Hiking Geumodo Island near Yeosu, South Korea (2024)

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Some friends, my wife, and Iretreated to the inner ferry cabinafter aday in this awesome place, doing another awesome thing that an expat can do incoastal Koreahiking Geumodo Island. Tired and exhausted, the day waslong gone. The noisy scenes inside hardly fazedusafter such a fulfilling day.

We included Geumodo in our Things to Do in Yeosu South Korea travel guide.

Hiking GeumodoIsland

This travel guide is part of our series on South Korea Travel and East Asia Travel. It was originally created on May 27, 2014. It has been maintained and updated (as of December 28, 2018) to reflect current viewpoints and travel trends.

Getting toGeumodo Island

Courtesy of Korea Tourism

From Seoul’s Central City Terminal or Dong Seoul Bus Terminal, take an intercity bus bound for Yeosu Intercity Bus Terminal. Trains leave from Yongsan Station to Yeosu Expo Station throughout the day. You can book here. Stay in Yeosu the night before and you can skip to the next step.

FromYeosu Coastal Ferry Terminal (Shorter Journey, Fewer Boats)
Take Buses 28, 82, 88, 111, or 666 and get off at Jungang Market Bus Stop. (중앙시장)
From there, walk about180m to Yeosu’s Coastal Ferry Terminal (여수연안여객터미널).
From Yeosu Coastal Ferry Terminal to Geumodo Island (Hamgumi), boats leave three times a day (1 hr 40 min). Schedules change according to season so be sure to ask for about return times before leaving.

From Dolsan Shingi Terminal 돌산신기항 (Longer Journey, More Boats)
Take Buses 109, 114, or 116 from Yeosu’s Intercity Bus Terminal(2 hours advertised but usually 1-1 1/2 hours)
Advice: If you’ve come with friends, travel via Taxi and pay 25,000 won but save time getting to the terminal. If you’ve come along, take the bus.

Schedules change according to the season so be sure to ask for about return times before leaving.

Our Story

Smiles and laughter filled the room. Soju bottles filled cups while conversations permeate the cabin. Our first trip to Geumodo last fall comes to mind, thanks to acouple ofchance encounters withsimilarly jolly people. This country is responsible for many of the greatest experiences I’ll ever remember. Another time on this Island also ranks nearthetopof my best travel moments.

Whilemovingto Yeosu in the late summer of 2013, my wife and I studied up onthis peninsula-within-the-peninsula. Thanks to the World Expo in 2012, the city gained worldwide exposure. People here have so muchexposure to nature andopenly boast about theover 300 islandsfound nearby.

Geumodo Facts

Five main hiking coursesform a circuit around Geumodo island and we’dset out to complete as many as possible on this beautiful day.At the end of each trailstands an open area with a water station and sometimes a drink stand or small restaurant offering standard fare.

Korean Kindness at Play

After completing one, we refill our bottles and prepared to move on when some Koreans call us over to a table at the very small restaurant. They’d been diving in the water nearby and caught some whitefish, which we were more than welcome to try. The fish and complimentarysoju boost our spirits for the next path while thesekind people’s generosity put genuine smiles on our faces as we continue on.

That memory put a new smile back on my worn face as our boat made its only stop on the way back, at Geumodo’snorthern tip. After shuffling outgoing passengers for thosemaking heading back to Yeosu, the boat starts up. More memories float to the surface.

Lunch, Newfound Friends

We’d picked up some kimbapbefore leaving because the word was out about the island lacking genuine food options. After a few times hiking with nothing but kimbap to eat, it works. It’s cheap and packs a much-needed protein punch when walking around for hours.Along the way, we bump into a friend who’d made a day ofthe islandwith his co-teachers from nearby Suncheon.

He takessome long distance photos of us from some of the trail’smost beautiful points. We join his partyand walk until lunchtime approached. A nice spot in the shade suits the Koreans and as wepull out ourkimbap rolls, our new friends signal to put themaway. We’ll be eating theirsbecause…why else? It’s better. No arguing. Just eat and enjoy. Free food should never be turned away. Not in this country.After eating together, we continue on through some more beautiful spots and enjoy the rest of our walk with this great and friendly company.

Back to the Mainland

Thosefeelings of leaving came back, as I stoodup and movedout of the cabin. Now port side, I tried to have a moment’s glance at tiny uninhabited islands. Theboat pulled nearer to the mainland terminal and more thoughts came to mind. This time, they were of hopes and declarations for the future.Will I come back to and do some hiking on Geumodo? Hopefully so after our amazing experience with some kind and generous people make we want to go back every day.

Hiking Geumodo Island near Yeosu, South Korea (1)

Carl Hedinger

I'm a writer and recovering American expat who shares my family's travels through life. You can follow our adventures here and on our sister site NCTripping.com.

Hiking Geumodo Island near Yeosu, South Korea (2024)
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