Danyang

Danyang (단양, 丹陽), formerly romanized as Tanyang, is a resort town in North Chungcheong, South Korea. Danyang is the home of the mountain life where the Namhangang River flows and Sobaeksan Mountain stands like a folding screen. It is a place where Danyang Palgyeong is like a gem in nature.

Understand

Perched by the lake, surrounded by three national parks and dotted with caves and temples, Danyang is considered North Chungcheong's top attraction. The modern town of Danyang dates only to 1986, as most of the old city was submerged beneath the waters of the artificial Chungju Lake. Throughout town, you'll see statues, pictures and even lampposts of a guy with huge eyebrows, holding hands with a lady. This is Ondal, a jester in the imperial court, who managed to break through Korea's strict caste system to marry the princess Pyeonggang and become a respected general.

Danyang is very known for historical caves in Korea. There are so many historical caves in Danyang, for example you can see the cave 'Danyang Geumgul cave site'. Due to the extensive development of limestone areas, there are many limestone erosion caves such as Gosu Cave, Nodong Cave, Cheondong Cave, and Ondal Cave. The caves are full of mysterious images of the beginning, including stalactites, stalagmites, stalagmites, and lakes.

Climate

Danyang
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D       26     3 −8       22     6 −5       48     12 −1       84     21 5       124     27 11       173     31 16       316     33 20       315     33 20       160     27 15       60     22 8       40     13 0       27     5 −6 Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation+Snow totals in mm Korea Meteorological Administration
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D       1     37 18       0.9     42 22       1.9     54 31       3.3     70 41       4.9     80 52       6.8     87 61       12     91 68       12     91 67       6.3     80 58       2.4     72 46       1.6     56 33       1     40 22 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation+Snow totals in inches

Danyang is located in the inland mountainous region and has an inland climate with severe temperature crossings. The average annual temperature is 11.5 °C, and the average maximum temperature is 17.5 °C. In summer, humid weather continues due to high humidity, and the heat gradually decreases from September, stabilizing the average temperature around 20 °C. From November, it becomes colder and autumn rain falls. The temperature from December to February is less than 0 °C on average, and cold waves may come, so be careful.

Tourist office

The tourist information office is on the far side of the red bridge from the bus terminal. Some English is spoken, and you can pick up a handy town map from here. Tourism information about Danyang can be found on this site.

Get in

By plane

The sizeable international airport at Cheongju is about 30 km away by road.

By train

Danyang is on the eastern Jungang line from Seoul's Cheongnyangni station through Wonju to Andong. There are mugunghwa services every hour or two (3 hr 15 min, ₩10,000), and two saemaeul expresses daily (2 hr 45 min, ₩14,000). The train station is 3 km outside Danyang, but you can take a bus from the stop just outside the station (₩1,000) or a taxi (around ₩5,000). If you go to Danyang from Seoul, you can take the ktx train. It takes about two hours to travel by train from cheonglyangli Station to Danyang Station.

By bus

Danyang's clean and modern bus station, on the northern side of town, has hourly express services to Seoul's Express Bus Terminal (2 hr 30 min, ₩14,000) and intercity services to Dong-Seoul terminal (over 3 hours). Most buses from Seoul continue onward to Guinsa (30 minutes, ₩2,600). There are also hourly services to Chungju (1 hr 30 min, ₩6,200) and Jecheon (1 hour), and a few departures daily to Busan and Daejeon. Limousines exist from Incheon Airport to Danyang.

By boat

In season, you can take a very scenic cruise across Chungju Lake to Chungju (2 hours, ₩18,000). The ferry terminal is on the riverside, a few blocks south of the bus terminal.

Get around

Central Danyang can be covered on foot, but taxis are plentiful (starting fare ₩4,800 ).

See

Danyang Bridge

Deep in the bowels of the earth, Gosu Cave

• 1 Gosu Cave (고수동굴), Gosu Cave 8, Gosu Cave-gil, Danyang-eup (cross the bridge, turn left and walk 10 minutes along the highway), ☏ +82 0507-1388-3072. 09:00-17:00. One of Korea's most famous caves, 1.7 km of twisting, turning limestone caverns have been outfitted with metal walkways and subdued lighting. It's quite a remarkable sight, but claustrophobes and people in need of a diet might want to skip it as some tunnels are quite narrow. ₩4,000. (updated Oct 2024)
• 2 Cheondong Cave (천동동굴) (continue up the hill past Gosu Cave for several kilometers; a few hundred meters before the road ends, look for small signs and a large parking lot on the left side of the road; the cave entrance is above the parking lot; follow the stone steps up and walk along a sidewalk for several minutes to get there), ☏ +82 043-422-2972. 09:00-17:00. This cave has many ups and downs along with twisty narrow passages. It is perfect for nimble athletic folk. There are some excellent stalactites, stalagmites, fins, and soda straws to be seen. Adult ₩6,000, teenager ₩4,000, child ₩3,000. (updated Oct 2024)

