Yongpyong is located in Pyeongchang County, in the province of Gangwon-do; Yongpyong is Korea’s oldest resort (built in 1974) and known for being the biggest & best all-round hill in Korea (along with High1). Nearby Alpensia was built with an Olympics bid in mind, and this pair of neighbouring resorts was the focal point of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Games, with Alpensia hosting the ski jumping, bobsleigh, and Nordic events, while Yongpyong hosted the slalom & giant slalom (the other downhill events were held at the purpose-built Jeongseon Alpine Centre, with the freestyle events at Phoenix Park)
Highest lifted point: 1420m
Lowest skiable point: 780m
Vertical drop: 640m
Lifts: 14
Runs: 28
Longest run: 5.6km (‘Rainbow Paradise’)
Terrain park: yes (large, beginner to advanced)
For Alpensia info see here
Yongpyong: the hill
Yongpyong is a proper ski hill, with far better terrain than most Korean resorts. While still fairly small by European or North American standards, Yongpyong’s as big as it gets in Korea and has enough scope and variety for a satisfying day riding the groomers; they have a decent park too (but no pipe). Yongpyong also has one of the best snowfall records in the country, so it isn’t quite as reliant as most Korean hills are on snowmaking – that still isn’t saying much though!
The box at upper right shows the Rainbow section which was used for the Olympic slalom events
Yongpyong is basically split into two areas, with a low altitude area of easy and intermediate pistes around the base and a higher area of more challenging terrain including some genuinely steep runs where the Olympic technical (slalom) events took place. The two areas are connected by the gondola, with one long top-to-bottom run back down; I was expecting this run to be fairly tedious on a board, but actually the gradient is sufficient to keep decent speed up and it’s pretty good fun carving round the bends.
Once you’ve gone up the gondola, the upper area has one chairlift serving the handful of runs up there; the lower area has a total of 12 chairlifts. The resort’s vertical drop of 640m applies to the top-to-bottom run from the gondola; the lower area alone has 340m max vert (from the ‘Gold’ chair), while the upper area (‘Rainbow’ chair) runs have 460m vert – well short of the 800m required for the Olympic Downhill, hence the need to build Jeongseon Alpine Centre.
Here’s the terrain park:
Yongpyong is good for:
The biggest & most varied resort in Korea (along with High1), with some nice steep stuff off the Rainbow chair at the top
Freestyle; the park is one of the better efforts in Korea.
All levels of rider.
40% discount on lift tickets if you first buy a gift card (see here), then use it to buy your tickets.
Yongpyong is not so good for:
By the standards of Korean ski resorts, Yongpyong is as good as it gets and doesn’t have any particular negatives other than the lack of powder days and off-piste skiing – issues which apply to all resorts in Korea.
View from Yongpyong’s ‘Gold’ slopes of the ski jump tower at Alpensia Resort
Yongpyong lift tickets
Yongpyong follows the standard ticketing model in Korea, with the operating hours split into day & night by a 2-hour snow grooming break at 4:30pm; the slopes are open from 8:30am – 4:30pm, and 6:30pm – 2:30am. The daytime hours are subdivided into morning and afternoon, and the nighttime hours are subdivided into evening, night, and late night. You can get lift tickets for any of these individual slots, or for various combinations (details here) with prices ranging from 38,000 won for a late-night pass to 89,000 for afternoon & evening combined.
If you need a full set of equipment & wear rentals and want to take a lesson, it works out cheaper to book a package (also including transportation), see here (or here for the overnight version with accommodation)
Yongpyong sells gift cards which can be used throughout the resort to buy food etc, and can also be used to buy lift tickets with a 40% discount; this means you can buy the gift card first, then use it to buy your pass, and have enough left on the card to buy some food & drinks – who said there’s no such thing as a free lunch!
Yongpyong accommodation
There are several condo developments and a couple of hotels at the Yongpyong base: Dragon Valley Hotel, Blisshill Stay, Tower Condo, Villa Condo, Greenpia Condo, and BirchHill Condo. You can search and book these on Trivago (check here too to compare the price). If you also need rentals, lessons etc then it’s usually better to book a package, see here
You could also stay at the more modern & upmarket accommodation in Alpensia, see here
Alternatively there are a few hotels in the nearby town of Daegwallyeong and a number of independent pension-style options in the surrounding area.
If you’re planning to stay in Seoul and hit Yongpyong/Alpensia from there, search Trivago for hotel rates in Seoul
Airbnb is also a good option in Korea – they have listings near Yongpyong/Alpensia (search for Daegwalnyeong-myeon, the local town) in addition to those in Seoul.
How to get to Yongpyong
If you book a 1-day package (here) or 2D1N package (here) then your transportation is included.
To travel there independently, the most convenient way is to use the direct shuttle buses from Seoul; these are privately operated and require advance reservation, take 2.5 hours, and cost around 20,000 won. You can book these here, and they can also arrange direct airport transfers.
Alternatively, you can take public buses from Seoul’s Nambu Terminal or Dong Seoul Terminal to Hoenggye Bus Terminal (in Daegwallyeong), and a local bus or taxi from there (3 hours plus, all in). The private shuttles are way more convenient, and well-worth the extra 5 dollars or so.
The options are all clearly explained on Yongpyong’s website here; it’s not explained on the page there, but they also run a free resort shuttle between Daegwallyeong and Yongpyong. In town you can board at the Daegwallyeong rotary (the big roundabout) or the post office, and the schedule (correct as of early 2019) is as follows:
To Yongpyong: 5:20, 6:20, 7:20, 8:00, 8:30, 9:40, 10:20, 12:00, 14:00, 15:30, 16:20, 17:40, 18:50, 20:00, 21:00, 23:30
From Yongpyong: 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 13:00, 15:00, 16:00, 17:00, 18:20, 19:30, 20:30, 21:40, 22:40, 00:30
The Gangneung KTX bullet train opened in late 2017 and stops at Jinbu Station, about 90 minutes journey time from Seoul Station for 22,000 won. There’s a free shuttle bus from Jinbu to Alpensia & Yongpyong, see here; it’s only for guests of Yongpyong & Alpensia and you’re supposed to show a reservation receipt or Yongpyong Resort card to board, however when I rode it from Alpensia to Jinbu Station after skiing at Alpensia I could just board without showing anything. I was dressed in snowboard gear so had obviously been riding that day, and the Yongpyong front desk also said the shuttle was available to skiing-only guests as well as actual accommodation guests, so its not 100% clear really; I’m not sure how strictly they check reservations when going the other way from Jinbu to the resorts. If you can’t board the bus or don’t want to wait for it you can expect to pay about 20,000 won by taxi.
Train tickets: you can easily buy train tickets on the day from the ticket machines or manned ticket counters at railway stations, but trains do sell out (especially during peak hours & on holidays) so if you want to be sure of a seat on a specific train it’s better to book in advance. You can either do this in person by visiting a station, or book online on 12go Asia
Any questions about Yongpyong? Leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you.
For more Gangwon-do resorts, see here; for full reviews of every Korean ski resort, see here
Also check out the best Korean ski resorts according to various criteria, and this size comparison of Korea’s ski resorts using satellite imagery.
If you’re visiting during the Olympics, see the top 5 hills to ski at during Pyeongchang 2018, and for more information and the latest updates on Pyeongchang 2018 see here
Hi! Me and my friends would love to try to ski at Yongpyong. When is ski season? We will be in Korean on November 20 to 25. Thank you
Hi Joan,
Yongpyong is opening on November 17th!
Are you planning to stay at the resort, or do a daytrip from Seoul?
Hi, my mum and I will be traveling to seoul end of Feb 2018 and we are keen to stay 2 nights at alpensia. We do not ski but wanna chill and play snow. Would like to get you advice if it’s ok to stay at alpensia during this period.
