Manjang-gul Cave

It's Saturday again and you all know what THAT means ... weekend warriors. Breakfast starts at 7am, I'm in the dining room at 7:20 and it is close to full. Looks like a few hiking groups are in, nobody under 40. I suspect they're hiking Mt Hallasan as most of them have departed by 7:40. It's back to normal then (quiet).

As the weather is ordinary today, it seems like a good day to visit a cave. There are something like 160 lava tunnels on the island, a reflection of the extreme volcanic activity in the island's past. Manjang-gul cave is one such set of lava tunnels.

I basically take the same buses to return to Gimnyeong. From there it's a bit tricky. Its just after 11 but the bus that will take me closer to the cave is almost 40 minutes away. And I would still have a 30 minute walk from there to the cave.

So I look for a taxi, none to be found. I walk back to the beach and spy a taxi. He takes me to the cave for just over $5, which saves me an hour compared to the alternative. I buy a ticket to the cave and wander in.

Fortunately the ceiling inside the cave is quite high so I don't need to duck or bend at any stage. It's a one km track through, which you then backtrack. There are good explanations (in English) of the various formations, including stalagmites, stalactites, toes and shelves.

The cave is quite dimly lit so most of my photos are flash-enabled. The going is a little tricky at times with the lighting. Eventually I exit and head for a cafe. There's always time for a coffee.

In the car park there are taxis waiting. They are the sharks of the road, slowly circling, looking for prey. I take one back to Gimnyeong bus stop. There is some time until the intercity bus arrives, giving me time to browse around a local temple. I have no information on this temple whatsoever.Read more