Ganghwa Island Coastal Ride
A 461 km loop
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Why this ride
A rider’s loop: clean exit, memorable middle, calm return. 461 km round from Hwado - plan on about 9 h 36 of riding. The stops in between: Scenic stretch near Gwangju, near Hwaseong-si and near Kaesŏng. The climb of the day is near Osan. It crosses from South Korea into North Korea - carry ID and check vignette or toll rules.
Roadbook
- Fuel stop near Hwado
fuel
Hwado is a town in Namyangju, east of Seoul, in a landscape of forested mountains and river valleys where the Bukhan river flows down from the north towards its meeting with the Namhan river at Yangsu-ri. It is one of the gateways to the classic weekend rides out of Seoul, along the river towards Gapyeong and Chuncheon, and on Saturday and Sunday mornings you will see groups of motorcyclists gathering at cafés and service stations along the route.
Namyangju is the birthplace of Jeong Yak-yong, known as Dasan, one of the great scholars of the late Joseon period, a philosopher, engineer and reformer who designed the cranes used to build the Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon. His family home and tomb, by the river at Majae village, have been preserved, and a museum tells his story. He spent many years in exile in the south, where he wrote much of his work.
As a fuel stop and start, the Hwado area is practical, with service stations and convenience stores along the main roads. From here, the roads along the Bukhan river are scenic, with views over the water and the mountains, and the routes into the hills are winding and wooded. Cheonmasan, to the north, is a popular mountain for hiking.
Traffic can be very heavy on weekends, especially on the roads along the river and in the autumn foliage season. An early start is essential. Surfaces are generally good. Fuel is available along the way, but stations are fewer in the mountains, so fill up here.
- Scenic stretch near Gwangju
scenic
Gwangju in Gyeonggi province is not to be confused with the much larger city of Gwangju in the south-west. This Gwangju lies south-east of Seoul, in a landscape of wooded hills and valleys, and it is home to one of Korea's most important historic sites: Namhansanseong, a mountain fortress on the ridges above the city, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014.
In the winter of 1636, when the Qing army invaded Korea, King Injo took refuge in Namhansanseong with his court and soldiers. They held out for forty-seven days, cold and short of food, before the king surrendered and was forced to bow to the Qing emperor at Samjeondo, by the Han river, a humiliation that Koreans still remember. The fortress walls, gates and buildings have been restored, and walking along the walls, with views over Seoul and the surrounding hills, is a highlight.
For riders, the roads up to Namhansanseong are winding and steep, with tight bends and views, and they are popular with motorcyclists and cyclists. The village inside the fortress has restaurants serving traditional food, including chicken stews and grilled meats. To the east, Paldang Lake and the Han river offer scenic riding along the water.
Traffic can be heavy, especially on weekends and in the autumn foliage season. Surfaces are generally good, but the mountain roads demand care. Fuel and food are available in Gwangju and the surrounding towns. As a scenic stretch, the fortress and its views are unforgettable.
- High point near Osan
pass
This is where the road stops climbing.
- Photo stop near Hwaseong-si
photo
Photo stop near Hwaseong-si, about halfway.
- Food stop near Kaesŏng
food
Kaesŏng is a name that carries weight in Korea. For nearly five centuries it was the capital of the Goryeo kingdom, the dynasty that gave Korea its name in Western languages, and it was famous for its merchants, its ginseng and its cuisine. Today it lies in North Korea, just across the Demilitarised Zone, and for riders in the South it is a city seen only from a distance, across the water and the wire, from the northern shores of Ganghwa Island and the Gimpo peninsula.
The view is haunting. From the Ganghwa Peace Observatory, at the northern tip of the island, or from the Aegibong Peace Ecopark in Gimpo, you look across the narrow estuary where the Han and Imjin rivers meet the sea, to the hills and villages of the North, sometimes close enough to make out fields and buildings. The estuary itself is a neutral zone, closed to civilian traffic, and its mudflats and wetlands have become a haven for birds.
As a food stop, the area on the southern side of the estuary has plenty to offer. Ganghwa Island is known for its ginseng, its sweet purple turnips and its seafood from the mudflats, including shrimp and eel. Restaurants along the coast serve grilled eel and seafood stews, and the markets in Ganghwa town sell local produce. Kaesŏng's own culinary traditions, carried south by refugees after the war, survive in dishes found in Seoul and beyond.
The roads around Ganghwa and Gimpo are scenic, with views over the estuary and the mudflats, but military checkpoints and restricted areas are common near the border, so follow signs and instructions carefully. Fuel and food are available in Ganghwa town and Gimpo.
- Near Kwangmyŏng
finish
Under a hill in Gwangmyeong, a disused gold mine has been turned into one of the stranger tourist attractions near Seoul. The Gwangmyeong Cave, worked for metal for much of the twentieth century and later used to store salted shrimp, now has light shows, an underground aquarium and a wine cellar stocked with Korean wines, all in tunnels kept at a cool, constant temperature even in the heat of August.
This finish lies on the south-western edge of Seoul, near Gwangmyeong, where the city spills into Gyeonggi province. The Anyangcheon stream, lined with cycle paths and parks, runs north to the Han, and the area is a mix of apartment towers, markets and industrial estates. The KTX high-speed station, an airy steel hall, is a short ride south.
Coming back from Ganghwa Island, the island of dolmens, fortresses and tidal flats at the mouth of the Han, the closing kilometres take the national roads through Gimpo and the western suburbs. With motorcycles barred from Korea's expressways, it is slow going, with traffic lights, buses and heavy traffic at rush hour. Take care at intersections, where turning cars are a hazard.
Gwangmyeong has a big traditional market, where stalls sell rice cakes, fried snacks, kimchi and fresh produce, and the food alleys are full of small restaurants serving noodles, soups and grilled meat. Fuel and convenience stores are on every main road. Eat in the market rather than a chain: perch on a plastic stool, point at whatever the next table is having, and accept the extra side dishes that will arrive whether you ordered them or not.
- Back to Ganghwa
finish
Namyangju, to the south-east, is a large satellite city of Seoul, with a mix of apartments, farmland and woods. The town has a quiet, semi-rural feel, with vegetable fields and small restaurants strung along the roads.
The ride that ended here came from Ganghwa Island, and the last stretch passes through the green belt of the capital's north-east. The roads are narrow and winding in the hills, wider and busier along the main routes, with a surface that is generally good. Bends are frequent, and the views over the river valley are pleasant, especially in autumn, when maples and ginkgo trees turn red and yellow. Weekend traffic builds on the roads from Seoul, so a weekday or early start is better.
Namyangju has some famous names. Dasan Jeong Yak-yong, a great scholar of the late Joseon dynasty, was born here and wrote a vast body of work on government, science and agriculture, and his house and a memorial hall stand beside the river. Unjongsa, a Buddhist temple on the mountain, is known for its old trees and a bronze bell and for a rocky hillside with Buddha figures. The Han river, here wide and slow, has bike paths on both banks and views of wooded hills.
Fuel and food are easy, with stations along the main road and many restaurants. The valley is known for its duck and for traditional Korean dishes served in garden settings, and the cafes by the river have long terraces. A plate of grilled duck, with vegetables and rice, is a traditional meal, and the restaurants here keep long hours at weekends.
Take a walk beside the river if the light is good. The Han here is calm and wide, and the hills across the water are soft in the evening.