Nation's First Muju-tap Y-Shaped Suspension Bridge
Abundant Attractions and Experiences Including Native Plant Garden
[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] Geochang Hangnohwa Healing Land in Gyeongnam announced on the 28th that it is rapidly emerging as a premium forest tourism destination with the nationwide first opening of the mujutap Y-shaped suspension bridge.
Geochang Hangnohwa Healing Land temporarily opened last October along with the Y-shaped suspension bridge opening ceremony, attracting 150,000 visitors in about a month. It gained nationwide word-of-mouth, creating a rare scene where vehicles entering for the first time since the opening of the Gajo IC on the Daegu-Gwangju Expressway experienced congestion.
Despite being closed for over a year due to COVID-19, there were many demands for reopening from tourists. In September, the anti-aging natural recreation forest project was completed, including the forest recreation center and forest houses, and the opening ceremony is scheduled for November 5.
Hangnohwa Healing Land operates with an online reservation system limiting the maximum daily reservation to 1,000 people, strictly adhering to COVID-19 prevention guidelines and social distancing to ensure safe operation.
In particular, the county expects Geochang Hangnohwa Healing Land to become a stay-type forest recreation area by offering wellness tourism content such as the nationwide first mujutap-style Y-shaped suspension bridge, forest interpretation, forest healing programs, forest experience sites, and a native plant garden, providing various attractions and opportunities for rest.
◆ Nationwide Famous Mujutap Y-shaped Suspension Bridge
The Y-shaped suspension bridge connects three mountain peaks and is the first mujutap suspension bridge in the country, becoming a landmark of Geochang Hangnohwa Healing Land.
It is installed at an altitude of 620m at the midpoint of Wudusan Mountain, 1,046m high, and is the only mountain footbridge in Korea connecting a sheer gorge in three directions. With a height of 60m above ground and a total length of 109m, it offers both thrilling and awe-inspiring experiences.
After gaining nationwide fame with the suspension bridge opening ceremony last October, it attracted 150,000 tourists in one month but was closed for over a year due to the spread of COVID-19.
From the entrance of Hangnohwa Healing Land to the suspension bridge, it takes about 20 minutes to walk along a well-maintained forest path and climb 576 steps. Each step is marked with health and hope phrases, turning boredom into enjoyment and making the climb feel much lighter.
The suspension bridge is designed to seismic grade 1 standards, can support up to 750 people based on an average adult weight of 70kg, and is safely engineered to withstand strong winds of up to 32m/s.
◆ Forest Education and Healing Programs Led by Forest Interpreters and Forest Healing Specialists
Geochang Hangnohwa Healing Land has been operating customized forest interpretation and forest healing programs since April, tailored to all ages from infants to adults and to each season.
To ease the disappointment caused by the closure of the Y-shaped suspension bridge and minimize contact due to COVID-19, since August, the county has been running ‘non-face-to-face programs’ suitable for family units and ‘visiting forest programs’ for kindergartens and schools to accommodate residents who find it difficult to visit.
Hangnohwa Healing Land runs forest programs such as ‘Walk Only on Flower Paths’ and ‘Let’s Go on a Forest Outing’ led by one forest interpreter and two forest healing instructors, allowing participation from infants to all age groups.
Forest interpretation includes activities such as observing natural objects, forest experiences, ecological play, wildflower observation, and making family photo frames, providing visitors with mental relaxation and sensory rest, offering experiences rarely encountered before.
◆ Barrier-Free Forest Deck Road and Native Plant Garden
The healing forest features the longest 1.4 km barrier-free deck road in the country, designed as a circular path without stairs or obstacles, allowing wheelchair users, the elderly, and children to all enjoy forest bathing.
Additionally, the natural recreation forest offers a rare opportunity nationwide to view native plants while strolling along a 520m barrier-free trail, culminating at the Gyeonam Waterfall, which emits negative ions and phytoncides, providing new attractions for tourists.
About 32,450 herbaceous plants and 105 trees have been planted, including Jokduri grass, Elise, Noruojum, Norugwi, Silver Pheasant’s Leg, Widower’s Flower Stem, and New Strange Pouch, presenting rare and awe-inspiring scenes filled with wonder and beauty.
◆ Emergence as a Healing Stay-Type Tourist Destination with Completion of Forest Recreation Center and Forest Houses
In September, Geochang Hangnohwa Healing Land completed the anti-aging natural recreation forest project, finishing one forest recreation center building with 10 rooms and eight forest houses, along with a parking lot and management office, rising as the nation’s top stay-type forest recreation tourism site.
The accommodation facilities can accommodate up to 100 people per day and plan to begin temporary operation from November. Experience facilities such as the forest library, meditation area, and hammock zone are expected to receive great responses from tourists exhausted by COVID-19 and provide high satisfaction to family tourists with children.
Gu In-mo, the mayor of Geochang County, said, “The eastern region of Geochang is being developed as wellness health tourism content centered on Hangnohwa Healing Land and Gajo Hot Springs. Opening during the upcoming with-COVID era is expected to attract many tourists and contribute to revitalizing the local economy.”
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