Hi Leticia,
The Olympics closing ceremony is February 25th. If you go after that i.e. 26-28th Feb, then you can stay at Alpensia. There is some availability on those dates, which you can check here: Intercontinental Alpensia, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Suites
Have a great trip!
Hi, my family is planning for a daytrip to Alpensia on 22 Dec from Seoul. Since this is our first trip we want to bring our children to try out the ski. Is that possible? Are we able to get back to Seoul on the same day? What is the time of the last transport available? Appreciate you advice. Thank you.
Hi Rose,
There is no skiing at Alpensia this season due to the Olympic Games, so you should go to Yongpyong Resort instead. And yes, you can easily go there & back in the same day, don’t worry about that. You can go there on the new KTX bullet train to Jinbu Station, then take the free shuttle bus from the station to the resort.
Do you have any indication that the bullet train will run by that time? I will spend a couple of days between Christmas and New Year in Yongpyong and will visit some other places in the country afterwards, but in absence of firm announcements I am not able to buy the train pass (uncertainty around how many days I will use the pass)
Hi Marc,
I’m afraid we still don’t know the exact launch date for the KTX – only that it will be some time in December. Could be the 1st, could be the 30th… though it does seem more likely that they’ll get it done before the Xmas/New Year period, it can’t be guaranteed until the date’s confirmed.
Given that December is only a week away it’s amazing they haven’t announced it yet! All very last-minute… hopefully we’ll know any day know, and I’ll update this page as soon as we do.
Sorry I don’t have a more helpful answer for you at this stage!
Hi again Rose, for Yongpyong/Alpensia on the 22nd you can see the KTX schedule here. Last train from Jinbu Station at 21:50
Are the hotel accommodations in Alpensia open between Dec 25 to Dec30 this year?
How far is Yongpyong ski from Alpensia? how to get there? any shuttle bus or transport from Alpensia? thanks
Hi Alicia, yes, Alpensia’s hotels are open as usual in December. Alpensia and Yongpyong are very close, but the road between them goes around a (small) mountain, so it’s a road distance of several km. You could walk it an hour (or less), while a taxi would take only 5 minutes but cost around 15000 won (because they charge for the callout from town). As for shuttle buses, the shuttle schedules for this winter still haven’t been announced – hopefully, there’ll be a direct shuttle between them, but there might not be. If there isn’t, you’d have to take the Alpensia shuttle to Jinbu Station, then the Yongpyong shuttle back out to Yongpyong – obviously this could take quite a while, depending on the schedules. Once the shuttle schedules are announced I’ll add the links to this page
Hi there
We are planning a ski trip from jan 2-6. Will YongPyong’s Rainbow and Silver trails be closed by then? I read somewhere they are only closing it mid Jan
Hi Fenn, the Rainbow & Silver areas are completely closed all season.
Phoenix Park is closing in mid-Jan, so perhaps that’s what you read?
Possibly, thanks Simon! Now my heart is set on High1 but all the condos are fully booked! 🙁
Hi,
Any updates on if there will be a shuttle bus linking Alpensia and Yongpyong? Thanks!
Hi Alan, sorry, still trying to get answers from them!
Will update the info here as soon as I’m able
Hi Simon , my family of 6 will be in Alpensia booked At Holiday Inn and Suites for 3 days 2 nights. Are all establishment within vicinity are open although ski resort are closed? Which is better getting snowboard and gear rental in Alpensia or YongPyong? Thanks.
Hi Meetz, so you’re staying at Alpensia and skiing at Yongpyong? In that case, it’s surely easier to rent your gear at Yongpyong so you don’t have to carry it from Alpensia! I’m also not sure if Alpensia will be renting equipment this season anyway.
Let me know if you have any more questions, and have a great trip!
Thanks for all your great info Simon!
I’m planning on doing some snowboarding in Korea during the first week of January 2018. I had originally planned to go to Yongpyong/Alpensia but have recently found out about the closure. I was wondering as a beginner (I’m most likely going to need a refresher lesson or two), whether I should stick with Yongpyong (as it sounds like the beginner area is still open) or just go to High1 instead? What are the beginner/intermediate slopes like at Yongpyong vs High1?
Thanks!
Hi Jia Lin,
Yongpyong and High1 are both good places to learn. But if you’re a beginner, the closures at Yongpyong won’t really affect you, and Yongpyong is easier to get to than High1. So actually I think you can just stick with Yongpyong to be honest!
Thanks for the reply Simon!
Do you know if Yongpyong has something similar to the 50% off for foreigners deal that High1 has? I was somewhat swayed towards High1 when I read about the 50% off from your High1 page, but if Yongpyong has something similar, is easier to get to and the slopes are similar for beginner/intermediate, then I might just stick with Yongpyong. Also do you know if Yongpyong offers lessons?
Cheers!
Hi again Jia Lin, actually yes that’s a good point – the 50% discount at High1 makes it an attractive option. High1 and Yongpyong both have good ski schools with English-speaking instructors available, so you don’t need to worry about that.
For convenience Yongpyong is better, but the discount at High1 might make that the cheaper option. Maybe it also depends what accommodation you can find – the actual resort accommodations are already mostly booked in the first week of January, so you’ll probably have to stay in the nearby towns (e.g. if you go to High1, stay in Gohan town). See the accommodation section on my High1 page for full details: https://snowguidekorea.com/ski-resorts/gangwondo/high1-resort/
I’ve just read the Yongpyong page again but in more detail and it looks like there’s a gift card that I can get that’ll give me similar discounts (40% off)? If I get that, I’m guessing that Yongpyong would come to a similar price to High1? If that’s the case, then I think I’ll choose Yongpyong
Hi Jia Lin, yes that’s a good point too! The only thing is, I can’t guarantee that they’re still doing the gift card discount this season, as I haven’t been up there yet and they don’t give those details on their site. On the other hand, High1 definitely has the foreigner discount as per their site. So there could be a slight risk that you don’t get a discount at Yongpyong… but if you’re ok with taking a chance on that, then go for it! (and if you do, please let me know if you could get the discount or not – the feedback would be really useful to keep this page updated)
Hello, do you know how long the shuttle bus ride between KTX Jinbu Station to Yongpyong Alpine Center will be during Winter Olympics? Trying to figure out how early we should get on the train to catch the 10AM game. Thanks!
Hi Jianqin,
I don’t know for sure how long the shuttles will take, but judging from the distance I’d estimate probably 25-30 minutes. Also remember to factor in enough time for finding your way through Jinbu Station, and the possibility of having to line up for the shuttle bus. I think at an absolute minimum I’d aim to arrive at Jinbu Station at least 1 hour before the event, or 90 minutes to be safe. As I said, I can’t give a concrete answer, this is just my best guess. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Hi,
Your website has been a great help with Olympic planning–better than the official Olympic site. Related to last post about shuttle time between KTX Jinbu and Yongpyong, is the distance to Alpensia (biathlon) about the same? I’m not too worried about arrival, but rather making sure I get the train when I leave at 22:00. Thanks.
Hi Tracy, good to hear the site’s useful – I agree the official site’s a bit lacking in some regards, they should’ve just paid me to do it! haha
Anyway, yes Alpensia & Yongpyong are a similar distance from Jinbu KTX, although Alpensia’s closer to the highway so the shuttles to events there will be a bit faster (20 mins perhaps, without heavy traffic).
You’ll be fine for getting the train after a 22:00 finish. I wouldn’t try for the 22:34 though – I’d say book your seats on the 23:34 (reaching Seoul Station at 1:07). If somehow that doesn’t work, there are still two more trains at 0:44 and 1:24, but only as far as Sangbong and Cheongnyangi stations respectively (i.e. leaving you with a fairly long taxi ride to central Seoul)
Let me know if you have any more questions, and hope you have a great trip!
