Chuncheon
South Korea · Gangwon · 75 m
Description
Chuncheon (춘천) sits in a basin of dammed lakes in the mountains of Gangwon, an hour from Seoul by subway line. The city is defined by water. Soyang Lake behind the largest earth dam in Asia, Uiam Lake in the middle of town, and the Bukhan River joining them. Its other identity is food, and specifically dakgalbi, chicken stir-fried with rice cake and cabbage on a griddle at the table, which has its own alley of competing restaurants. A cable car crosses the water to Samaksan, and a skywalk with a glass floor juts out over the Soyang. Cheongpyeongsa, a temple founded in the tenth century, sits up a wooded valley reached by boat and a short walk. Winters are hard here, regularly reaching minus fifteen, which is when the frozen lakes fill with smelt anglers.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 1 to 3 days (optimal 2 days)
Travel season
Best time to visit: May or September
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Chuncheon Dakgalbi Alley
- Samaksan Lake Cable Car
- Soyang Lake
- Myeongdong Street
- Gongjicheon Lake Park
- Soyanggang Skywalk
- Samaksan Mountain
- Cheongpyeongsa Temple
- Jade Garden
- Gugok Waterfall
- Ethiopian Coffee Museum
- Smelt Ice Fishing (January - February)
Getting there
- Train stations:
- Chuncheon