Surf spot

38th Parallel

Forecast conditions and map view for 38th Parallel in South Korea. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: South Korea
Coordinates: 38.0061, 128.7327

Metric
Metric	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00
Wave height (m)	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.1	0.1	0.3	0.4	0.4	0.7	0.7	0.8	0.9	0.9	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.4	0.4	0.6	0.7	0.8	0.8	1	1	1	1	1	1
Wave direction	NE	E	ENE	E	ENE	E	E	ENE	ENE	E	E	ESE	ESE	ESE	E	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	N	N	NNE	NE	NE	NE	NE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	E	E	E	E	E	E	E
Wave period (s)	4.8	4.2	4.3	3.7	4.3	4.3	4.5	4.5	4	3.8	3.8	2.4	2.5	2.7	3.5	3.5	3.5	3.5	3.6	3.6	3.6	2.5	3	3.7	4.2	4.7	4.5	4.3	4.2	4.2	4.1	4.1	4	3.9	3.8	3.8	3.6	3.6	3.6	3.6	3.6	3.7	3.8	4.5	4.8	4.8	4.5	4.6	4.7	4.9	4.9	5	5.1	5.2	5.2	5.2
Wave energy (kJ)	3	2	3	2	3	2	2	2	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	2	5	18	20	28	27	26	23	18	15	11	8	6	5	4	3	3	3	3	3	3	4	7	8	15	22	31	32	46	50	54	55	53	51
Wind speed (km/h)	9.7	10.4	9.8	1.8	7.6	7.6	3.8	4.5	4.7	5.8	6.6	2.3	5.2	1.1	8.5	11.3	12.3	12.6	13.1	8.1	15.6	14.6	7.3	3.3	3.6	5.9	5.2	1.6	7.4	10.9	3.1	9.2	10.1	11.5	9.6	2.3	10.8	8.7	3.1	7.8	7.9	8.8	8.7	1.8	7.9	10	5.2	6.6	8.8	6.4	3.9	2	5.2	7.2	3.9	3.9
Wind direction	WSWOffshore	WSWOffshore	WOffshore	SEGlassy	EOnshore	ESECross-on	SSEGlassy	SSWGlassy	WSWGlassy	WOffshore	WSWOffshore	WSWGlassy	ESECross-on	ESEGlassy	SWCross-off	WSWOffshore	WSWOffshore	WSWOffshore	WSWOffshore	WSWOffshore	NNECross-on	NCross-on	NNECross-on	NNWGlassy	NWGlassy	WOffshore	WSWOffshore	NNEGlassy	ENEOnshore	EOnshore	NEGlassy	WSWOffshore	SWOffshore	WSWOffshore	WSWOffshore	WNWGlassy	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	SEGlassy	SWOffshore	WSWOffshore	WSWOffshore	WOffshore	EGlassy	EOnshore	ESEOnshore	SECross-on	SWOffshore	WSWOffshore	WSWOffshore	WSWGlassy	NEGlassy	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	NEGlassy	SWGlassy

38th Parallel in South Korea is a well-known surf spot on the country’s east coast, named after its proximity to the latitude line that divides North and South Korea. It’s typically associated with Yangyang County, one of South Korea’s most popular surf areas.

What it’s like

Wave type: Mostly a beach break, with sandy-bottom peaks that can produce fun, fast waves.
Best conditions: It tends to work best with autumn typhoon swells and winter storm energy from the East Sea.
Wave quality: Can be quite good for South Korea, offering clean, workable waves when swell direction and wind line up.
Crowds: It can get busy, especially during peak surf season, since Yangyang is a major surf hub.

Why surfers like it

Reliable access compared with many other Korean spots.
A mix of mellow waves for intermediates and occasionally punchier sections when the swell is up.
Convenient location near surf cafes, rentals, and a growing surf culture.

Things to know

Conditions can change quickly depending on wind and swell.
Water is often cold enough to require a wetsuit much of the year.
Like many Korean surf spots, it’s strongly seasonal, with the best surfing usually from late summer through fall.