tourism

For its significant geological features, beautiful landscape, distinctive natural beauties and excellent cultural heritage elements, Mt Kumgang has long been called a celebrated mountain of Korea and its name “Kumgang” is derived from the word meaning “diamond”, a precious gem.

The area is blessed with breathtaking sights of granite peaks, valleys, rocks, porous rocks, waterfalls and pools, lakes and seashore and these are combined with a variety of biological and meteorological elements.

According to experts, the mountain forms a very rare complex of scenic beauties in terms of diversity, abundance and aesthetics.

It has several branch ranges with Piro Peak, 1 639 metres above sea level, at the centre and peaks are closely linked in succession.

Each peak is so unique and different in shape. On top of Piro Peak visitors can command a bird’s eye view of peaks, valleys, lakes and the sea in the area to the east and, especially the view of sunrise in the morning is noted as the most spectacular scene.

There are many deep and narrow valleys in the mountain. They present unique views in good harmony with clear water running through them, waterfalls, pools, fanciful rocks and forests. Typical of them are valleys of Sangphal (Upper Eight) Pools and Kuryong Pool and Okryu Valley in Outer Kumgang and Manphok Valley in Inner Kumgang.

The mountain also has lots of stone pillars and towers in different sizes and shapes including Samson, Myonggyong, Kwimyon and Tokson rocks and Sumi Pagoda and Ryongma Rock in Inner Kumgang.

Rocks with beehive-shaped holes are widely distributed on the sea cliffs and sea stacks along the shore of Sea Kumgang. Products of the actions of sea waves, they add to the beautiful scenery of Sea Kumgang. Most attractive is Sonjo Rock in the area of Lake Yongnang in Sea Kumgang.

According to experts, the outstanding natural landscape of the mountain is attributable to the unique geological and topographical factors.

A mountain with topographical features ranging from sea to peaks and various forms of granite, Mt Kumgang has the most spectacular scenery of granite in the world in terms of diversity and density of distribution of geomorphologic types and its ecological environment remains untamed.

Most of its granite are white and clean as it is composed of such bright-coloured minerals as quartz and feldspar. So the peaks and the bottoms and side walls of valleys revealing granite generally look bright and white and water in pools looks jade green or blue.

Neoorogenic motions and glaciation are the most significant factors which decided the types and features of the topography and sights of Mt Kumgang.

These various geological and topographical factors gave birth to lots of peaks in the Outer Kumgang-Inner Kumgang area which are called 12 000 peaks.

Between majestic and magnificent mountain ranges there are more than 30 famous valleys, each of which is surrounded by thick forests and full of innumerable numbers of beautiful waterfalls and pools of various forms.

Almost all the world heritage sites have scenic beauties related to water including streams, rivers, lakes, waterfalls and pools, but Mt Kumgang can be claimed to be the best in kind, number and beauty.

Especially, it has the seaside scenery, compared to the famous mountains of other countries on the heritage list.

As Mt Kumgang, called a mountain of diamond which had risen from the sea, preserves the most spectacular natural beauties, it was widely known to other far-away countries from antiquity and even a famous phrase “Don’t comment on the natural scenery of the world before seeing Mt Kumgang” was coined.