A Glass-Bottom Boat at Hwalok Cave, 57 km from the End of the Mine
Hwalok Cave is a tourist cave created from an abandoned mine where mining began in 1922, with 2.5 km open to visitors. Along with LED displays and a wine area, visitors can enjoy a glass-bottom boat ride on the cave lake. However, it is cold inside and the boat queue may be long, so check the operating hours and ticketing order first.
How a 1922 talc mine became a tourist cave in 2019
Hwalok Cave is a former mine in Mokbeol-dong, Chungju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, that has been repurposed as a tourist attraction. The mineral vein was first discovered in the early 1900s, and full-scale mining began in 1922. The mine was once introduced as Korea’s only talc mine, but mining ceased in the 1990s when low-priced talc from China dominated the market, creating the conditions for its conversion into the tourist cave it is today.
The mine tunnels, unused for decades, opened as a tourist cave in July 2019. According to official records, the mine has a total length of 57 km and a vertical depth of 711 m, but only 2.5 km is open to tourists. Therefore, it is more accurate to understand it not as a place where visitors explore the entire mine from the entrance, but as a venue where they walk along a designated route with lighting and exhibits.
What you can actually see along the 2.5 km viewing route
The open section features LED sculptures, a performance venue, and a wellness therapy area. Visitor reviews describe it as closer to an artificial tourist attraction, where lighting and exhibits have been added to mining tunnels, rather than a place focused solely on the stalactites of a natural cave. Inside, there are illuminated animal sculptures and photo zones placed at intervals.
There is an area for storing and selling wine, as well as an exhibit featuring world-famous masterpieces recreated with wine and iconic scenes from Korean films. Reviews also mention a section illuminated with glow-in-the-dark lighting near the end of the route. However, there is no confirmed information about the exact access restrictions for each area, whether glass walls are installed, or which areas prohibit photography, so visitors must not enter beyond the public route.
Plan the cave lake’s transparent boat separately from admission
Inside Hwalok Cave is a lake formed by accumulated groundwater from the bedrock, where visitors can try transparent kayaking or boating. The transparent boat is described as having a floor through which the water can be seen, and visitor reviews say that safety staff hold and assist with the boat when passengers board and disembark.
The boat experience fee is separate from admission, and the exact price should be confirmed before visiting. There have been cases in which visitors had to cancel and reissue their tickets at the ticket booth because they did not include the boat when purchasing admission, so it is safest to decide whether to use the boat before entering the cave. Reviews mention fairly long lines and a boat waiting time of about one hour. The cave alone takes around one hour, but visitors who include the boat should allow about 1 hour 30 minutes or more.
Open from 09:00 to 18:00; avoid visiting on Mondays
Operating hours may vary by season. Recent information lists summer hours (April–October) as 09:30–18:30 and winter hours (November–March) as 09:00–18:00, with final admission at 17:00. Considering that cave tours take around one hour, visitors entering at 17:00 may find it difficult to enjoy the boat and exhibits at a relaxed pace. If you also need to wait for the boat, entering in the morning or early afternoon is more practical. Confirm the operating hours by phone before visiting.
The regular closure day is every Monday. When Monday is a public holiday, the attraction operates normally and closes the following day instead. Since operating hours and closure days may change, the most reliable approach on the day of your visit is to check both the official Instagram account and the inquiry number, 043-848-0503.
Adults: 10,000 won; boat: 5,000 won — ticketing order
Admission is listed as 10,000 won for adults, 9,000 won for elementary, middle, and high school students, and 8,000 won for preschool children aged 24 months or older. The boat experience fee is separate. Confirm the boat fee before visiting. Eligibility and detailed conditions for group and other discounts should also be confirmed on-site or by phone.
Reviews say that the ticket office has both an automated ticket machine and a staffed counter. If you plan to use the boat, do not issue an admission-only ticket first; select whether to include the boat at the same time. Smoking, bringing in food and beverages, and bringing pets into the cave are prohibited. There is no confirmed information about English signage, audio guides, or age, height, and weight restrictions for the boat.
