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Geoje · Area guide

Hakdong & the South Coast

학동·해금강

Black-pebble beach, Windy Hill, Sinseondae's sunsets and the rock islets of Haegeumgang.

The rock cliffs of Haegeumgang rising from the sea, Geoje
The rock cliffs of Haegeumgang rising from the sea, Geoje. Photo: Korea.net / Korean Culture and Information Service (Jeon Han) · CC BY-SA 2.0. Photo credits

The short answer

Stay on the south coast for Geoje's big sea views. Hakdong's beach is 1.2 km of small black pebbles that VisitKorea likens to black pearls, and you hear them roll as the waves come and go. Windy Hill and its windmill stand at the end of Dojangpo fishing village, at the entrance to the Haegeumgang islets. Sinseondae's lookout sits between Dojangpo and Haegeumgang, and Haegeumgang itself is a rocky island in Hallyeohaesang National Park that VisitKorea calls the sea's Geumgangsan Mountain.

Two of the seven Oedo docks are here, Dojangpo and Haegeumgang, and VisitKorea's Korean site says boats from Dojangpo village pass Haegeumgang on the way to Oedo. The Haegeumgang cruise needs valid ID to board, and its sailings depend on the weather. The trade-off is distance: VisitKorea's Korean site gives about 1 hour 5 minutes to Hakdong and 1 hour 23 minutes to Dojangpo from Gohyeon Bus Terminal by city bus. Sleep here and Sinseondae's sunset needs no ride home.

Best for

  • Sunset at Sinseondae
  • Windy Hill and the Haegeumgang islets
  • Hakdong's black-pebble beach
  • Oedo boats from Dojangpo or Haegeumgang
  • Canola flowers in April and May

Think twice if

  • Gentle, shallow swimming water
  • Bus travellers short on time
  • Late arrivals on the long-distance bus

Getting here

Stations and lines
StationLines
HakdongCity bus from Gohyeon Bus Terminal, about 1 hr 5 min
Dojangpo (Windy Hill, Sinseondae)City bus from Gohyeon, about 1 hr 23 min; from Hakdong, about 23 min
Dojangpo DockOedo boats, by way of Haegeumgang
Haegeumgang DockOedo boats
Quay in Galgot-ri, near Haegeumgang VillageHaegeumgang cruise; valid ID required

From Busan

Buses leave Busan Seobu Intercity Bus Terminal for Gohyeon about every 20 minutes from 06:00 to 22:00, about 1 hour 20 minutes by VisitKorea's 2019 figure; change there for the city bus to Hakdong, about 1 hour 5 minutes. By car, VisitKorea's 2021 figure from the Busan and Masan direction to Geoje is 1 hour 13 minutes, 72.7 km, over the Geoga Bridge.

From Seoul

Geoje has no railway. VisitKorea's Korean site, in figures updated in 2019, gives about 4 hours 20 minutes from Seoul Nambu Terminal to Gohyeon Bus Terminal and about 4 hours 45 minutes from Dong Seoul. From Gohyeon, the city bus takes about 1 hour 5 minutes to Hakdong and about 1 hour 23 minutes to Dojangpo.

From Gimhae Airport

VisitKorea's 2026 Gimhae Airport guide says the airport sells intercity bus tickets to Geoje. Busan Seobu Intercity Bus Terminal, with buses to Gohyeon, is about 15 minutes from the airport by subway or taxi. From Gohyeon, take the city bus to the south coast.

On your doorstep

One easy day from here

  1. Morning Take a boat from Dojangpo past Haegeumgang to Oedo, with two hours on the island.
  2. Midday Climb Windy Hill at the end of Dojangpo village for the windmill and the view over the Haegeumgang islets.
  3. Afternoon Ride the city bus from Dojangpo to Hakdong, about 23 minutes, and walk the black-pebble beach barefoot.
  4. Sunset Be at Sinseondae about an hour before sunset, by VisitKorea's tip, or head for Yeocha Mongdol Beach and Hongpo Observatory.

Before you book

Questions visitors ask

How do I get to Windy Hill by bus?

Take a city bus from Gohyeon Bus Terminal to Dojangpo, about 1 hour 23 minutes by VisitKorea's figure; Windy Hill stands at the end of Dojangpo fishing village. From Hakdong, Dojangpo is about 23 minutes by city bus. A night on the south coast saves the long ride back to Gohyeon after sunset at Sinseondae.

Can I swim at Hakdong?

VisitKorea describes Hakdong's water as deep with rough waves, and lists water activities and boat excursions from its dock; for gentle swimming, Gujora and Wahyeon are shallow: VisitKorea describes its water as deep, with rough waves. Its 1.2 km of black pebbles are the draw. For gentle swimming, Gujora and Wahyeon on the east coast are both shallow, and Wahyeon is busy in summer.

Where do Oedo boats leave from on the south coast?

From Dojangpo and Haegeumgang docks, two of the seven VisitKorea lists. VisitKorea names Dojangpo the most convenient for a Windy Hill day, and its Korean site says boats from Dojangpo village pass Haegeumgang on the way to Oedo. The Haegeumgang cruise sails from a quay in Galgot-ri near Haegeumgang Village and needs valid ID.

Is Sinseondae the same as Windy Hill?

No. Windy Hill is the hill with the windmill at the end of Dojangpo fishing village. Sinseondae is a rock lookout between Dojangpo village and Haegeumgang, reached by a stairway from the road, and known for its sunset and its canola flowers in April and May. They are neighbours, so one evening covers both.

A place before a plan.

Where to stay in GeojeSave your address in Korean

Sources & review

Editorial review: · Korea Standard Time