Paraeso Waterfall

Travelling high up in the Yeongnam Alps along a mountainous road that drops sheer and sharply into the valley at various times will eventually lead you to one of Ulsan’s twelve scenic sights, Pareso Waterfall. It is arguably the most beautiful and thought-provoking alongside Mt. Gajisan.

If coming to the sight on public transport, give yourself a deserved pat on the back for making it – the journey is long, tiring and involves transfers. The few buses that will take you near to the waterfall are at most only two a day. Going by car might lead to an entirely different experience.

The terminus of bus 328 will deposit you in a wooded valley with a wide river (often dry) It is a twenty-minute hike from here to the park which contains the waterfall and then a further twenty-minute arduous trek inside. The final part, when it is in actual sight will have you climbing over boulders before coming upon it.

Some thoughts on the waterfall.

The journey is worth the effort and the surrounding scenery is stunning. Crystal clear water sits in the pool below. It could be a very romantic location. There will still be people around so try to find a sport that offers some sort of solitude for personal reflection time. You can find it.

However a point that applies to almost every attraction the world over: choose your time of visit carefully. Going in high summer means extremely uncomfortable temperatures. There is no swimming in the pool and masses of people. Autumn and winter have New England coloured leaves on the surrounding mountains side with more agreeable temperatures. Less people but still people none-the-less.

On the return leg it’s best to hitch-hike back towards the resort area in the river valley to save energy and time.

In this area there is major construction, opening it up to further touristic potential. Unfortunately it is the wrong type of construction. Gaudy, tacky fake log cabins dot the landscape and do not mistake the waterfall by the naked statue of a man and woman embracing each other as Pareso. The nearby - obligatory - noraebang isn’t sound proof, which leads to the wails of the singer echoing around the valley. Not exactly classy.

But Pareso waterfall itself is a well maintained attraction created by mother-nature. It’s a shame that the supporting infrastructure growing around it, built by us isn’t the same.

One final note: take good footwear.

Getting there:

By Bus: Take an express bus from Samsandong (with notable stops at Gonguptap and Shinbok rotaries) to Eonyang bus terminal. From here transfer to the 328, departing around 10 a.m. This will terminate at the resort area from which you will have to walk. A return bus leaves around 4:40 p.m. which means you might be stuck with things to do for a little while after the waterfall.

By Car: Consult any Ulsan tourist map for directions.