# Gangneung Sand Main Branch: sand play zone fee and breakwater bread

- By Daeun (https://superchart.com/en/@pine-porcelain-days/)
- Written Sep 9, 2026
- Updated Sep 14, 2026
- Local places › Cafés › Gangneung, Gangwon
- Sponsored: This visit was sponsored by the business.
- English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@pine-porcelain-days/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone/
- Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@pine-porcelain-days/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone/index.md) · [日本語](https://superchart.com/ja/@pine-porcelain-days/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone/index.md)

## In short

Gangneung Sand Main Branch is a three-story dessert café and gift shop in Seonggok-dong, Gangneung, Gangwon. Visitors can buy Chodang corn and strawberry sand cookies while exploring the first-floor exhibition room, sand play zone (experience zone ₩7,000, event zone ₩10,000), and rooftop viewpoint, with ample parking and elevators throughout. A great stop to pick up Gangneung travel souvenirs and rest with kids.

## Good to know

- **Sand cookie flavors**: Coffee, persimmon, strawberry, black sesame, Chodang corn, sweet potato — 6 total
- **Price**: ₩17,000 for 10 pieces, all flavors except coffee
- **Storage**: 14 days at room temperature, 30 days refrigerated
- **Other products**: Gangneung breakwater bread, persimmon jam, signature drinks
- **Sand play zone fees**: Experience zone ₩7,000, event zone ₩10,000
- **Building**: 3 floors; 1st floor has exhibition room, rooftop viewpoint, and outdoor seating
- **Parking**: Ample parking, elevators to all floors (stroller-friendly)
- **Shipping**: Delivery available

*as written by the visitor on Sep 9, 2026*

🍪 Gangneung dessert spotlight: Gangneung Sand Main Branch 🍪

- Great pick for Gangneung travel souvenirs
- Look for the "Gangneung Sand" stamp on the cookies
- The main branch also has fun activities and things to see

Gangneung really is a food paradise, isn't it? But your stomach is only so big, so you have to prioritize what to bring home haha. One item that's both a great souvenir and genuinely tasty is Gangneung Sand. I made the trip out to the main branch and picked up the Chodang corn and strawberry flavors — here's my honest review.

## Gangneung Sand Main Branch: a full three-story building

I'd tried Gangneung Sand before, but this was my first time visiting the main branch, and it turns out the whole building — all three floors — belongs to them?! It was huge!! I felt like I was witnessing the true scale of Gangneung Sand.

![Exterior of the three-story Gangneung Sand Main Branch building](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone-01-ic1fx-900.webp)

![White building with a Santorini-like feel at Gangneung Sand Main Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone-02-1fggv-900.webp)

It kind of gave off Santorini vibes. If you have the time, I'd recommend stopping by the main branch — especially since there are things for kids to do too!!

![Entrance and surrounding space of the Gangneung Sand Main Branch building](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone-03-1sfl2-900.webp)

There's plenty of parking, and you can get everywhere by elevator, so it's easy to get around even with a stroller.

Gangneung Sand is famous enough to have won awards from various places. By the way, each cookie has "Gangneung Sand" stamped right into it — worth checking out.

![Sign showing the "Gangneung Sand" stamp visible on the cookies](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone-04-pr1sq-900.webp)

## Gangneung Sand flavors and prices

Before touring the main branch, I ordered the sand cookies first. There are six flavors total.

- Coffee
- Persimmon
- Strawberry
- Black sesame
- Chodang corn
- Sweet potato

All flavors except coffee are ₩17,000 for a box of 10. They also sell some special items like Gangneung breakwater bread and persimmon jam.

🌟 How to store Gangneung Sand 🌟 14 days at room temperature, 30 days refrigerated. It keeps for quite a while.

![Display case with six Gangneung Sand flavors](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone-05-1fkqj-900.webp)

I ordered two flavors: Chodang corn and strawberry 🌟

![Boxes of Chodang corn and strawberry Gangneung Sand cookies](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone-06-1e6zs-900.webp)

Here's a handy flavor guide: strawberry, which kids love; nutty black sesame, which parents love; the new purple sweet potato; sweet persimmon; and the signature coffee flavor.

