Discover the wonders of Yeosu, a coastal gem in Korea. Delve into Yeosu's rich history, savor some delicious seaside cuisine, and learn about legends of Korea's past. The great thing about this itinerary, is that once you get there, you can just use your feet to get around and see a ton!

Yeosu, Jeollanam-do, South Korea

Yeosu, Korea: 2-Day Itinerary

From Seoul the easiest and most convenient way to get to Yeosu is via a train. From Yongsan Station, you can take the ITX-Saemaeul Train to Yeosu Expo Station in Yeosu in just under 3 hours. The train will cost anywhere between W20,000 and W60,000 depending on what kind of ticket you purchase. 

Don't discount flying though! You can fly from Gimpo Airport to Yeosu Airport in just 55 minutes. Jin Air and Jeju Air provide flights that are generally around W50,000.

We recommend staying near the Yeosu Expo Station. From here, you'll be within walking distance of a variety of things to see in the area so you don't have to worry about transportation any further once you've arrived.

Yeosu is the second largest city in the Jeollanam-do province of Korea. Yeosu consists of a peninsula as well as 365 islands, 48 inhabited as well as 317 uninhabited. Yeosu is fairly spread out with many districts each segregated by mountains or ocean, which means the easiest way to spend a weekend in the city is to find one place that you can see a lot from.

This region is known for some beautiful sunsets so try to be somewhere with a good view when it comes evening time.

In 1479, the  Joseon Dynasty's Naval Headquarters for the eastern area of Jeolla was based in Yeosu and was the first base of the well-known Admiral Yi Sun Shin whose fleet was based here during the Imjin War. Look for Geobukseon, or turtle ship, replicas as you travel in the region. Yi Sun Shin invented the turtle ship to save the country when Japan invaded Korea in the 16th century. 

Yeosu's proximity to the sea means that it offers an abundance of fresh and flavorful seafood. Don't miss the chance to indulge in mouthwatering dishes like grilled clams, sashimi, and spicy seafood stew.

Hweh, Hway, or Hoe (회) is the term for thinly sliced raw fish. It is usually dipped in a red sauce called chojang (초장) and wrapped in salad like leaves, ssam (쌈), or sesame leaves, kketnip (깻)

Cockles (꼬막): Cockles can be served various ways. Seasoned cockles (꼬막무침) comes with a spicy topping, but you can also get the cockles just steamed and these tend to be a bit gritty with mud still left on them. These are my least favorite way to enjoy them but my husband LOVES them while I’m scarfing down the spicier seasoned version. You can get them served with jeon, soup, and lots of side dishes. Yum yum yum.

Depart by train from Seoul to Yeosu and then travel to the Yeosu Expo Station to drop bags at your hotel.

After arriving at Yeosu Expo Station and dropping off your bags, it'll be lunch time. There are a variety of restaurants in the Expo Park as well as across the street near the Yeosu High School.

Yeosu Maritime Cable Car (여수 해상케이블카)

Head south toward the bridge that crosses to Odongdo Island and you’ll see stairs as well as an elevator that will go up to the hilltop across from Odongdo Island. Here you can enjoy the views, sculptures, art, and a cafe and then find the Yeosu Maritime Cable Car. 

The cable car which is a must-do, runs between Jasan Park and Dolsan Park. Passengers can choose either the standard cabin or the crystal cabin. The trip is 13 minutes one-way and 26 minutes round trip but you’ll get off at the other side no matter what.

Visit the bright red light house and nearby museum that is devoted to Hendrick Hamel. Read the plaques for a very interesting tale about him. Hamel was one of 36 survivors from a merchant ship from the Netherlands that encountered a storm and ended up on Jeju Island in January of 1653. They spent 7 years in captivity there and then 12 of them were sent to Yeosu where they were made gate guards.

Near the Hamel Lighthouse, you’ll spot pocha tents, outdoor Korean food tents.

Take a walk on Odongdo Island. Cross a bridge to get there and plan to spend about two hours following the trails. You can find a lighthouse, cliffs, and beautiful forested and well-maintained paths.

