Seongnyugul Cave, a Natural Monument of Korea, is a limestone cave with a general northeast-southwest orientation. It has a total length of about 870 meters, of which only a strip of 270 meters is open to the public. Inside the cave are a variety of cave formations, including stalactites, stalagmites, columns, and cave pearls, which are commonly found in limestone caves. Unlike other limestone caves in Korea, Seongnyugul Cave has twisted columns and submerged stalagmites. Twisted columns are often broken in the middle due to earthquakes that occurred after the columns were formed. Submerged stalagmites are notable because stalagmites usually do not grow under water as they are made from droplets that fall from the ceiling. As such, stalagmites found underwater were submerged after they were created, indicating that they were created during the Ice Age, when the East Sea was lower than the present level.
(Credit: Gyeongbuk Donghaean Geopark)
Uljin Seongnyu Cave is located near Bulyoungsa Valley and has a length of about 915m (including the underwater cave section). The cave is composed of limestone and displays pale pink, gray-white, and white colors. Inside the cave, there are 9 plazas and 3 water pools with depths of 4–5m. Various speleothems such as stalactites resembling icicles, stalagmites rising from the ground, and columns formed by the meeting of stalactites and stalagmites are evenly distributed. Seongnyu Cave was originally called Seonyugul, meaning a place where immortals leisurely played. It was renamed Seongnyusa after Bo Cheon-taeja, the son of Silla’s 31st king Sinmun, built a temple for ascetic practices inside, with 'Seong' meaning saint and 'Ryu' meaning to stay. It is also called Seongnyugul because of the small holes in the rock wall. During the Imjin War, more than 500 residents took refuge inside the cave, but the Japanese blocked the entrance, causing them all to starve to death. In Uljin’s Seongnyu Cave, you can see very beautiful and diverse formations typical of limestone caves, like a subterranean palace, including splendid stalactites, stalagmites, and columns. (Source: Cultural Heritage Administration)
Sun-dried salt (cheonil salt) was a method used during the Japanese colonial period to produce salt in large quantities. At Uljin Toyeom, there is traditional salt made with the dedication of master salt craftsman Ui-cheon Jo Hee-jo, passed down through generations, and an experiential process to remember it is operated. Toyeom is a traditional Korean method where loess is spread on an earthenware plate, seawater is sprayed and dried about ten times, then seawater is poured onto the salt-rich loess and boiled in a cauldron to evaporate moisture. This process produces salt rich in minerals and with high salinity. The experience of learning the traditional method for seawater to become salt is fascinating and interesting for both children and adults, and the salt made during the experience can be taken home.
Uljin Aquarium is the best shark-specialized aquarium on the East Coast, themed around Wangdolcho and sharks. Resembling the East Sea itself, Uljin Aquarium replicates the giant underwater reef Wangdolcho and exhibits around 150 diverse marine animals including sharks, otters, seals, and turtles. It showcases a rich underwater world from various aquatic species inhabiting the East Coast to rare fish species worldwide. The aquarium consists of zones such as the Penguin Zone, Shark Zone, and Aqua Gallery Zone. Additionally, visitors can enjoy feeding time with aquarists and experience feeding turtles.
Located within Uljin Wangpicheon Park, the Wangpicheon Cable Car connects Uljin Wangpicheon Park and Mangyangjeong by an aerial route with a total length of 715m, taking about 10 minutes one way. Riding the cabin, visitors can view the Wangpicheon ecological conservation area and the vast blue sea scenery. The cable car has upper and lower stations, along with 10 standard cabins and 5 crystal cabins with transparent floors. Uljin Wangpicheon Park borders the Wangpicheon, a natural ecological treasure, and is adjacent to the East Sea, overlooked by Mangyangjeong, one of the eight scenic views of Gwandong. The park is beautifully designed as if Korean nature has been condensed and relocated. It is a rare ecological park in Korea, featuring a variety of seasonal flowers and about 1,000 pine trees over 200 years old. It is recommended to verify exact operation details via the website or phone inquiry.
Wangpicheon Park is a beautiful park that seems to have transplanted a scaled-down version of Korean nature onto a vast area of about 200,000 pyeong formed by rivers and the sea, adjacent to the East Sea overlooked by Mangyangjeong, one of the eight scenic spots of Gwandong, surrounding the natural ecosystem treasure of Wangpicheon. It is a rare ecological park in Korea that offers diverse attractions and experiences throughout all four seasons. The park consists of exhibition halls, indoor facilities, outdoor facilities, and experience facilities. The exhibition halls include the Uljin Insect Travel Hall and Uljin Aquarium, where visitors can interact with insects and marine life and learn the importance of nature. Indoor facilities feature the Wangpicheon Culture Center, a performance hall, and the horticultural therapy center housing various mysterious plants like guava and rock lions. Outdoor facilities include Wangpicheon Ecological Park for enjoying wildflowers and relaxation, an animal farm where visitors can feed animals and take photos, and playgrounds for children using the park. Key experience programs include agricultural product harvesting and salt making. The harvesting program allows families and neighbors to cultivate eco-friendly crops together, teaching children the value of agriculture and life. The salt making program offers a traditional cultural experience using disappearing traditional salt. Additionally, woodworking and pottery experiences are available.
