Is the wearisome rainy season coming to an end? Then now are the golden days for extreme leports (leisure andsports).

Many people go rafting to keep off the heat in a simple and easy manner, but this activity has some inconvenient truths.

Inconvenient Truths about Rafting, the Best Summer Extreme Leports

1. Rafting is inexpensive?

2. Rafting is a two-hour program, and therefore, can be enjoyed without a long vacation?

You think so?

I went rafting myself to find out whether these are real truths or not. 

I went to the Donggang River in Yeongwol-gun, Gangwon Province, and Naerincheon Stream in Inje-gun, which are considered to be popular places for rafting.

I reserved a rafting program for 2:00 p.m. in Donggang River A Leports and left from Seoul. I used the bus to calculate accessibility.

09:00 I left home early in the morning and got on the bus to Yeongwol at Dongseoul Bus Terminal at 9:00 a.m.. The fare was KRW 15,300, and it took three hours.
12:00 I got off at Yeongwol Terminal and had a quick lunch, and rode a local bus for 36 more minutes to A Leports. As the total fare was about KRW 17,000, the round-trip transportation would cost around KRW 34,000.
13:30 I arrived at A Leports, quickly got ready, and went to start rafting.
17:00 I had a great time rafting for two and a half hours, and returned to the base to shower and change.
I went to downtown Yeongwol, so starving that I felt like I could eat anything.
20:00 After eating dinner, it was already 8:00 p.m..
I could not bring myself to go home. My body was too exhausted, and I would probably miss the last bus home from Dongseoul Bus Terminal even if I get there. So I ended up looking for accommodations in Gangwon Province.
I paid KRW 30,000 for rafting and KRW 34,000 for the bus fare. Even excluding the meal cost, I spent money for accommodations unintentionally and ended up spending over KRW 100,000. I did rafting for two and a half hours, but spent seven hours on the bus.

∴ The Real Truth About Rafting 
1. Rafting itself is KRW 25,000 per person, which is inexpensive; but you must spend the costs of round-trip transportation, two meals, and accommodations.
2. Rafting requires only two hours, but you must make it an overnight trip because of the time spent traveling. 

But you know what? There is a place where you can go rafting on a one-day trip only an hour away.

It is the Hantangang River in Pocheon.

“Isn’t the Hantangang River in Pocheon famous for its beauty?”

Yes, it is. The Hantangang River in Pocheon has been classified as a water supply source protection area  the past 20 years, and preserves the pure nature from time immemorial. It was appointed to have the scenic spot of most natural monuments in Korea as a single stream in a single area. Thus, the Hantangang River in Pocheon, which is referred to as the Grand Canyon of Korea, is transforming itself into a wonderful leisure town as it recently lift the regulations of the water supply source protection area.

“The Hantangang River is beautiful, but it’s not as thrilling as Gangwon Province, is it?”

Its name, Hantangang River, means ‘a river with great rifts with many rapids.’

The Hantangang River is characterized by magnificent cliffs with strangely shaped rocks, winding canyons, and unpredictably strong force of currents.

The Hantangang River is Korea’s only river created by the eruption of a volcano, with a beautiful basalt canyon made by the cooled lava from the eruption 270,000 years ago. The waterway originates from Pyeonggang-gun of Gangwon Province and flows through Cheolwon, winding around Pocheon and leading toward Imjingang River, adding up to the total length of 136 km. The 9 km rafting course was developed as part of the comprehensive development plan for the Hantangang River. This is the optimized course for rafting, as it has rapids and powerful currents upstream and exquisite views of the Bidulginang Waterfall downstream.

Starting this year, two courses Venus and Adventure have offered to suit the tastes of true extreme leportsenthusiasts.

1. Venus Course
Starting around Geunhonggyo Bridge in Jail-ri, Yeongbuk-myeon, Pocheon, the Venus Course is 6.5 km long and is a middle-distance course that takes about two hours on average. It has a low level of difficulty, so people of all ages can easily enjoy the pleasure of rafting. You can get a close view of Hwajeokyeon and columnar joints among the eight views of the Hantangang River as you go along the course.

Give yourself to the rafting boat and enjoy the beautiful nature.

