萬丈 窟

Manjang Gul - Manjang Cave - Ten Thousand Jang Cave


Useful Information

Location: At Tongkimnyong-Ri Kujwaup.
30 km east of Jeju City. 50 min from Jeju Intercity Bus Terminal by intercity bus. On Jeju Island.
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Open: MAR-OCT daily 8:30-17.
NOV-FEB daily 9-17:30.
[2021]
Fee: Adults Won 2,200, Children (7-23) Won 1,100, Children (0-6) free, Seniors (65+) free, Disabled free.
Groups (30+): Adults Won 1,800, Children (7-23) Won 880. [2010]
Classification: Speleologylava tube
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension: L=8,928 m, VR=120 m, W=13 m, H=15 m, T=11-21 °C.
Guided tours: L=800 m, self guided.
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography: Greg Middleton (2004): Jeju Island Lava Caves - World Heritage?, South Korea 2003. Journal of the Sydney Speleological Society 2004 Vol 48 (6) 185-199
Address: Manjang Cave, #41, Dongkimnyog-ri, Kujwa-up, Bukjeju-gun Jeju-do, Tel: +82-64-783-5412.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

28-MAR-1970 designated Natural Monument No. 98.
2007 inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
2010 designated world geopark by the UNESCO.

Description

photography
Manjanggul-gil, Gujwa-eup, Jeju-si, South Korea. Public Domain.

萬丈 窟 (Manjang Gul) is said to be the longest lava tube of the World in numerous sources. Even if it once was true, at the moment the longest lava tube is CaveKazumura Cave, Hawai'i, USA, which is more than 65 km long [2010]. Manjang Gul has a lenght of 8.9 km, which is really impressing, and its rank 10 at the moment [2010]. If all branches which were once connected and are now separated by a collapse are added, the cave system is 13,422 m long. While not the longest of the world, it is the longest lava tube of South Korea.

The cave was named after its length, as Man Jang Gul means ten thousand jang long cave. Man is a special word for ten thousand and jang is about a foot, and so this is about 3 km. It seems the name is from an older state of exploration and a good argument why not to name caves after their length.

Rather strange are the official explanations written on the sign at the entrance. They state the cave was 13 km long. That is actually unprofessional, they add the length of various caves which are not connected. Kimnyeonggul/Gimnyeonggul and Gimnyeongjeolgul are other branches of the Geomunoreum cave system formed during a lava flow 70,000 years ago. But they were separated by lava, which did not completely flow out and solidified inside the tube and blocked it. Other branches were later separated by a collapse of the ceiling. For good reasons only the surveyed length of a single cave is used for statistics.

Manjang Gul is part of the longest lava tube system in the world. It measures 13,422 m in length. The main cave Manjang 8,928 m, Kimnyeong Snake Cave 705 m, and three lesser known caves 3,738 m include Jwolgul, Batgul and Gaewusaegul are all part of this single cave system.

Having all the mysteries of the naturally formed lava tube, it ranges from 2-30 m in height and 2-23, in width. It can be entered at three locations.

There is a large chunk of lava stone called Turtle Rock that looks like a thousand-year old turtle at 600 m south from the second entrance. At 1,000 m from the second entrance is a 7.6 m tall lava pillar which was formed by lava which fell from the upper chamber of the cave down to the main cave where it solidified. At 3,800 m from the main entrance are walls that resemble the wings of some great prehistoric bird.


Text cited exactly (character by character) from a sign at the main entrance of the cave.