Why use a taxi after arriving at Chungju Station or Chungju
Visitors from outside the area are advised to travel to Chungju first and then take a taxi to the cave entrance. The available information does not provide a bus route number connecting to Hwalok Cave, the stop name, a station exit number, or walking time from the stop. Therefore, for first-time international visitors, it is simplest to show the address to the driver after arriving in Chungju and plan to travel by taxi.
The listed address is 26 Mokbeolan-gil, Chungju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do. Because the user-provided address, 113 Jungangtap-gil, Jungangtap-myeon, Chungju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, differs from the address in the guide materials, enter 26 Mokbeolan-gil, which is repeated in reservation and operating information, into your navigation system first, and confirm the destination by calling 043-848-0503 before departure. Detailed public transportation routes and walking times have not been confirmed.
Walk about 200 m to the entrance even after free parking
Parking is available and is described as free. However, a 2025 visitor review mentioned that the parking area was about 200 m from the cave entrance. Even if you travel by car, do not assume that the tour begins directly in front of the parking area; prepare to move luggage and strollers again after parking.
Recent visitor reviews rated the main passageways as wide paved roads with no slopes and bright lighting, and described the site as wheelchair-friendly. However, actual accessibility along the entire 2.5 km route and the boat boarding and disembarking area has not been confirmed for each section. Wheelchair users should call 043-848-0503 in advance, including to ask about whether boat boarding is possible.
A coat is needed in the underground space of Mokbeol-dong, even in summer
Even at the cave entrance, strong cold drafts are reported, and a July visitor review mentioned that the interior was colder than expected and that an extra layer was essential. If you enter wearing only short sleeves based on the outdoor temperature, you may be uncomfortable during the approximately one-hour tour and the boat wait, so bring a light jacket.
The cave is closer to a mine than a natural cave, with facilities such as LED sculptures, film-scene exhibits, a wine area, and a fish-and-wasabi farm incorporated into the route. Although reviews describe the lighting as bright and the route as having few slopes, it has not been confirmed whether photography is prohibited or whether foreign-language information is available. The official channel is Hwalok Cave’s Instagram account. Before departure, contact 043-848-0503 to confirm whether the address, fees, or operating hours have changed.
Before You Go
- Address
- 26 Mokbeolan-gil, Chungju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do
- Hours
- Summer (April–October) 09:30–18:30 · Winter (November–March) 09:00–18:00; final admission 17:00. Confirm by phone before visiting
- Closed
- Every Monday. If Monday is a public holiday, it operates normally and closes the following day instead
- Admission
- Admission is listed as 10,000 won for adults / 9,000 won for elementary, middle, and high school students / 8,000 won for preschool children aged 24 months or older. Ask before visiting about boat fees and discount eligibility and conditions
- Phone
- 043-848-0503
- Official site
- https://www.instagram.com/hwalokcave_chungju/
- Transport
- Travel to Chungju and then take a taxi to the cave entrance. Detailed bus routes and stop information could not be confirmed
- Parking
- Available and listed as free. A visitor review mentions a parking area about 200 m from the entrance
- Time needed
- About 1 hour for the cave, or about 1 hour 30 minutes including kayaking. It may take longer including waiting time
- Accessibility
- Visitor reviews describe wide paved roads, no slopes, and wheelchair-friendly conditions. Actual accessibility for some individual sections should be confirmed on-site
The information above is current as of the time of writing. Check the official information again before visiting.
Places
Nearby Attractions 3
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Jungangtap Historic Site ParkA historical park where you can explore the National Treasure Jungangtap Pagoda and Tangeum Lake together. -
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TangeumdaeA scenic walking destination offering views of the Namhangang River and a chance to explore the history of Ureuk and the Imjin War. -
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Chungju Dam Water Culture CenterLearn about the history of Chungju Lake and water through exhibitions, and enjoy the forest playground.
Food & Dining 2
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Nambeol HoejipA restaurant where you can enjoy trout sashimi and spicy freshwater fish stew while overlooking Chungju Lake. -
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