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If you are coming directly from Incheon airport: Ganghwa is only a 30-40 minute drive from Incheon airport. 

Upon crossing the bridge from Gimpo to Ganghwa, your car gets an anti-epidemic car wash to protect the agriculture on the island. Motorcyclists too!

Visit (one of) the fortresses Deokjinjin (mid), Gwangseongbo (north) and Chojijin (south). Of these three, Deokjinjin is the most interesting fort because there is more to see.

Chojijin (강화 초지진)

Chojijin Fortress was built in 1655 (assumedly) to defend against coastal attacks. Here Joseon fought against America and Japan in the 1970s. In 1876 a Japanese warship, the Unyangho, invaded and forced Joseon to open its port to the world. The fortress was almost completely destroyed, though the cannons that were used in the battles remain at the site. In 1973 the fortress got restored.

Chojijin is only a small site, but it is a nice introduction to Ganghwa Island as it is just across the bridge from Gimpo on the southern side of the island.

Location: 624 Choji-ri, Gilsang-myeon, Ganghwa-gun, Incheon, South Korea

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I stayed at Wandonesia, a hotel near the harbor, offering a nice view of said harbor from the rooftop terrace (no chairs though). It’s a place I would recommend to whoever visits Wando: spacious rooms, nice hosts, good location. The cozy cafe on the first floor serves bagels with coffee or tea for breakfast (included). The owners can also provide you with information about visiting the islands and sites in the area.

Small note: there is no elevator. So either be prepared to carry your luggage to the third, fourth or fifth floor, or pack an overnight bag and leave your luggage in the car.

I recommend restaurant 빙그레식당. They offer an affordable abalone course that also includes a very good seaweed soup and other delicious side dishes.

Another place I liked is 그때그자리. They only have a few tables but the food was very good. This is also one of the places that serve both fish and meat (such places are hard to find!). We had fish soup (catch of the day) and stir-fried pork.

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It is time to explore one of the lesser-known peninsulas in South Korea: Goheung. Unspoiled by tourism, a community focused on fishing and farming unbothered by the fast-moving world further north, in other words: a very unique place to visit, so go there before it is too late.

Road to Goheung

You can visit Goheung as a day trip from Boseong, Suncheon, Gwangyang or Yeosu. That last option will become easier when the bridge connecting the bottom part of Yeosu peninsula and Goheung peninsula will be finished.

Your route takes you through small towns and villages surrounded by farmland. This is where the quiet life is. A very relaxing road, with only peace and nature to distract you.

Paryeongsan Provincial Park (팔영산)

On the horizon, you see the Paryeongsan Mountain range (also called “Eight Peak Mountain”) with the very iconic peaks that you will see most of the day. Instead of the road trip described below, you can also go hiking in Paryeongsan Provincial Park and climb the eight peaks. I saw some pictures taken by people who did the hike and it looks like a really interesting hike. On my next visit to Goheung, I’ll climb the eight peaks for sure.

Now on to the relaxed version of the Goheung road trip…

You can find the places mentioned below on the Boseong layer of my Google Map.

Jeokgeum Island (적금도)

Your first stop is a visit to the fishing village on Jeokgeum Island. There is a suspension bridge going from Goheung to Jeokgeum but it’s not yet visible on Google Maps. Once the bridges connecting Goheung to Yeosu peninsula are finished, this area will become really interesting (and attract more tourism) as you can also visit the islands in between. But already the fishing village with its painted houses and the small road around the island not yet optimized for vehicles is worth a visit.

From the fishing village, you can follow the road north and then west to cross the island. This is doable by car, but the road is very narrow and bumpy. At one point you will wonder whether you can actually make it to the bridge. I took this road, but looking back at the experience I would probably return the same way I came. You won’t miss any important sights if you turn back and take a more comfortable route. Just walk around the island for a bit and treat the village as your sole destination.

Yeongnam Yongbawi (영남용바위)

Going back to the east side of Goheung, you can visit Yeongnam Yongbawi rock area to see the cliffs shaped by the seawater over time and, if you’re lucky, see the locals in action fishing and looking for shellfish; one of the biggest industries on Goheung together with seaweed farming.

You can take a quiet and short walk on the rocks and see if you can spot some shellfish yourself.

Goheung Observatory (고흥우주발사전망대)

For a good view of the area, Goheung Observatory is perfect. The rotating cafe on the top level provides a great view of the many small islands (19 inhabited, 152 uninhabited) in the sea surrounding Goheung peninsula. The view reminds me a bit of the view from the top of Mireuksan in Tongyeong; one of my favorite cable cars in South Korea.

Yeongnam-myeon (영남면)

Continue the road trip towards Naenarodo Island while observing the peaks of Paryeongsan Mountain and colorful paintings on the walls in Yeongnam-myeon village.

Neunggasa (능가사)

Near Yeongnam-myeon you can visit the Buddhist temple Neunggasa at the foot of Paryeong Mountain (팔영산). This temple was originally constructed in 419 and rebuilt in 1644 after it was destroyed during the Japanese invasion about fifty years earlier.

Naenarodo (내나로도)

Naenarodo is famous for its fishing. On the island, you can find sandy beaches with a gentle slope and evergreen pine trees that are over 350 years old serving as windbreakers.

On Naenarodo you can visit the cafe 하얀노을카페 for a brilliant view of the islands in the area and an open terrace which is perfect for relaxing while watching the sun go down in the ocean.

More places to visit near Goheung

Nearby you can visit Yeosu peninsula, Gwangyang, Suncheon, and Boseong. I actually visited Suncheon and Boseong twice: once on my first big trip to South Korea visiting the highlights and again on my second trip focusing on the south and west of South Korea. There is plenty to see in the area and it is quite easy to visit Yeosu peninsula and Goheung peninsula as a day trip from Gwangyang, Suncheon of Boseong.

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