![Guide to recommended Gangneung Sand flavors](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone-07-zo985-900.webp)

![Gangneung Sand gift sets displayed in the store](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone-08-1tsp5-900.webp)

![Store display with persimmon jam and signature drinks](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone-09-yrf11-900.webp)

There was also a variety of other items like persimmon jam and signature drinks. The persimmon jam is especially sweet, so I'd recommend it if you have a sweet tooth.

![Display of sweet persimmon jam products](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone-10-v6iiv-900.webp)

### The breakwater bread really is shaped like a breakwater

Wait, isn't the breakwater bread just so cute? At first I heard "breakwater bread" and was like, where's the bread part?? haha, but it really does look like a breakwater.

![Gangneung breakwater bread shaped like a breakwater](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone-11-1ir4t-900.webp)

This is how the breakwater bread, a Gangneung dessert, gets packaged! The packaging is adorable too.

![Packaging for the breakwater bread](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone-12-u9qle-900.webp)

Delivery shipping is also available. But somehow it feels like it's better to come buy it in person?!

![Delivery shipping guide and packaging box for Gangneung Sand](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone-13-1rskr-900.webp)

## Grabbing a drink and checking out the exhibition room

This was my first time at the main branch — it's quite spacious and a nice place to sit and have a drink.

![Indoor seating at Gangneung Sand Main Branch for enjoying drinks](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone-14-1dfty-900.webp)

![Quiet café space inside Gangneung Sand Main Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone-15-x9acj-900.webp)

![Spacious main hall of Gangneung Sand Main Branch café](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone-16-kg0n9-900.webp)

It was quieter than I expected, so I'd recommend it if you want to relax without a crowd!!

There's also a separate exhibition room on the first floor, so there's something to browse too.

![Separate exhibition room set up on the first floor](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone-17-p1arv-900.webp)

When the weather's nice, you can also rest outside.

![Outdoor space for resting on nice-weather days](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone-18-cvi9z-900.webp)

## How much is the sand play zone experience fee?

There's also a sand play zone. Maybe because it's called "Sand"...? There was quite a variety of heavy equipment toys haha. There's an experience zone and an event zone, and each comes with its own fee (₩7,000 and ₩10,000).

![Sand play zone with heavy-equipment ride toys](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone-19-mtxvf-900.webp)

You can let the kids play here while you sip coffee.

![Seating for coffee right next to the sand play zone](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone-20-1ta6m-900.webp)

There's also a rooftop viewpoint haha. The view from up there is great — you can see quite far out.

![Far-reaching view from the Gangneung Sand Main Branch rooftop viewpoint](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone-21-qt2zu-900.webp)

The building was bigger than I expected, with a lot to see. I'd recommend taking a look around at least once.

## So how are the Chodang corn and strawberry flavors?

![Individually wrapped Chodang corn and strawberry Gangneung Sand cookies](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone-22-cwc9s-1200.webp)

![Cross-section of the strawberry Gangneung Sand cookie](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone-23-14q1a-900.webp)

![Cross-section of the Chodang corn Gangneung Sand cookie](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone-24-1rylj-900.webp)

A good sand cookie needs a crispy shell, and Gangneung Sand's outer layer was sweet, nutty, and crispy — full-on buttery flavor ✨✨ The strawberry one actually tastes like strawberry, and the corn one has real corn in it.

Personally, I liked the strawberry one more. The strawberry flavor isn't artificial — it has that tangy taste of real strawberries, which paired nicely with the nutty crunch of the outer shell. If you're buying for kids or want something crowd-pleasing, I'd recommend strawberry! But if you're into more subtle, savory flavors, go for the corn — it's not too sweet, and you can actually feel the corn kernels as you bite in, which is nice.

I'm currently doing one-sand-a-day to relive my Gangneung memories 🥹

## Where it is

- Gangneung Sand Main Branch (강릉샌드 본점)
- 31 Seonggokgoyang-gil 5beon-angil, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do, South Korea (1st–3rd floor)
- 강원특별자치도 강릉시 성곡고양길5번안길 31 1층~3층
- 37.7775285, 128.8901364
- Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%EA%B0%95%EB%A6%89%EC%83%8C%EB%93%9C%20%EB%B3%B8%EC%A0%90/@37.7775285,128.8901364,17z

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Superchart · https://superchart.com/en/@pine-porcelain-days/gangneung-sand-flagship-sand-play-zone/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt