Island and Travel
Yeongdo: An Island of Blues and Greens
Peaky mountains and silky blue ocean
Yeongdo (Yeong Island); one of Busan’s frequently ignored and underrated travel spots which happens to be a home for peaky mountains and silky blue ocean.
This is just a tiny island located in the southern-most edge of Busan, South Korea mostly neglected in the international itinerary but as a Busanite, I felt this would be a perfect spot for a weekend getaway.
Mythologically the island is famous in Korean history for housing the fastest horses who can run as fast that their shadow could not even follow them (so-called ‘chollima’ in Korean). Such mythos is acknowledged as you observe running horse statues at places when you enter the island.
I explored the island a couple of months before; during spring in Korea. I was not disappointed as the view was astonishing as I was approaching the island.
Even though it is an island, Yeongdo is connected to the main city through Yeongdo Bridge. I took the 190 bus (a direct one) from the Busan station and reached Yeongdo on a Saturday morning.
My first go-to option on the list was the Korea National Maritime Museum. Myself being a marine biologist and a thalassophile I thought it would be off to a great start; which wasn’t wrong. This is the third-largest museum in the Republic of Korea.
The museum showcases very old, experience-oriented nautical exhibits and an aquarium for live species display. Interesting maritime relics including a replica Ship of Joseon Envoy and the Celestial globe are also displayed here. The museum also has a tiny aquarium where you can just peek in for a real-life sea creature experience. Not many collectibles; but it does give an ample amount of what-you-need-to-know.
Finishing the brunch in the museum restaurant and I stepped into Amir Park located right next to the museum. This is nothing but just an open space and a walking path for the citizens to rest and play. The park also has a workout area where anyone can do their daily dose of calorie burning. “Who needs an expensive membership in the gym? Let me go to Amir Park”, they’d say most probably.
I treated myself to lunch in a popular Korean restaurant nearby called Yoogane. This place is famous for galbi chicken (Dak galbi) and traditional teppanyaki chicken.
Spicy marinated stir-fried rice mixed with a generous amount of cheese, along with hot kimchi and rambokki (a combo of ttebbokki and ramyon) was a not-disappointing deadly combo for a perfect late lunch accompanied by a tin can of cider. It was a complete package; fulfilling yet satisfying.
In the late afternoon, I managed to get to Taejondae, which has an observatory, and a recreation area. The observatory will allure your heart with a whimsical panoramic view of the coast of Busan and hundreds of shipping vessels sailing towards the Busan port would be a treat for your eyes. You have a sitting area where you can sit back straight, enjoy the lustrous view of the ocean, and relish its salty breeze for hours.
From there if you start walking westwards on a coastal trail for 45 minutes you will end up in Huinnyeoul culture village. Here you will find exotic buildings and colorful roofs on the sloping roads, which give an astounding view of the sea and especially the perfect point for a stunning sunset. The walk via the coastal trail was a bit tiring though, yet the scenic view at the end of it made it much more worthy.
This is just the spot for exploring a colorful background of art, numerous nostalgic cafes, and authentic Korean food. As you walk along you will spot lots of murals and mosaics and painted walls.
I bet you’ll get tired of taking photographs. There are also places allotted for a photoshoot and view the sunset without any interruption.
Watching the fiery ball falling into the ocean… that’s the one to watch tirelessly in my dusks. My travels are unsatisfactory if I don’t get a proper view of a sunset where I can sulk my heart into. This place proved me wrong ‘coz I witnessed one of the most beautiful sunsets in my life and it gave me chills. Literal chills.
After the twilight, I hit an Italian restaurant; Terrace expecting a Tarantella. Unfortunately, I ended up with a mouthful of Shanghai special cream pasta and chicken pizza.
The food was a bit overwhelming but managed to finish it (true fact: it was a quite expensive restaurant; I didn’t want my money to be trashed). The dark ambiance at the restaurant made the trip commendable with an addition of sea view.
Yeongdo is of the least explored and most underrated parts of Busan. In my opinion, it the best place for a breezy walk, to get away from the noisy crowd and get closer to nature. If you love magical sunsets and the scenic views of the ocean… Boom! Yeongdo is one of the most recommended items in your itinerary. Enjoy your travel!
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