In this guide
Yeosu and Suncheon are neighbors on Korea's south coast. Yeosu gives you the sea, the bridges and an evening of lights along the old harbor. Suncheon gives you a very large garden and a bay of reeds and tidal flats. This plan sleeps one night in Yeosu and takes in Suncheon on the second day, on your way out. One date to watch: don't let your Suncheon day fall on a Monday, because the SkyCube rests every Monday and the garden and wetland close on the last Monday of each month.
Getting there
- From Seoul by KTX: about 3 hours 10 minutes from Yongsan Station to Yeosu Expo Station, going by the timetable on Yeosu's tourism site, and about 2 hours 39 minutes to Suncheon Station, according to the city of Suncheon.
- From Busan by bus: about 2 hours 30 minutes from Busan Seobu Terminal (Sasang Station) or Busan Central Bus Terminal (Nopo Station) to Suncheon Bus Terminal.
- Between the two cities: about 50 minutes by bus, or roughly half an hour by train on the same line.
- Coming from Busan? Flip the plan. Do Suncheon first, reach Yeosu for the evening, and see Odongdo and the cable car the next day.
Day 1, midday: Odongdo
Take a morning train from Seoul and head out from Yeosu Expo Station. VisitKorea puts Odongdo about seven minutes away by taxi; your map app will show the current bus. The island is joined to the shore by a 768-meter breakwater. Walking it takes about 15 minutes, and the Dongbaek train runs along it if you'd rather ride.
Allow at least an hour on the island. Trails run through the forest and around the outer edge, and a white lighthouse stands at the top. About 3,000 camellia trees grow here; the city says they begin to bloom in February and peak in March.
Day 1, late afternoon: the Maritime Cable Car
The cable car crosses 1.5 kilometers of sea between Jasan Park, near the Odongdo entrance, and Dolsan Park on the far side, running alongside Geobukseon Bridge. VisitKorea says a round trip takes about 25 minutes. Some cabins have a transparent floor, which you choose when you buy your ticket. Wind and maintenance can stop the service, so check that it is running on the day.
Day 1, evening: the Yeosu night sea
Yeosu's evenings are well known in Korea; the city notes that the band Busker Busker made them into a song. The classic walk begins at Yi Sun-sin Plaza, a short taxi ride away, with views of Dolsan Bridge and Janggundo island. From there, a seaside path runs about 1.5 kilometers, passing under Geobukseon Bridge to Jongpo Marine Park and Bamdibul Street, a short stretch of sculptures, photo spots and media art. After dark, Dolsan Bridge is lit in changing colors.
The walk ends at the Romantic Cart Bars, 18 food stalls in the plaza under Geobukseon Bridge, near Hamel Lighthouse. They serve seafood in the evenings, and the city says card payment is the rule. For the trip back to your hotel, the Kakao T app can call a taxi.
Day 2, morning: Suncheon Bay National Garden
After breakfast, go to Suncheon by train or bus. From Suncheon Station, bus 66 reaches the National Garden East Gate stop in about 21 minutes. From the bus terminal, buses 66, 67 and 101 take about 30 minutes.
The garden grew out of the 2013 International Garden Expo and became a national garden in 2015. VisitKorea warns that it is too large to see fully in a day, so pick a part, such as the Lake Garden created by Charles Jencks at the center. Keep your ticket. The official site says a same-day ticket works at both the garden and the wetland, seven kilometers apart.
Day 2, midday: the SkyCube to the bay
The SkyCube, a small driverless train, runs from Garden Station to Suncheon Bay Station. From there, the Reed Train continues to Mujingyo Bridge. On Mondays neither of them runs, so use bus 66 to the Suncheon Bay Wetland stop instead.
Day 2, afternoon: Suncheon Bay Wetland and Yongsan Observatory
The wetland feels very different from the morning's garden: wide reed beds and mudflats on either side of a long waterway. The bay is registered under the Ramsar Convention and, according to VisitKorea, was listed in 2021 as part of a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site. Reeds turn gold in late autumn and early winter, and migratory birds, including hooded cranes, arrive from Russia and China to spend the winter.
To see the whole bay, cross Mujingyo Bridge, follow the trail through the reeds and climb to Yongsan Observatory (no relation to Seoul's Yongsan Station). The view is of a large S-shaped waterway, and it is at its most colorful at sunset. Closing times change month by month, so check them first, and leave yourself time to walk back before dark.
Day 2, evening: moving on
Bus 66 takes about 35 minutes from the wetland back to Suncheon Station, and about 40 to the bus terminal. If you stay for sunset, look up your last departure before you climb, or plan a second night in Suncheon. Our three-day Busan itinerary continues from there, and the seven-day Korea route shows how this fits with two days in Jeonju. Two full days of walking add up, so keep the next evening quiet; our notes on resting well on a Korea trip may help.
