My Danyang Tour Experience with Oneday Korea
It was my family’s first trip to Korea, which was a dream coming true for me. Of course, I planned a lot ahead and did research on places that I really wanted to see. Danyang was one of them.
Our guide picked us up at the hotel at 8am straight. We were a big group of people and I was positively surprised about the car, which was big enough to comfortably fit all of us! After getting in the car and chatting with our guide, we started our journey to Danyang.
We drove about 2 hours until we reached our first destination: Chungju Lake. Peeking out of the window, I could see clear blue waters and endless range of mountains covered in all shades of green. It was stunning. It is known as the largest lake in Korea and believe me, it is huge! We did a cruise on the lake and were impressed by how clear the water and beautiful the stone formations were. The cruise took about 1 hour and we already took countless pictures on there even though it wasn’t even part of the famous 8 scenic views.
After the cruise, our tour guide asked us if we were ready to have lunch. We were eager to try Korean food so, of course we were ready! He told us that he will take us to the most authentic and delicious Korean restaurant in Danyang. Even though I haven’t tried the others so I cannot compare, the meals were really great! We had …… and countless side dishes. I was so full after the lunch but it was really delicious.
After lunch, we started our adventure to discover the 8 scenic views! I was really excited and motivated because by that time, the sky has cleared completely and we were really lucky with the weather and awesome sunshine.
The 8 scenic views
The 8 scenic views are stunning natural sceneries which can only be found in Danyang. Their beauty has been recognized since the 1300’s and they have been declared as the 8 scenic wonders in the 1600’s.
Their names are are Haseonam, Jungseonam, Sangseonam, Sainam, Gudambong, Oksunbong, Dodamsambong, and Seokmun, but you don’t need to remember them 😀
The most famous of the 8 scenic views is Dodamsambong. It is a rock formation in the middle of Namhangang river. Due to the lengths of the rocks and the unique formation shape, this place I unique in the whole world! Moreover, there are many legends ranking around the fascinating rock formation about them representing a husband, his wife and his mistress. Their relationship can be seen in the way the rocks face each other. Their difficult relationship caught the attention of the Gods and turned them into stone. Interesting isn’t it? After seeing the rocks, I can say there definitely is something supernatural about them.
Even though this might be the most interesting of the 8 scenic views, the other places are stunning as well. And each of the 8 scenic wonders has its own fascinating story.
My favorite was Seokmun, a rock formation in the middle of green nature which formed a natural stone gate. Even more interesting is that locals believe spirits live around there!
Another favorite of mine was Oksunbong, which is called the gateway to Danyang. Oksunbong literally means Jade Shoot Peak because it is covered by moss of vibrant color. It is truly impressive and I felt so small compared to it.
After seeing the 8 views and taking what felt like a million photos, we visited Gosu cave, which is an additional option of the tour. But we thought as we will probably visit the area only once, we didn’t want to miss out on this.
Gosu Cave
Gosu cave is incredible 540 million years old! The grotto made from limestone is 1700 m long and over 50.000 square meters wide. The fascinating part is that thousands of years ago, the grotto was inhabited by prehistoric humans. The rocks in the cave were really special too, as some of their shapes resemble animals. You can also see all kinds of sizes of stalactites and stalagmites.
Because we had such good weather throughout the day, I was freezing when entering the cave! Luckily, our guide has warned us about the temperature in the cave, which stays 15 degrees all year round. Don’t forget your jacket 😉 Also, the cave is so narrow! It is difficult to walk at times. Therefore, I wouldn’t particularly suggest it for claustrophobic people.
After we exited the cave, the sun has already begun to set and we made our way back to Seoul, where we arrived in the evening. It was a long and exhausting day but we have seen and done a lot. Still, I would have liked to stay longer 😀 Thanks Oneday Korea for the trip!
Check our tours in Danyang : Paragliding Tour and Danyang Eight Scenic Views & Chungju Lake Cruise!
