Gangneung teacher-gift snack shop in Gyodong: ₩17,000 10-piece box

Why Gangneung Sand Main Branch for a Gangneung travel gift

Gangwon-do's Gangneung, a place I hadn't visited since a honeymoon summer trip years ago, this time with the kids. This Gangneung trip was so much fun,,🥹✨🤍 The kids are still little so we only stayed one night, but we still managed to get around, and at the famous Gangneung souvenir shop Gangneung Sand Main Branch I packed some Gangneung travel gifts — snacks for my first kid's daycare teacher and for my in-laws. Back in Seoul, when we dropped my first kid off at daycare, she held out the bag of Gangneung Sand and said "It's bread!" and the teacher instantly recognized it as Gangneung Sand and asked, "Did you go to Gangneung?" My daughter hadn't even mentioned the word Gangneung, so she seemed puzzled how the teacher knew 🤣 Turns out it's a famous Gangneung dessert every adult already knows, sweetie —

Where Gangneung Sand Main Branch is and its Santorini-style building

Located in Gyodong, close to Gangneung attractions like Gangneung Station, Ojukheon, Gyeongpo Lake, and Gangmun Beach, Gangneung Sand Main Branch is a dessert shop specializing in Gangneung travel gifts. On the way up to the building, I noticed they were also making Gangneung breakwater bread. Great idea for a shape, and honestly, isn't it just too cute,, 🌊

Gangneung Sand Main Branch has a real Santorini-in-Greece vibe. It's a huge building, and they were running a photo exhibition called <Where the Eyes Linger>. I love exhibitions and wanted to see it, but the kids were waiting in the car, so I just quickly packed the Gangneung Sand boxes and left. If you have more time, it'd be nice to browse the photo exhibition while you're there buying Gangneung Sand, and take a photo at the Santorini-style building too.

Elevator access for strollers and wheelchairs, plus the 3rd-floor sand play zone

From the building entrance, which has parking, there's an elevator up to the 2nd floor where Gangneung Sand is sold, so it's easy to visit for buying Gangneung souvenirs even with a stroller, wheelchair, or if you have mobility difficulties. I didn't go up to the 3rd floor, but apparently there's a sand play zone where you can operate mini excavators, bulldozers, and dump trucks and dig for treasure in the sand. It requires payment and is for ages 10 and up — I imagine elementary and middle school boys would absolutely love it 🚚🚧

Six Gangneung Sand flavors and how the boxes are sold

Gangneung Sand is an award-winning Gangneung souvenir dessert. Many customers buy it to take away, but the café also has seating and a photo zone inside.

Gangneung Sand comes in six flavors total for Gangneung travel gifts: coffee, dried persimmon, Chodang corn, black sesame, strawberry, and purple sweet potato. You can't buy pieces individually — it's sold only as a 10-piece box.

They also sell drinks like a persimmon latte, strawberry latte, Daegwallyeong samgye (chicken) latte, peach iced tea, and canned Americano, plus breakwater bread and persimmon jam. I'm curious what the samgye latte tastes like — I'll have to try it next time I'm in Gangneung!

Two boxes, Chodang corn and black sesame, at ₩17,000 each

I packed two boxes — Chodang corn flavor for the daycare snack and black sesame as a gift for my in-laws. Each box holds 10 pieces of Gangneung Sand and costs ₩17,000. The box design is pretty, and there are stickers on the outside making it easy to tell which flavor is which, which makes it a great choice for a Gangneung travel gift.

Each piece comes individually wrapped, so it's easy to eat one at a time as a snack or share with several people — a Gangneung dessert that works both ways.

What the black sesame sand tastes like

Each piece has the Gangneung Sand logo stamped on it, so it's a dessert that (in a way?) shows off you've been to Gangneung. I tried one of the black sesame ones I gave my in-laws, and it's not overly sweet, so it's good as a light snack. Even better with a cup of coffee ✨