Yangyang café after a rainy beach day: Cafe Dunchi

What did we do with the kids on a day we could not swim in the sea?

My family went to Naksan Beach for our summer vacation, but swimming was prohibited because of strong winds. With rain falling too, we looked for somewhere to spend time with the kids and went to Cafe Dunchi (카페 둔치). It was a large café with views of the Namdaecheon River and an electric boat experience, so I thought it would be a good stop before checking into our accommodation.

Where is Cafe Dunchi?

Cafe Dunchi is at the Water Leisure Sports Center, 295 Ilchul-ro, Yangyang-eup. The original post lists its hours as daily from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM. It was convenient to stop by alongside nearby destinations, as it sits between Naksansa Temple and Naksan Beach and Yangyang Market.

How much are the electric boat and Hwangpo sailboat rides?

The electric boats run on an electric motor, and riders steer them themselves. They were not fast, which made them good to ride with children, and this was the part of the trip the kids enjoyed most.

The 1–4-person electric boat was listed at ₩30,000 for 30 minutes.

The 1–6-person electric boat cost ₩35,000 for 30 minutes.

The Hwangpo sailboat can take 1–12 people, with listed fares of ₩6,000 for children, ₩8,000 for teens, and ₩10,000 for adults. Because electric boats are priced per boat rather than per person, they felt less burdensome for a family to use together. Ordering a café drink was not required to ride the boat.

Could an elementary-school child steer the boat?

Life jackets were mandatory when boarding. A staff member helped us put them on and explained how to operate the boat. It was not a fast, dynamic experience like riding a banana boat.

It was simpler than I expected: switch on the power, then use the steering wheel to control the direction. My youngest child, who is in elementary school, was nervous at first but quickly got the hang of it and steered the boat. They enjoyed changing direction and moving the boat themselves, and felt proud after the experience.

We were able to go farther than expected in 30 minutes. By the time we made a wide loop around the Namdaecheon River, our time was nearly up.

What were the river view and drinks at the café like?

Cafe Dunchi is a floating café on the Namdaecheon River. The river view spread out before us from the café, and we could take a short break while looking over the open river.

We ordered a blueberry smoothie, brown sugar bubble tea, an Americano, and a café latte. The prices were ₩6,500 for the blueberry smoothie, ₩6,000 for the brown sugar bubble tea, ₩5,000 for the Americano, and ₩5,500 for the café latte.

We had already had drinks at another café, but the children did not leave a drop of theirs here. I liked that the drinks felt generously made, and the prices seemed reasonable too. Having drinks while looking at the river before and after the boat ride was satisfying.

How did we combine Naksan Beach and Yangyang Market?

My family went to Naksan Beach, rode the electric boat at Cafe Dunchi, bought songi dakgangjeong (fried chicken glazed in a sweet sauce with pine mushrooms) at Yangyang Market, then headed to our accommodation. The nearby places did not take long to reach by car, so they were easy to include in a day’s itinerary.

When traveling with children and there is spare time before or after checking into accommodation, I felt this was a good place to rest at a café and fit in a boat experience as well.

Can you also use the nearby walking trail and playground?

There is the Namdaecheon Ecological Park Trail and a playground near the café. It was disappointing that we could not walk for long because it rained on the day we visited. If I return when the weather is better, I would like to try walking around the area too.

Sometimes children want an activity while adults want to sit down and rest for a while, and here we could do both. Next time, I think it would be nice to spend time using not only the café and electric boats but also the walking trail and playground.