Traveling to unfamiliar places can be daunting. However, it can also lead to special experiences and unforgettable memories.
For wanderers like my husband and me, taking trips to unfamiliar places is an opportunity that we need to seize while we still can. We both love island hopping, and when the opportunity to go island hopping and camping on islands off Mokpo knocked on our door, we didn't give it a second thought. We just grabbed it and off we went. We weren't sure what awaited us. All we knew was that we wanted to experience Korea the best we could.
The statue of an eagle is the first thing that greets the visitors.
The first thing we saw as soon as we got off the ferry was this statue of an eagle. The shape of the island is said to resemble a flying bird. Thus, it's called Bigeumdo Island, or "Flying Bird Island." On the first leg of our island hopping trip, we camped at Wonpyeong Beach on Bigeumdo Island. The beach was really peaceful. No one was around, except for the policemen hanging out next to their station. We occupied the tent next to the police station because there was a shower nearby. We paid KRW 30,000 for a spacious tent.
An elderly villager harvests pepper in his vegetable garden.
After arriving, we rested for a bit, and then we explored the island. We ended up at a small store in Pyeongnim Village (평림마을 ). We bought some snacks to munch on at the beach.
Wonpyeong Beach is also known as Myeongsa-simni (명사십리) because of the long stretch of fine sand that stretches up to 10 li, or about 5 kilometers. In late spring, some parts of the beach are covered with red Rugosa roses (Rosa rugosa).
On our way back to our tent, some villagers sitting under a tiny wooden hut invited us to join them. Then, the coolest thing happened. One of them went home to get some steamed crabs and kimchi jeon. It was amazing how friendly the villagers were.
Delicious crabs are shared with us by kind villagers. It looks so simple, but it means a lot to us.
For almost an hour, we shared food and laughter with them. It was as if we had known them for a long time. When we finished eating, one of them walked us back to the beach. We rested that night happy and secure.
The warmhearted people made our visit to Bigeumdo unforgettable.
The next morning, we woke up early to watch the sunrise, but the fog was just too thick. Also, it was a bit chilly. I was surprised when one of the policemen approached us and gave us some coffee. He said that it was cold and that we needed something warm to drink. That was the second time we experienced a random act of kindness. Experiences like those remind me why I love traveling.
Those acts of kindness from strangers and the serenity of the place made our trip to Bigeumdo Island unforgettable. I hope to go back to that peaceful island someday.
As the fog dissipates, we hike to this nearby hill. The view is amazing.
If you are looking for a peaceful get away and a long stretch of powdery sand, Bigeumdo Island is worth a visit. It is 54.5 kilometers away from the mainland of Korea. It's the seventh largest island among the 827 islands off Shinan County in South Jeolla Province. Shinan county is famous for its sun-dried salt.
Bigeumdo is seen from the ferry. Sonchisan Mountain can be seen in the back.
Another popular beach on Bigeumdo Island is Hanuneom Beach. It's also known as the heart-shaped beach. Other places to visit on Bigeumdo Island are the Seonchisanseong Fortress, which was built during Goryeo times, Seosansa Temple and Beacon Hill.
Since Bigeumdo Island is literally an off-the-beaten-path kind of destination, transportation and accommodations are hard to come by. Taxis are the main mode of transportation on the island. I didn't see any buses when we were there. I think you can explore the island better if you have a car or your own mode of transportation of some sort.
How to get to Bigeumdo Island:
From Seoul or East Daejeon, take a train to Mokpo. Then take a bus or taxi to the Mokpo Ferry terminal. From the Mokpo Ferry terminal, take a ferry to Bigeumdo Island. There are two types of ferries: the rapid ferry takes only 50 minutes and the regular ferry takes about 2 hours and 30 minutes. Once you're on the island, you can hire a taxi. If you can't see any, you can go to the small store nearby and ask someone to call a taxi for you. It might require some basic Korean skills.
By Ma Lilia Pedellume
Korea.net Honorary Reporter
Photos by Ma Lilia Pedellume