Hi, is the cable car to dragon peak closed during winter olympics? I’m planning to go there on 2nd February 2018.
Hi Hazizal, yes the gondola is closed for the entire season I’m afraid
Hi Simon,
Thanks for your comprehensive sharing on this site. It’s really helpful, appreciate it!
Anyway, I’ll be in Seoul on 4th Jan for 8 days, it’ll be my first winter trip coming from tropical country.
Would you suggest me to head to ski resort (planned on YongPyong considering the ease of access) on weekend, or wait for weekday for less crowd; or it doesn’t matter?
Besides, I’m also trying to find an all-in package for first-time ski lesson (including ski clothes, equipment, and the lift tickets) in YongPyong. Do you happen to have any contact / recommendation? I tried to contact the ski lessons PIC from YongPyong website, but it seems that they only offer the ski lesson while I’m still waiting for their reply too on the gear rental.
Thanks in advance,
Via
Hi Via,
It’s definitely more crowded at weekends, so if you have a free choice between weekday or weekend I’d personally got for a weekday.
Yes, Yongpyong does have gear rental available, you can arrange it when you arrive there.
Have a great trip and enjoy your first winter holiday!
Hi Simon
Thanks for the info on this site. Some questions, though. My family and I (all of us are low intermediate level) were planning to ski for 3 days in Alpensia right at the end of March (28-31). Firstly, will there be snow at this time of year, and also will there be any lifts/facilities open? I read they are closed in Alpensia for the Olympics, but even the Paralympics end on March 18 so was wondering if they will open after that?
If not, are the slopes at YongPyong open that would suit us? And where would you recommend we stay for ski in/out? We had booked at the Holiday Inn in Alpensia but can cancel without penalty if need be.
Regards,
Nadine
Hi Nadine,
There’s no skiing whatsoever at Alpensia this season. If you stay at Alpensia, you’ll have to take the hourly shuttle bus to Yongpyong and ski there. Yongpyong’s runs will still be open in late March except the Rainbow & Silver areas (but these are the more advanced slopes anyway). Looking at the open areas, Yellow & Red are good for low intermediates, and if you find those too easy you can try the Gold area.
If you want to have accommodation near the slopes, then yes I’d advise cancelling Holiday Inn and instead booking one of these: Dragon Valley Hotel, Tower Condo, Villa Condo, Greenpia Condo. Those are the four in-resort options at Yongpyong.
Let me know if you have any more questions!
Many thanks for your help. I have switched our accommodation to Yongpyong as suggested and am hoping for snow still.
Good stuff, hope you have a great trip!
Hi Simon! Great info about snow sports in Korea! I have a question too. My sister is flying in from Canada to check out some Olympic sports. She’s a snowboarder herself, so I’m recommending that she spend some time on the slopes at Yongpyong while she’s here, just for fun.
My question is: does she have to reserve a board and lift tickets in advance? She won’t be staying at the resort, so I’m wondering if she can just show up and do a half-day, or if we should get that sorted out for her in advance.
Hey Carrie,
There’s no need to book anything, she can just turn up and buy a lift pass & rent equipment on the day, no worries at all doing that!
Awesome! 🙂 Thanks a bunch, Simon!
Hi! We plan to go to Alpensia on the last week of March, will there still be snow on this time? And where is the best hotel to stay if travelling with kids. Thanks!
Hi Len, yes there’ll still be snow on the ground in late March. Just remember that there’s no skiing at Alpensia this season, so you wouldn’t be able to do that… sledding may be available, though I’m not 100% sure. I think the Holiday Inn Alpensia would be a good choice, you can search & book their rooms here. Let me know if you have any more questions!
Is the cross country run still available after the Olympic in Alpensia? It seems a good XC area in Asia. Is any other available in Korea??
Hi Lonny, very good question – sadly, I think the answer will prove to be negative. They still haven’t decided how all the Olympic venues will be used in future, or if they’ll just be scrapped, but given the lack of cross-country ski culture in Korea I don’t see the Alpensia course surviving (and no, there aren’t any others). The ski jump stadium is going to be (and already has been) used for football (soccer), but we may well see the words ‘Alpensia’ and ‘white elephant’ used together a lot in the next few years…
I will be in Korea to watch my brother in the Paralympics in March 2018. I am confused on where I can ski. Will any of YongPyong Resort be open to the public? If not, which of the mountains close by are open to public for skiing?
Thanks!
Hi Mallory, yes Yongpyong will be open, but not the Rainbow & Silver areas. If you’re staying near there, Yongpyong’s your best option for skiing. (If you’re staying in Seoul then you might want to hit Welli Hilli Park or Vivaldi Park instead)
Hi Simon….your site is by far the most informative of any I’ve seen so far. So glad I stumbled on it. We are coming for the Paralympic Games and are staying at the Kensington Flora. Since the Olympics have been going for a week now, do you have any knowledge of whether we will have convenient shuttle service from the Kensington to the bus or train stations to go to the alpine site? The Paralympics are not using Alpensia, just Jeongseon Center I believe. Thanks again so much.
Thanks Kim!
Alpensia is actually a venue for the Paralympics – the cross-country & biathlon events will be held there, as well as the opening & closing ceremonies at the stadium. Jeongseon has the skiing & snowboarding.
The Kensington Flora looks to be about 5 miles from Jinbu Station. I don’t know if the hotel has any kind of bus connection to the station, or if you’ll require taxis. But from Jinbu Station, you’ll be able to take the free shuttles to Jeongseon and Alpensia. I actually enquired about the Paralympics shuttles at Jinbu Station yesterday, and was told that they would be running, but the schedule hasn’t been determined yet. I’ll post the info once it’s available.
Hope this helps! Cheers
Hi. Very good website. How is the snow condition during the 2nd week of Dec? Just before christmas? Thanks
Hi, Yongpyong usually opens in mid-November, so by the 2nd week of December they should have all the runs open. In terms of snow conditions, the snow is mostly artificial so the conditions are pretty consistent throughout most of the season.
Hi Simon! Thanks for this very informative post! My friends and I are planning to visit the Yongpyong Ski Resort on March 25-26, 2018, will it still be open and will we be able to ski? And do you happen to know how we can get to Odaesan National Park from the ski resort?
What’s the best mode of transportation in that area? Thank you so much!
Hi Jena, I think Yongpyong’s ski slopes will already be closed by then unfortunately. You can still visit, but you won’t be able to ski there. I’ve never been to Odaesan, but you can take a bus there from Jinbu (the KTX station’s in Jinbu)
Hello Simon,
Thank you so much for this informative post, it helps so much on my winter planning this year. Between do u know how is the Yongpyong gift card works? As it stated up to 40-50% discount and I’d like to know can it use for ski, ski wear rental, gondola ride, sled ticket and food or it can only be used on the lift rental and food? Thank you so much and
Hi Jade, I’ve only ever used it for lift tickets (which includes the gondola) & food. I’m fairly certain you can also use it for ski wear rental & sledding though… basically you buy the gift card first, then use it to pay for everything to get the discount.
We will be staying in Holiday inn in early Dec. How do we travel to BusDaegwallyeong Sheep Farm. How convenient is the to use the Hoenggye Local Bus
Hi Janice,
I’m sorry, I don’t know anything at all about the sheep farm. It says here that the best way would be a taxi, for around 8000 won (bit more direct from Holiday Inn, about 16000 won according to Kakao Map)
Heading there this coming December with my wife & 2 years old son. I was wondering how much does it cost to book a taxi for whole day (8 hours) so that he can drive us around to nearby attraction like Woljeongsa, Mount Odaesan, Daegwallyeong, Seonjalyeong.