• 

  3 Ondal Fortress (온달관광지), Ondal-ro 23, Yeongchun-myeon, ☏ +82 043-423-8820. 09:00-18:00. This complex houses the reconstruction of an old fortress and a limestone cave. The admission ticket gets you into both areas. The fortress has dozens of buildings to walk around and through. For an extra fee, you can dress up in traditional formal clothing and have your picture taken. The cave takes about thirty minutes to tour. (updated Oct 2024)

Seongmun Natural Arch Seongmun Natural Arch(단양 석문, 丹陽 石門 ) is one of the Eight Views of Danyang and was designated as a scenic spot on September 9, 2008. It is a rainbow-shaped stone pillar on the left side of the Namhangang River, about 200m upstream from Dodamsambong Peak, and it is tall and has a beautiful surrounding view. There is a story involved in the Seongmun Natural Arch. In the lower left corner, there is a small cave where Magohalmi lived, who had grown water in the old kingdom of heaven and lost her handmaiden. It is said that digging the land by hand to find the handmaiden became a 99-horse field, and that he crossed the Namhangang River with a stepping stone. In the wide rice field, it is said that 仙 people farmed and wrote it in the style of the sky. Magohalmi is said to have lived here for a long time, enjoying alcohol, cigarettes, and beautiful scenery, before dying and turning into a rock. On the stone gate, there is a Magohalmi rock in the shape of a long tobacco pipe and holding a bottle of wine. In addition, if you go a little further upstream, there is a Jarabawi Rock that looks like a carved turtle.

• 4 Seongmun Natural Arch (단양 석문), 644-33, Sambong-ro, Maepo-eup. 09:00-18:00. This scenic arch is located near the river. There is a large tourist parking and rest area nearby, with plenty of shops for food and drink. (updated Oct 2024)
• 5 Danuri Aquarium (다누리아쿠아리움), 111, Waterfront-ro, Danyang-eup, ☏ +82 43-423-4235. 09:00-18:00. Eight scenic spots in Danyang-gun, including Jungseonam, Sainam, Oksunbong, and Dodamsambong, are reproduced as they are. You can see various freshwater fish at home and abroad in a large aquarium that is 8 m high Adult ₩10,000. (updated Nov 2024)
• 6 Danyang Geumgul Cave Site (단양금굴구석기유적지), Mountain 4-49, Dodam-ri, Danyang-eup, ☏ +82 043-422-1146. Cave ruins from the Stone Age and Bronze Age where Homo sapiens lived in Namhangang River, Dodam-ri, Danyang-eup, Danyang-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do. It was designated as a monument in Chungcheongbuk-do on Dec. 30, 1994. (updated Nov 2024)

Do

There are plenty of hiking opportunities around Danyang, especially in the nearby Sobaeksan National Park and Woraksan National Parks. The easiest option, though, is to head to Mount Daesong (Daesongsan, 380 m), behind the city and covered with easy, well-signposted (in Korean) hiking trails, the main one doing a loop around the base of the hill. There are several trailheads; to reach the most convenient one, walk up the hill from the bus terminal, then turn left after the police station. The "summit" is about one kilometer away.

• 1 Danyang Paragliding (단양레저 패러글라이딩), Danyang Para Village, 196-52, Doosan-gil, Gagok-myeon (from the bus station, head south for about 600 m; this place is just past GS25), ☏ +82 43-423-4123. 9:00-18:30. Paragliding is what this place does, and they do it well. If you look east from town, you can see an observatory on the hilltop. This shop will take you up there and do tandem jump, so it's perfect for people who want to try paragliding but have never done so before. Little English is spoken, but the people leading the jumps all know the important expressions for safely getting you off the ground and landing at the end. ₩100,000 for a basic jump; more for longer jumps. (updated Nov 2024)
• 2 Skywalk in the world (만천하스카이워크), 10,000 Skywalk Ticket Office, Clotbawi-gil, Jeokseong-myeon, ☏ +82 43-421-0014. 09:00-17:00. Zipwire is an extreme sport in which two fixed wire ropes of 980 m in length glide down as if they were non-powered. The skywalk offers panoramic views of the city and the Lotus Blossom Pedestal in Sobaeksan Mountain in the distance. The three-finger, 15-meter-long and 2-meter-wide high-intensity triple glass at the Manhakcheonbong Observatory in the form of a horseshoe-shaped observatory provides views of the Namhan River. Admission ₩4000. (updated Nov 2024)
• 3 Ondal Culture Festival (온달문화축제), Ondal-ro 23 Ondal Tourist Site. The Danyang-gun Ondal Culture Festival is a regional festival held in early October and is the only Goguryeo festival. In addition to traditional Goguryeo programs such as the operation of the Goguryeo theme zone and the Goguryeo costume experience, new programs such as the reproduction of Goguryeo Jeotgeori and Ondalsanseong Fortress were introduced to reinforce Goguryeo contents. ￦2000-￦20000. (updated Nov 2024)

Buy

Pay a visit to the Danyang Market in the centre of town, where you will have the opportunity to see (and smell) more garlic than you have ever seen in your life.

