From Odongdo's camellia forest and the marine cable car to sunrise at Hyangiram and the night sea! Enjoy Yeosu's sea and romance in a single day with our A · B · C courses.
Yeosu day trip in 3 courses: Odongdo, the marine cable car, Hyangiram, Jinnamgwan and the night sea with harbor-side food stalls. Pick the course that suits you below, and check each spot's highlights, suggested time, address and local tips.
🌺 Course A: Expo, Odongdo Camellia Island & Marine Cable Car Course
⏱️ About 5–6 hours📍 About 3.0 km
The Big-O Show at the Expo site, Odongdo's camellia forest and a cable car ride over the sea
Suggested route: Yeosu Expo Park & Big-O Show → Odongdo Island → Yeosu Maritime Cable Car
Yeosu's three signature sights, all within walking distance
The Big-O Show of water, light and fire
1. Yeosu Expo Park & Big-O Show
여수세계박람회장 & 빅오쇼 · Cultural complex / Night show
Yeosu Expo Park turned the grounds of the 2012 Yeosu World Expo, held under the theme "The Living Ocean and Coast," into a public park. Wide promenades and plazas run along the sea, with the large Aqua Planet Yeosu aquarium and the Sky Tower observatory on site. After sunset, the giant ring-shaped "Big-O" structure on the water hosts a multimedia show of water, light and lasers that kicks off Yeosu's night.
Suggested time
about 1.5–2 hours
Address
1 Bangnamhoe-gil, Yeosu-si, Jeollanam-do
Travel tip
Big-O Show times vary by season and day of the week, so check the official schedule before you go. It's a short walk from KTX Yeosu Expo Station.
The breakwater path leading over the sea to Odongdo
2. Odongdo Island
오동도 · Camellia island / Forest walk
Odongdo got its name because it looks like a paulownia ("odong") leaf from afar, and you can walk there along a breakwater about 768 m long. Thousands of camellia trees and bamboo grow thickly across the island, earning it the nickname "Camellia Island," and in early spring red blossoms color the forest paths. Trails lead through the woods to Odongdo Lighthouse, the sea cave Yonggul and cliffside viewpoints.
If the breakwater feels too long to walk, take the Camellia Train between the entrance and the island. Camellias usually bloom most in February and March.
Cable cars crossing the sea with Geobukseon Bridge
3. Yeosu Maritime Cable Car
여수해상케이블카 · Cable car / Sea views
Opened in 2014, the Yeosu Maritime Cable Car was Korea's first cable car built to cross the sea. It links Jasan Park next to Odongdo with Dolsan Park across the water over about 1.5 km, giving sweeping views of Yeosu Harbor, Geobukseon Bridge, Odongdo and Dolsan Bridge in the distance. Ride a glass-floored crystal cabin to watch the sea and boats pass beneath your feet, or ride at sunset and after dark for Yeosu's city lights.
Board at the Jasan Park station near Odongdo for an easy route. Lines get long around sunset on weekends, so ride a little earlier.
🌅 Course B: Hyangiram Sunrise, Dolsan Bridge & Jangdo Art Island Course
⏱️ About 6–7 hours📍 About 45 km (by car)
A hermitage on a sea cliff, Dolsan Bridge from Dolsan Park and a walk across the sea to Jangdo
Suggested route: Hyangiram Hermitage → Dolsan Park & Dolsan Bridge → Jangdo Art Island
A drive along Dolsando's southern sea and a stroll around an art island
Wontongbojeon Hall beneath giant boulders at Hyangiram
1. Hyangiram Hermitage
향일암 · Temple / Sunrise spot
Hyangiram means "hermitage facing the sun," and it sits on the rocky cliffs of Geumosan at the southern tip of Dolsando. It is said that the Silla monk Wonhyo once meditated here, and it is counted among Korea's major shrines to the bodhisattva of compassion. The way up passes through narrow stone gates between boulders, and from the halls the endless southern sea opens up before you. On New Year's Day it is packed with people coming to see the first sunrise.
Steep stairs and slopes lead from the parking lot to the hermitage, so wear comfortable shoes. For sunrise, arrive at least an hour beforehand.
Dolsan Bridge and downtown Yeosu from Dolsan Park
2. Dolsan Park & Dolsan Bridge
돌산공원 & 돌산대교 · Viewpoint park / Night view
Dolsan Park sits on a hill at the entrance to Dolsando, overlooking Dolsan Bridge just below, old downtown Yeosu across the water, Janggundo islet and Yeosu Harbor. Dolsan Bridge, a cable-stayed bridge that first connected the mainland to Dolsando, lights up its towers and cables at night to create Yeosu's signature night view. The park is also home to the Dolsan station of the Yeosu Maritime Cable Car, so it pairs well with a ride.
