Yangyang café with family electric boat rides: Cafe Dunchi

Where can you take a boat ride with a child in Yangyang?

On the way back from Sokcho, I was looking for a place to stop with my child and visited Cafe Dunchi (카페 둔치) in Yangyang. It is a café at the Namdaecheon Water Sports Center, where you can ride an electric boat on the Namdaecheon River. This time, I visited with my child and my mother.

The address is 295 Ilchul-ro, Yangyang-eup, Yangyang-gun, and parking is available. The original post lists café hours as 10:00–21:00 and boat operating hours as 10:00–18:00.

You can take drinks ordered at the café onto the boat. We wanted to relax slowly at the café overlooking the Namdaecheon River, so we decided to ride the boat first and have drinks afterward.

What are the electric boat prices and ride time?

The electric boats cost ₩28,000 for four people and ₩35,000 for six people, for a 30-minute ride. After trying it myself, I felt that was enough time to make a loop out to where the buoys were floating.

It was quiet when we visited on Friday. We put on life jackets and received instructions on the first floor, and there were children’s life jackets for my child to wear.

Was the electric boat easy to steer with a child?

Unlike a fast motorboat, it moved slowly across the river, so I felt less apprehensive about riding with a child. Still, I was a little nervous about having to drive it myself.

The three of us used a round boat. You set it to move forward and steer with the wheel, so the controls themselves were simple.

We set off after being told not to turn the wheel too sharply. Perhaps because of the current, though, it did not respond immediately like a car. At first, it was difficult because it did not go where I wanted.

My child cautiously held the steering wheel too. Because I was tense, I got upset when my child touched the dashboard, and my child cried. In the latter half of the ride, I gradually got a better feel for steering.

There were holes in the boat table to hold drinks. From the river, we could see the mountains, river, and sea together, and the weather was good enough to enjoy the view. Of the time spent with my mother and child, this scenery is what I remember most.

What is the café like for resting after the boat ride?

The café was fairly spacious and clean. It sits right above the Namdaecheon River, with river views through the windows.

When I turned my head, I could see both the river and mountains. Perhaps because we visited on a fine day, the open view felt more relaxing than I expected.

The café said its coffee beans come from a Gangneung roastery. It also sold handmade drinks such as grapefruit tea and yuzu tea, as well as desserts including handmade tarts.

The menu listed an Americano at ₩5,000, a café latte at ₩5,500, and handmade grapefruit tea and yuzu tea at ₩6,000 each. It also noted a ₩500 charge each for adding ice or an extra shot, and a ₩500 container charge for packing leftover drinks.

After the boat ride, we ordered and drank a yogurt smoothie and an iced Americano.

Is there anything for children to see outside the café?

Because it is a water sports center, there were several watercraft outside that my child found interesting to look at. There was also a swing for taking photos.

There was also a large model ship. My child, who has recently been very interested in Yi Sun-sin, played war games after seeing it and kept playing for a while after we left the café. It was a visit where we could do the boat activity, rest at the café, and look around outside together.