Tongyeong Cable Car (Hallyeo Waterway Observation Cable Car)

Eight-seat gondolas carry you up Mireuksan in Tongyeong in about nine minutes. The official name, the Hallyeo Waterway Observation Cable Car, says what it is for: looking down over the Hallyeo Waterway, the chain of islands scattered across the sea off Tongyeong. A short walk along boardwalks from the upper station opens up views of the waters off Hansando and of the town below.

History: once Korea's longest cable car

The city of Tongyeong and the Tongyeong Tourism Development Corporation built the line as part of a south-coast tourism project, starting work in December 2002 after a local referendum. Commercial service began in March 2008, with an opening ceremony in April. At 1,975 m it was for a while the longest cable car in Korea, until longer lines opened in Yeosu and Chuncheon. There were several stoppages in its first months, and regular maintenance days have been in place ever since. Just two years after opening, in March 2010, it passed two million passengers, and by August 2011, three years and four months in, it had carried four million.

How it works

It is a detachable bicable gondola built with Swiss equipment. 47 passenger cabins and one goods cabin circulate continuously, so queues move quickly, and only one intermediate tower was built to limit the impact on the mountain. Each cabin seats eight, so groups can ride together.

What to see

• Upper station observatory: right next to the platform, with views over Tongyeong harbour and the South Sea.
• Mireuksan boardwalk: wooden steps lead towards the 461 m summit past several lookouts. One of them, the Great Battle of Hansan Viewpoint, faces the waters off Hansando where Admiral Yi Sun-sin won the Battle of Hansan Island.
• Jeong Ji-yong poem stone: after Liberation the poet Jeong Ji-yong climbed Mireuksan and wrote that his pen could not do justice to the harbour and the islands around Hansando. A stone with his words was unveiled in 2010.

Tripto tips

• Opening hours: weekdays 10:00–18:00, weekends 09:00–18:00. Operation ends 50 minutes after ticket sales close and may stop early because of weather or demand. Closed on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month.
• Fares: return tickets KRW 17,000 for adults, KRW 13,000 for children and KRW 14,000 for visitors aged 65 and over. One-way adult tickets cost KRW 13,500. ID is required for discounts.
• Pets: there are pet-friendly cabins.
• Getting there: city bus 141 stops at the lower station. Parking at the lower station is free. The lower station has the ticket office and a seafood shop, the upper station a rest area and observatory. On operating days, tourism guides give commentary on site.
• When to go: strong winds can halt the service. A clear afternoon, staying to watch the sun drop over the sea, works well. Allow 1.5–2 hours for the ride and the lookouts.