Paradise Spa Dogo

Yesterday the family went glamping for the first time here in Korea. For all of you who don't know what glamping is, it is luxury camping. Originally we were going to go camping our on the coast at Taeanhaean National Park, but after long work days for many weeks straight, the last thing Daddy wanted to do was set up camp after a 2+ hour drive. So I drove down to Paradise Spa Dogo, hot springs 45 minutes from our house, to see if there were caravans available for rent this weekend. There was availability Friday not, but not Saturday night. Since Little Man was not yet 37 months old, we were able to save money and rent a 4 person caravan. *though after staying a night, we learned that a 6 person one would be better...Little Man was a kicker last night.*

It is the off season right now, so the weekend rate (Fri-Sun) was 220,000 won per night. This rate included entrance to the spa and sauna for the day of check in (after 2pm), as well as entrance to the sauna the following morning from 7-9am. The spa was open Friday night until 10pm, the sauna was open until 11pm. The 6 person caravan is 100,000 won more expensive per night, and includes entrance for 6 people.

There are wagons available to haul your stuff from the parking lot to your caravan site.

 The caravans are laid out in groupings of 7 or so. Each caravan has a deck with a picnic table, a grill (if desired) and a canopy that provides shade, rain cover and has mosquito netting.

Inside the 4 person caravan there is a set of bunkbeds, a bathroom (toilet and sink), a kitchen with a 2 burner stove, a sink, a microwave, a rice cooker, dishes, utensils, an electric pot to boil water, a refrigerator, a table, a U shaped bench, a tv, an air conditioner/heater and a queen(ish) size bed. Bedding is included, but the kids preferred their sleeping bags. I would have preferred my own sleeping bag (or a fitted sheet to go over the mattress pad), but we only brought the kids' sleeping bags.

bunkbeds

 The bathroom was very small and had a funky smell to it. But hey, it's an rv, so isn't that standard? With the door closed, the smell didn't permeate into the main area of the caravan.

bathroom

dining room table

The kitchen is small. We did most of our cooking and eating outside at the picnic table. The refrigerator smelled like kimchi. I guess it doesn't bother Koreans since they eat that food daily, but it is kind of an offensive smell for our noses. Because of that, the fridge was off limits, or at least I tried to make it that way. I didn't put anything in it, with hopes that no one would open the fridge door. But alas, the kids would feel the need to open it and bring the kimchi stench back out, always when the smell had started to dissipate. Typical, right?

kitchen

 The back sleeping area. It had the AC and the tv. The AC cooled the entire caravan nicely. The tv swiveled so you could watch it while at the table too.

the queen(ish) size bed

 We brought the kids' bikes, which they enjoyed riding around the area.

We had hotdogs and vegetarian chili for dinner.

 The spa was wonderful. There water is warm, with some pools heated to over 100 degrees fahrenheit (40 degrees celsius). On the island created by the lazy river, there is a children's pool with a playground and waterslides. A kid "hot tub" is right next to it. There is a baby pool which is much warmer and has a slide as well.

There is also a waterpark outside, and a lap like pool. Both were closed on Friday evening when we went swimming.

There are additional hot tubs and a sauna outside, on the left of the island when your back is to the main building.

Inside there is another children's pool, which is warming has a slide. There is 1 large main pool, that is sectioned off into alcoves which provide various body treatments with jets. Some of them include a neck shower, a body massage, a foot massage, as well as butt and thigh massages. There is also a warm (warmer than the main pool, but not quite hot tub temperature) pool.

The inside of the spa

There is also an entrance to the outside lazy river from the inside of the spa: passing under the waterfalls

Lazy river entrance

 The lazy river entrance when outside is via stairs.

The *almost hot* warm tub indoors

 After swimming, we showered and headed back to the caravan to make some s'mores. I mean, what is camping without making s'mores, right?!

Goofing off in the morning.

We enjoyed our time glamping at Paradise Spa Dogo. The caravan itself, was nothing great. It was smelly in certain areas, and not all windows nor screens were operable. We have never clamped before, so we are not sure if the cost was comparable. However, the included admission to the spa/sauna for 4 people, for 8 hrs is a good deal. Friday-Sunday individual entrance rates at 35,000 won for adults and 28,000 won for kids (which would have been 126,000 won for our family for 1 day). On weekends from September-December, there is a night rate of 15,000 won for admission after 6pm. So for 6-10pm. That is a good deal! So, if you are up for the 45-50 minute drive at 10pm at night, the night spa deal would be a better bargain, as opposed to glamping. But, if convenience is what you are looking for, renting a caravan is wonderful.

The driving directions from the Pyeongtaek / Humphreys area:

• Get onto 45 heading south. 45 breaks off, a right exit that curves to the left and under the road, at Dunpo. Take this exit, staying on 45 south!
• Follow 45 south (towards Asan) until right before you cross the bridge into Asan. Look for the sign saying 39 Asan Seawall ->. Turn right!

Turn right off of 45 onto 39.

•  Follow the 2 lane (1 each direction) road until you see the sign for 39, Asan Seawell. You will bear right and enter a highway.

39, Asan Seawall

•  Follow the highway until you see 39 break off to join with 21 and 45, heading towards Yesan and Cheonan. Exit and take 21 heading towards Yesan.

Exit onto 21 heading towards Yesan.

•  This is the exit onto 21 (towards Yesan) from 39.

You will go under then curve around and cross back over.

•  Take this highway until 21 breaks off from 39 and 45. Exit to the right and continue on 21 south towards Yesan.

Right exit, then head south on 21

•  Take 21 south through a town and back out into the country until you see the sign with the brown square saying Dogo Spa ->. Turn right and go straight for about 2 miles.

Turn right at the brown Dogo Spa sign

•  This is what the road looks like after making the right hand turn at the brown Dogo Spa sign:

The road towards the Dogo Spa

•  Continue straight through the intersection, keeping the stream on your left.

The intersection in the village

•  There is another brown sign, this one has Paradise Spa on it, just before the turn to the Paradise Spa Dogo. Make a right turn at the sign. If you reach the stop light, you have gone 1 block too far.

The turn for Paradise Dogo Spa

•  This is Paradise Spa Dogo. Parking is free.

The return home is the same, just be sure to look for the following signs:

• When on 21 heading back towards Asan, upon reaching 39, take 39 towards Asan Seawall. *DO NOT CONTINUE ON 45 STRAIGHT TOWARDS ASAN!* If you do, it will take you back through Asan city, and not the way you had come originally.

take the right split towards Asan Seawall, IT SPLITS IMMEDIATELY AGAIN, take the LEFT SPLIT THIS TIME

• THE 2nd SPLIT, BEAR LEFT TOWARDS ASAN SEAWALL!

The 2nd split, bear left towards Asan Seawall

•  Once on 39, continue straight until you see the sign for Asan. You want to take the right exit. DO NOT CONTINUE STRAIGHT AND CURVE TO THE LEFT!

Your exit towards Asan

•  Continue on the road until just before the bridge. Take the exit for 45, towards Dunpo. You will exit right and it curves left and under the road.

The exit for 45 towards Dunpo.

•  You are now on the small 2 lane (1 each direction) road that will intersect with 45. Turn left at 45 and head towards Pyeongtaek.

The intersection for 45, turn left towards Pyeongtaek.

• Follow 45 north until you see signs for Humphreys, Pyeongtaek, or wherever else you are going. *There will be 1 right exit for 45 at Dunpo, just like when 45 looped around and under at Dunpo on your way to the spa.