Wonju
Introduction
Wonju is a city in Gangwon, South Korea, situated roughly 140 kilometres east of Seoul. It is the most populous city in the province, so you can expect the range of services and amenities that come with a sizable urban centre.
Before you go
Wonju is a modern city east of Seoul, and it served as the capital of the historical Gangwon province during the Joseon Dynasty. Keep that older role in mind as you plan: the city pairs its contemporary face with a layer of dynastic history.
Getting there
Wonju sits on a major crossroads, so reaching it by bus is straightforward. From Seoul's Express bus terminal, buses run to Wonju bus terminal in about an hour and three quarters. An express bus from Incheon International Airport also serves Wonju bus terminal, taking roughly two and a half hours. From Wonju bus terminal, services continue to almost all major cities in the country.
KTX high-speed rail connects Wonju with Seoul and Pyeongchang. The city also has its own airport, Wonju Airport (WJU), north of the city in Hoengseong-eup, with a daily domestic flight to and from Jeju island; there are no other flights.
Getting around
Wonju sits in a basin on the wide plain of the Seom River, and it is not a mountainous city like much of the rest of Gangwon Province, which makes it fairly comfortable to move around. The downtown core has cafes and restaurants you can reach on foot, and if you base yourself centrally you can cover a good deal of daily life without transport. Walkability varies by neighbourhood, though, and some areas need a longer walk or a bus ride. Cycling infrastructure is developing, with bicycle routes along rivers including the Namhangang and Seomgang, and renting or buying a bike locally is feasible; note that roads can be narrow and you may occasionally need to ride on the sidewalk. For a more leisurely option, the Wonju Rail Park runs on disused rail tracks between Pandae and Ganhyeon stations, a scenic rail-bike ride of about forty minutes through the surrounding mountains.
Buses are the primary way to get around the city, and the network is extensive. Fares are inexpensive, and cheaper still if you pay with a T-money card rather than cash; with T-money, transfers are free for an hour, so you can change buses without paying twice. Buy and top up a T-money card to get the lower fare and free transfers, and plan your trips in advance, since schedules reward a little preparation. Much of the timetable information is in Korean, which can be a barrier. Taxis and ride-hailing are not documented in detail, so treat them as a supplement to the bus network and ask locally about availability, apps, or typical fares.
Where to stay
As a rule of thumb, places to spend the night in Wonju cluster near the bus terminals. Behind the Wonju bus terminal you'll find love motels, with rooms that typically include a flat screen and Internet access. In the center of town, the Wonju Tourist Hotel suits families; note that it has no floor heating, so in winter you should ask for a second heater.
- Oak Valley Resort (오크밸리 리조트), 66 KR, Oak Valley 1-gil, Jijeong-myeon
- Hyundai Sungwoo Resort (현대성우리조트), 81-4, Uyong-ri, Dunnae-myeon, Hoengseong-gun
- Hotel Inter-Burgo Wonju (호텔인터불고 원주), 200 Dongbusunhwan-ro, Bangok-dong
- Orchid Hotel (오키드호텔), Bonghwa-ro, 26
- City Hotel Wonju (원주 시티 호텔), 4, Geongang-ro
Food & drink
For everyday eating, Wonju serves the same familiar Korean restaurants you will find in other Korean cities. If you are after Western food, head to the area around Lotte Cinema, where you will find Outback, Family Taco, Irish Potato, a Papa Spaghetti and a few coffee shops, with a McDonald's also planned for the area. Pizza places, including Pizza Hut and Dominoes, are scattered throughout the city, and the local E-Mart houses a McDonald's of its own. For something more specific to the region, make for the district of Hoengseong, which is known for Hanu, a Korean breed of cattle raised in the area's clean environment. Each October the Hanu Festival lets you try a range of dishes made with Hanu beef, learn about traditional farming techniques and take part in various activities.What to see and do
Wonju rewards travellers who head for the hills and the temples tucked into them. Chiak Mountain is the anchor: its ridgelines run north and south around Birobong Peak, with high summits such as Namdaebong and Maehwasan, steep valleys, and a scatter of hermitages and historical sites across its slopes. Two of those temples are destinations in their own right. Sangwonsa Temple keeps Korea's oldest grand temple bell and is regarded as a leading Buddhist sacred ground, while Guryongsa Temple carries a Silla-era legend of nine dragons and preserves Joseon-style architecture in its Daeungjeon hall, along with the country's largest straw mat. Further afield, the Beobcheonsaji temple site is a designated National Treasure, its stone monuments recalling the Goryeo period when the temple flourished. Hikers can also climb Gamak Mountain, which changes character with the seasons, or the gentler Baeburuen Mountain, named for its soft, rounded profile.
Water and literature shape the rest of the city's sights. Sogeum Mountain takes its name from the old salt-transport route that passed beneath it, and a long skywalk-style suspension bridge clings to its cliff above the Seom River. Valleys cut into the surrounding hills — Yongsugol, Geumdae and Cheoneunsa among them — offer cold water and shade in summer, and Cheoneunsa Valley leads upward to the Baegunsan hiking trail. Wonju Stream runs from Chiak Mountain through the centre of the city to join the Seom River. For quieter stops, the Toji Literature Park honours the novelist Park Kyongni and her best-known book, and the Wonju History Museum and the Hanji museum cover the region's heritage and its paper craft. Families can visit the natural ecological centre to see and feed farm animals, or wander the free public arboretum at Donghwa Village.
When to go
Wonju has a continental climate, which means the seasons shape your trip in very different ways. Spring and autumn are generally the most comfortable times to visit, with mild conditions well suited to sightseeing. Spring gives you a window before the heat and monsoon rains of summer arrive, while autumn follows the summer rains with milder weather and is a good time to explore before the cold sets in.
- Summer: Hot and humid, with heavy rainfall from the East Asian monsoon, especially in July. Humidity can exceed 80% on midsummer nights, making this the wettest and stickiest stretch of the year, so bring rain protection.
- Autumn: Usually one of the most comfortable times for a visit, with milder conditions after the summer rains and a good window for sightseeing before the cold arrives.
- Winter: Cold and dry, with freezing temperatures and occasional snowfall common in January and February. Dress warmly, and note that inland Gangwon swings more widely in temperature than coastal cities.
- Spring: Usually one of the most comfortable times for a visit, alongside autumn, with mild conditions before the heat and monsoon rains of summer.
Three days in Wonju
Day one: Arrive in Wonju from Seoul by express bus or KTX, or via Incheon International Airport and Wonju Airport (WJU), with connections also possible from Pyeongchang, Hoengseong and Jeju. Settle in around the Wonju Tourist Hotel, then take an easy walk along the Seom River (Seomgang) to get your bearings. In the evening, eat Korean food in the city centre and keep the pace slow after travelling.
Day two: Head out to the Wonju Rail Park for a ride on the old rail line, then continue to Pandae and Ganhyeon for walking and cycling in the surrounding Gangwon countryside. Buses and taxis cover the gaps between stops, and fares are reasonable, so you can link several places in a day. Return to Wonju in the evening.
Day three: Spend the morning along the Namhangang and Seomgang rivers, where walkability and cycling make it easy to cover ground without a car. If time allows, take in a Joseon Dynasty site in the city before heading back to Seoul or on to Pyeongchang. Buy a few local snacks for the journey, and check bus and rail times before you leave.