Gangchon

Introducing Gangchon

Gangchon is a popular resort village that in many ways – with its DVD rooms, bars, dakgalbi restaurants, scooters and bikes – is like the university areas of Seoul. It’s a much prettier place to stay than nearby Chuncheon city, but if you’re solo (or nursing a broken heart) be warned: you may find the ubiquitous cooing couples on tandem bicycles (often wearing matching outfits) a bit hard to stomach.

Hire a bicycle (per hr/day W2000/5000) and ride along the cycleway towards Gugok Pokpo (; 261 0088; adult/youth/child W1600/1000/600; 8am-sunset), which is 6km from the train station. Park your bike at the entrance. Market ladies sell black rice, dried apricots, sweet potatoes, omijacha (five flavours tea), pumpkin jelly sweets and dongdongju (rice wine) homebrew (mmm, homebrew!). Walk for 15 minutes to the delightful waterfall, which cascades down a 50m cliff. The signs on the ropes say ‘Danger: Do not Cross’, but you might not be able to read them since so many people are ducking under to get closer for picture taking.

In winter it’s a popular spot for bingbyeokice climbing). From near the waterfall you can also hike up Bonghwasan (; 486m; closed in April due to chance of fire), which takes around 30 minutes. Buses 10, 50 and 50-1 (W950, 10 minutes, hourly) make trips from Gangchon to the waterfall entrance.

The Gangchon Ski Resort (02-449 6660, 033-260 2000) has 10 slopes and six lifts, and there is a shuttle bus from Gangchon train station in the ski season. It’s 6km back towards Seoul –follow the river.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009