Best Things to Do in Pohang (2026 Guide)

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Last updated: July 2026

Pohang sits on Korea’s far southeastern coast, a city where a working steel port meets some of the country’s most photogenic seascapes. Most travelers know it as the launch point for the sunrise at Homigot, the easternmost tip of the mainland, but Pohang rewards a longer look with fresh-caught seafood markets, a breezy space-park skywalk, and a laid-back canal district that has quietly become the city’s coolest neighborhood. It is the sort of place where you watch the first light of the day break over the East Sea and eat raw fish for lunch straight off the boats.

Getting here is quick: the KTX bullet train links Pohang to Seoul in a little over two and a half hours, and Busan is barely an hour away by bus. Give the city a full day and an overnight, and here is how I would spend it.

Quick Cost Overview: Pohang Attractions

Prices change with season, day of week, and demand. The fares below were checked on 14 July 2026 against official and operator sources – always confirm the current price on the official site or booking system before you go. USD figures are approximate, converted at 1 USD ≈ 1,497 KRW (14 Jul 2026).

Check current prices and book Pohang tours, cruises and East Coast day trips on Klook:
See Pohang tickets & tours on Klook →

Watch the Sunrise at Homigot’s Hand of Harmony

Homigot is the reason many people make the trip, and it lives up to the postcards. On this spit of land jutting into the sea stand two giant bronze hands, one rising from the water and one on the shore, together forming the “Hands of Harmony.” Because this is the first point on the Korean mainland to catch the morning sun, it draws crowds on New Year’s Day, but on any clear morning the sunrise framed by that outstretched bronze hand is genuinely moving. Come early, bring a warm layer, and stay for the small square with its lighthouse museum.

Ride the Space Walk at Hwanho Park

Pohang’s most talked-about attraction is Space Walk, a swooping steel roller-coaster-shaped walkway you can actually climb, gifted to the city by its steelmaker. Set on a hill in Hwanho Park, the spiraling track lets you stroll up into the sky for panoramic views over the harbor, the city, and the sea beyond. It is free, it is open into the evening when the lights come on, and it is the kind of view that makes the whole trip feel worth it.

Eat Your Way Through Jukdo Market

Jukdo is one of the largest traditional markets on the east coast, and it is a seafood lover’s dream. Aisles of tanks brim with the day’s catch, and the specialty here is mulhoe, a cold, tangy raw-fish soup that is pure summer relief, along with grilled fish, snow crab in season, and gwamegi, the half-dried herring that is a local winter delicacy. Pick your fish, have it prepared on the spot, and eat it steps from where it was landed.

Stroll the Pohang Canal and Songdo Beach

The Pohang Canal, cut to reconnect the sea with a downtown neighborhood, has turned Songdo into an easygoing waterside quarter of cafes, murals, and evening strolls. You can take a short cruise boat along the canal, walk the palm-lined Songdo Beach promenade, and cross the illuminated bridges after dark. It is the mellow counterpoint to the drama of the coastline.

Hike or Drive the Homigot Coastal Road

Beyond the sunrise sculpture, the coastline around Homigot and up toward Igari is laced with cliff paths, fishing hamlets, and quiet coves. The Homigot coastal walk and the nearby Igari Anchor Observatory, a viewing deck cantilevered over the waves, give you the raw, wind-scrubbed East Sea at its best. Rent a car or join a tour and you can trace the shore for hours.

Take a Guided Pohang and East Coast Tour

If you would rather have the sunrise timing, the market, and the coastal viewpoints handled without the logistics, a guided day tour is the easy way to do it. A local guide sorts the early Homigot start, the best seafood stops, and the Space Walk and canal, stitching the highlights into one smooth loop.

Where to Stay in Pohang

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The choice here is between the beach and the harbor.

Around Yeongildae Beach and Bukbu, the wide crescent of sand right beside downtown, you will find sea-view hotels within walking distance of restaurants, night markets, and the water — the easiest base for a first visit.

Closer to the port and Jukdo Market sit handy business hotels that put you minutes from the fish market and the KTX connections, ideal if you want an early start for the Homigot sunrise.

What to Pack

Pohang is a sunrise-and-seaside city, so pack a light windproof layer even in summer — the wind off the East Sea has a bite at dawn. Korea runs on 220V Type C/F outlets, so bring a universal travel adapter to keep everything charged. And because a good Pohang day starts before dawn at Homigot and runs late along the lit-up canal, a slim power bank keeps your phone and camera alive for all of it.

Getting Around

Getting to Pohang is simple — the KTX from Seoul reaches the city in about two and a half hours, and buses from Busan take roughly an hour. In town, the beach, canal, and market are walkable, while local buses and taxis handle the run out to Homigot and the coastal viewpoints. One full day covers the market, Space Walk, and canal; add an overnight so you can catch a fresh sunrise at Homigot before the crowds arrive.