Hi Danny,
I’m afraid I don’t really know the answer to this – I guess you’d want to negotiate a fixed price direct with the driver. Maybe if you work out roughly what the total cost would be if you were to do them all as separate journeys on the meter, you can use that to give you an idea what you’re negotiating down from. If you download the app called KakaoMap (it’s Korean but has English version), you can use it to search directions by car from A to B and it gives you the estimated taxi fare. Total all the journeys up, and then you have a rough idea what a fair price might be. Sorry I don’t have a better answer, but hope this helps.
hi simon,
i am going korea 18-28 nov, would there be any ski resort that offers sledding for kid abt 5yo?
Hi Hong,
Yongpyong, High1, and Phoenix Park all usually open in the second half of November. It’s too early to know the exact dates, but if you aim to go on one of the later days of your visit (e.g. 26th) then I’m pretty confident those 3 will be open (possibly also Vivaldi Park and the other hills closer to Seoul, but can’t be sure)
Hi Simon,
Is Alpensia open for ski & sledding on 2nd week of December 2018? Is that safe for driving from Seoul to there?
Hi Deric, yes they should be open by then, they usually open in late November. The highway from Seoul is good
Hi Simon
My family and I are planning to go to Pyongchang this November, tentatively 20th – 22nd of November. I am undecided on which ski resort we should go to. None of us knows how to ski, the main reason is just to entertain my 6 yrs old son who so eagerly wanna experience “winter” but unfortunately our Seoul trip is in autumn. Can u suggest which one is a better resort for us just to enjoy a scenic landscape of winter. Thanks!
Hi Sitti,
20th of November’s very early in the ski season, so the only mountains I’d expect to be open then are High1 (which isn’t in Pyeongchang) and Yongpyong. Alpensia’s slopes may be open by then, but they might not, however Alpensia’s probably the best choice for a family resort stay, especially for non-skiers. Yongpyong’s close to Alpensia, so if you can’t play on the snow at Alpensia yet you could visit Yongpyong for a day. Alpensia page here
Hope this helps and let me know if you have any more questions
Hi Simon,
We plan to go to YongPyong Resort on the last week of March 2019 which is next year. Will there still be snow on that period? Are we still be able to ski? None of us know how to ski.
Hello,
They usually close in late March, so I’m afraid you might be too late. For the best chance of catching them while they’re still open, you should plan to go on your first day in Korea! And then when the time gets closer, you can check on their website (or just ask me) to see if they’re going to be open when you come.
Hello,
Do we need to pay to enter the skiing area to ski?
Hi Johnny, you just need to get your lift tickets, there’s no separate entry fee.
Hi there, i’m planning to do a day trip for ski during 15th – 21st Nov 2018. Would you recommend YongPyong Resort for first-timer? Or any other ski resort you would recommend? Thank you.
Hi Heng, that’s still very early in the season so your only real safe options are Yongpyong and High1. They’re both good but High1’s a long way from Seoul which makes it a tough day trip, so yes I’d recommend Yongpyong. Cheers
Hi Simon!
I’m planning to go to Yongpyong ski resort in October. Just wondering, is the direct shuttle bus from Seoul operates in October? I found that it only operates in November to March?
I’m planning to go on the mountain coaster & on the gondola ride to the dragon’s peak. Any tips?
Thanks in advance
Hi Hanie,
Yeah the ski season doesn’t start until November, so the transportation options are more limited before then. I’m also not sure if there’ll be any shuttle bus from the KTX station in October either, so to be honest I think your best option would be the public highway bus from Nambu Terminal to Hoenggye, then jump in a taxi (10 minutes) up to Yongpyong.
Thanks again for the reply!
Cheers Hanie!
Hey Simon,
Took sometime to read your site about skiing, I’m going late FEB ’19, was shortlisting this 3 resorts, YongPyong, High1 and Welli Hilli. I’m going as a group, say 4~6pax, mostly low intermediate skiier/snowboarder. Which resort would you recommend for us? In my mind I was thinking about High1, but just the travelling itself will take us 4hours up =/ I will be spending 1 night there, probably doing 3 session, NOON/PM/AM.
Ideally wide skiing terrain and softer snow, and ofcourse lesser crowd! Thanks for your input.
Hey Bob,
I’d only recommend Welli Hilli above the other 2 if you’re keen to ride freestyle & halfpipe, but that doesn’t sound like what you’re looking for so that should narrow it down to High1 or Yongpyong. In terms of terrain & snow quality they’re fairly even, so the main differences are that Yongpyong’s easier to get to, but High1’s a more modern resort so the accommodation & facilities are better. So maybe consider those points and make your decision according to which is more important for you.
Hope this helps and let me know if you have any further questions. Cheers!
Hi Simon,
We are visiting Seoul in the around mid-October to mid-November and planning a trip to some ski resort. We want our 5 year old daughter to have a good winter experience as none of us know, how to ski. Can you please suggest the best place and the time in November to visit Yongpyong-alpensia?
Hello Sri,
October’s too early, you’ll need to go at the end of your trip as the resorts usually open in mid-November. Even then, if it’s a warm autumn you may find that the ski slopes aren’t open until the last week of November, it’s impossible to predict at this point. But anyway you can still go and stay there, and even if the ski slopes aren’t open yet you should still be able to see and experience snow on the ground. Yongpyong ski area usually opens slightly earlier than Alpensia, but Alpensia is a nicer resort for a non-skier family stay as it’s a much newer & more modern resort.
Hope this helps and let me know if you have any further questions.
Hi. I will be going to yongpyong on 13/11-14/11. I just want to know, if there any snow on that time? Its ok if the ski is still now open yet, but what about on the ground? Is it snow?
Hi Zahra, I’m not sure. It’s unlikely you’ll see any snow on the ground around the resort, but there’s probably a decent chance you’ll see snow on the ski runs (they start making snow as soon as it’s cold enough), and if you ride up the gondola you might be able to walk around on snow at the top of the mountain.
HI Simon,
When does the snow fall in Yongpyong and is it good in December? we are planning a family trip from the 20th December for 10 days. Where is the best place to stay for families ? and whats the best avenue to buy lift passes, can you buy several days at a time?
Thanks in advance and sorry for the amount of questions
Hi Rupert, yes if you go on December 20th it’ll be in full swing. Natural snowfall isn’t great, but most of what does fall comes in December & January, and they make snow from early November onwards. Advise booking accommodation asap as you’re planning to go over the Christmas & NY period and it’ll be busy. If you want a hotel, Dragon Valley’s the only option at the resort itself; if you’re happy to rent a condo they have a few condo buildings there too. If none of that’s available you’ll have to try accommodation in the nearby town of Daegwallyeong.
Hi Simon,
Not sure if you received the last reply?
Is the Am hotel and Ramada near the slopes and if so is there transport everyday between the 2. I would like to book one of these asap.
Do you know which is the better of the 2?
Thanks in advance.
Regards
Hi Rupert,
Apologies for the delay, I don’t always have time to check messages every day, yesterday being one of those.
So, I’ve had a look at each of those options. Am Hotel is well positioned in the middle of Daegwallyeong, so would be most convenient for arrival & departure. It’d be about 10 dollars (and 10 minutes) for a taxi from there to the slopes; the hotel may have a shuttle bus to Yongpyong, but I’m not sure about this. The Ramada’s a little bit out of the town proper, in a different direction to Yongpyong. I’m pretty sure they’ll have shuttles to & from the town centre, but again I’m not sure whether those would also be available to Yongpyong.
Yongpyong itself may have a shuttle bus running from the bullet train station (20 minutes out of town), which would presumably stop in Daegwallyeong on the way through – but they haven’t announced their transportation plans for the season, and I don’t expect them to do so any time before November. Sorry, things are often a bit last-minute in Korea! The bullet train only opened earlier this year and the Olympics were obviously disrupting normal operations at the time, so we’re not yet sure what the new normal will be.
