Weekend Wandering: the Best of Geoje Island

Geoje Island is the second largest island in South Korea, Jeju Island being the biggest.  It's not very populated. The island's small villages are scattered around with beautiful peaks, cliffs, green spaces and beaches filling in the rest.

Wander Hallyeohaesand National Park, hike the mountains and hills, chill on the beaches, catch a ferry to nearby Oedo Island, and stroll small restaurants serving fresh, local fish. It really is a great place to spend the weekend, or even longer, to really take in the island vibes.

How to get to Geoje Island

Unlike Jeju Island, Geoje can be reached by car or bus via bridge. Buses leave hourly from the Busan Seobu bus terminal and take 1 hour and 20 minutes to reach Okpo, the main city on the island.

Getting Around Geoje Island

Seeing Geoje by car is the best plan since the public transportation is limited to buses and can be confusing to tourists, and walking is not an option, unfortunately. If you don't have an international driver's license or can't rent a car, the second best bet is using a private tour company.

Have an international Driver's License? Learn more about driving in Korea!

You can find transportation info on the island in Okpo. Or you can look for tour companies from Busan or Seoul that do excursions to Geoje. That's what I did.

To do on Geoje Island

Rock On at Hakdong Mongdol Beach

A rocky beach with stunning views and cool vibes.

Bring a towel, some soju, a buddy and chill here for a while on a sunny, warm day. Hakdong is known for it's rocky beach. There are cute pictures and statues of two rocks, aka the rock buddies, all along the beach, holding hands, doing various activities and greeting visitors.

But don't try to take any of the rocks with you! They have volunteers that spot rock smugglers and make them return the rocks back to the beach. Along the beach are small eateries where you can nibble on locally caught fish while enjoying the ocean views.

Feel the Breeze at Windy Hill

A picturesque seaside hill with a wooden, Dutch-style windmill on one side.

Take the wooden steps down to a flat, grassy area that juts out into the sea. Some Korean dramas have been filmed here. And as the name suggests, it gets quite windy here, so bundle up!

Take a Ferry to Oedo Island

From the Jangseungpo Ferry Port (just down from Windy Hill), catch one of the ferries to Oedo Island. If you get sea sick, this may not be the best, or make sure to take some Dramamine - the waves can get big and choppy! But it's worth it.

Round trip the cruise is three hours, including a 1.5 hour stopover on Oedo.

On the way to Oedo Island, you'll pass by Haegeumgang Island, a spectacular rock island jutting 116 meters up from the sea. The ferry gets close to the island so you can see the hidden caves and narrow water ways cutting through the island. It was once believed that herbs of immortality grew on the island. Seagulls fly around the island and put on quite a show for the ferry-goers.

After about a 25 minute ferry ride, you'll arrive at Oedo Island, Korea's first privately owned island and home to the Oeda Botanica, a meticulously manicured and expansive garden. You'll get a Roman feel as you walk through the gardens.

It's easy to navigate, the path leads you from the ferry, one way through the grounds, up the hill for a magnificent view, and back down to the ferry. April is the best time to go since all the flowers would be in full bloom!

There's also a Dr. Seuss-esque lighthouse with some cool art inside.