SOUTH KOREA – 1 Day in Danyang: What to Do, See, Eat (+ GIVEAWAY!)

My trip to South Korea with my high school friend, Mon, involved 11 days of touring Seoul (with day trips to Paju, Anyang, and Gapyeong), Danyang, Busan, and Jeju. Our second stop was in Danyang in Chungcheongbuk-do. It is a small town known for its picturesque views of mountains, rivers, caves, etc., making it an ideal spot for adventures and extreme sports such as rafting, paragliding, clay shooting, and the like.

Read my post here to view our complete itinerary with a list of directions, expenses, and tips.

How to get to Danyang from Seoul:

Dong-Seoul Bus Terminal

Take an intercity bus at Dong-Seoul Bus Terminal (07:00-18:00, 12x/ day) located in Gangbyeon Subway Station (Green Line, Line No. 2, Station No. 214, Exit 4). The ride is approximately 3 hours and the fare is worth KRW 13,300 (PHP 524 or USD 11).

WHAT TO DO AND SEE:

Our main purpose of going here was to try paragliding so we only allotted a day for this trip which was a bummer because Danyang has so much to offer. We were still able to squeeze in a few minor activities such as biking and going for a stroll along the river. I suggest staying for a  couple of days and visit more scenic attractions like Gosu Cave, Guinsa Temple, and Dodamsambong Peaks.

1. Go paragliding.

The breathtaking view

My first paragliding experience

Thanks to my pilot whom I envy for his job!

Watch a clip of my paragliding experience on YouTube:

Paragliding is just one of the many outdoor recreational activities you can do in Danyang. It is a sport where a person’s body is lifted from a height once attached to a parachute by a harness in order to glide through the air. I am an adrenaline junkie with acrophobia so my experience in general was a combination of euphoria and anxiety. It was terrifying at first but I had no choice but to get it together and run toward death (a cliff haha). The next thing I knew, my soles were not touching the ground anymore and my fear was then substituted with awe. I am glad that we included this in our itinerary because I had such a blast. You should experience it at least once in your life! 🙂

• Rates for 15 minutes: Weekdays – KRW 70,000 + video KRW 10,000. Weekends – KRW 80,000 + video KRW 10,000.
• Inquire at Rio 127 Guesthouse  or email them at guesthouse.rio127@gmail.com or kkim1332d@hanmail.net for details and booking inquiries.
• Visit Danyang Paragliding’s website here.

2. Take a stroll along the Namhan River.

Slow down time and escape the hustle and bustle of city life by riding a bike or going for a walk across the bridge to see a breathtaking view of the nature.

3. Stay at Rio 127 Guesthouse.

View of the Danyang Bridge from our window

Coffee Myungga located at the ground floor

Rio 127 is a 3-story building guesthouse with a homey interior, and spacious and clean rooms. It is conveniently located more or less 5 minutes away from the terminal. It provides 5 dormitory rooms for 2 pax, 5 regular rooms for 2 pax, 1 family room for 3-4 pax, and 2 family rooms for 4 pax. What appealed to me were the view of the Danyang Bridge from our window and the cozy cafe downstairs (Coffee Myungga).

• Location: 127, Subyeon-ro, Danyang-eup, Danyang-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do
• Rate (may vary): Lowest at KRW 35,000 (Our actual rate was PHP 1906/ KRW 48,414/ USD 42 for double occupancy for 1 night.)
• Visit their website here or email them at guesthouse.rio127@gmail.com or kkim1332d@hanmail.net for more info.

WHAT TO EAT:

Click or hover your mouse over each photo to read the descriptions.

Late night conversations over honey toast and coffee at Coffee Myungga

Chicken overload at the market

Convenience store goodies for brunch

Danyang is for people who love nature, quiet walks, extreme sports, and adventures. There were challenges we encountered including extreme difficulty with language barrier, limited choices of stores and global bank branches, and slow connection of our Egg WiFi router, which were expected though given the location of Danyang. Nevertheless, I recommend that you tour not only the city but the province as well to get the best of both worlds and to balance the overall experience of traveling.

Read the other posts in my South Korea blog series to know what to do, see, and eat in each destination.

• 4 days in Seoul
• 2 days in Busan
• 2 days in Jeju
• Day trip to Paju/ Anyang
• Day trip to Gapyeong

GIVEAWAY! (Closed)

Explore like a local with GPSmyCity! Through this app, you can have your own personal tour guide at the palm of your hands. It provides walking tours that are classified into categories such as museums, nightlife, markets, etc., which serve as a guide to attractions and hidden gems. Feel free to also create a custom tour based on your own pace. The best part about it is you can use it offline! The full version costs 4.99 USD at the Apple Store and Google Play but luckily, Iris in Wanderland has partnered with GPSmyCity to give 20 lucky readers FREE promotional codes for a GPS Self-Guided walk app in the city of their choice!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

HOW TO WIN?

Leave a comment below stating the city of your choice from the list here and why. Winners will be chosen randomly.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

1. The contest is open from February 19, 2016 at 12 AM (GMT+8:00) to March 19, 2016 at 11:59 PM (GMT+8:00). Winners will be announced on March 20, 2016.

2. Please note that each promo code is tied to a certain city and once the promo code is issued, it expires after 28 days if not used by then.

3. The promo codes can be used on both iOS (iPhone and iPad) and Android devices.

Join now and lose yourself without getting lost! 🙂