Gangneung gift shop, 5 coffee butter cream boxes: Gangneung Sand
In short
Gangneung Sand Main Branch is a souvenir dessert shop on Seonggokgoyang-gil in Gangneung, Gangwon. The writer bought 5 gift boxes of the coffee butter cream flavor on the second floor, parked free in the lots on both sides of the building, and looked around floors that each have their own concept. Gangneung Sand Main Branch covers all your Gangneung travel gifts in one stop, though not buying the breakwater bread turned into a lasting regret.
Good to know
- Address
- 31 Seonggokgoyang-gil 5beon-angil, Gangneung-si, Gangwon (floors 1-3)
- Hours
- Daily 09:30-19:00 (last order 18:30)
- Parking
- Free parking on both sides of the building
- Shop floor
- Gangneung Sand is sold on the 2nd floor
- Flavors
- Strawberry, coffee, dried persimmon, black sesame, purple sweet potato, and Chodang corn butter cream
- Branches
- Main branch, Branch 1 (behind Homeplus at Jungang Market), Branch 2 (Chodang-dong), Branch 3 (Ponam-dong)
as written by the visitor on Sep 20, 2026
Gangneung travel souvenirs, Gangneung Sand, Gangneung souvenirs — Gangneung Sand Main Branch
Gangneung Sand Main Branch
- Address: 31 Seonggokgoyang-gil 5beon-angil, Gangneung-si, Gangwon, South Korea
- Hours: Daily 09:30-19:00 (last order 18:30)
- Parking available
Why Gangneung Sand works as a Gangneung souvenir
I visited Gangneung Sand Main Branch, apparently a go-to spot for Gangneung souvenirs and travel gifts! If you need to grab a souvenir or snack while visiting Gangneung, pay attention!
I agonized over what to buy, and Gangneung Sand felt like exactly the right Gangneung travel gift, so I headed to the main branch. The Gangneung Sand cookies are stamped with '강릉' (Gangneung), making them a proper Gangneung travel souvenir dessert! Plus — this is the original shop that won the gold prize at the 2022 Gangneung City Tourism Souvenir Competition, so I had to come. You have to visit the original, right?? Winning gold at a tourism souvenir competition — even if it weren't a Gangneung souvenir, isn't that reason enough to try it at least once?
Free parking and first impressions at Gangneung Sand Main Branch
The parking at Gangneung Sand Main Branch is free, and you can park on either side of the building. The main branch itself looked like a massive castle. A gold-prize-winning Gangneung Sand shop, so cool... The neighborhood around the main branch is so quiet and peaceful it felt like landing somewhere on Jeju Island.
The shop is on the 2nd floor: check the cookie stamp for the original
Time to focus and go buy some Gangneung Sand! To purchase, head to the 2nd floor. Apparently you need to watch out for imitations — the real Gangneung Sand cookies have '강릉샌드' (Gangneung Sand) stamped on them, so make sure to check. I went straight to the main branch where the stamp is guaranteed authentic. If you're worried, I highly recommend visiting the main branch! It's huge, so it's also a nice spot to relax with a cup of coffee.
The Gangneung Sand Main Branch building reminded me of a Pocari Sweat can, haha 🩵 Besides the main branch, there's Branch 1 behind Homeplus at Jungang Market, Branch 2 in Chodang-dong, Branch 3 in Ponam-dong, and the main branch — you can pick whichever is closest, since you can find Gangneung Sand pretty much anywhere in Gangneung! (If you have time or you're near the main branch, I highly recommend it!)
The main branch really is massive! When I arrived, a strong butter smell was already in the air — that rich, toasty scent let me imagine the flavor before I even tasted it! I bought them as gifts, but honestly I just wanted to devour them myself...
Gangneung Sand flavors and my 5 coffee butter cream boxes
Gangneung Sand comes in several flavors — strawberry butter cream, coffee butter cream, dried persimmon butter cream, black sesame butter cream, purple sweet potato butter cream, and Chodang corn butter cream — and I went with 5 boxes of coffee!!!! Because Gangneung means coffee, right?
The box packaging is so pretty, right? The boxes are also really sturdy and upscale, so it was a great pick for a Gangneung souvenir snack!
If you're worried about what to buy as a Gangneung travel souvenir, I really recommend Gangneung Sand! The boxes alone feel so upscale!
The breakwater bread I regret not buying
They also had Gangneung breakwater bread (bangpaje-ppang), and I have no idea why I just looked and didn't buy it....? Now I'm home regretting it, hahahahahahaha
So cool of me to only buy exactly what I needed for gifts...? Except I'm not actually that cool, why did I just leave empty-handed for myself.... Next time I go to Gangneung, I'm definitely buying the breakwater bread too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (writing this post is making me so curious 🥲)
If you're looking for a Gangneung souvenir while traveling, Gangneung Sand makes such a great gift! Such an upscale Gangneung Sand.
A different concept on every floor at Gangneung Sand Main Branch
Gangneung Sand Main Branch really is like a Gangneung Sand castle! With that toasty scent drifting around and each floor having its own concept, it's fun just to explore!
If you're only planning to buy Gangneung Sand, don't come home and regret it like me — get the breakwater bread too..... They apparently have an official Gangneung Sand online store too. I only tried one thing because I was buying purely for gifts, and it was a bit of a shame, so I guess I'll order my own share online 😅
Where it is
31 Seonggokgoyang-gil 5beon-angil, Gangneung-si, Gangwon, South Korea강원특별자치도 강릉시 성곡고양길5번안길 31 1층~3층
