Seonyudo Island

Seonyudo Island is only a ferry ride away from Gunsan, and it’s taken us this long to finally see it. We lament not finding this last summer, but glad we got to check it out before we left Korea.

Clint, Jory and I caught the 10:30 ferry at the Gunsan Coastal Ferry Terminal. The trip took exactly an hour and a half. We got to the island, and searched for scooters to rent. Upon finding out it would cost 60,000 KRW (about $60) for three hours, we opted for bicycles instead. Clint and I got a tandem bike for 15,000 KRW, and Jory got a single one for 10,000 KRW. The confusion of trying to figure out pricing in Korean made me regret not learning the language better this year. Oh, well.

We were pretty famished, and looked for a lunch spot first. After riding around, we found a guy who spoke perfect English and he directed us to the nearest jogae-gui joint. You can’t visit an island known for its seafood and not try it out! Everything was delicious, and they even gave us a crab! Clint found what he touts to be the best kim chi he’s had in Korea. I still won’t try it.

We all jumped on our bikes, and proceeded to ride around the islands. We crossed hills and bridges, and even found a beach we’d later return to. Some hills were more difficult to ride up on a tandem bike, but walking wasn’t a bad alternative. The warm, but cloudy day made it perfect feeling. The views were spectacular! Distant hilly islands in the mist made it feel almost dreamlike.

After we’d exhausted our legs, we checked out the beach. The water was still freezing – I realized how low my tolerance for cold is. I stood in the water for 10 seconds, and started to feel an ache. And yet, there were children playing in the water without any complaints. I’m such a wuss! We mostly stayed on the beach, and Clint taught me how to skip stones. The guys had a rock-throwing contest, and I naively joined. My arm strength is that of a child apparently.

Our return ferry was at 3:50, so we didn’t have too much time to continue around the islands. We returned our bikes, grabbed some ice cream for the ride back, and said goodbye to Seonyudo forever. I recommend anyone with access to visit this island, and even camp over night. (Tents are super cheap at Emart!)