Last Updated on 15 January 2026 by Cycloscope
The best off-the-beaten-path islands in South Korea: Doegudo, Geumildo, Saengildo, Soryangdo
Among the almost 4,000 islands of South Korea, during our bicycle journey here, we visited about 20 of them. We fell in love with the atmosphere of the Korean islands, especially the smallest, most touristy ones, to such an extent that we kept exploring random islands whenever we had the chance.
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So after visiting the islands in the Northwest, next to Seoul and Incheon, and a really remote one on the west coast, plus hopping across bridges where we could in the southwest, we explored our last group of off-the-beaten-path islands here in the south of South Korea.
Have a look at
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How to travel to South Korea on a budget
We wake up early and arrive at the port of Wando. It’s smaller than the one in Mokpo, more bicycle-friendly, and there are fewer boats. Easier for us to pick a random destination.
Everyone goes to CheongsanDo island, which is pretty famous because it is the location of an equally famous Korean drama. Too many tourists for us, we don’t want to go there. So again, given the infinite number of Korean islands, we will try one (or more) at random.
1 – Doegu Do
Having managed to get a map at the information center, we decided to go to DoeguDo, another tiny rock unknown to tourists. We’re supposed to board the ship at 3 pm, but while we’re boarding, the crew won’t let us in, thinking we are taking the wrong ferry! The old ladies (with the usual mandatory perm) on the ship remind us that on the island there are no roads to ride a bicycle. A guy offers us a beer and speaks for the whole trip in Korean.
We arrive, to the general amazement. The island is wild and beautiful, the few roads have a slope of around 25%, and no secluded beach here, or better to say, no beach at all. This island also has no more than 1 km of roads overall.
There is a small village clinging to the steep slope of the hill, probably a few hundred people in total, living on shellfish, seaweed farming, and traditional fishing. A guy leads us to his mother’s home for fish soup, eggs, kimchi, small fish, rice, beans, and seaweed.
We go to sleep in a small field on the cliff; the view is terrific, above the mussel farms, but the mosquitoes are killers; it looks like they have not seen a human there for a while.
After a good sleep, we salute the island and take the ferry at 11:30 am. The fishermen and the wives are fixing nets, there’s a great silence, and everything looks like it’s out of a movie, stuck in a timeless moment.
In the waiting room, there is WiFi, and I take this opportunity to try to update the blog. In Korea, free WiFi is everywhere. The guy who offered us dinner last night is back this morning with juice and cookies!
2 – Saengil do and Geumgok Beach
The ferry drops us off at another larger island, SaengilDo. There is no one around, only large nets to dry out algae. We take a bath near the jetty, where there’s a big pebble beach, and the water is clear enough. We start cycling on the only road.
To get out of here, we must arrive on the other side of the island, where ferries depart to the next island. At first, the slopes are heavy, then they improve, and the scenic route is beautiful as usual in coastal Korea.
Arriving at the other end of the island, we found that the ferry was at 4 pm, so we had three hours to lose and wait in the gazebo next to the ticket office. There she comes, a little old lady all mad who speaks a lot and smiles a lot. She goes to buy the Soju and soy milk—a lovely old lady.
While I doze, Daniele goes to Geumgok Beach on the other side of the island. It is beautiful and huge, near the forest, with clear, green water. We found out the road was just recently connected; just a few years ago, it was only reachable by boat. But no tourists on this island, and all the hotels are closed. It is not fashion. But if they shoot a drama here, everything would change.
3 – Geumil Do
We get to Geumildo, a bigger island with schools and supermarkets, maybe 4/5000 inhabitants. Here, the landscape is flatter, so there are also cultivated fields. It starts to rain, and luckily, there is a providential gazebo in the pine forest. During the night, the wind is strong, and a frightening storm is brewing.
Upon awakening, the weather has improved a lot, and the storm is over. So we have time to realize we just slept beside another beautiful beach, Geumilmyeongsa Beach. Also, this one is deserted, wide, long, and backed by pine trees. There are many shells in the sand. (Find more information about Geoumildo here. We wander in search of the port; the next ferry to get back to the mainland is at 2:30 pm.
4 – Soryang do (Sadong ri)
In the meantime, we go to visit the nearby island connected by a bridge, Soryang Do. The village (Sadong ri) is charming; the houses are made of drywall, and the roofs are painted with a strange substance that may keep them free of the effects of salt. Narrow alleys go up the hill, and it’s a true fisherman’s atmosphere.
Back on Geumil, we go to Geumilhaedanghwa Beach, where the waves are strong. We almost lost the ferry because Daniele got a flat tire, or rather, he had a spoke of the wrong size that punctured the tube.
The ferry from there is expensive, 18.000 won, but it will bring us back to the mainland in Goheung County, a big peninsula. The trip takes an hour and a half. We eat noodles and speak with a gentleman who works on the ship. He is 70 years old but looks 50. He says he works 12 hours a day and has 5 days of leave per year…
Back on the mainland, the Goheung peninsula
The ferry ride is pleasant, passing along some more islands. Some very nice floating igloos are used by fishermen, who can sleep in them.
We arrive back on the mainland, at the port of Nokdong-gu, and after a bit of waterfront road, we are back in the countryside. We meet two fishermen from East Timor, and we continue on the road to the interior, where there is a nice climb.
We stop to sleep in the usual gazebo, this time amid beautiful rice terraces. This pavilion is not made of wood like most, but of metal, and it is affected by overnight rains, which makes it make a lot of noise.
Conclusions: What are the best islands in South Korea?
Making a post about the best islands in South Korea is impossible; there are too many, and now and then some get fashionable, and some get forgotten. Our advice is to explore as much as you can and don’t be dragged along by the crowds.
South Korea is a maritime nation, and its authentic culture and traditional lifestyle are found on the islands. In particular, the smallest touristy ones are among the best islands in Asia.
Planning a trip to South Korea? Check this:
Our GPX Map – South Korea Islands