Suggested time
about 1 hour
Address
Dolsan Park area, Udu-ri, Dolsan-eup, Yeosu-si, Jeollanam-do
Travel tip
Arrive around sunset to catch both the sunset and the moment the bridge lights come on. The park's parking lot can be crowded with cable car visitors.
Jinseom Bridge leading across the sea to Jangdo
3. Jangdo Art Island
예술의 섬 장도 · Island walk / Art space
Jangdo is a small island just off Ungcheon Beach in Yeosu, designed as an "art island" where a gallery, outdoor sculptures and gardens blend together. The island connects to the mainland by a low bridge called Jinseom Bridge, which disappears under water at high tide — making the crossing all the more special. A trail circles the island past bamboo groves and grassy hills, perfect for a slow walk by the sea.
Jinseom Bridge is closed when it's submerged at high tide, so be sure to check the tide times before you go. The beach at Ungcheon Waterfront Park next door is a nice place to rest and watch the sunset.
🌉 Course C: Jinnamgwan History Walk & Yeosu Night Sea Course
⏱️ About 5–6 hours📍 About 2.5 km
Admiral Yi Sun-sin's naval headquarters, the red Hamel Lighthouse and the night sea lit by food stalls
Suggested route: Jinnamgwan Hall & Yi Sun-sin Square → Hamel Lighthouse & Hamel Museum → Yeosu Night Sea & Nangman Pocha Street
Start on a street full of history and end at the night sea from the famous song
The front of Jinnamgwan with its 68 pillars
1. Jinnamgwan Hall & Yi Sun-sin Square
진남관 & 이순신광장 · Historic site / Plaza
Jinnamgwan was built as a guesthouse on the site of the Jeolla Left Naval Headquarters, which Admiral Yi Sun-sin commanded during the Imjin War; its name means "to suppress the enemy in the south." Fifteen bays wide and five deep, supported by 68 pillars, it is the largest surviving single-story wooden building in Korea and a designated National Treasure. Down the hill by the sea, Yi Sun-sin Square has a statue of the admiral and a life-size turtle ship replica, with local restaurants and cafés nearby — a great starting point for your trip.
Access to Jinnamgwan is sometimes limited due to restoration work, so check before visiting. The alleys around Yi Sun-sin Square are a good place to try local specialties like raw shrimp and mustard-leaf kimchi.
Hamel Lighthouse glowing red at night
2. Hamel Lighthouse & Hamel Museum
하멜등대 & 하멜전시관 · Lighthouse / Museum
Hendrick Hamel was a Dutch sailor who was shipwrecked on Jeju in 1653, spent 13 years in Joseon and finally escaped by boat from Yeosu. His account, known as "Hamel's Journal," is considered the first detailed description of Joseon written for the West. The Hamel Museum traces the crew's shipwreck and life in Joseon, and the red Hamel Lighthouse at the end of the breakwater out front lights up at night, becoming one of the Yeosu night sea's signature photo spots.
Suggested time
about 40 minutes–1 hour
Address
Hamel Museum area, Jonghwa-dong, Yeosu-si, Jeollanam-do
Travel tip
The museum is often closed on Mondays, so check ahead. The lighthouse looks best in photos after dark when its lights are on.
Downtown Yeosu's night sea glowing with lights
3. Yeosu Night Sea & Nangman Pocha Street
여수 밤바다 & 낭만포차 거리 · Night view / Food stall street
When the sun sets along the waterfront around Jongpo Marine Park, the "Nangman Pocha" (romantic food stalls) switch on their lights one by one, and the glow of Dolsan Bridge and Geobukseon Bridge reflects on the water — the very "Yeosu night sea" sung about in the well-known song. The signature dish is seafood samhap, pork belly grilled with pen shell and mustard-leaf kimchi, and you can stroll along the seaside path all the way to Yi Sun-sin Square. It's the most Yeosu way to end your trip.
Suggested time
about 1.5–2 hours
Address
Jongpo Marine Park area, Jonghwa-dong, Yeosu-si, Jeollanam-do
Travel tip
The stalls usually open in the evening and fill up fast on weekends, so arrive early around sunset. The sea breeze gets chilly, so bring a light jacket.
Opening hours, fees and access restrictions can change with the season and local conditions. Please check each place's official information before you visit.