• 1 Danyang Nonghyup Hanaro Mart (단양농협하나로마트), 287, Sambong-ro, Danyang-eup (across from Danyang Sightseeing Market), ☏ +82 43-421-5959. 08:40 - 22:40. It sells various items such as agricultural products, butchers, and marine products. (updated Nov 2024)
• 2 Hanaro Mart Danyang Sobaek Agricultural Cooperative Headquarters (하나로마트 단양소백농협본점), 48 Hanaro Mart Danyang Sobaek Agricultural Cooperative Headquarters, Ondalpyeonggang-ro, Yeongchun-myeon, ☏ +82 043-423-7152. 09:00-20:00. There are various items and various payment methods. Be able to park. (updated Nov 2024)

Eat

• 1 Yeongyangilbeonga (영양일번가) (across the street from the terminal, tucked down an alley; look for the bright yellow sign). The speciality here is yeongyangtang dog soup, but the chueotang minced fish soup with potatoes, mushrooms and rice cake is also quite tasty. No English menu. ₩7,000. 
• 2 Jeonwon Hwagwan (전원화관) (Up the hill from bus terminal on the left side.). Korean barbeque, offering the full range of beef and pork cuts and some pretty tasty cold noodles (naengmyon) to go with them. Some English and Russian spoken. ₩10,000 and up. 
• 3 Onnuri (온누리회관) (from the bridge near the bus terminal, head south along the main road.; this place is 500 m down the street), ☏ +82 43-423-3311. This restaurant serves mostly vegetarian and spice fare. The set menus include a great variety of vegetable dishes, tons of garlic cooked in various ways, and a few meat dishes. Some staff members speak excellent English and can explain details of the food, though no English menu is available. Set menus for ₩15,000. (updated Oct 2024)
• 4 Dodam Sambonga Cauldron Hand Tofu (도담삼봉가마솥손두부), 644-17 Sambong-ro, Maepo-eup (inside Dodamsambong Tourist Site in Danyang), ☏ +82 0507-1417-5999. 08:00-17:00. It is a restaurant specializing in Korean food, and it mainly serves tofu dishes. There are many reviews that the view is good because it is a restaurant located within a tourist destination. Parking costs ₩3,000 per day. (updated Nov 2024)

Drink

The local speciality is Sobaeksan dongdongju, a fermented, milky, peach-colored rice wine sold in big white containers in shops and by the cupful at tourist sites. The look and smell are unappetizing but the taste, while unusual (think of an alcoholic Sprite mixed with milk), is refreshing when served cold.

• 1 Danyangism (단양리즘), Cafe on the 1st floor of 237-1 Sambong-ro, Danyang-eup, ☏ +82 0507-1488-2083. 11:00-20:00. Also a prop shop, so you can see various items along with drinks. (updated Nov 2024)
• 2 Little Forest (리틀포레스트), 209-98 Gangbyeon-ro, Yeongchun-myeon (go straight 2 km and turn left after passing the Gungan Bridge toward Guin), ☏ +82 507-1320-2104. 10:00-18:00. It is a quiet cafe located in the mountains. People who are inexperienced in driving a car because they are in a remote area are advised not to bring a car. different with menus. (updated Nov 2024)
• 3 JB Coffee (제이비커피), 10-4624 Byeolgok 12-gil, Danyang-eup, ☏ +82 507-1366-4860. 10:00-21:00. They sell the signature menu, garlic-shaped bingsu, which is said to be famous. different with menus. (updated Nov 2024)

Sleep

The riverside strip along the bus and ferry terminals is pretty much all motels, all offering rooms for ₩30,000-50,000.

• 1 Sky Motel (스카이모텔) (just south of the bus terminal). Don't be put off by the dark hallways, the rooms are some of the nicest and cleanest around. The "family" part means that there's no porn on the TV, but you get a small, fully-equipped kitchen instead. Located in the tall, modern-looking building a block south from the bus terminal, with the entrance on the third floor. From ₩50,000. (updated Oct 2024)
• 2 Napoli Motel (나폴리모텔) (next door to Sky Motel). Run by the owners of Sky Motel. 
• 3 Luxury Hotel (호텔럭셔리) (near the bridge), ☏ +82 43-421-9911. Clean motel with fun room design. Enter through the parking, there are rooms with view on the river and the bridge. ₩50,000-80,000. (updated Nov 2024)
• 4 Danyang Guesthouse Rio127 (from the GS25 just north of the bus terminal, follow the riverfront road north for 200 m; this hostel is behind and above a coffee shop; look for small "guest house" signs), ☏ +82 43-421-5600. This is marketed as a hostel, but it should also be thought of as a clean, fairly new, no-frills hotel. Rooms are sparsely furnished, but on the other hand everything is in working order. The staff are friendly, and there's a nice view of the bridge from room windows. (updated Aug 2015)

Go next

• Guinsa, the stunning mountain headquarters of the Cheondae sect, is 30 minutes away by bus.
• Sobaeksan National Park
• Woraksan National Park
• South, to Cheongju, the closest airport, and birthplace of jikji, the world's first metal printing press.

Danyang County