A major city of the east coast, Gangneung (강릉) is regarded as one of Korea's top summer destinations, owing in part to its wide sandy beaches. Its well-preserved traditions, historical relics, and tourist services have made it a popular school fieldtrip spot, but history buffs may know it best as the home of the Gangneung Danoje Festival, designated a UNESCO World Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2005. The Danoje Festival is rich with ceremonies and rituals, traditional folk games, and other major cultural attributes that have remained relatively unchanged since ancient times. International interest in the city has continued to grow since the festival’s UNESCO designation and an increasing number of tourists visit Gangneung each year.