[Digging Travel] "Aigo, warm or tangy, so good"... Refreshing 'Water Spots' to Relieve Holiday Fatigue

⑬Top 3 Domestic Spas and Hot Springs to Relieve Short Holiday Fatigue
Cheoksan Oncheon with 50℃ Spring Water Embracing Seoraksan Energy
WE Hotel with Natural Volcanic Bedrock Water in Jeju Jung-sangan
Chungju Where Slightly Alkaline Hot Spring Water Meets Carbonic Acid

There are two major holidays each year, but with the weekend included, this year's Lunar New Year holiday feels unusually short. The holiday quickly comes to an end without even a moment to recover from the fatigue accumulated from visiting hometowns, and before you know it, work is just around the corner tomorrow.

How about visiting a hot spring or sauna this coming weekend to relieve the fatigue built up during the short holiday? Soaking your body deeply in warm hot springs can melt away accumulated stress like snow and bring peace to your mind, allowing you to fully enjoy a rare rest. From historic hot springs to premium saunas boasting exceptional water quality, here are three domestic travel destinations known for their excellent water.

The open-air bath at Cheoksan Oncheon Resort Village, exuding the unique atmosphere of a hot spring.
[Photo by Korea Tourism Organization]

1. Cheoksan Hot Spring with 50℃ Discharge Water Infused with the Energy of Seoraksan

Sokcho, Gangwon-do, is a tourist destination where the charm of the East Sea and the energy of Seoraksan coexist, but in the cold winter with biting winds, it is known among hikers as a hot spring hotspot. The Cheoksan Hot Spring area in Nohak-dong, Sokcho, opened in the early 1970s and has been a popular spot for travelers and Sokcho residents for over half a century.

The colorless and transparent hot spring water of Cheoksan Hot Spring, with discharge temperatures exceeding 50℃, is rich in minerals, fluoride, and strongly alkaline properties. It is known to be effective for chronic digestive diseases, chronic bronchitis, dental caries, tartar removal, stomach ailments, and skin diseases. Nohak-dong was traditionally called ‘Onjeong-ri’ and ‘Yangmal’ because even in winter, the ground and pond water did not freeze easily and emitted steam, making it a favored laundry spot for village women. Cheoksan Hot Spring became widely known in the early 1970s when large amounts of hot spring water began to discharge, and in 1985, the Cheoksan Hot Spring Resort reopened on the original hot spring site, establishing itself as a prominent hot spring destination.

Due to the temperature exceeding 50℃, unlike other hot springs in the 30℃ range, the discharge water is not processed, preserving the original composition of the water in the main spring. The strongly alkaline hot spring water containing radon effectively removes waste products, softens the skin, and is beneficial for skin diseases including atopy. The fluoride content in the water also allows rinsing the mouth to serve as a form of tooth brushing, a unique feature of this place. The open-air bath, designed like a wooden pavilion, offers a panoramic view of the pine forest and Seoraksan’s scenery, providing a feast for the eyes as well.

Usage Fees

Cheoksan Hot Spring Bathhouse (Adult 10,000 KRW) offers affordable rates, and the larger Cheoksan Hot Spring Resort (Adult 11,000 KRW) is also renowned for its water quality. If you are with children, it is recommended to use Hanwha Seorak Waterpia, which has water play facilities (Day pass: Adult 37,000 KRW / Child 28,000 KRW).

WE Hotel, located in the Jung-sangan area of Jeju, is popular for its sauna and swimming pool operated with natural volcanic bedrock water.
[Photo by WE Hotel]

2. Natural Volcanic Bedrock Water at the 5-Star Luxury Hotel 'WE Hotel'

The mid-mountain area of Hallasan in Jeju is a region recognized worldwide for its pristine natural environment. Jeju is the only place in the world to hold three UNESCO titles: it was designated a Biosphere Reserve in 2002, registered as a World Natural Heritage site in 2007, and certified as a Global Geopark in 2014. Located in the mid-mountain area, WE Hotel has been noted since its opening as a wellness resort where medical care, tourism, and outdoor activities can be enjoyed together. Among its highlights is the natural volcanic bedrock water used here.

