Yeosu's Geumodo Bireong-gil Trek, Hyangiram Sunrise and Odongdo, Fully Conquered: A Once-in-a-Lifetime Course Along the Archipelago's Sea Cliffs
A 2-day, 1-night Yeosu trip: gaze down at the archipelago from forest trails atop sheer cliffs, then squeeze between rocks to reach a sunrise temple
Comparison table at a glance
| Place | Access | Key highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Geumodo Bireong-gil Trail | Ferry from Singi Port or Yeosu Coastal Passenger Terminal | Camellia and coastal pine forest paths atop sea cliffs, and Maebong Observatory |
| Hyangiram Hermitage | Drive to the southern tip of Dolsando + rock stairs | Passing through seven rock gates, and sunrise and views over the South Sea horizon |
| Hallyeohaesang National Park (Odongdo Island) | Walk along the breakwater or ride the Dongbaek (Camellia) Train | Arrow bamboo tunnel, the seaside Dragon Cave and the lighthouse observatory |
| Yeosu Maritime Cable Car | Ride between Jasan Park ↔ Dolsan Park | Aerial panorama of Geobukseon Bridge, Odongdo and Dolsan Bridge |
1. An Indigo Sea Revealed by Camellia Forests at the Cliff's Edge: Geumodo Bireong-gil Trail
'Bireong' means 'byeorang' (cliff) in the Yeosu dialect. Created by restoring the dizzying coastal cliff paths that Geumodo islanders once walked to gather firewood and harvest seaweed, the Geumodo Bireong-gil Trail (five courses in total, 18.5 km) is easily counted as the very best island trek in Korea.
The section most loved by beginners and day visitors is Course 3, which starts at Jikpo and passes Galbaramtong Observatory, Maebong Observatory and Bireong Bridge on its way to Hakdong. Walk through tunnels of dense camellias and coastal pines and step onto an observatory where the view opens wide, and the emerald waves breaking below vertical cliffs dozens of meters high, along with the islands of the South Sea, give you an exhilarating sense of release.
Geumodo Bireong-gil · Photo: Korea Tourism Organization · KOGL Type 1
Yeohaenggak editor's tip Take a ferry from 'Singi Port' on southern Dolsando and you'll reach Yeocheon Port on Geumodo; from the dock, island buses and taxis connect to the Bireong-gil trailheads.
2. A Temple of the Sun, Reached Through a Stone Gate in the Rocks: Hyangiram Hermitage
Drive the Dolsando coastal road from Singi Port to its southern tip, and Hyangiram ('the hermitage facing the sun'), a thousand-year-old temple clinging like a swallow's nest halfway up the cliffs of Geumosan Mountain, comes into view. Counted among Korea's four major prayer sites dedicated to Gwaneum (Avalokiteshvara), this is a place where the path up to the temple is itself a mysterious adventure.
Duck your head and pass through huge natural rock crevices (stone gates) so narrow that two people can barely squeeze by, and the endless South Sea horizon unfolds dramatically before you. Not only at sunrise but in the daytime too, the contrast between the blue sea and the turtle-shell-patterned rocks (Gugapmun) of Geumosan behind the temple is astonishing.
Yeosu Hyangiram Hermitage · Photo: Korea Tourism Organization · KOGL Type 1
Yeohaenggak editor's tip The way up to Hyangiram's Iljumun Gate splits into a flat path and a steep staircase, so to ease the strain on your knees, take the gentle, roundabout flat path on the way up.
3. Walking over the Sea and Flying Through the Sky: Odongdo Island & Yeosu Maritime Cable Car
If Geumodo and Hyangiram showed you the wild sea of Dolsando, it's time to add some gentle relaxation in downtown Yeosu with Odongdo Island in Hallyeohaesang National Park and the Yeosu Maritime Cable Car. Ride the Dongbaek Train along the 768 m breakwater road onto Odongdo, and a sky-hiding tunnel of arrow bamboo (sinudae) and the Dragon Cave carved by the waves greet you.
After your Odongdo walk, head up to the Jasan Park station and ride the Yeosu Maritime Cable Car across to Dolsan Park, and Yeosu's old port tinged with the evening glow and the lights of Dolsan Bridge spread out in a panorama beneath your feet, a grand finale to your Yeosu trip.
Odongdo Island · Photo: Korea Tourism Organization · KOGL Type 1
Yeohaenggak editor's tip Park at the Jasan Park parking lot by the entrance to Odongdo, visit Odongdo first, then take the elevator up to the Jasan Park cable car station for a round trip, and you won't have any parking stress.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Q. When visiting Geumodo's Bireong-gil, should you take your car on the ferry or go on foot?
Many Bireong-gil sections are one-way routes with different start and end points (for example, start at Jikpo → finish at Hakdong), so with a car you'd have to return to where you started; it's much easier to park at Singi Port, board the ferry on foot and use the island's buses and taxis.
Q. Can you visit both Hyangiram and Geumodo in one day?
Yes. Take the first or an early ferry from Singi Port to Geumodo in the morning, walk Bireong-gil Course 3, then come back out in the afternoon and drive to Hyangiram; that order makes a day course.
Q. Are hiking boots a must for trekking Bireong-gil?
It isn't a rugged rocky-ridge climb but mostly well-maintained forest and dirt paths; still, there are ups and downs, so we recommend trekking shoes with good grip or comfortable sneakers.
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