Yeongjongdo & Muuido

Introducing Yeongjongdo & Muuido

Although Yeongjongdo is home to Korea’s busiest international airport, the western beaches are not disturbed by the air traffic. The seafood market at Yeongjongdo Wharf and a flashy seawater hot spa are other popular attractions. In the north of the island, Airport Town Square has been developed with half a dozen new midrange hotels, a guesthouse and apartments for airport workers.

Yeongjongdo Wharf Market sells fish, shellfish, crabs and other varied seafood, which nearby restaurants will cook and serve for you.

Behind the market, take bus 202 (W1200, 20 minutes, hourly) and ask the driver to drop you near Jamjindo if you want to visit Muuido. From the bus stop, walk over the causeway from Yeongjongdo to the islet of Jamjindo and enjoy the views. A 15-minute walk brings you to the small ferry to Muuido (W1000, at least hourly).

On Muuido Wharf, try a delicious, fresh shellfish barbecue – a big bowl costs W25, 000 (feeds three or four people) and octopus pajeon (green-onion pancake) is W4000. Then it’s a 10-minute walk to the fishing village, where you can turn right and walk over the hill past cherry trees and grapevines for 15 minutes to Keunmuri Resort (; admission Jun & Sep/Jul & Aug W1000/2000, huts W30, 000/42, 000) where there are camp sites, pine trees, a sandy beach and a swimming pool. At low tide you can walk across to the unspoilt and uninhabited islet of Silmido .

Return the same way you came, and on Yeongjongdo you can catch a bus or hitch a lift to the popular western beaches. Eulwangni Beach is 10 minutes from the Jamjindo drop-off point by bus and has new motels, minbak, noraebang (karaoke rooms) and many restaurants. This beach is the most popular because the sea doesn’t recede at low tide leaving behind huge mud flats, as it does along most of the west coast.

For a quieter beach, walk north to Wangsan Beach . The western beaches, set among rice fields and vineyards, are attractive (nearby Incheon International Airport doesn’t affect them) and the mud flats harbour clams, sea worms, birds and mudskippers. Take bus 301 or 316 (W1300, 15 minutes, every 30 minutes) and get off at the last stop.

Haesupia Spa (; 886 5800; adult/child W6000/4000; 6am-8pm) is a luxury seawater hot spa with nice views and restaurants, located on the road between Yeongjongdo Wharf and Jamjindo. Shuttle buses run there from Yeongjongdo Wharf.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009