Yangyang café for hibiscus tea and water views: Cafe Dunchi

Where can you have a drink and ride a boat in Yangyang?

While traveling around Yangyang and Sokcho, I visited Cafe Dunchi (카페 둔치), which is together with a water sports center. What stayed with me was having tea at the café, then taking my drink onto an electric boat and driving it myself.

Where is Cafe Dunchi, and what can you see?

The address is 295 Ilchul-ro, Yangyang-eup, Yangyang-gun, Gangwon State. This café floats on the lower Namdaecheon, where you can see both the sea horizon and the mountains. Even from the exterior, it felt like a café and water sports center combined.

The path to the entrance felt like walking onto a pier. Once inside, I first saw a brown hwangpo-dotbae (yellow-sail boat). You can use both electric boats and hwangpo-dotbae here.

Can you relax by the water indoors, too?

The interior was fairly spacious, with a wood-like feel to the floor and ceiling. There were several seats with sea views, and the colors and décor suited the surrounding nature. I thought it would be a nice place to rest while taking in the scenery with family or friends.

There were also seats overlooking the wide river. The weather was clear on the day I visited, and the summer greenery and water colors created a calm, unhurried atmosphere. From the window, I could see electric boats and the expansive scenery in the distance.

What desserts are available, and did I try them?

They also sold cookies and bread, which I was told are made in-house. The egg tart is a signature item, baked every morning and sold only that day. In summer, patbingsu (shaved ice with sweet red beans) and handmade yanggaeng (sweet bean jelly) are also said to be popular. Since I was planning to have a substantial dinner, I did not order dessert.

How were the omija tea and hibiscus tea?

I ordered omija tea and hibiscus tea. I was told the omija tea was extracted at the café, and it suited my taste as well. The hibiscus tea was refreshing and not overly sweet, with the flavor of the leaves coming through nicely.

How much are the electric boat and hwangpo-dotbae rides?

The following rates were listed as of Aug 31, 2026, the date of the original post. The electric boat I rode was for 30 minutes.

• Electric boat for 1–4 people: ₩30,000
• Electric boat for 1–6 people: ₩35,000
• Hwangpo-dotbae for children 13 and under: ₩6,000
• Hwangpo-dotbae for teens 14–19: ₩8,000
• Hwangpo-dotbae for adults 20 and over: ₩10,000

Was the electric boat difficult to drive?

I put on a life jacket before boarding. Rather than being a thrilling activity like a banana boat or rafting, it felt more like riding a pedal boat. It did not take much effort, and I was able to ride comfortably without feeling scared.

Because I could operate the electric boat myself, it was a nice way to spend quiet time with my companion. I used buttons at the driver’s seat to move forward and backward, and turned the steering wheel to change direction. It was fun to see the boat move as I turned the wheel.

The area where boats could travel was marked with buoys. I only had to steer within that boundary, and the space available to move around felt quite wide.

I took along a cool drink, sipped it, and looked around at the scenery. The view from the café window felt different from the one on the water. Thanks to the clear weather, I enjoyed the boat ride at an easy pace for 30 minutes, and the scenery from the boat was more memorable to me.