Reservation Competition Hits 589 to 1, Every Room Offers Ocean View... This Place Draws Crowds for Summer Vacations

Accommodation Reservations at Wonsando Natural Recreation Forest Reach 589 to 1

Five New Haebyeolchae Lodgings to Open on August 3

August Reservations on First-Come, First-Served Basis, September Reservations by Lottery

As the full-fledged summer vacation season begins, interest in travel destinations is on the rise, and the Wonsan Island Natural Recreation Forest in Boryeong, South Chungcheong Province, is emerging as a new popular holiday spot. The opening of the Boryeong Undersea Tunnel and the Wonsan Anmyeon Bridge has dramatically improved accessibility, and the fact that visitors can enjoy both the sea and the forest in a mixed-use leisure setting is cited as a key factor in its popularity.

A view of Wonsan Island Natural Recreation Forest in Boryeong. Chungnam Province Forest Resources Research Institute

Reservation Competition as Hard as 'Picking Stars from the Sky'... Peak Rate Hits 589:1

On July 31, the Chungnam Province Forest Resources Research Institute announced that the competition to reserve accommodation at the Wonsan Island Natural Recreation Forest has been intense, with the highest recorded rate reaching 589 to 1 since its opening, reflecting soaring popularity.

The Wonsan Island Natural Recreation Forest is the first coastal-view recreation forest established by a local government, spanning 28.4 hectares across Wonsan Island in Boryeong. Every room offers a view of the West Sea, and its proximity to major attractions such as Daecheon Beach and Anmyeon Island is believed to have led to continuous high reservation demand.

Furthermore, as a complex leisure space where visitors can experience both forest and coastline, it is shifting tourism away from short-term visits focused on beaches and instead encouraging longer stays.

View of Wonsan Island Natural Recreation Forest in Boryeong. Photo by Chungnam Province Forest Resources Research Institute

Five Additional 'Haebyeolchae' Lodges Set to Open Next Month

In April, the province opened nine “Forest Houses,” along with a visitor center and walking trails. To meet rapidly rising demand, it plans to open five new “Haebyeolchae” accommodation units on August 3.

The additional “Haebyeolchae” lodges will include three rooms for three people and two rooms for four people. For a three-person room, the weekday rate is 39,000 won and the rate for weekends, holidays, and peak seasons is 65,000 won. For a four-person room, the weekday rate is 58,000 won and the rate for weekends, holidays, and peak seasons is 106,000 won.

Reservations for August accommodation will begin at 2 p.m. on July 31 on the integrated forest recreation reservation system “Supna-deul-e” on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations for September stay will be accepted from August 1 to 4, with the lottery results announced at 10 a.m. on August 5. Any remaining rooms can be reserved on a first-come, first-served basis from 9 a.m. on August 6.

Transportation Infrastructure Has Redrawn the Tourism Map

The transformation of Wonsan Island is closely tied to improved transportation infrastructure. After the 2019 opening of the Wonsan Anmyeon Bridge, connecting Wonsan Island to Yeongmok Port on Anmyeon Island in Taean County, the Boryeong Undersea Tunnel opened in 2021, linking Daecheon Port in Sinhak-dong, Boryeong City, to Wonsan Island, further enhancing accessibility.

Both facilities are key to the National Route 77 Taean–Boryeong connecting road, completing a 14.4 km-long network that links the Boryeong Daecheon area with Wonsan Island and Anmyeon Island in Taean, thus establishing a unified tourism belt. As a result, Wonsan Island has shifted from being a destination only accessible by ferry to a “lifestyle destination” that can now be reached at any time by car. This change has not only spurred interest in existing coastal tourism resources such as Obongsan Mountain and Sachang Beach, but also increased demand for longer stays.

Wooseok Seong, Director of the Chungnam Province Forest Resources Research Institute, stated, “The recreation forest is receiving high interest as a place where guests can enjoy both coast and forest. We will expand accommodation facilities to enhance convenience for visitors and contribute to revitalizing tourism along the West Coast.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.