While hotels and motels dominate the major cities of South Korea, the countryside is dominated by private lodging facilities known as ‘pensions / 펜션’. Korean pensions come in all shapes and sizes but tend to be an empty room with provided padding for sleeping on the floor and has an outdoor area where you can BBQ. In the winter, the floor is heated which makes for a warm, comfy evening.
In this article, I give you specific options for hiking + pension weekend trips. With hiking options that range in difficulty and offer pensions that are either in the mountains or on the beach.
Most importantly, I have selected pensions which can be reserved without a Korean bank account and have listed themselves on foreigner websites, which reduces your potential Korean language issues.
Want to see the most beautiful pension I have ever seen in South Korea? Jump to Hiking Juwangsan + Sinsunwangsun Pension
1. Hiking Byeonsanbando + Soleiview Spa Pension
Byeonsanbando Marine National Park has no shortage of beaches to explore, but with only one major hiking option, the Gwaneumbong [관음봉] loop hike. The hike isn’t particularly difficult compared to the big mountain hikes throughout Korea. It’s 5.5km long with the main peak, Gwaneumbong, being 424m high. People opt for the loop course because the peak is reached fairly quickly, but the most beautiful sections come afterwards, with views of the ocean. This course takes average hikers about 3-4 hours. It starts and ends at Naesosa Temple, which has a section of restaurants – with the area being famous for tofu + kimchi with makgollie.
Byeonsanbando National Park Parking Lot 전북 부안군 내소사로 166 https://naver.me/5fIqcukA
Soleiview Spa Pension
The Soleiview Spa Pension is a winner among korean ocean pensions: private hot tub + fantastic location = amazing weekend getaway.
The beach pension vibes are a completely different scene from the mountain pensions. Often times they are a bit more westernized, typically with beds and more furntiure. This spa pension is no exception. With immediate beach access, pools and your own private hot tub, this pension offers you the chance for a very diverse weekend – bring your hiking boots and sandals!
I’ve spent time at a pension with a similar set up, and after a chaotic day hiking being able to drink sparkling wine and soak in the private hot tub is truly one of my most memorable pension experiences in South Korea
You need to book this accommodation a couple weeks in advance if you want to go on a weekend.
This trip will require a car!
3. Hiking Juwangsan + Sinsunwangsun Pension
Juwangsan National Park has a wide variety of hiking course options and attractions.
With the major highlights being:
- Yongchu Waterfall trail – one of the most famous places to see the autumn foliage in Korea
- The Jusanjeosuji Reservoir – famous for the Korean willows that are growing in the water (Gorgeous!)
- Main Peak hike – with the peak reaching 770meters high this is a medium difficulty hike
For more information: I have detailed all these attractions in my Juwangsan National Park guide.
Sinsunwangsun Pension
Forget the hiking, I would just stay in this pension for the whole weekend.
This two bedroom pension is available to rent with unparalleled views of the surrounding landscape. During the weekends it books out weeks in advance, and so this is a trip that you need to plan for way in advance – I would recommend you book 1-2 months early. At $145 for a weekday and $210-$230 for a weekend night, this spot is on the upper end of most people’s budget. But what this pension delivers in views and ‘isolated in nature feeling’ is something worth the money.
With a roof top sitting area, a patio and massive windows, this is where I would want to go to treat myself! Hopefully it’s a clear evening and you can enjoy the stars at night. Make it a two or three day trip just to have a day to just hang out at this pension!
It’s a sleep on the floor with pads set up and requires a car to reach.
3. Hiking Woraksan + Chamjoeun Pension
Woraksan National Park is centrally located in South Korea and offers a number of hikes which range in difficulty. This area is properly in the mountain and is famous for its various mushroom and quail dishes. It’s one of my favorite regions of South Korea to hike in and I have personally done multiple trips to this area.
The two most popular hikes this park has to offer are to the main peak and Jaebibong. I have written detailed guides for both of these hikes. In addition, Yoon Hong-geun’s book Hiking the National Parks of Korea also covers both of these hikes.
TLDR: Jaebibong offers one the most beautiful hikes in South Korea, but it is rather short. For people passionate about hiking it’s more of an add on, but for those looking for a shorter adventure it’s a good match.
The main peak, Yeongbong, is 1,097m high with courses that range from 10-13km. It’s a proper hike with significant elevation gain, but with views that make the effort worth it. It’s also on the Blackyak 100 Mountain Challenge.
Side Mission – Consider checking out the Lazy Caiman Cafe and the Alligator Peak! This combo is a short hike with a fanastic cafe. I’ve made three trips to the cafe and hiked the peak. The views are fantastic and the vibes are 10/10.
Chamjoeun Pension
The Chamjoeun pension is located right next to Woraksan with a classic layout with provided pads to sleep on rather than a bed. They are also have a fabulous outdoor area and offer the ability to use their BBQ area for a fee, that includes all the materials you need – just bring the food. This is your classic mountain pension that isn’t performing for the foreigners, this is the real korean pension experience. At about $90-$100 a night, this is the perfect package and competitively priced for the area.
Consider getting a group together and renting out both rooms. You can have a great weekend getaway with friends, with Smores and all, and it’s not too far from either Pyeongtaek or Seoul!
Transportation
For the proper pension experience its best to go by car because its typically involves more supplies. However, this pension could be reached by taking a bus to Suanbo [수안보] then taking a taxi or a bus to the pension (25 minutes by bus). The Woraksan hike is accessible by bus or by walking to the start of the trail. While Jaebibong will require a taxi or car to get to the start of the hike.
Happy Pension + Trekking!
-Aurora
