The Complete Guide to Booking Daegeumgul: Admission, Monorail, and Hours

Daegeumgul operates on a 100% advance reservation system, with tickets for the following month released at 10:30 a.m. on the 1st of every month. As Korea’s only cave you enter by monorail, spots fill up fast — so here’s everything you need on the reservation process, admission fees, and the viewing route in one place.

Daegeumgul Reservations at a Glance

Here’s a table summarizing the key details first. More detailed explanations continue in the sections below.

What Kind of Place Is Daegeumgul?

Daegeumgul is a limestone cave located within the Daei-ri Cave System in Samcheok (a Natural Monument). While Hwanseongul, in the same valley, is a walking-tour cave, the biggest difference with Daegeumgul is that it’s the only cave in Korea you enter by monorail.


To protect the cave’s interior, daily visitor numbers and time slots are strictly limited. That means walk-in (on-site) purchases aren’t possible at all — you must reserve a spot online in advance to enter.

The Daei-ri Cave System is a karst area designated as Natural Monument No. 178 in 1966. Besides Hwanseongul and Daegeumgul, it’s also home to caves like Gwaneumgul and Sawongul, but only Hwanseongul and Daegeumgul are open to the general public.

How to Reserve Daegeumgul: 10:30 a.m. on the 1st Is Key

Daegeumgul reservations open at 10:30 a.m. on the 1st of every month, releasing tickets for the 1st~last day of the following month all at once. Popular dates (weekends, holidays, summer vacation) often sell out right after booking opens, so it’s a good idea to set an alarm.

5 Steps to Reserve

1. Go to the official website — Search “대금굴 예매” (Daegeumgul booking) and go to the official site (any other site is fake)
2. Sign up and log in — You need an account under the name of the person making the reservation
3. Choose your visit date and time slot — Pick an open slot from the ones offered at 30-minute intervals
4. Enter the number of visitors and pay — Up to 10 people per booking; children age 6 and under are free (but still take up one seat)
5. Confirm your reservation — It’s handy to screenshot or print your booking number

Good to Know Before You Book

• Booking and changes are possible up until one day before your visit date. Same-day changes aren’t allowed
• The booker’s own photo ID is required for verification at the ticket booth
• Cancellations may incur a fee depending on the refund policy
• Sold-out time slots don’t have a waitlist feature, so if you’re hoping to grab a spot someone else cancels, you’ll need to keep refreshing

If you log on right at opening time on the 1st, a PC whose clock isn’t perfectly accurate can leave you a step behind. It helps to check the exact standard time down to the millisecond beforehand.

Admission Fees and Discount Eligibility

Daegeumgul admission includes both the monorail ride and the guided tour. There’s no need to pay separately — one payment covers everything.

For discount eligibility, the ticket booth checks supporting documents (resident registration card, welfare card, national merit certificate, etc.) and either refunds the difference or charges just the difference. For online bookings, you pay the standard fare first and then settle the difference on site.

Monorail Operating Hours and Viewing Route

The monorail is 610 meters long and seats 40 people, running at 30-minute intervals. It takes about 20 minutes from the departure point to the cave entrance, about an hour inside the cave, and another 20 minutes back by monorail — so plan for about 1 hour 40 minutes total.

Operating Hours by Season

• Summer season (March~October) — 09:00 ~ 17:00, about 17 runs per day
• Winter season (November~February) — 09:30 ~ 16:00, about 14 runs per day

The last time slot closes about 1 hour 30 minutes before operating hours end, so it’s best to avoid arriving in the late afternoon.

Route Inside the Cave

The inside of Daegeumgul is shorter than Hwanseongul’s, but you get an up-close view of rare formations like vertical stalactites, helictites (curved formations), and cave pearls. It’s a loop route that you follow with the guide from start to finish, so there’s no risk of getting lost.

Tips from Arrival to Ticketing

It’s safest to arrive at the ticket booth at least 30 minutes before your reserved time slot, since you’ll need time to be guided to and walk to the monorail platform.

• Bring your booking number and the booker’s photo ID
• Arrive at the ticket booth 30 minutes before your departure slot
• The cave interior averages 14℃ — bring a light jacket
• Floors can be slippery, so sneakers are recommended
• No food or smoking inside the cave
• Tripods and selfie sticks are restricted for preservation purposes

The 18th of every month is the regular closing day. If the 18th falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or public holiday, the following weekday is closed instead — so if you’re planning your trip around the 18th, double-check the calendar.

Want to Visit Hwanseongul Too?

Hwanseongul, which departs from the same ticket booth, is a cave you climb up to (on foot) via a route similar to the monorail’s, rather than riding a monorail. While Daegeumgul takes about 1 hour 40 minutes, Hwanseongul requires more than 2 hours once you include the round-trip walk. If you have the stamina, it’s possible to combine both caves in a single day.

That said, it’s more efficient to book Daegeumgul first and then plan your Hwanseongul timing around it so the time slots don’t overlap. Hwanseongul can also be entered with an on-site ticket, without a reservation.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q. Can’t I book on the same day as my visit?

Booking is only possible up until one day before your visit date. The system is closed on the day itself, and on-site ticketing isn’t available either, so you need to complete payment by the night before at the latest.

Q. I made a mistake with my booking. Can I change my time slot?

You can make changes in “My Page” until the booking deadline. However, for changes to your payment method or number of visitors, it may be faster to make a new booking and cancel the old one.

Q. Is it okay to bring a child along?

Children age 6 and under ride free, but they still take up a seat, so include them in your headcount when booking. The cave interior is dark and has stairs and slopes, so strollers aren’t allowed. A baby carrier is the safer option.

Q. What about parking?

There’s a parking lot at the entrance to the Daei-ri Cave System. According to available information, parking is free. During peak season, the lot fills up quickly, so it’s safer to arrive in the morning.

Q. Can I take photos inside the cave?

Regular photography is allowed, as long as you don’t use flash. That said, tripod use or long stationary shoots may be restricted to protect the cave, so please follow your guide’s instructions.

Daegeumgul is the only limestone cave in Korea that you enter by monorail. As long as you catch the 10:30 a.m. opening on the 1st of the month, booking isn’t difficult — so set your travel dates for next month and grab a spot early. Fewer time slots run during the winter season, so plan your route with the seasonal operating hours in mind for a fulfilling trip to Samcheok.