Gosu Cave

Gosu Cave is located in a limestone area along with many other caves.  The limestone was apparently deposited during the Ordovician Period.  Carbonate sediments were deposited in the shallow sea near the equator and became limestone.  The limestone moved north and was uplifted and tilted to its current position.  Gosu Cave was designated as a Natural Monument (No. 263) and was opened to the public in 1976.

The cave is about 1,395m long including the tour passage, 940m, and a wild passage, 455m long.  Gosu Cave is a multi-levelled cave with a stream flowing in the lowest level. The main passage developed along the joints and branches following the bedding planes of surrounding limestone. The cave consists of various speleothems, like soda straws, stalactites, stalagmites, columns, cave corals, flowstone, curtains, and helictites slowly growing. The air temperature is about 15 degrees Celcius with a humidity of around 95%.  So it is just the place to visit on a hot summer's day to escape the sweltering heat, but apparently many have the same idea.  There live more than 46 species of cave animals in the cave. 

Spoiler alert! Don't worry...there are no cavemen, nor cavewomen, presiding in the cave. Nor will you have the experience of crawling on your belly through low chamber entrances.  The way is very well constructed and just stop short of the red carpet, so you don't need any fancy caving gear besides maybe gloves and those are included in the entrance fee, which is 11,000 won.

Let's go on a photo tour through the cave...

We were welcomed by this colourful butterfly flattering from step-to-step attempting to act camera shy.  Then one can see the purse snatching vampire bat escaping the underworld with a red bag and the cave name in Korean, 고수동굴.

It was quite interesting to find cave terraces similar to those used to grow rice paddies in mountainous areas. Here is a close up of the limestone layering and pillar.

The cave ceiling is decorated with a multitude of spear-like stalactites.  What cave animal can you spot in the picture on the right? Do leave your answer in the comment section.

The cave walls and ceiling are covered with these breathtaking "cave coral" that at places look like the organ pipes of a medieval pipe organ, just imagine the echos of Phantom of the opera echoing through the cave chambers.  What cave monsters are lurking in the shadows? Can you spot the octopus-like growth? 

In the centre photo, one can see blade-like stalactites and the fencing used to protect the cave animals from all the tourists going through the cave.  One move between the different levels in the cave in spiral staircases in a cage-like structure to protect the cave zombies.

Meandering through the limestone cave I wondered if the Kango caves are still open to the public and if so that I should try to visit them in the future.  This was the fourth cave visited in South Korea.