The pension you mentioned is in the same direction as Yongpyong, but a few km further out. I would imagine they’d be able to drop you off & pick you up from the resort, but again I don’t know this for sure. There’d be basically nothing to do there in the evenings though – on that front, Am Hotel definitely looks the best spot due to being right in town. It’s not exactly a lively town (don’t expect anything like Whistler or Verbier!) but there are a decent number of restaurants, cafes and bars dotted about. The Ramada’s obviously a large resort with plenty of on-site facilities, but you’d need to use buses or taxis to go back & forth if you wanted to mix it up & eat in town.
Hope this helps, and fire away with any further questions. Cheers
Hi Simon,
Thanks for the in depth replies and information, very helpful and very much appreciated.
Regards
Rupert
Cheers Rupert, glad to help. Hope you have a great trip to Korea!
Hi Simon
Thanks for the swift reply and information, is the Am hotel, Ramada Sanbang and Rodem tree pension close to where we want to be? if so how far and how do I get to the slopes everyday and what is there for things to do for families in the evenings? Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Rupert
Hi Simon,
We are going to stay at the Yongpyong resort from 12-14 Dec. Is Greenpia condo a good choice? We need to catch a flight to Jeju on 14 Dec at 3.35pm, do you think there will be any issue if we take the 9.10am shuttle bus from Yongpyong to Gimpo Airport?
Hi Jenny,
I’ve never actually stayed at any of Yongpyong’s accommodation, but yes I think Greenpia is a good choice.
The 9.10 shuttle should be perfect for your flight from Gimpo, it should get you there a couple of hours before the flight so plenty of time to check in and have lunch.
Give me a shout if you have any more questions, and I hope you have a great trip!
IT IS POSSIBLE YONG PYANG OPEN ON 21 NOVEMBER THIS YEAR?
THANKS
Hi Shah,
Yongpyong usually opens around that date, so it may be possible but the official opening date hasn’t been announced yet.
Hi Simon
I’m wondering if there has been any update regarding shuttles to and from Jinbu to Yongpyong/Alpensia and between those two resorts? I’m booked to get to Alpensia on 26 December 2018 and now realise that it might have been a silly idea to go at such a peak period!
Hi, sorry we’re still waiting for them to announce their transportation plans for the season. But the peak period is the most likely time for them to run a shuttle bus, so as long as you already have your accommodation booked it isn’t a silly idea! If there’s no shuttle you can take a taxi for around 20 dollars, or alternatively just take a direct bus from Seoul to Alpensia.
Thanks so much for the quick reply, Simon. Yes, I’ve got my accommodation booked and I’m just fretting about transportation now! 🙂
Keep checking back – I’ll update this page with the information as soon as it comes out!
Hi,
We (2 adults and 18-year old daughter) plan to ski at YongPyong ski fields from Dec 4 – 8, 2018 and would like to stay in a hotel/condo facing the ski slopes. Unfortunately, the family or large rooms are fully booked out.
Can we book a twin room at any of the hotel/condos facing the ski field and all 3 of us stay in the room? No need extra bed. Not sure about the various hotel/condos policy on sharing rooms. Thanks
Hi Richard, for a definite answer please ask them directly. But as far as I know, they do allow 3 people to share a twin room but will charge for an extra bed.
hi we will be staying in yongpyong this nov 21-22. is it skii season already? will there be snow enough to skii?
Hi Paolo,
They haven’t announced their opening date yet, it depends what the weather’s like over the next month. But they usually aim to open in mid-November, so hopefully you’ll be able to ski (but even if they are open for your visit, it will probably only be a limited number of runs)
thanks for the reply!:D but i think i saw somewhere that they’ll be opening on nov17 but im not sure if that was legit. do you have a reliable website for any skii news in yongpyong?
The weekend of November 17th would be my best guess, I think that’s probably the date they’re aiming for. But they can’t announce it yet until they know they’ll have enough snow ready, which depends on the temperature over the coming weeks. They told me the opening date will be announced at the start of November, at which point I’ll post an update here.
Hi Simon,
Great advice here!
Just wondering if it is still good to ski for intermediates at Yong Pyongyang in mid March from approx 9-16th
Cheers Ursula! By that time there’ll only be a few resorts still open, possibly only Yongpyong and High1, so you won’t have many options. The snow on the lower slopes is pretty slushy by then, but still nice further up so yes still worth going
Hi! May I know if they are open for ski 20-21 Nov?
Hi Amber, sorry, still not sure. They usually open in mid-November but it seems like it’s been too warm recently, I guess the resorts might open later than usual this year
HI Simon,
I hope you are well.
Could you please tell me are there any good shops locally that I can purchase snow gear for the children?
Is it getting cold yet?
Best regards
Rupert
Hi Rupert,
There are shops in Daegwallyeong, but I’ve never visited them so can’t make any recommendations I’m afraid. If you have time, there’s a whole bunch of ski shops in Seoul concentrated in the Hakdong area in Gangnam (along the main road between Eonju & Hakdong stations).
Temperatures have been unseasonably warm for November so far, some of the resorts were able to start snowmaking in October but that’s all melted again! This season’s looking like a late starter. Temps are forecast to drop again next week thankfully, and should hopefully stay cold after that
We just want to visit the ski resort. But not gonna do some skiing. Is this allow?
Hi, yes that’s fine!
Hi.
I’m planning to go to Yongpyong on 15 December 2018. I will drive a car from seoul. Do I need to standby car snow chain?
Hi Azreen,
Natural snowfall in the area is light, so the roads are usually clear. To be honest I’ve never driven in Korea and I’m not sure if there’s any legal requirement to carry chains. I wouldn’t expect so, but if you’re renting a car it’d be better to ask the rental company.
Hi Simon, first I’d like to say thank you for the super informative site. Incredibly helpful for anyone looking to visit a skiresort in South Korea.
I wanted to ask if you had knowledge of the shuttle bus between Yongpyo and Incheon aiport. Specifically I am trying to find out
– where it picks up passengers at the resort,
– how long does the travel really take and
– does it go direct to Incheon aiport or stop in Gimpo airport/Seoul first?
Trying to figure out if I can ski for most of the day and then board the 16:00 shuttle bus and be at the Incheon airport before 20:00. Been stuck in bad Seoul evening traffic before so know that it can take a while.
Thanks in advance!
Hi Henri,
Thanks, glad you’ve found it useful!
I’ve never personally used the airport shuttles, but my understanding is that:
– they pick up in the usual spot in the parking area about 5 mins walk from the hotel
– should be about 4 hours
– yes I think the same bus stops at Gimpo en route to Incheon
So, it’s a pretty tight call. For a 10pm flight I probably wouldn’t risk it, for a midnight flight it should be fine, for something in between I can only say your call!
If you do decide to go for it, I always use Trazy for booking ski buses and find them to be good & efficient, it’d be awesome if you could book using this link. Cheers!
Hello, I just booked yongpyong ski resort for 1 night on 25feb. Still within ski season and probably off peak. Am I right?
Hi Bob, yes that’s right. Enjoy!
Hi, we’re going to Alpensia on 9 December 2018. Will the ski & sledding facilities be opened by then?
Thanks.
Hi Michael, the ski slopes are opening on December 1st (I think they might even bring that forward due to this weekend’s snowfall), but the snow sledding probably won’t be open by the 9th (usually mid-December for that)
Hi Simon, thank you for the very informative site and helpful responses! Would you happen to know if it will be easy to get a taxi from the resort to Jinbu (where the trout festival is) and an estimated cost of the fare? Also, any way to buy the gift card in advance and use it to book the ski lessons and ski pass since that’s up to 40% off?
