Stretching a whopping 402 meters, Yedangho Suspension Bridge in Yesan is the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in South Korea. While crossing this bridge may not feel as daring as some of the other suspension bridges in Korea (remember Sogeumsan Suspension Bridge in Wonju?), it’s worth a visit if you’re living in Camp Humphreys or the surrounding area. And the best part: It’s completely FREE! Read on for more information and directions on how to visit.
Yedangho Suspension Bridge in Yesan
Yesan in South Korea is hardly the most touristy location – but that was kind of why we liked it. For the entire four hours we spent there, we only saw one other family of non-Koreans, and I don’t know what language they were speaking, but it wasn’t English. And while we definitely love visiting touristy locations (like Seoul Tower and other well-known sites), we’ve become suckers for the places that are a little more random and out-of-the-way.
I’m curious to learn more about what else there is to do in Yesan – as it very much had a “small town” kind of feel to it. It’s home to many apple orchards where you can go apple picking in the fall – as well as learn to make apple pies, and taste apple wine and apple soju (if that’s your kind of thing). I have a feeling that we’re going to have to take another trip to Yesan this fall.
I found Yedangho Suspension Bridge when I was looking for information on Sogeumsan Suspension Bridge months ago. And after experiencing the bridge in Wonju (terrifying as the first bridge was), it opened up an urge in me to experience ALL of the suspension bridges. But then winter hit and life happened and we just never got around to visiting any more. Until a weekend in early June. We had a few hours to spare (plus the weather was beautiful with a low AQI) and it seemed like the perfect time to drive the hour it would take to get to Yesan.
Yesan seemed an interesting location for such a massive suspension bridge. After all, it really felt like the middle of nowhere, but then they have the country’s longest pedestrian suspension bridge? But of course I’m not complaining because the lack of skyscrapers around made the bridge all the more incredible. It towered over everything else around it and was beautiful suspended over the Yedang Reservoir. We loved watching people picnicking on and fishing off of the little boat houses that littered the water. And we loved even more stopping and grabbing some ice cream from the small convenience store just on the other side of the bridge.
Crossing Yedangho Suspension Bridge
Crossing the bridge was a fun experience. The entire bridge is separated in half by a large observatory that is secured to the ground under the water in the middle of the Yedang Reservoir. The suspended sections of the bridge wobble at least as much as I would expect any suspension bridge would – if not more! When we first crossed the bridge, we didn’t notice much wobbling because the bridge was relatively empty – less people meant just a slight wobble. However, as we were leaving to head back to the car, it was a LOT more crowded, and that bridge weebled and wobbled to the point that even our older kids were getting a little uneasy. Still, it made for a pretty thrilling experience for all of us.
Musical Fountain Water Show
We had a few reasons for visiting this specific suspension bridge, besides the fact that it is the longest of its kind in the country. For one, we wanted a bridge that didn’t require any hiking – as we’d hiked a decent amount recently and our bodies were ready for a break. But the main thing that drew us here was the Musical Fountain and Light Show. Right next to the bridge, in the middle of the reservoir, sits an inconspicuous group of water spouts that, multiple times a day, send up geysers of water that reach up to 110 meters into the air. And even better than that – the blasts of water are set to music.
We got to see the water show at 7:00pm before it got dark – and while that was fun on its own, we knew we needed to wait until one of the later shows so we could enjoy the lasers that accompany the music after dark. And, here’s the thing: was it a Disney-level production? Absolutely not. Was it absolutely amazing just the same? One hundred percent.
We watched the show (which lasts for about 20 minutes) from the bridge and danced to everything from K-pop to traditional Korean music to Disney favorites like “Friend Like Me” and “You’re Welcome.” Because there were a LOT of people on the bridge watching the water and light show, we could actually feel the suspended part of the bridge leaning to one side. And after the show ended and people began leaving the bridge, it rocked violently back-and-forth in a way that made me slightly nauseous (but ultimately grateful for the whole experience). If you’re worried about the wobbling bridge, I recommend watching the show from the observatory in the center of the bridge, or from the platforms at either end of it.
This adventure was among one of my very favorites. It shows that you don’t have to spend a ton of money or travel super far to find something fun to do. There are so many amazing things going on all around you – it may just take some effort to find them!
Have you ever visited Yedangho Suspension Bridge? Tell me about it below!
’til next time…
Ash
How to visit Yedangho Suspension Bridge and the Musical Fountain
Directions and Parking: Paste 충청남도 예산군 응봉면 후사리 123 into Naver and it will take you to a parking lot near the bridge. There are multiple parking lots just a short walk from Yedangho Suspension Bridge and all of them that we saw are free. (If you look on Naver, you can see various parking lots clearly marked.) We visited the bridge on a Saturday night in early June and it was busy, but not so busy that we weren’t able to easily locate a parking spot when we arrived around 5:30 in the evening. Still, I recommend going early and taking the time to cross and enjoy the bridge and the beautiful surroundings.
Cost: Crossing the bridge is free, as is watching the water music show – which can be easily viewed from the bridge or from either side of the bridge.
Accessibility: The bridge and surrounding areas are easily accessible for strollers and wheelchairs. Both are allowed on the bridge and there is ample room to bring them across. There is also plenty of space to park strollers or wheelchairs halfway across the bridge on the bottom floor of the observatory. Upper levels of the observatory are not accessible.
Amenities: There are bathrooms conveniently located on either side of the bridge itself. We found them to be clean, however one of them was missing hand soap, so I recommend bringing hand sanitizer (which is a good rule-of-thumb anyway). There didn’t seem to be a TON of restaurants in the immediate vicinity of the bridge, but there was a convenience store, as well as a few small cafés nearby. There was also a small area that sold corn on the cob, fish cakes, mandu (Korean dumplings), and other street foods. We opted to visit the Yesan Lotteria on the way home (paste 충청남도 예산군 예산읍 예산리 477-1 into Naver) instead of trying to convince our kids to eat fish cakes.
Bridge Hours of Operation:
*Hours of operation are subject to change at any time. Information is accurate at the time this post was made according to the information available.
March – November:
9:00am-10:00pm daily (closed on the first Monday of every month)
December – February:
9:00am-8:00pm daily (closed on the first Monday of every month)
Musical Fountain Hours:
*Showtimes vary depending on the day and the season and are subject to change at any time. The schedule listed is true according to the information available at the time.
March – April:
Weekdays: shows at 2:00pm, 5:00pm, 7:30pm, and 8:30pm
Weekends and holidays: shows at 2:00pm, 5:00pm, 6:30pm, 7:30pm, and 8:30pm
May – September:
Weekdays: shows at 2:00pm, 5:00pm, 8:00pm, and 9:00pm
Weekends and holidays: shows at 2:00pm, 5:00pm, 7:00pm, 8:00pm, and 9:00pm
October – December:
Shows only on the first Sunday of each month at 2:00pm, 5:00pm, 7:30pm, and 8:30pm
January – February:
NO FOUNTAIN SHOWS
