Yangyang pet-friendly café and river boat ride: Cafe Dunchi

While looking for a quiet place to rest in Yangyang, I visited Cafe Dunchi (카페 둔치) on the lower Namdaecheon River with my husband, daughter, and dog. What caught my attention was that, beyond having drinks at the café, we could take an electric boat with our dog.

What is the view of Namdaecheon from the café like?

When we arrived, the view opened up wide. Calm river water flowed to one side, with mountains both ahead and behind us. I could also see a little of the sea horizon in the distance, and the scenery made me feel settled.

The interior was neat, with large green plants throughout that made it feel a little like a greenhouse. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, the river, mountains, and trees all came into view at once.

There were also several spots that were nice for taking photos. We looked around the café and ordered drinks before boarding the boat.

How were the strawberry smoothie and affogato?

The café had a range of drinks and desserts, and we chose a strawberry smoothie and an affogato. The smoothie tasted more strongly of strawberries than syrup. I heard that they use house-made fruit preserve, and its smooth texture made it easy for my daughter to drink too.

The combination of rich, clean espresso and vanilla ice cream in the affogato suited my taste. I heard that they often source coffee beans from a roastery in Gangneung. The coffee aroma felt deep, and my husband enjoyed it too.

How did we use the electric boat?

What I had looked forward to most on this visit was the boat experience of heading out onto Namdaecheon with our drinks.

The café and the Namdaecheon Water Leisure Sports Experience Center were together on the first floor, which made them convenient to use.

We had to put on life jackets before boarding. Our family chose a round electric boat. Its dome-shaped canopy shaded us from the sun, and we could connect music via Bluetooth.

The electric-motor boat felt easy to steer: turning the wheel moved it in the direction we wanted. When we rode it, it did not go fast and moved along calmly.

Can you bring café drinks onto the boat?

We were able to bring the strawberry smoothie and affogato we had ordered at the café straight onto the boat. A round table in the center made it easy to set down our drinks. Eating them while slowly floating on the river was a different kind of fun from having them inside the café.

How was the boat ride with a child and dog?

The best part was that our dog could ride the boat with us. Everyone in the family could share the same experience without having to leave our dog behind.

With our dog on my lap, we headed out onto the river with my husband and daughter. Our dog sniffed at the breeze, while my daughter excitedly kept the conversation going.

Every now and then, I saw fish jump above the river’s surface. The time we spent chatting as a family while listening to the water and wind was memorable from this trip.

What location, hours, and boat prices were listed?

Cafe Dunchi is on the first floor of the Namdaecheon Water Leisure Sports Experience Center at 295 Ilchul-ro in Yangyang-eup. Below are the hours and prices listed when the original post was written.

• Café hours: 10:00–21:00
• Boat hours: 10:00–18:00
• Price listed in the original post as “traditional boat”: ₩28,000 for a four-person boat and ₩35,000 for a six-person boat, for 30 minutes
• Hwangpo dotbae: motorized 12-person boat; for 20 minutes, ₩6,000 for children, ₩8,000 for teenagers, and ₩10,000 for adults