Hi Derick, a taxi should take about 25 minutes, and cost 20 to 30 dollars. Ask the hotel staff to book one for you. Alternatively you could take the resort shuttle bus to Jinbu KTX station, then from there it’d be maybe a 20-minute walk or a quick taxi ride.
You don’t need to pre-book ski passes & lessons, so when you arrive you can just get the gift card first and then use it to pay for them.
Thanks a lot for the helpful advice!
Cheers Derick!
hey simon , I’m getting a little worried about the snow fall for my ski trip in yongpyong on the 12~ 15 december. i have checked the cams on yongpyong resort and some of the hills such as gold slope and rainbow slope does not have much snow on them. so may i ask by the 12 december will all slopes be fully covered in snow and all of the slopes ready for ski ? or will some slopes be closed. Thanks !
Hi Beyan,
It’s impossible to say at this point as it depends on the weather between now & then. As long as temperatures remain nice & cold they can keep making snow, and hopefully there’ll be some good natural snow dumps too; they’re usually fully up & running by that time though, so even though it’s been a slightly late start this season I don’t think you need to worry too much unless it suddenly gets warmer again (it’s forecast to hit minus 10 Celsius overnight in Seoul next week, so that bodes well).
thanks simon 🙂 ur really helpful i appreciate it .
Cheers Beyan!
hi simon another question, if there is not enough snow they just dump in fake snow ?? and by 12 dec all slopes r up for ski ? thanks 🙂
They have snow-making equipment, which they use whenever it’s cold enough. So yeah, if there’s no natural snow you can still ski thanks to the man-made snow. If there’s natural snowfall then they still top it up with man-made snow, so you’re usually skiing on a mix of the two.
hey simon are all the slopes up by mid December ?
Hi Timothy,
The answer to that would usually be yes, but the weather really isn’t helping so far this season. Temperatures are looking good & cold from now on though so they’ll crank the snowmaking and hope for some natural snowfall.
So that’s a maybe – if there’s a dump, it should all be open by mid-December; without snowfall, they might still be struggling with the Rainbow section at the top but the rest should be open.
Hi,
Just started skiing at the resort today. Currently only 3 lifts are operational, i.e. No. 5 New Red, No. 7 Pink and No. 8 Yellow ski lifts. It is not crowded. The runs are more suitable for beginners than intermediate skiers. There is no natural snow, only man-made snow. The other runs are being gradually filled with man-made snow. Hopefully they will open more runs within the next few days as the weather gets colder.
Thanks for the update Richard, been checking the webcams every day but very useful to get a report from someone on the ground! Looks like it’s going to be seriously cold over there over the next week
This morning (6 Dec.) it snowed and we had a bit of powder to ski. By noon, the snow was sluggish. Only the usual 3 ski lifts were operating. Hopefully it will snow again tonight.
It actually snowed a little in Seoul last night, but just a few flurries. Gave me hope for the mountains though. Thanks again for the updates, fingers crossed for a proper dump!
Today (7 Dec) is my last day at the resort. So this is my last update. It was very cold (-11 C) and windy. They opened another “Blue Run” near the Villa Condo and No. 9 New Yellow ski lift. With the very cold environment and man-made snow, good chance of more runs and ski lifts opening next week. It was more crowded with many school students.
Buy the “Gift Card” in denominations of 50K, 100K, 300K or 500K Won at the Hotel reception that will enable discounts of 5% at the bakery opposite the reception, 40% ski lift & ski gear rental and 30% for the gondola ride. Not sure about others. Can buy any number of “Gift Cards”, it cannot be top up unlike T-money, just buy more cards. Any residue amount (after using more than 60%) can be refunded at the Hotel reception (no admin. charges). All the outlets that I patronized accepts the “Gift Card” including the food kiosks, cafe or restaurants, so no problems using the Gift Card.
Enjoy your skiing holiday.
Cheers Richard, good to hear they’re getting more lifts open. Hope you enjoyed your time there even though you didn’t get much snow
May I ask if you do not stay at the resort, are you allow to buy the gift card?
Hi Seeq, yes no problem. I have a gift card I use every time I ride there, and I’ve never stayed there
Hello. Would you give me a good recommendation on managing an itinery in Pyeongchang? On my planning, in 10-12 Jan’ 2019, I want to go to Pyeongchang Phoenix Park, Jeongsan High1 Ski Resort, Yongpyong resort, and Daemyung vivaldi park ski world. Will it be enough time and worth it enough? Thankyou!
Hi Grace, that’s too much for 3 days. I’d omit Vivaldi Park and do 2 or 3 of the others. How will you be travelling, by car or by public transport?
public transport. will it be hard to accomodating there?
Ok, so I’d probably stick to 2 of them. Either stay at Yongpyong both nights with a day-trip to Phoenix Park or High1, or stay 1 night at High1 & 1 night at Yongpyong. Are you starting & finishing from Seoul? Or direct to/from the airport?
Yes I’m starting and finishin from Seoul. Is it far enough from Phoenix Park to High1? Because I already booked near the Phoenix.
Yes, it’s pretty slow by public transport from Phoenix Park to High1, it’d take around 3 hours each way. Have you booked 2 nights near Phoenix? If so, on your full day I’d suggest a day trip to Yongpyong which is a 40-minute taxi ride from Phoenix, and ski at Phoenix on your 1st day (& last if you have time before heading back to Seoul)
Hi Simon,
I am also doing a few days at Phoenix and then intending to do a couple more days at Yongpyong, is taxi the best way to get there and is it expensive?
Or is it still possible to catch a shuttle to Pyeongchang station and KTX to Jinbu station and shuttle to Yongpyong?
Hi Andrew,
I actually had another comment recently about doing this for a day trip, which doesn’t work so well due to the low KTX frequency between the two stations, see here. But if you’re just talking about going one way from Phoenix to Yongpyong, yes you can do shuttle-train-shuttle, just 8 dollars or so for the train ticket (direct taxi more like 60+ dollars). Note that the Yongpyong shuttle is guests only i.e. you need a hotel reservation
no it is not there is a direct train from seoul station. then a 10 minute taxi directly to the resort. the train is about 1 hour plus
Yes it’s nice & easy to get to Yongpyong from Seoul, but then to get to other resorts from Yongpyong by public transport can be rather slow due to poor connections
hey simon had a great trip in yongpyong although towards the end the snow became a little icy . but overall great ski hope to go there again ! but i would like to feedback about the ticket buying as everyday we need to go and buy ski lift passes as well as ski equipment instead of getting all of that in one day it will save a lot of time. Thanks
Thanks for the update Beyan, glad to hear you had a good trip!
Hello. We will be staying at Alpensia. Little ones will ski at Alpensia and will expect the more experienced bunch to head to Yongpyong. Is it advisable to rent gear at Alpensia or YP? If they rent at YP it’s possible to keep it there? Also, there seems to be less options for group ski lessons. Any suggestions for 9yo intermediate skiiers? Thanks!
Hi Michelle, it’ll be easier for those who go skiing at Yongpyong to just rent at Yongpyong. Rentals are done daily so you have to return them each day, meaning storage isn’t an issue. As for lessons, go to the ski school counter at the resort and you can arrange group lessons for the kids. Hope this helps! Give me a shout if you have any more questions
Thanks, Simon! Do you also know how strict Alpensia/YP are with little kids e.g. 6yo doing private or group lessons with instructors? The ski schools have mentioned adults need to accompany young kids. And I wasn’t expecting this as of course I was hoping to get some skiing done too!
Sorry Michelle, I really don’t know about that I’m afraid
Hello Simon,
Thanks for all the comments u have given.
Its truly informative.
I will be @ YongPyong in mid March 2019.
Regarding the cable car, it shows in the webpage its only in operation from 4th Dec – 2nd March. Do you think thats true?