The site where the hotel was built was initially considered for a medical center for VIPs, recognized for its excellent water quality and outstanding forest environment. The water used by the hotel is natural volcanic bedrock water drawn directly from underground. This water contains abundant ideal bicarbonates, vanadium, and magnesium, which help remove waste from the body, recover from fatigue, and improve skin health. It received a high rating of 5.9 on the O-index, a water quality indicator, compared to the typical healthy water standard of 2.0, confirming the exceptional quality of the water here. According to the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Environmental Resources Research Institute, the water is rated as top-grade, as explained by hotel officials.

Among the 'Hydro Therapy Programs' operated by the WE Hotel Wellness Center, the aquatic program, conducted by floating the body on water in a dome-shaped swimming pool, is very popular.
[Photo by WE Hotel]

The outdoor jacuzzi and sauna, combined with water rich in bicarbonates, magnesium, and minerals, thoroughly relieve fatigue. However, the special water unique to WE Hotel can be experienced in the wellness center’s 'Hydro Therapy Program.' The Aqua Meditation Pool is a dome-shaped swimming pool designed to resemble a mother’s womb, where guests float on the water using flotation devices while stretching and receiving acupressure, accompanied by soothing music played through underwater speakers to maximize therapeutic effects. This program is especially popular among guests for its effectiveness in relieving stress, alleviating depression, and improving insomnia.

Usage Fees

The swimming pool (Adult 25,000 KRW / Child 21,000 KRW) is free for hotel guests, and the sauna is offered at half the regular price (Adult 30,000 KRW) for guests. The Hydro Therapy Program operates by reservation, so it is recommended to inquire at the WE Hotel Wellness Center before use.

Chungju City has designated the Suanbo Hot Springs Tourist District as a "Wellness Hot Spring" and is promoting tourism revitalization by transforming it into a themed hot spring focused on treatment, health, and wellness.
[Photo by Suanbo Hot Springs]

3. Suanbo and Neungam Hot Springs in Chungju Where Mildly Alkaline Hot Spring Water and Tingling Carbonated Water Coexist

Suanbo Hot Spring, Korea’s first natural hot spring, boasts a long history dating back to the 9th year of King Hyeonjong of Goryeo (1018), recorded as "Jangyeon-hyeon, the original Goguryeo Sangmo-hyeon, Hyeonjong 9th year, praised for its warm spring." Records in the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty also mention that Taejo Yi Seong-gye, the first king of Joseon, visited Suanbo Hot Spring to treat his severe skin disease.

Suanbo Hot Spring water is a naturally discharged, mildly alkaline water with a pH of 8.3 and an optimal temperature of 53℃, beneficial to the human body. Along with its long history, there are many anecdotes about people bathing here to treat skin diseases. Managed as the only centrally managed hot spring in Korea by Chungju City, there is no separate main spring, so visitors can enjoy the same quality hot spring water at any bathhouse in the area.

Chungju Neungam Carbonated Hot Spring, where you can enjoy a unique hot spring experience with a high carbon dioxide content.
[Photo by Neungam Oncheon Land]

Near Suanbo Hot Spring is Neungam Hot Spring, famous for its carbonated hot spring water. Carbonated hot springs are rare worldwide and recognized for their uniqueness. Neungam Hot Spring water, discharged from 600 meters underground at temperatures between 25 and 38℃, contains a high concentration of carbon dioxide gas (629.49 ml/L) and natural minerals (silica 81 ml/L, iron, magnesium, etc.), providing a tingling sensation upon bathing that offers a unique experience for first-time visitors to carbonated hot springs.

Although the carbonated water feels cold at first during bathing, after staying for more than two minutes, the cold sensation disappears as carbon dioxide bubbles are absorbed into the skin, promoting blood circulation. Additionally, it is effective for neuralgia and muscle pain and especially helpful for recovery from fatigue after illness.

Usage Fees

Suanbo Hot Spring operates from 10 AM to 7 PM (Adult 10,000 KRW / Youth 8,000 KRW / Child 6,000 KRW). Neungam Hot Spring operates during the same hours (Adult 10,000 KRW / Child 6,000 KRW), extending until 8 PM on weekends, and is closed every Wednesday.

Suanbo Hot Spring offers rooms with family baths. Neungam Hot Spring also provides family baths where rooms and baths are used in one space, which is helpful for travelers who have difficulty using general public baths due to illness or personal reasons and can be reserved in advance.