Looking for something a little different to do this weekend? South Korea is full of interesting caves that are a great adventure to escape the rain or summer heat. South of Seoul challenges its readers to get out and explore the wonderful caves across Korea.
What to Know About Visiting Caves in Korea
- Caves are Cold, You Need a Sweater or Jacket. Ok, caves are cold everywhere but many people forget this when it’s 98 outside. This also makes them the perfect place to visit mid-day in the summer! Make sure you plan for the sudden temperature change.
- Cave floors haven’t all been evened out for your comfort, wear good shoes. We have made the mistake of not wearing the right shoes into caves and it HURTS after a while. Be smarter than us.
- Public Caves in Korea Might be Scary for Folks Scared of Tight Places. Many of the popular caves have extremely restrictive passageways. Sometimes we have had to get down and crawl through areas. We have also had to squeeze through tight areas. Make sure you know about the cave you are visiting before taking someone scared of small spaces. Of course, this is also why we love the caves.
- You Need Tickets and Space is Limited. You may need to reserve tickets in advance. This depends on the cave and public health-related rules (COVID) at the time.
- Caves in Korea are gorgeous. We have visited caves all over the world and the caves here have some very epic rooms that have not been destroyed.
- Caves in Korea have a lot of history. Many caves were used as hideouts during different invasions.
- Some caves are artificially created for fun and enjoyment. This is because caves are cool and comfy places to hang out during the hot summer. They also are great places for wine!
Our Experience Visiting Caves
We have enjoyed all of the caves we’ve visited in South Korea despite not being that into caves. Each of the caves was in such good condition that we finally understood what all the fuss was about. In the past, we visited caves in other countries and they were mostly filled with pictures of what used to exist before people knocked everything down.
10 Caves to Visit in South Korea
Gwangyang Wine Cave
061-794-7788
Copy and paste phone numbers into Naver Maps to get directions
Daelee Cave
033-541-9266
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Yongyeon Cave
033-553-8584
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Hangul Address
강원 태백시 태백로 283-29
The cave is formed by limestone deposited in the Paleolithic Ordovis period are limestone caves that have been slowly dissolved in rainwater and groundwater over the past hundreds of years, and were designated as Gangwon-do Memorial No. 39 on February 26, 1980. Its total length is about 843 meters, and inside the cave is a large square with a width of 50 meters, a length of 130 meters and a height of 30 meters. The internal temperature of the cave is 9 to 11 degrees Celsius, and it is the only dry cave in Korea, with no underground water at the bottom of the cave, but there are 5-6 limpools. There are no underground water at the bottom of the cave, but there are five or six limpools. Lava and limestone are developed everywhere, and many characteristic cave animals are found due to their abundance of humidity and organic quality. It is the highest-level (980 m) cave known in South Korea to date, and is a large and complex three-dimensional old-age cave. Twenty-nine major cave animals have been discovered, and six species of cave animals with their burrows as their parent habitat have been listed.
Gosu Cave
043-422-3072
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Hangul Address
충북 단양군 단양읍 고수동굴길 8
A cool underground cave that is about 1.5km and spirals down using a staircase and tight spaces. Caution: if your claustrophobic, it’s not a good idea.
Hwanseongul Cave
033-541-9266
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Hangul Address
강원 삼척시 신기면 환선로 800
This is the largest cave in Asia.
Seongryugul Cave
054-789-5404
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Gosu Cave
043-422-3072
Copy and paste phone numbers into Naver Maps to get directions
Hangul Address
충북 단양군 단양읍 고수동굴길 8
A cool underground cave that is about 1.5km and spirals down using a staircase and tight spaces. Caution: if your claustrophobic, it’s not a good idea.
Jade Cave (Hwarok Cave)
043-848-0503
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Hangul Address
충북 충주시 목벌안길 26
Cool experience to walk through the jade mine and (short) kayak ride underground. Stroller friendly and cafe available. Plenty of parking.
Small Dragon Palace Cave
Hangul Address
충북 청주시 상당구 문의면 상장리 산46-8
A small and fun little cave.
Gwangmyeong Wine Cave
070-4277-8902
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Hangul Address
경기 광명시 가학로85번길 142
This is a family friendly wine tasting and cave.
Lanae Rivers-Woods moved to Korea in 2011 where she lives in the countryside with her family, friends, and puppies. She holds a BSSW (Bachelor’s of Science in Social Work), a MAIT (Master’s of Arts in International Teaching), and registered by the Pyeongtaek Korean Times with the Korean government as a Cultural Expert.
Ms. Rivers-Woods used her 15 years experience as a social architect, UX/UI designer, and technology consultant to found South of Seoul in 2015. South of Seoul is a volunteer organization that leverages technological tools to mitigate cultural dissonance in multi-cultural communities.
Through South of Seoul, Ms. Rivers-Woods works with independent volunteers, non-profit organizations, businesses, local & federal government, universities, and US military organizations to develop solutions to support English speaking international residents in rural South Korea.
Additionally, Ms. Rivers-Woods founded the South of Seoul smart phone app available for Google Play and iPhone. The app provides information a resources for those living and traveling in South Korea.
When she isn’t in South of Seoul development meetings or working her day job, Ms. Rivers-Woods loves to be outside at skate parks, the beach, or playing in the mountains.