I was thinking to get the gift card.
If I do not ski there, what would you recommend me to do in mid March for 8 of us for sightseeing?
Merry Xmas!!!
Thanks!!!
Merry Christmas Wendy!
The ski season ends in March, the exact date depends on the temperatures and how much snow they have left. So, Sat March 2nd is the latest date they can presently guarantee to be open, however it’s possible they could continue to the 9th or 16th if conditions allow.
If you can’t go skiing, other ideas could be to visit the Daegwallyeong Sheep Farm, or go hiking in Odaesan national park.
Hi Simon, thanks alot!
I just finished my skiing today on the 27th December 2018. It was really wonderful as it is my first virgin ski.
I stayed at a guesthouse at Hoenggye, a small village near Yongpyong (I booked a little late, Yongpyong was fully occupied)
Took a taxi from Hoenggye to Yongpyong as it is much more convenient. There are quite a number of taxi in the morning (Saw 5-6 taxi while I was having breakfast at Paris Baguette. Taxi cost at 10,000won.
The local bus start operation at 10am and ends at around 2pm according to Yongpyong website.
There is a free shuttle bus running from Hoenggye Post Office (Just beside Hoenggye Intercity Bus Stop). The timetable state that it starts as early as 5am and end as late as 11pm. If you can board this bus, this is the best and the cheapest option. If not, taxi is fine and convenient too!
If you board the taxi, tell the driver to head to Dragon Plaza, here is where you buy tickets, rent ski equipment and storage.
The ticketing counter is located outside the skiing area. If you are inside Dragon Plaza, find Gate 1 or 2 and head out, you should be able to see the ticketing office.
Go to the ticketing counter and ask to purchase a gift card to pay for the ski lift and ski equipments.
I ask for ski lift and ski equipments for 2.
So this is the cost breakdown for anyone who are still confused.
2x Adult Ski lift (9am-5pm) = 158,000won
2x Adult Ski EQ (9am – 5pm)
= 66,000won
Warranty (Google translated this from receipt)
= 2,000won
Sub Total = 226,000won
Less: 30% Discount for Ski Equipment
= -19,800won
Less: 25% Discount for Ski Lift
= -39,500won
Total = 226,000won – 19,800won – 39,500won = 149,727won
Now add some tax, not sure what tax, it’s in Korean. There is just 2 taxes:
Tax 1 = 2,000won
Tax 2 (Surtax) = 14,973won
Grand Total = 166,700won for 2 ski lifts and equipment.
Paid 200,000won for 2x 100,000won gift card. After deducting all the cost, I received a 100,000won gift card with left over value of 33,300won.
Do a digital signing for the agreement of deduction and you are done.
Now go rent ski jacket and pants, this is different from ski equipments. Went to a Ski Mart to rent, their shop signboard will state rental of ski jackets or something.
By the way, you can only rent ski lift, ski equipments and helmet(Maybe 5,000won). There is no rental for goggles as per what the ticketing officer told me. Cheapest Goggles cost 15,000won (Didn’t need this as I know I don’t ski fast)
For ski equipments, the shop is very obvious, write down the piece paper of your name and shoe size (The paper is given to you when you purchase the tickets at the ticketing office)
Give it to the person and you get your ski equipments.
For lockers, bring coins of 500won.
Small ones cost 2x 500won, while larger ones cost 3x 500won
If you do not have small change, you can head to the tourist information counter (Located at the center of Dragon Plaza, you won’t miss it while walking around)
They will help you.
I tried going the same shop that I rent ski jacket but the lady is reluctant to change for me but oh well, it’s okay, life goes on.
Now locked all my stuff and go ski!!!
The leftover value gift card (33,300won left), I used it to buy the 2x gondola ride. I would advise you go for this! The view is superb!! Cost of gondola ride is 36,000won for 2 person. There is a 30% discount. So it should cost around 25,000won. And you now left 8,100won.
You can take gondola ride up to the peak, get a cup of their signature Mocha at 8,000won, sip and enjoy the sunset view.
After the sky is dark, you can head to the tourist information counter to book a taxi, it’s super easy, write down your nationality and where you want to go in English on the paper they give you, the officer will call a cab and translate for you.
You be given a paper with the Taxi license plate number and be told to wait at the lobby. Took around 7mins for taxi to arrive and ta da! Done for the trip!
This is based on my experience today and should be taken as reference. There could be a better options then mine.
Before this blog, I searched a couple of sites like TripAdvisor or tour sites trying to get information of Yongpyong ski but many of them are outdated or lack of information. Thanks Simon For all the tips!
My apologies for my poor English!
I hope you guys try skiing at Yongpyong! Good luck!
Cheers,
Seeq
Cheers Seeq,
Glad you had a good time at Yongpyong, and thanks for the detailed report!
Hi!
When is the snow season in Korea? I am planning to go in mid of March, are the skiing areas still open then?
Peter
Hi Peter,
Most resorts are done by mid-March, the last to close are usually Yongpyong, High1, and Phoenix Park. Hopefully they’ll still be going when you’re here, but it’s too soon to say at this point – temperatures have been a little higher than usual and we’ve hardly had any natural snowfall so far, so unless things change it might turn out to be an early-finishing season. Check back in late February/early March, and fingers crossed for a decent dump or two before then!
Snow biking is allowed there? You can rent a bike and ride the entire mountain?
Hi, I don’t think they have rental bikes, those guys in the picture above presumably took their own bikes along with them. I’ve only seen it on that one occasion. I have no idea if they were allowed to ride the entire mountain or just that one piste, unfortunately I didn’t chat to them or think to ask. Looked like a lot of fun though!
Hi Simon, could I check whether you think there will still be snow in the 1st week of March 2019 for this season?
Hi Tan Kai,
Yes they’ll still be open then, the snow will probably be quite patchy & slushy though.
Hi, I will be coming from sokcho. Any idea how do we get to yongpyong from there? And how do we go to daegwallyeong sheep farm? Is there any other things to do near yongpyong? Thank you!
Hi,
Thought of visiting Yongpyong in end September or early October and would like to know what are the activities available during that period. Cycling or hiking allowed?
Hi, yes it’s good for hiking at that time. Mountain biking hasn’t taken off in Korea, but if you took bikes with you you could have some fun on them – I’ve seen people mountain biking on the snow in spring (as in the pic above) – but I don’t think the chairlifts would be available and I’m not sure if you’d be able to take them up the gondola.
Hi Simon,
Thanks for the reply. May I know if there is guided hiking available? If yes, please provide available packages with pricing.
Sorry I’m not sure about this. I’m not aware of any guided hiking provided by the resort, there might be some private guides in the area but I don’t have any contacts
Hi Simon,
Thanks for your reply. May I know if it is safe to do solo hiking there then?
If you just hike in & around the resort that would be very safe, but for something a bit more interesting you could visit Odaesan National Park which is nearby
Hi Simon,
Thanks for all the help.
Hello,
We’re going to Korea this December and planning to do some skiing. This is our first time to ski and to see snow. We’ll be coming from Seoul and might stay a night or two on a resort. Which do you think is better between Yongpyong and High1?
Also, are the slopes exclusive to certain hotels to that area? Meaning if I rented items and stayed on Yongpyong Dragon Valley, I cannot visit the slopes on Alpensia?
Hi John, there’s no exclusivity, you can stay anywhere and ski anywhere. You could also e.g. stay in the nearby town (Daegwallyeong) and ski at both Alpensia and Yongpyong from there.
For complete beginners I think Yongpyong’s probably a better choice than High1. The reasons for this are that conditions at High1 tend to be icier & windier, which isn’t as nice for learning, and also the beginner slopes at Yongpyong are right next to the main base area so it’s easy to nip back inside to warm up or grab food & drinks. Alpensia also has a very good set up for learners, for the same reasons. On the other hand High1 is a bit higher up and gives you a better feeling of being right in the mountains, so it might be a better choice if that’s a priority.
