Located approximately halfway between Yeosu-si City and Jeju Island, Geomundo Island is part of the Dadohae Maritime National Park. It is divided into Dongdo, Seodo, and Godo Islands, all of which offer scenic views of quaint towns and surrounding nature. Also, Geomundo is the access point for the famous Baekdo Island group, a spectacular array of uninhabited rock pinnacles attached with numerous legends. Island History Geomundo Island's history dates back to the bronze era with the discovery of a stone sword on one of the islands. Subsequent discoveries of coins from the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD) that were used for more than 700 years up to 621AD have also been found. Discoveries of celadon from the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392) have also been located on Geomundo’s islands. Geomundo had been commonly known as Godo until the British sailors arrived on the island in 1885, and put claim to the island in order to construct a naval port to fight off the Russian fleets. They named it Port Hamilton. Soon, Admiral Jeong Yeochang came to Geomundo to challenge the audacity of the British, and, in turn, was struck by the high literacy level of the islanders. He recommended to the then ruler that the island be renamed ‘Geomun,’ meaning ‘great literacy.’ The British sailors eventually perished, but their graves can be found in a well-preserved cemetery on the island.

On the bus from Gyeongju to Bonggil-ri, the sight of the vast blue sea spread before your eyes will leave you breathless. As you gaze at the glittering blue sea, a small but particularly beautiful islet catches your eye. This little rocky islet is the Underwater Tomb of King Munmu (661-681 A.D.), who unified the three kingdoms and became the 30th ruler of the Silla Kingdom. The king gave specific instructions to be buried in the East Sea after his death so that he would become a dragon and protect Silla from Japanese intruders. The rocky island, about 200m in circumference, is divided by a cross-shaped waterway, forming a pool at the center, at the bottom of which is a granite 3.6 meters long, 2.9 meters wide and 0.9 meters thick. Legend has it that the remains of King Munmu’s cremated body are buried under this rock. Historians still debate whether the ashes of the King Munmu were scattered or stored in an urn and placed under the granite. The beauty of the landscape of the underwater tomb reaches its peak in autumn.

Hongwon Port, located near Chunjangdae Beach, is a popular place for enjoying sea fishing and delectable meals of fresh raw fish. In addition to its culinary appeal, the port offers the picturesque scene of long stretches of shoreline guarded by two beacons in red and white.Located only 10 minutes away by car is Maryang Port, which is one of the rare places where visitors can see both the sunrise and sunset. Maryang Port is the third most popular spot along the west coast after Anmyeondo Island and Daecheon Beach and is particularly loved by couples. Though Hongwon Port is perhaps not as scenic as Maryang Port, Hongwon is bigger and has more fishing boats (thanks to its small tidal range), resulting in a livelier atmosphere and cheaper sashimi prices.There is also a beautiful camellia hill, called ‘Dongbaekjeong’ located nearby. When the camellias are in full bloom, short-tentacled octopuses are in season at Hongwon Port. However, gizzard shad is by far the most popular seafood caught in the waters off the port. There are even old Korean sayings that stem from the popularity of the gizzard shad, which is said to be most abundant and delicious in the fall. According to the sayings “In the head of Gizzard Shad caught in autumn are three bags of sesame” (referring to the worth of the fish) and, “The smell of grilled gizzard shad brings the runaway daughter-in-law back home” (in reference to its taste).Hongwon Port (along with Gwangyang Port in Jeollanamdo) is the prime spot for gizzard shad. Each autumn the port holds the Gizzard Shad Festival, a festival that has plenty of events & delectable fish dises. While at the festival, visitors are also encouraged to check out the Seocheon Museum of Marine & Natural History and Dongbaekjeong. The stuffed specimens at the museum are worth the visit and the view of the Maryang Port from atop the museum is unbelievable.Representative festival of Hongwon Port: Gizzard Shad FestivalHongwon Harbor hosts the Jeoneo (gizzard shad) Festival every October. During the festival fresh gizzard shad is served up in a variety of ways (including salads mixed with spicy marinated Jeoneo, cucumbers, sesame leaves, and parsley) and the village comes alive with fish-catching activities, performances, and fireworks.Jeoneo is known as a good hangover food and a good diet food because it is low in fat and high in protein. Also said to be good for the skin, this tasty fish appeals to a wide audience (as evidenced by the diverse crowds that visit the festival each year).

In 1999, the area of Geomdan carried out the excavation for cultural relics. As a result of the excavation, various relics and remains from the Bronze Age and Old Stone Age to the Joseon Period were found and as a result the Geomdan Prehistory Museum was built on November 27, 2008. The Museum showcases the lifestyle of prehistoric times and also has hands-on programs.

Ureuk Museum is a museum dedicated to the Gayageum (a traditional Korean twelve-stringed instrument) and Ureuk, the inventor of the Gayageum and a great musician. The only museum of its kind, Ureuk Museum excavates, collects, preserves, and displays pieces that help visitors more deeply appreciate the beauty and history of the Gayageum.

Donggang Museum of Photography, Korea’s first-ever public photo museum, opened in July 2005. Housed in a building with one basement level and two ground levels, the museum has a permanent exhibition hall and two special exhibition halls. There is also an outdoor gallery and a lecture hall.Some of the museum exhibits include donations by photo artists who participated in the Donggang Photo Festival, an event held since 2002, together with donations by winners of the Donggang Photo Award. Visitors will also find photos highlighting the natural and cultural heritage of Yeongwol and about 800 photos taken by town residents. Another noteworthy addition is the exhibition of 130 classic cameras, a must for camera enthusiasts and aficionados.

Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium is surrounded by a thick forest. There are Marronnier and Byeokcheon Squares near the entrance to the stadium. Rock carvings Bangudae (National Treasure No. 285) and Cheonjeolligakseok (National Treasure No. 147) successfully recreate life as it was many years ago.

Chosun Minhwa Museum finished construction in 1998, in Waseok-ri, Gimsatga-myeon, Yeongwol-gun, Gangwon-do and opened on July 29, 2000. The museum contains about 3,000 folk paintings (minhwa) from the Joseon era and is comprised of a hands-on program hall where visitors can paint a minhwa on a wood plate and the chunhwa (obscene painting) exhibition which is eligible for only adults. In addition to this museum, Gimsatgat Culture Hall and Indian Art Museum are also in Yeongwol.

Yeosu Seonso Historic Site is located in Sijeon-dong, Yeosu-si, Jeollanam-do. This shipyard houses the Turtle Ship designed by Admiral Yi Sun-sin and Na Dae-yong, who were renowned for their shipbuilding skills during the Japanese Invasion of Korea. The shipyard site remains a gulgang (small stream to dock ships), a stone moorage for anchoring ships, a dolbeoksu (stone pole), and a Segeomjeong site.