Travel
Sancheong County named one of Korea’s top tourist picks in 2025 survey
Haps Magazine Korea
August 13, 2025
(Image: Sancheong-gun. Photo courtesy of Haps Magazine Korea.)
Sancheong County has been recognized as one of South Korea’s most highly recommended domestic travel destinations, thanks to its rich natural beauty, cultural festivals, and high-quality local products.
According to the 2025 “Travelers and Locals’ Domestic Travel Destination Evaluation and Recommendation Survey” conducted by Consumer Insight, Sancheong earned high rankings across various travel categories among 48,790 respondents nationwide.
It placed second in mountain and valley tourism, third in both hiking and camping, and fifth in agricultural products. Local festivals also ranked eighth overall in recommendation rates.
The Jirisan Dulle-gil Trail and Daewonsa Valley drew particular praise with an 80.6% recommendation rate, while the Jirisan Cheonwangbong–Jungsan-ri mountaineering course came in third nationally.
The Hwangmaesan Auto Camping Site also surged to third in camping destinations, up 35 places from before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sancheong’s diverse attractions, ranging from summer streams to autumn foliage and year-round camping, benefit from its location in the Baekdudaegan mountain range and within a national park zone. These qualities highlight its potential as a multi-seasonal, nature-focused travel destination.
The county’s agricultural offerings also saw strong recognition, placing fifth in the category, an impressive jump of 60 spots since 2019.
Sancheong’s dried persimmons, medicinal herbs, and Chahwang locust rice have become signature products, bolstered by direct-market sales, rural tourism experiences, and events like the Jirisan Sancheong Dried Persimmon Festival.
Local festivals such as the Sancheong Herbal Medicine Festival ranked eighth nationally for travel resources. These events blend specialty products, ecology, traditional culture, and immersive experiences, serving as platforms to share Sancheong’s regional identity.
Consumer Insight noted that the combination of local storytelling, unique themes, event planning, and strong community participation contributed significantly to Sancheong’s rising profile as a must-visit location.