Hwanseongul Cave

Deep in the mountains of Daei-ri in Singi-myeon, Samcheok, about 820 m above sea level, a 10 m high cave mouth opens in the hillside. Hwanseongul is one of Korea's largest limestone caves, with 6.2 km of passages mapped so far and an estimated total length of about 8 km. Around 1.6 km of it can be explored on steel walkways, past an underground river, waterfalls and chambers so big they dwarf the people inside.

A cave born in a 500-million-year-old sea

The limestone that holds Hwanseongul was laid down on the seabed roughly 530 million years ago. The surrounding karst area is riddled with caves of every size, and in 1966 Hwanseongul, together with Gwaneumgul Cave and others that are closed to the public, was designated a Natural Monument as the Daei-ri Cave System. Hwanseongul opened to visitors in October 1997.

Legends surround the name. One tells of a monk who meditated in the cave, never came out and rose to heaven as an immortal; another of a fairy who vanished into the cave when she noticed someone watching her bathe. Traces of human habitation found near the entrance have led some to suggest that the monk once lived there.

A landscape shaped by water

Water is what makes Hwanseongul special. It pours out of countless cracks in the walls to form a stream, and ten large pools and a series of waterfalls follow the walkway. Because the water flows so strongly, stalactites and stalagmites have not grown large; instead the cave is rich in flowstone draping the walls, rimstone pools stepped like rice terraces, knobbly cave popcorn and curtain formations. The main chamber holds a formation known as the 'Royal Throne', and a long wall of rock is nicknamed the 'Great Wall of China'.

Along the walkway

The cave mouth is about 14 m wide and 10 m high. Just inside, a waterwheel turns in the force of the cave stream, and the walkway climbs and descends via some 398 steps. Passages are generally around 15 m high and 20 m wide, and bridges span the deeper chasms. The main chamber is about 40 m across, its floor covered with layers of white sand, which creates a striking scene under the lights.

Creatures found nowhere else

So far 47 animal species have been recorded in the cave, including the lungless Korean clawed salamander, a cave spider and cave crickets. Four of them, among them a blind ground beetle named after Hwanseongul, are endemic and have been found only here. Keeping your hands inside the railings and never throwing anything into the water helps protect them.

Tripto tips

• Closing day: The cave is closed on the 18th of every month; if the 18th falls on a public holiday, it closes the following day instead.
• Opening hours: Hours differ between March–October and November–February. Allowing for the climb to the entrance, aim to reach the ticket office by 15:00 at the latest.
• Reaching the entrance: From the ticket office it is about 1.3 km and some 200 m of ascent to the cave mouth, a 30–45-minute uphill walk. A monorail, running since 2010, does the trip in a few minutes, but it has had periods of closure for works or maintenance, so check in advance. Cave admission and the monorail are paid separately.
• Time needed: The cave itself takes about an hour; with the climb up and down, allow 2–3 hours. The walkway has many steps.
• What to wear: Inside, it stays around 10–14 °C even in midsummer, so bring a light jacket. The floor is wet, so wear shoes with a good grip.
• Combine with: Nearby Daegeumgul Cave can only be visited with a reservation, so book ahead if you want to see both. Buses from central Samcheok to Daei-ri take about an hour; if you drive, there is a car park.