Hwanseongul Cave, Samcheok

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East Asia's largest limestone cave, with chambers thirty metres high and a waterfall inside the mountain.

Hwanseongul is the largest limestone cave system in East Asia: over six kilometres surveyed, of which about a quarter is open. This is not a cave of delicate formations but a cave of scale — chambers like cathedrals with ceilings thirty metres up, steel stairs bridging drops, and an underground waterfall falling in the dark. To reach the entrance you first ride a monorail up a slope of nearly forty degrees. The cave holds around ten degrees all year, making it one of the coolest places in Gangwon in summer.

Visitor information

When is the best time to visit Hwanseongul Cave, Samcheok?

June–September to escape the heat, or year-round

How much does it cost to visit Hwanseongul Cave, Samcheok?

4,500 KRW; the monorail up to the cave is 7,000 KRW return (4,000 one way)

How long do you need at Hwanseongul Cave, Samcheok?

2 hours

What are the opening hours of Hwanseongul Cave, Samcheok?

08:30–17:00

Did you know

East Asia's largest limestone cave, with over 6.2km surveyed.
Designated Natural Monument No. 178.
The cave holds about 10–12°C year-round.
Access is by a monorail climbing a slope of roughly 38 degrees.

Travel tips

Bring a jacket — it is cold inside even in August.
There are many steep, damp steel stairways; not for anyone uneasy with heights.
Add the nearby Daegeumgul cave if you have time.

Source: https://www.samcheok.go.kr/tour/01456/01464/02195.web

Updated: 2026-08-04