Ulleungdo, Korea’s mystery island, is a beautiful volcanic island off the east coast of South Korea. It is mysterious on its own, righteously beautiful and a place that feels like you are not in Korea anymore. 3 hour bus ride followed by another 3 hour ferry ride from Seoul, that’s one hell of a trip to get there, but we were already hooked. Ulleungdo is definitely worth the effort to travel to, it’s one of my favourite places in South Korea.
As mentioned above, the only way to reach Ulleungdo island is by ferry. A crucial thing to bear in mind is that ferries will not run if weather conditions are bad, so keep an eye on the forecast and be prepared to change your plans! And let me warn you, the ferry ride is brutal, for those who get seasick, bring travel medicines for a better and smoother trip. A minute into our 3-hour long ferry ride, I felt terrible seasickness. The medication I took for seasickness half an hour before did not help to prevent it at all. To my left and my right, people gripped the hand rest tightly as they were thrown around in their seats, pale-faced with pupils dilated. I willed myself to sleep through this ordeal. 3 hours later, I have never been more thankful to arrive on land.
Tips to note
- Check the weather
- Avoiding sea sickness
- Get a map and bus schedule at the tourist counter
The island is so enchanting, Ulleungdo has been compared to another shooting location as New Zealand for Lord of the Rings and has been pegged as Hawaii or Santorini of Korea. Lonely Planet included the Ulleungdo Island in “2012 World’s Best Secret Islands”. The majestic view, the beautiful seacoast and the trails that let you bask in the glory of the island add to the whole appeal of Ulleungdo. It is nothing like any beach and quite enthralling by its own.
Spend a couple of days in the island to have a complete experience, there are various seaside paths to walks on and hiking trails as well that are lead to spots on the island wherein you would be given a gorgeous view.
tequila shots for the soul 