Gapyeong
Gapyeong is a small town of 20,000 people (2019) in Gyeonggi-do province, South Korea. Gapyeong is in the eponymous county, famous all over Korea for pine nuts (찻) and Nami island (남이섬). In October, Gapyeong hosts the annual International Jazz Festival on Jara island (자라섬). Gapyeong is popular with people taking a weekend away from Seoul. It can become busy on the weekends with people coming to stay in the many pensions in the surrounding area. The area is very mountainous so hiking and MTB are popular things to do here.
Get in
By subway
Gapyeong Station is located on the Gyeongchun line (경춘선) of the Seoul Metro system. This line starts at Sangbong (상봉역) on the northeast of Seoul, and runs all the way to Chuncheon (춘천역). The train leaves Sangbong approximately 3 times per hour takes 55 minutes to get to Gapyeong. From Chuncheon it takes about 20 minutes. A journey on the Seoul Metro costs from ₩1,050 to ₩2,050 depending on the length of the journey. A typical journey to the center of Seoul from Gapyeong on the Seoul Metro involves 2 to 4 line changes and takes between 90 minutes and 2 hours.
By train
The ITX departs Yongsan (용산) Station on the hour every hour and stops at Cheongnyangni (청량리), Pyeongnaehopyeong (평내호평), and Gapyeong stations on the way to Chuncheon(춘천). From Yongsan it takes 55 minutes and costs ₩4,800 to reach Gapyeong. In the opposite direction, the train leaves Chuncheon every ten minutes past the hour, takes 17 minutes and costs ₩3,000 to Gapyeong Station.
By bus
Many intercity buses going to Chuncheon departing from destinations in Gyeongi Province will stop at Gapyeong bus terminal (가평버스터미널). Also the red 1330-3 bus runs between Cheongnyangni (청량리) in Seoul and Gapyeong costing ₩2,200 with a T-money pre-pay card.
Get around
The train station is located a little way away from the town center. You can take a taxi (about ₩3,000) or walk (15–20 minutes). When you come out of exit 1 of the station (there is only one exit) turn left and follow the road until you come to a T-junction. Right at the T-junction will take you to Nami island, left will take you towards town and Jara island.
See
- Jarasum International Jazz Festival, Jara island. Early to mid-October. 3-day pass ₩10,000.
- The Peace Institute, the Birthplace of Peace (The Peace Palace), Goseong-ri, Cheongpyeong-myeon. Located in Goseong-ri, Cheongpyeong-myeon, Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do, The Peace Institute is a three-story building by the Namhan river. It was designed and built as an education and training institute, a facility with accommodation and cooking facility, and was completed in 2014. The Peace Institute was designed to host guests for peace activities. It has served as a place of harmony for peace leaders. HWPL (Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light, Chairman Man Hee Lee) is an NGO with special consultative status at the UN ECOSOC and registered as a UN DGC-associated NGO (formerly DPI). During and after the HWPL World Peace Summit, an annual peace conference the NGO has hosted since 2014, the Peace Institute has become a home for peace advocates and displays a gallery of peace work that has taken place across 100 countries since 2014. The building is inspirational and looks like a palace or a manor, and has a beautiful surrounding background due to its lakeside setting, matching its theme of peace, harmony, and love.
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- 🌍 Cheonpyeong Lake (청평호), Hoigok-ri, Seorak-myeon. 00:00-24:00(Everyday). heongpyeong Lake was created with the construction of the Cheongpyeong Dam in 1944 and at its peak the lake stretches across 19 million m². On both sides of the lake, Homyeonsan (Mt.) rises high to complete a beautiful view. People seek Cheonpyeong Lake for vacations in the summer and it is frequented by tourists all year round. It is a popular water-ski resort and every year, young fish are released for visitors to fish.
