The Sancheoneo Ice Festival in Hwacheon

Seoul is getting hotter day by day and I can say the summer is already here. So in order to cool off a little bit, how about looking at the photos of a famous festival made in Hwacheon every winter? I would like to introduce you The Hwacheon Sancheoneo (Mountain Trout) Ice Festival which is one of the festivals I would like to attend next winter. It takes place in Hwacheon in Gangwon-do, with the slogan “Unfrozen hearts, unforgettable memories”. Hwacheon is known to be the first area that freezes in winter, in Korea. So the river is covered with a thick layer of ice and you can do “ice fishing” on it, which seems like a fun experience! Since winter is my favourite season, and I like activities in nature, I do not want to miss it! It is also possible to try various dishes, including raw and grilled mountain trout. The festival takes place around from the beginning of January to the beginning of February, approximately for one month. There is many interest from the foreign tourists. Including ice fishing, the visitors can enjoy fun activities and performance. There is also an exhibition of ice sculptures.  

How to go:

Adress: Hwacheon Stream (화천천) & 5 villages in Hwacheon-gun

Hwacheon-eup, Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon-do 

강원 화천군 화천읍

Telephone: +82-1688-3005

In the festival you can try those activities:

Sancheoneo Experience Program

Ice fishing, Ice fishing for kids, Ice fishing for foreigners, Lure fishing, Bare hand fishing

Snow/Ice Experience Program

Snow sled, bobsleigh, elgomi castle, elgomi bike, ice sled, ice soccer, ice hockey and curling, rides fun park, Haneulgareugi

Culture/Event

Opening ceremony, creative sled contest, winter culture village, prize lottery, angel’s day, soldier’s day, lightening ceremony of Seondeung Street, Planetarium, international symposium for native Sancheoneo’s restoration, wood culture experience place, surprise event.

Convenience, Safety

Information center, warming rest area, smoking booth, ice land broadcasting station, first aid center, 119 safety center, free shuttle bus, fishing guide, volunteer work center, festival insurance company, guide on the road.

Things to eat/things to buy

Official food court, Sancheoneo restaurant, booth for traditional snacks, Sancheoneo meat grill center, sashimi center, farmers market, cafetatia, fishing tool store, festival souvenirs.

How to get to Hwacheon from Seoul

By train

Take ITX line from Cheongnyangni Station

Travel time: 1 hour 40 minutes, fare: 6700 won

Get off at Chuncheon station and go to the bus stop near the train station to catch a Hwacheon-bound bus that leaves the Chuncheon Express Bus Terminal every 30 minutes.

Round trip train tickets to Chuncheon can get sold out in the weekends so make sure to reserve.

By Bus

From Dong Seoul Bus Terminal take an intercity bus to Hwacheon

Bus schedule: 07:05- 19:35, 30-40 minute intervals

Hwacheon Stream is a 10 minutes’ walk from the Hwacheon Bus Terminal

source: http://www.narafestival.com/