Just down from the expo and port area, this island is connected to the  mainland via a bridge for pedestrians and local electric trains that take people over so no need to figure out ferries and boats. Beautiful year round, there are 70 species of wildflowers and 200 species of evergreen trees that flourish and it's a well-known hotspot in the spring as the island is covered in camellia flowers. 

Just back across the bridge from Odongdo Island, you can find Yeonhwajeong among a few other restaurants. Here you’ll have all of the local specialties to enjoy with side dishes that cover the tabletop. 

An immersive media art space, make sure to take your camera to take plenty of photos. This is a great indoor space where you will be enveloped in media from a world-class digital design company. The media is nature-based and huge with 10 meter high walls and speakers that play calming music.

The itinerary above is an ideal introduction to Yeosu, but of course, it’s not the only things to see there. If you have an extra day or perhaps it suddenly starts raining and you need some indoor options, check out this page. Here are the extra places and spaces in Yeosu, Korea that you could also see on your adventure.

Yeosu Ocean Railbike (여수해양레일바이크)

Yeosu Art Land Resort is located near Somisan Mountain from which you can view three islands: Naechido, Oechido and Hyeoldo. The most popular structure in the park is the “Hand of Midas,” which extends out towards the sea.

This ocean railbike runs 3.5 kilometers along the coastline. Head through open air and tunnels. There are railbikes around the country and they really do provide a fun activity to get your heart pumping just a bit and to see some beautiful scenery.

Aqua Planet Yeosu (아쿠아플라넷 여수)

Aqua Planet has fantastic aquariums in various cities around the country and this aquarium is the second largest in all of Korea. There are over 280 species of marine wildlife including a Beluga whale and a Baikal seal. It's a great spot for sea creature lovers and for rainy days, especially nice for families.

This is where we stayed on our trip down to Yeosu. Ramada Plaza has a restaurant, bar, a garden, and a pool. The rooms are nice and the beds are comfortable. We enjoyed stepping out onto the balcony and feeling the coastal air sweep over us before we slipped into bed for the night. Great stay and if you can, take advantage of the pool too! 

Hidden Bay Hotel is a 4-star beachfront hotel with a swimming pool, garden, and rooms come with a terrace too. You’ll definitely be able to relax in this beautiful spot with a sauna and infinity pool and views views views. Pamper yourself with this stay.

Hotel JCS is a 5-star hotel with a beautiful swimming pool that just opened in 2020. There is an adult and children’s pool and rooms are beautiful and spacious and perfect for families. This just opened after we visited, but I’d look into this for our next trip down for sure.

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There are several 'easy' to 'medium' trails and footpaths are well marked and very well maintained. There are a few stairways to get to viewpoints and cliffs, but it's not difficult. It's a very family-friendly island to explore. Follow signs that will lead you to a lighthouse, bamboo tunnel, and a dragon's cave on the rocky cliffside.

Popular dishes in the area include: ganjang gejang (간장 게장), rock crabs that have been preserved in a soy sauce mixture and they’re eaten uncooked. Yes, it’s served cold. Most restaurants in the region will serve ganjang gejang baekban (게장백반) which means it comes with a ton of side dishes, rice and soup. Another dish to eat here is cockles (꼬막) which can be served in various ways. Seasoned cockles (꼬막무침) comes with a spicy topping, but you can also get the cockles just steamed and these tend to be a bit gritty. You can get them served with jeon, soup, and lots of side dishes. Yum yum yum. Don’t overlook the grilled fish restaurants with plenty of fresh catch to each day.

Ganjang Gejang (간장 게장): This is definitely a dish that is for the more adventurous eater. Ganjang gejang is rock crabs that have been preserved in a soy sauce mixture and they’re eaten uncooked. Yes, it’s served cold. Most restaurants in the region will serve ganjang gejang baekban (게장백반) which means it comes with a ton of side dishes, rice and soup. This is great if you want to try the dish but aren’t so sure you’ll be able to eat it all up. You’ll still have plenty to try.

Yeosu, Korea: 2-Day Itinerary

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