Cheongok Golden Bat Cave

Between apartment blocks and a school in the middle of Donghae lies the entrance to a limestone cave hundreds of millions of years old. Cheongok Golden Bat Cave was discovered by chance in 1991 during construction of a new residential district, and it is known as the only natural cave in Korea located in a city centre. The "golden bat" in its name is the endangered Hodgson's bat, whose appearance in the cave in 2005 made headlines.

A cave opened by a building site

The cave was found on 24 June 1991 while ground was being prepared for the new Cheongok district. After several surveys confirmed its scientific value, part of it was fitted out and opened to the public. Sources differ on its size: either 700 m of 1,400 m, or 810 m of 1,510 m open to visitors. The remaining passages are closed for conservation.

The cave formed in the Daegi Formation of the Joseon Supergroup, an early Palaeozoic layer usually called the Pungchon limestone, believed to be around 400 to 500 million years old. On the hill behind the cave, the same limestone has dissolved into dolines and uvalas, sinkholes and larger hollows typical of karst, so you can see how the surface and the cave below are linked.

What to see

• Ceiling dissolution hollows: pockets dissolved into the roof by water. The cave's ceiling channel is described as the longest of its kind in Korea.
• Stalactites and stalagmites: curtain stalactites hanging like drapes, stalagmites rising from the floor, flowstone cascades and terraced rimstone pools.
• The walkway: a metal walkway runs through the cave, with lighting and information boards along the way.
• Doline trail: above the cave, the nature learning park has a 534 m wooden boardwalk around the dolines. From the rest area you can see the wildflower garden, the East Sea and, in the distance, Mukho Lighthouse. The park is free and always open.

Tripto tips

• Opening hours: 08:30–18:00, last entry 17:30, open every day of the year.
• Tickets: KRW 5,000 for adults, KRW 3,000 for teenagers and soldiers, KRW 2,000 for children and over-65s; under-7s free. Adults paying the standard fare get KRW 2,000 back in Donghae local gift vouchers. Gangwon residents receive a discount.
• Parking: about 187 spaces; KRW 1,000 per day for a car.
• Temperature: the cave stays at 14–15 °C all year. Pleasant in summer, chilly after a while, so bring a light layer. The floor can be wet; wear non-slip shoes.
• Please note: wheelchairs and pushchairs cannot enter, and pets are not allowed.
• Time needed: 40 minutes to 1 hour for the cave, about 1.5 hours with the doline trail.
• Getting there: the cave is close to Donghae IC on the Donghae Expressway. City buses stop at "Cheongok Cheonyeondonggul"; bus 111 passes via Donghae Station, Donghae Bus Terminal and Mukho Station.
• Nearby: Chuam, famous for its candlestick rock, Samhwasa Temple and Mureung Valley are close, making a full day in Donghae.