of the year, so diving is not limited to summer. July to October is the best stretch for diving the East Sea. Summer is also the rainy season and the beach high season, and plankton blooms and suspended matter cut the visibility. Even in August the water rarely passes 21 °C.
Dive types & marine life
Schools of rockfish fill the Ulsanbawi canyon, and octopus hide among the rocks and seaweed at Ayajin. Sea stars, sea anemones, several nudibranch species and shrimps show on the sand-and-rock site at Daejidae, and gorgonians grow on the concrete blocks of the Cheongganjeong artificial reef.
- Reef
- Reef fish swarms
- Octopus & cuttlefish
- Nudibranchs
Best dive sites in Sokcho & Goseong
- 1
Ulsanbawi
Rock point cut by a large canyon, crowded with schools of rockfish; the first dive of the usual boat run.
- 2
Geumgangsan
Massive granite boulders with shallow parts for new divers and deep rock to 40 m.
- 3
Seopbawi (Blue Mussel Rock)
Huge rocks grown with undamaged soft corals near Sokcho port; dives here reach 43 m.
- 4
Cheongganjeong artificial reef
Wide concrete block frames on flat sand, big enough to swim through, with anemones and gorgonians.
- 5
Daejidae
Big rocks on a flat sandy bottom, dotted with sea stars, anemones, nudibranchs and shrimps.
- 6
Ayajin
Rocky beach and harbour with beach, breakwater and boat entries; octopus live on its rocks.
Site guides
Reef
A maze of granite boulders that mirrors the Geumgang mountains
How to get to Sokcho & Goseong
Express buses from Seoul reach the Sokcho Express Bus Terminal in about two and a half to three hours, and Yangyang International Airport is the nearest airport. The resorts line the Goseong shore at Cheonjin, Cheongganjeong, Gyoam and Ayajin; Cheonhakjeong is about 10 minutes from Sokcho, and OK Dive is 5 km from the Sokcho terminal.
Photos from Sokcho & Goseong
Bernard Gagnon · CC0
Questions divers ask
Can foreign divers book dives in Sokcho and Goseong?+
Yes, with patience. There is no English text on the centre websites, most centres run only a Korean Naver blog, and a centre may decline divers it cannot brief in English. Confirm the diving before booking transport and a room.
Is a drysuit needed for diving Sokcho and Goseong?+
For the deep sites, yes: the bottom layers stay cold and a drysuit is recommended there. In January and February the water on this coast falls to 2 to 4 °C.
Is the diving from shore or boat?+
Both. The resorts at Gyoam and Cheongganjeong run boats with lifts, while Ayajin offers beach and breakwater entries as well as boat dives.
Can a new diver dive Geumgangsan?+
Yes. The site has shallow ground beside its deep rock, so it serves beginners and experienced divers alike. The deep sections reach 40 m and are rated advanced.
Sources
- Sokcho SCUBA Diving - Mission Impossible in South Korea — Dive O'Clock
- 천학정다이브리조트 — Korea Trip Tips
- Korea Scuba Diving — Seoulz
- 천학정스쿠버리조트 (Cheonhakjeong Scuba Resort) — Dive to Korea
- 청간정스쿠버리조트 (Cheongganjeong Scuba Resort) — Dive to Korea
- OK다이브 스킨스쿠버 — Dive to Korea
- 아야진 (Ayajin) — Dive to Korea
- Geumgangsan (금강산) — DivePlanner Pro
- 속초, 섭바위 다이빙 – Blue Mussel Rock – East Sea of Korea — Eunjae Im
- Sokcho — Wikivoyage
Photo credits
- A red and a white lighthouse on rock breakwaters either side of a harbour mouth, seen across blue sea from a sandy beach with two people walking. by Bernard Gagnon, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
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