Go team ... Naerincheon River rafting lessons.Credit: Richard Tulloch
Richard Tulloch joins Koreans in their adventure playground, where different rules apply.
I have clambered up a few mountains, but this was the first time I'd had a cheer squad applaud my arrival at the top. And I'd never before conquered a mountain where a gentleman sits under an umbrella by the summit engraving medals for people as mementoes of their achievement. Koreans love the great outdoors and Gangwon-do province, or "heavenly blessed land" as it is described in the brochures, is their adventure playground.
But getting back to nature here means anything but being alone in the wilderness; this is a social activity to be shared with your family, friends and work colleagues. Strangers, including Australians, are welcome and, as long as you're not looking for peace and quiet, it's great fun.
Inje County, a couple of hours' drive east of Seoul, is a hot spot of Korean adventure tourism, with a range of simulated near-death experiences on offer year round. People are winched up a crane to Big Bungy and play Inje Sudden Attack, a live version of a shoot-'em-up computer game, which I'm told is massively popular.
I settled for more sedate activities – a bone-jarring ride over rocks and through rivers in an amphibious Canadian Army all-terrain vehicle, followed by a drenching raft trip in wild rapids. To cap it off, I climbed the aforementioned mountain.
Naturally, I shared my fun with others. Beside the Naerincheon River, home of the 2007 World Whitewater Rafting Championships, rafting guides were preparing excited groups of families, workmates and corporate bonders to ride the rapids for a two-hour, six-kilometre trip downstream.
I was assigned to a raft with a Korean family and discovered that mum and her 10-year-old daughter couldn't swim. This would have disqualified them from taking to the water in many countries; apparently the rules aren't so strict in Korea. We strapped on life jackets and a young guide with a taut body and even tauter budgie-smuggler briefs gave us a quick floating lesson. Then we were on our way.
The river was gentle at first, winding between thickly forested hills, then it picked up speed as we neared the rocky bits. Following the barked orders, I added to my Korean vocabulary. Now I speak fluent raft-paddling Korean: "Hana – dul! Hana – dul!" (One – two! One – two!) and "jeongchi!" (stop!) There's also a phrase for "paddle backwards as hard as you can, you idiots, we're going to hit that rock" but I can't quite recall it.
Having survived our first rapids and reaching a flatter section of water, we swapped high fives and were feeling quite cocky – until the guide lined us up on one side of the raft and promptly shoved us overboard.
Much hilarity followed as we splashed him, he splashed us and other guides dunked the pretty girls until they squealed for mercy. When we came to a waterfall, we took turns at being ritually held under the freezing stream. It was all taken in good spirit and it made me reflect on how laws about safety, insurance and harassment, necessary though they may be, have put a dampener on fun in other parts of the world.
The next day I went for a walk. Seoraksan National Park can fairly claim to be Korea's most beautiful natural area, with azaleas blooming in spring and leaves turning red and gold in autumn. I was there in summer – misty and sweaty, with the threat of showers. Nonetheless, the park's rocky peaks, waterfalls and lakes are a magnet for Koreans, so I knew I wouldn't be alone on Mount Gwongeumseong.
There was a queue for the cable car to take us halfway up the hill, with a 90-minute wait before our turn. That was no problem; below the mountains was the lovely Sinheungsa temple, with the world's largest buddha statue – just a few years old but an impressive sight all the same.
Then it was up on the cable car to join the line of ants scrambling up a rocky outcrop known as Gwongeumseong Fortress. My hiking boots gave me good grip, but some were attempting it in sandals and stilettos. It wasn't technical rock climbing, but it wasn't easy, either, and the last part of the climb was beside quite a dangerous drop. No one seemed concerned. A father carried a toddler on his shoulders.
A well-muscled climber swathed in ropes and carabiners had positioned himself between the death fall and us wannabe mountaineers and was directing traffic up the safest route. I seemed to be the only foreigner on the mountain that day, so those waiting at the top gave me a rousing reception. The clouds completely blotted out any view, but no matter. I knew how it was supposed to look – stalls were selling postcards of the mountain complete with snow, azaleas and autumn leaves.
Seoraksan has kilometres of hiking trails leading to huts and temples and I could have escaped the crowds by doing a longer walk. But why worry about not having nature to myself? This was a great cultural experience.
The writer was a guest of the Korea Tourism Organisation.
TRIP NOTES
GETTING THERE
Cathay Pacific flies regularly from Sydney to Seoul, priced from $1258.40. See flightcentre.com.au. Buses from Seoul to Sokcho, near Seoraksan National Park, leave every hour, take about 2 hours and cost 23,000 won (about $23) one way.
STAYING THERE
Kensington Stars Hotel at Mount Seoraksan has great views of the mountain and has double rooms priced from 116,045 won a night. For other accommodation in Gangwon-do province, see english.visitkorea.or.kr.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Entry to Seoraksan National Park costs 3200 won. The cable car up Mount Gwongeumseong costs 8500 won . For adventure activities and guiding companies, see injejump.co.kr (unfortunately, in Korean only but with good pictures) or english.visitkorea.or.kr.
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