We review the adaptation strategies of the 21st climate change in an application to sea level rise. For the development of appropriate adaptation strategies on the coast vulnerable to the sea level rise, we have to consider the issues such as where to adapt, how to adapt, and when to adapt. The coastal target needed adaptation can be found by the evaluation of adaptive capacity of the coastal zone which requires the understanding of impacts and adaptive potential of the natural and socioeconomic systems in the coastal zone. Planned adaptation options to sea level rise can be classified into three generic approaches as managed retreat, accommodation, and protection In practice, the implementation of the options requires the analysis of land use, degree of vulnerability, cost and benefit, etc, and may be combination of the options rather than one approach. In terms of the response timing, the adaptation can be grouped as anticipatory and reactive ones. Generally it is more effective to consider both anticipatory and reactive adaptations at the same time for the impacts of future sea level rise. Due to the scientific uncertainty of climate change issues including sea level rise, the adaptation processes have to be designed to deal with a series of processes such as information md awareness establishment, planning and design implementation, and monitoring and evaluation in continuity and long-term period.