Electric boat café in Yangyang: Namdaecheon ride at Cafe Dunchi

When my wife and I traveled to Yangyang, I had an arm injury, so I could not swim or surf. While looking for something we could enjoy together, I found Cafe Dunchi, where you can drive an electric boat yourself. We brought drinks purchased at the café aboard and slowly looked around the Namdaecheon River.

Where is Cafe Dunchi, and is parking available?

Cafe Dunchi (카페 둔치) is at 295 Ilchul-ro in Yangyang-eup. We could park for free in front of the café. However, there was no restroom inside, so we had to use the shared restroom in front of the parking lot, about a one-minute walk away.

At the time of my visit, the posted café hours were 10:00–21:00, with last order at 20:30. Boat use was available from 10:00–18:00, so its hours differed from the café's.

Can you enjoy the Namdaecheon River view without taking a boat?

The exterior blended well with the surrounding scenery, while the interior felt neat and relaxed. I could see the Namdaecheon River through the windows toward the back of the café, so it did not feel closed in even indoors. Even without taking a boat, it seemed like a good place to rest while looking at the river.

What drinks did we order, and how did they taste?

There were coffee, juice, teas made with homemade fruit preserves, and a varied bakery selection. We ordered an iced café latte for ₩5,500 and homemade lemon preserve tea for ₩6,000. Since drinks could be brought aboard the boat, we took them outside with us.

The lemon tea, made with homemade lemon preserve, had a strong lemon aroma and flavor. It was tangy and sweet, and it was my favorite of the drinks we ordered.

What electric boats are available, and how much do they cost?

There were two kinds of electric boats: the long, narrow Lovely Boat and the round Party Boat.

The Lovely Boat held up to four people and cost ₩30,000 per boat. The Party Boat held up to six people and cost ₩35,000 per boat. Both boats were available for 30 minutes.

Life jackets were mandatory when boarding, and children's life jackets were also available. Since there were two of us, we used the Lovely Boat.

Could a first-time rider drive the electric boat?

At first, I worried that driving might be difficult, but the controls were simpler than expected. You used the steering wheel to change direction and a button to move forward or switch to neutral.

Lifting the button upward moved the boat slowly forward, and setting it to neutral let it drift with the current. There was also a reverse function, but we did not need it during our ride.

Because of my arm injury, my wife did all the driving. She was a little nervous when we first set off, worried we might bump into something, but she got the hang of it within a few minutes and began turning naturally. She quickly found the driving itself fun.

Can you drink café beverages on the boat?

There were drink holders in the boat, so we could bring aboard drinks purchased at the café. Drinking coffee as we moved slowly across the calm water felt relaxing. It felt as though the café itself was moving, which was a different kind of fun from sitting inside with a drink.

What was the boat ride on the Namdaecheon River like?

The boating area was marked by blue buoys and felt wider than I expected. Rather than following a fixed route, we could drive around within the area ourselves. It was also nice to look at the surrounding scenery and take photos along the way.

It was not very hot on the day we visited, and the surroundings felt open. This was an experience of moving slowly over the water rather than speeding along. I saw several families with children, and boat riders sometimes exchanged small nods as they passed each other.

We found this place because we could not swim or surf, but both my wife and I enjoyed the boat ride. Being able to steer around the Namdaecheon River ourselves and drink our beverages at the same time stayed with me.