Just outside of the small tourist city of Danyang (단양) at the end of Chungcheongbuk-do’s Chungju Lake is one of the most visited caves in all of Korea, Gosu Cave (고수동굴).  If you are wondering Gosu Cave (Gosudonggul in Korean) is named after the tall thickets of grass that grow in the area.  The cave is within walking distance of Danyang and a great place to escape the heat if visiting the area in the summer time because the cave stays at about a cool 15 degree Celsius temperature all year long. To reach the cave from Danyang you simply have to walk across a bridge and into the beautiful valley that is home to the cave.  All the tourist shops and restaurants surrounding the cave let you know that you are in the right area:

When I visited the cave the crowds were typical for such a tourism site in Korea so expect to enjoy this cave if visiting with a large amount of ajushis and ajummas in a tight confined space because the path through the cave is quite small.

It is estimated that this limestone cave started to form 450 million years ago and 1,300 meters long and features a variety of scenic stalactites and stalagmites throughout the cave:

Some of them can be quite large and impressive:

As you can imagine taking pictures within the cave is challenging due to the lighting conditions as well as the swarm of visitors on the trail trying to push by you while trying to take a picture.  So most of my shots didn’t come out to well, but I was able to get a few shots that show some of the unusual features of this cave:

Expect to get a little wet when visiting Gosu Cave because there is plenty of water dripping from the ceiling, but like I said before if you visit during the summer time this cool dripping water will be a welcome relief from the scorching heat outside:

The trail through the cave is only 1.7 kilometers, but considering the confined space and the number of stairs you have to climb the trail actually feels longer than that.  It takes about an hour to go through the cave by keeping a leisurely pace and enjoying all the natural sites within the cave:

Gosu Cave is open all year round and definitely a must see attraction if you are visiting the Danyang area.  For people really into exploring caves and looking for the best cave in Korea to check out while visiting, Gosu Cave is not it.  Hwanseon Cave in Gangwon-do continues to be the best cave I have visited in Korea though Gosu Cave is a nice substitute for those who can’t make it that far out to Gangwon-do to see the cave.  Does anyone else have their own recommendations for the best cave in Korea?