Departure: Near Geunhonggyo Bridge, 1030 Jail-ri, Yeongbuk-myeon, Pocheon

Destination: San 138-1, Sohoesan-ri, Yeongbuk-myeon, Pocheon

2. Adventure Course
Do you want a thrill? Come to the Adventure Course, first presented in 2013!!
The Adventure Course is a highly adventurous course in which you actively strive through the surging rapids along the 5km-long course. You can enjoy true excitement and thrill of the rifts and rapids of the Hantangang River only if all the passengers join forces. Columnar joints created by nature are magnificently connected from the beginning to end, producing a mysterious atmosphere.

Departure: 376 Daehoesan-ri, Yeongbuk-myeon, Pocheon

Destination: 1086 Jung-ri, Gwanin-myeon, Pocheon

Rafting is best when you actually do it!

So I did go rafting at the Hantangang River, where the legend of Taebong Gung Ye flows along with the rapids.

Looking at the boats lined up, I already feel excited.

Pocheon Rafting is run by the Pocheon City Facilities Management.

In other regions, all kinds of private companies are jumbled up with different prices, degrading service quality due to cut-throat price competition and selling -unwanted programs by the lump at a low price. However, Pocheon Rafting is reliable as it is run 100% by the local government and has almost no negligent accidents.

“Pocheon Rafting is run by a public enterprise. Thus we have the basic principles of customers’ safety as the first priority rather than profits, responsibility as a public enterprise, and the sense of duty to preserve Mother Nature,” said Kim Jin-seok, the officer in charge of the Tourism Team of Pocheon City Facilities Management.

(Another great thing: Even if you cancel your reservation, although you shouldn’t do, you will marvel at the rationality of their management. Most private companies require a 50% cancellation charge when cancelled a day before the reserved date, but Pocheon Rafting guarantees a 100% refund in the same case. You can also get a 90% refund even if you cancel on site up to 30 minutes before the reserved time on the very day. It’s a great advantage, but it should not be misused!)

Rafting requires use of muscles and joints and may strain the body, so you must relax your muscles in advance with warm-up exercises. It is also important to row with an easy mind, as holding the oar too tight may put excessive strain on your shoulders and neck.

There we learn how to row according to position. It’s easy, because you just have to repeat the same motion in your place.

A steersman rides with us in the boat, telling us how to row each moment and where we should go.

After the training on land, we hold hands together and enter the water. As I enter the cold water, my body feels a thrill and it hit me that I am actually on vacation. I came here for work to gather news  materials, but I’d do this kind of work every week!

One team member says he is afraid of water because he cannot swim, but he listens to the lecturer and lies down on the water.

Thanks to the life jackets, we will not sink. Even when we fall into water, we will never die as long as we keep lying down like this.

Finally we drag the boat to the waterside and push it into the water. Even though it is not easy to get onto the boat one by one as the boat joggled, we did not see the boat overturning when we board.

Are we really setting off? We splash water on one another and yell, “Yeah! Let’s go!”

One-two, one-two! We carefully row as we learned on land. I cannot row because I have to film; but as others continue rowing in unison, the boat slowly moves forward.

Before long we are greeted by the rapids of the Hantangang River. A shiver runs down my spine and my legs are trembling.

My clothes get wet from the splash of water, but it is thrilling and cool. 

The breathtaking rapids are over. The slopes does not seem so steep when I watch other teams riding, but riding it myself is really scary.

The Hantangang River has the nickname of ‘Korea’s Grand Canyon.’

Koyang, one of Gyeonggi Social Rockers has already  endlessly praised about the beauty of Pocheon.

Check out Koyang’s post, ‘I really love it, but I cannot describe it’

In particular, Hwajeokyeon and Meongwoori Columnar Joint (Views 3 and 4) as well as Meongwoori Columnar Joint and Guraigol (Views 6 and 7) are located near the rafting course, and you may be distracted by the scenic beauty and forget to row, so beware!

The boat in the picture above seems like it has fallen into water, doesn’t it? But actually, it has not. It is actually just cutting through the high waves. The power of rapids in the Hantangang River! It’s incredible, isn’t it?

We sheared through the waves for about two hours.

We reach a section where the waves are so calm like a post-war peace. This is a characteristic of the Hantangang River: the 2 km section toward the end of the route is in lentic water, enabling you to enjoy recreation and water play.

So the great 5 km voyage is over.

The exciting thrill and speed, and harmony and cooperation with the team members…

The beautiful scenery and cliffs with strangely shaped rocks that fascinate our eyes… 

Don’t go too far for extreme rafting this summer. Why don’t you enjoy it in Pocheon, a place close to you?

Pocheon Rafting Reservation: Pocheon City Facilities Management Corporation at 031-540-6130