Geoje Haegeumgang Island (Photo courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization) ()
Geoje Island, off South Korea’s southern coast, is the country’s second-largest island after Jeju Island. It offers a captivating travel destination to enjoy a variety of activities including water sports, delectable cuisine, and the island’s unique natural beauty. It is a fantastic choice for summer vacations, especially for families with children. Here are three great spots for the whole family to enjoy on Geoje Island!
Geoje Sea World (거제씨월드)
Geoje Sea World is an aquarium known as a dolphin theme park with interactive dolphin and beluga whale programs. Visitors can watch dolphin and beluga shows and take pictures with them. In addition, there are special programs available for an extra fee (about $100) that allow visitors to interact and swim with dolphins and beluga in the water. Sea World also includes a small exhibit with 30 different reptiles, and various themed photo zones.
Address: 15, Jisepohaean-ro, Irun-myeon, Geoje-si, Gyeongsangnam-do
Hours: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Phone: 055-682-0330
Parking: Free
Website (Only Korean)
Ticket: 29,000 won (Over 13 years old) & 24,000 won (2 – 12 years old)
20 percent discount offered on Naver (Korean language only):
A group with over 20 people can get a 20% discount (055-682-1551)
Forest Sound Park (숲소리공원)
This wonderful park offers beautiful nature, a thick forest and flowing streams. Visitors can also encounter lively and adorable herds of sheep, rabbits, and other animals. At the Acorn Playground (Dotori Nori-teo), kids can run, play and jump freely. All facilities at Forest Sound Park, including parking, are free of charge. If you want to feed the animals, you can purchase feed for 2,000 won.
Address: San 13, Seosang-ri, Geoje-myeon, Geoje-si, Gyeongsangnam-do
Hours: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. (Monday is closed)
Phone: 055-634-3733
Dadae Mudflat Experience Village (다대갯벌체험마을)
Playing in the mudflats is a great activity for children in Korea, and this place offers a homi, small shovel and basket renting service to dig and collect clams directly from the mudflats. You can simply stop by this place without reservation. Since the mudflats are exposed due to the ebb and flowing tide, make sure to check the tide times with a phone call or on the website before your visit. The village is closed when the tide comes in and the mudflats are underwater around one week per month.
Address: 6, Dadae 1-gil, Nambu-myeon, Geoje-si, Gyeongsangnam-do
Hours: 2 hours available from the time the mudflats are exposed (Usually 12 p.m.-4 p.m.)
Phone: 055-633-1064
Website (Only Korean)
Ticket: 10,000 won (Over 17 years old) & 8,000 won (8-16 years old)
Things to know when traveling to Geoje Island
Top attractions
Wind Hill (바람의 언덕)
It’s renowned as one of the most famous tourist attractions in Geoje Island. Visitors can enjoy a fairy-tale-like landscape of blue sea, green fields and a wind power plant.
Hakdong Black Pearl Pebble Beach (학동흑진주몽돌해변)
With its distinctive pebble beach and clear waters, visitors can enjoy swimming and walking along the beach.
Myeongsa Beach (명사해수욕장)
The beach offers a wide sandy coastline and clear water, making it an ideal destination for swimming. Additionally, pets are allowed on the beach, providing a pet-friendly environment.
Oedo-do Botania (외도보타니아)
It’s a vast marine botanical garden, featuring a delightful assortment of flowers, plants and stunning landscape.
Geoje Panorama Cable Car (거제파노라마 케이블카)
This attraction presents an opportunity to admire the breathtaking scenery of Geoje Island’s coastline and beyond while enjoying a ride on the cable car.
Transportation
Bringing your own car will provide the most convenient way to explore the various attractions on Geoje Island at your own pace. Since it is an island, relying on public transportation can be challenging, as missing a bus could lead to significant waiting times. If bringing a car is not an option, another recommended alternative is to travel to Busan first and then take a bus or rent a car to reach Geoje Island.
• About 4-5 hours from Pyeongtaek (340 km or 211 miles)
• About 2.5 hours from Daegu (170 km or 105 miles)
Travel route
As the travel time is considerable, I suggest planning a trip for more than a day to fully enjoy a leisurely experience. The highly recommended travel route includes a journey from Busan to Geoje, which takes approximately an hour, or from Geoje to Tongyeong, just a 40-minute drive away. Not only are they close to each other, but they also offer exciting destinations to include in your travel itinerary.
