Achasan (Acha Mountain) in Seoul, South Korea

Lotte Tower in the background

One of the most underrated areas of Seoul is Achasan. Achasan, with an altitude of 295.7 meters stretches from Seoul to the city of Guri. The mountain can be found right dab in the city off of Line 7 on the Seoul Metro. My friend Nate Sympson recommended going there because it is a great place for photographers to get stunning sunset and twilight shots. After about 40 minutes of hiking, you'll observe a panoramic view of Seoul that includes the Han River, Lotte Tower to your left, and N Seoul Tower (formerly known as Namsan Tower). N Seoul Tower will be off to your right and in the next picture below. I had heard about Achasan a few times, but never realized how wonderful the views were from there.

N Seoul Tower off into the distance

Here's a little history of the mountain. During the Joseon Dynasty, the two peaks (Bonghwa and Yongmabong) as well as the Manguri Cemetery were originally considered part of Achasan Mountain. 20 bastions were discovered on the mountain that were originally estimated to date back to the Three Kingdoms Era. Further research indicated that some of the remains were actually part of the military fortress built during the Goguryeo Era (37 BC to 668 AD). Due to these findings, Achasan Mountain was officially designated as Historic Site #455 in the year 2004.

The other side of the Han River

My Review: This place is popular among Koreans but few non-Koreans talk about it which is surprising. However, since few tourists come here, it's not an overly crowded place. I was pretty amazed by the view and we stayed for three hours just seeing the different lighting of the sun as it got darker. You can see Lotte Tower light up slowly and see the city lights illuminate as the minutes tick away. It was breathtaking to say the least. Since my friend and I came up in March, the weather during the afternoon was perfect, but it got windy as 6:00pm approached. That is something that you should keep in mind. Also, if you do plan to come here, I would suggest to bring a lunch because there aren't many restaurants on the way to the entrance to the hiking trails. There are a couple of small Korean restaurants on the way there, but my friend and I just decided to meet my wife and her friend at Wangsimni Station (5 subway stations away) for dinner after hiking. Here are a couple of more shots before you go:

How To Get There: Take Seoul Subway Line 5 to Achasan Station and come out of Exit 2.
Walk straight and turn on the second left street.
Walk straight for approximately 210 meters.
Follow the street on the right after the three-way intersection (also known as a Y-junction).
Follow the street for approximately 470 meters and turn right towards Dongui Elementary School.
Walk straight until you get to the Achasan Park Entrance.
It will take you about 10-15 minutes from Achasan Station.


Scott Worden (The L.A./Seoul Guy)

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