- 🌍 Jarasum (자라), 1-1 Daljeon-ri, Gapyeong-eup, ☏ +82 31-8078-8028. People started visiting Jarasum Island after the International Jazz Festival in 2004. The feast of jazz harmonized with the sounds of nature brought people to Jarasum Island. People who walked along the waterfront trails, walked wild flowers, sports facilities, and recreational forests gradually began to recognize the beauty of Jarasum Island.
Do
Outdoor
- Yeonin Mountain (연인산) (heading north out of Gapyeong town take the first left after the bridge and follow the road to the park entrance). Yeonin Mountain has many hiking routes to explore.
- Water Sports. The river that runs past Gapyeong to Cheongpyeong has many opportunities for wake boarding, water skiing and tubing. You can enjoy many water sport like banana boat, flying boat, peanut boat, and bungee drop.
- Bungee Jumping. If you enjoy the thrill of falling straight down, bungee jumping may strike your fancy.
Mountain biking
- Yoeninsan MTB Course. A tough 43-km MTB trail with some pretty steep ups and downs. Every year there is an organized race on the course that starts from the local sports stadium.
- Gangchon MTB Course. Through the mountains between Gapyeong and Gangchon is the Gangchon MTB course which also hosts an annual race. It is not as tough as the Yeoninsan course but it is still a great trail.
Indoor
- Nice Bowling center (나이스 볼링센터), ☏ +82 31 582-5730. Ten-pin bowling. ~₩3,000 per game.
Buy
Pine nuts are a local specialty.
- Outdoor Market (Behind Hanaro Mart). Every 5 days there is an outdoor market. This is a good place to by fresh fruit, veg and seafood. And a great place to buy local produce.
- Hanaro Mart. Supermarket for all your general needs.
- Plus Mart. Supermarket for all your general needs.
- Bike Buddy. Sells road and mountain bikes
- Alpha. Stationery shop.
Eat
Korean BBQ
- Wine Samgyeopsal (와인 생삼겹), Bonam-ro (보남로) 15-2 (go straight out of Gapyeong County Office, it's about 100 m down the road, on the left, opposite one of the many Nonghyeop banks), ☏ +82 31 582-7545. Absolutely delicious samgyeopsal! ₩10,000 per portion of meat.
- Mapo Galmaegi (마포 갈매기), Gahwa-ro (가화로) (turn left out of the bus station, it's about 400 m up the road on your right). This popular Korean BBQ restaurant opened in July 2012. One of the cheapest places in Gapyeong to eat a Korean BBQ meal. They have a big range of meats - samgyeopsal, jubeokgogi, dweji-galbi, mapo-galbi and galmaegi. One portion of meat ranges from ₩6,000 to ₩20,000.
- Duck Restaurant (용추골 오리 숮불구이) (opposite Nice Bowling Center). Fresh, smoked and marinated duck BBQ. ₩15,000.
- Famous Spicy Stir-fried Chicken (소문난 닭갈비), 경기도 가평군 상면 행현리 492-7. Charcoal fire, grilled chicken ribs
Traditional
- Incheon Chip (인천집), Seokbong-ro (석봉로) (turn left out of Gapyeong County Office, go straight for about 400 m, it's on your right, just past Alpha), ☏ +82 31 581-5533. Specializes in Boribap (보리밥) - a dish similar to bibimbap - and Mandu Jeongol (만두전골) - a mandu and tofu soup. ₩6,000 per dish.
- Bon Juk (본죽). Traditional Korean rice porrage. ₩6,000.
Fast Food
- Mom's Touch (맘스터치), Seokbong-ro (석봉로) (turn left out of Gapyeong County Office, it is about 300 m up the road on your right, just before DS-Mart), ☏ +82 31 581-5556. Great chicken fillet burgers and really nice Cajun style fries. Also does good fried chicken and BBQ ribs. Eat-in or take-away. ₩2,000-17,000.
- Pizza Etang (피자에땅) (go straight out of Gapyeong County Office, past Wine Samgyeopsal on your left and Nyeonghyeop bank on your right, it's on your right, just before the junction with Gahwa-ro), ☏ +82 31 581-1588. Take-away pizza.