Hi, i’m nurul. My family and I are going to korea from 26/11 to 6/12/19. Can you suggest where is the suitable place for my kids to see and enjoy snow during that period of time? Thanks!
Hi Nurul,
Do you want to try skiing? Or just sightseeing?
If you just want to go sightseeing to see the snow etc, then the best choice is Vivaldi Park as they have a specific ‘Snowy Land’ attraction for non-skiers.
If you want to try skiing, it depends if you want to do a day-trip or actually stay overnight. For a day-trip I’d recommend Vivaldi Park again, as the access is super easy for a 1-day return trip and they have English-speaking instructors. But if you want to stay in a resort, you could travel a bit further to Alpensia or Yongpyong which have good accommodations and English-speaking instructors.
Hope this helps and let me know if you have any further questions
Thanks a lot for your reply! ?I will read more about the vivaldi park and yongpyong as your advice. Thanks again ?
Hi! complete newb here when it comes to snow.
We’ll be in Korea on 2nd-8th of Dec 2019, where would be the best place to see snow? Thanks!
Hi Rey, if you want to do a day trip from Seoul the best option is Vivaldi Park, especially if you don’t plan to ski as they have a Snowy Land attraction for non-skiers. They also have a free bus from the Myeondong area
Hi Simon,
Thanks for the great resource! We are a group of 3 looking to do some skiing in Korea for 3-5 days in mid Feb 2020.
We’ve been looking at the Yongpyong website for information on the upcoming ski season but haven’t seen anything yet. Do you know when this normally gets updated?
Should we just book the accommodation now and sort out the rest when we get there or do you know of any packages that would suit this itinerary?
Thanks for any help and for the very useful website 🙂
Hi Georgia,
There tends to be a last-minute approach to many things in Korea, and ski resort websites are definitely an example of this! Don’t expect any updates on their site until just before they open in November.
Most packages are for 2 or 3 days, so as you’re talking about 3-5 yes I’d advise just booking your accommodation now and sorting the rest out later.
Give me a shout if you have any questions about where to stay etc
Hi Simon, Thanks so much for the reply 🙂 Currently we are thinking of staying at the Yong Pyong Tower Condominium. Basically our priorities are: close to the ski lifts, cheap, and near stuff to do in the evening. If you have any accommodations recommendations I’d love to hear it.
Thanks!
Hi Georgia, apologies for the slow reply.
Unfortunately it’s a bit of an either/or situation. There’s more to do in the evenings in town (though don’t be expecting a European-style apres scene or anything), but that means being a shuttle bus away from the lifts every morning. Oth being near the lifts means being further from stuff to do in the evenings. Personally yeah I’d probably prefer to stay in resort to be near the lifts, then in the evenings you can choose between heading down to town to find bars & restaurants, or chilling in the resort (there’s a swimming pool & sauna, a few cafes & bars etc, and I think there’s some karaoke & games rooms in the Dragon hotel somewhere)
Hello! What are the best early season resorts? We would like to go on the first week of December
Hi Pablo, early season kinda sucks everywhere to be honest, but at that stage I’d advise Yongpyong, Vivaldi Park, or Phoenix Park (the ones closer to Seoul won’t have much open yet, and High1 is too far to go for a half-open hill).
Hi Simon,
one more question,
I read from your reply to the other traveler that, the entrance fee to yongpyong is included in the lift fee.
1. Does it also include the gondola (balwangsan cable car for return? or I have to purchase it separately?)
2. Me & my family would not rent ski clothing & equipment, we just want to enjoy the experience in a ski resort (riding the lift & cable car & sledding).
what would u recommend? yongpyong or alpensia?
I checked from their website, the lift fee is cheaper in alpensia, as well as the sledding slope, in alpensia webiste the sledding slope for afternoon pass only cost 29000 for two people, while in yongpyong they charge it by xx times per person who wants to sled.
Please advice.
Thank you so much Simon!
Really appreciate your response. 🙂
Hi, there isn’t any entrance fee.
If you buy a lift pass, it includes the cable car.
If you don’t plan to ski, you don’t need a lift pass. You can just buy a sightseeing ticket for the cable car, and a sledding ticket if you want to do that too.
Yongpyong is probably better for you – there’s no cable car at Alpensia.
Hi, I hope this comments gets to you.
my siblings and i are will be in korea from 30th dec 19 till 8th of jan 19.
We want to experience at least 2 days in the snow area, we dont really want to ski, just want a casual light activity and sightseeing near the snow.
which resort would you recommend for us 4 siblings and how do we get there?
Hi Nazirah,
Vivaldi Park is convenient (they have a free shuttle bus) and their Snowy Land attraction is good for non-skiers
Hi.
How has the snowfall been in Yongphong this year ?
Am thinking of gg skiing there in early march or mid march over the weekend.
Heard that the snowfall in japan has been pretty awful this year, so wondering if there will be sufficient snow in yongphong in march.
Thanks.
Hi Tong,
Yeah Japan has had a really bad season, so has Korea but then Korea never usually gets much snow anyway. The Korean resorts are very good at operating without much snowfall, and Yongpyong is looking in decent shape right now – should be open until early March for sure, hopefully longer but hard to say.
Hi Simon,
now i narrowed down to two resorts, i.e. yongpyong and high1!
I’m bring a family of 6, including the youngest 6yrs to the eldest mom 70. some of us wanna enjoy the scenery(both resorts have cable car go to the top and have the best scenery), some of us want to snowboard, and some good quality family time together. we plan to go ski resort from 27 feb till 2nd march 23(weekdays, to avoid the crowd). so i presume these two resorts still operating as usual for the ski season?
i checked the time travel from seoul, 3~ 3 1/2 hrs, probably 30 mins different, both the biggest, both situated at an elevation of 700+ m above sea level., both claimed to have the best snow quality? actually which resort have the most snowfall?
another question is, which resort is more convenient to travel within? i read some said high1 is not convenient because the distance between buildings/facilities is quite far.. is that true? let say i plan to stay at mountain condo, is it convenient to walk from there to the ski base area? and to the casino?
regarding the yongpyong greenpie, i read some reviews about the outdated accommodation there..plus it is more crowded.. to your opinion, during weekdays, which one tend to be more crowded?
lastly, its about the snowboard equipment rental. which one provide multiple days rental? plan to rent it for 2 consecutive days.
thanx again for your time to read my long winded enquiry.
cheers!
Hi Steven,
Sorry for the slow reply. For your purposes I’d probably recommend Yongpyong over High1, simply because I think Yongpyong is a bit nicer to hang around in for people who aren’t skiing or boarding. Although as you say, Yongpyong is a bit older so if modern facilities & accommodation are a priority then High1 is better.
Yes, things are quite spread out at High1. You can walk from Mountain Condo to Mountain Base (and ski down to Valley Base), or walk from Valley Condo to Valley Base. Hill Condo is between the bases, and the gondola connects all the condo areas. To get to the casino you take the shuttle bus from Mountain Base.
Another advantage with Yongpyong is the local town is a better for strolling, shopping, restaurants & cafes etc. So again, this is good for anyone who isn’t skiing.
They should both still be open for your dates, unless the temperature gets really high really early. But yes normally they’re both still open at that time. And both of them shouldn’t be very crowded on weekdays on those dates.
Rentals are done daily at both resorts. You may be able to get 2-day rentals at the independent rental shops in the nearby towns, but I don’t think this would be worth the hassle.
In summary, both resorts will do the job, but I think Yongpyong is a bit nicer for non-skiers.
Hope this helps!