The fragrant flowers that tickle the tip of the nose start to excite the heart as well.
Spring is in full bloom, and I am filled with the desire to walk
all day long without a direction while enjoying the delicate colors of the season.
No one can sit back and let this beautiful season pass.
On a fine spring day when the spring breeze was gently blowing,
I picked up my backpack and embarked on a journey.
I headed over to the south where I was expecting to experience the fullness of spring.
Walking further south, I reached Geojedo Island at the very end.
Even winter is warm at Geojedo Island where spring arrives earliest in Korea.


Sonanggoo, A Hanok Pension in the Green Spring


On the first day of April, Seoul was still chilly due to the last cold snap.
Things were different, however, at Sonanggoo Pension.
Cherry blossoms were in full bloom and yellow daffodils could be found everywhere.
These spring flowers harmonized with the blue color of the South Sea,
making all who witness them feel like they had stepped into a painting.
What would be the perfect accommodation for a place like this?
It did not take long to discover the answer to this question.
I present to you Sonanggoo, a traditional hanok building covered with an earthy scent.

Sonanggoo Pension, a famous large-scale traditional hanok building,
is located at the entrance to Koje University.
Upon arriving at the pension, by taking Bus No. 20 at Gohyeon Bus Terminal,my eyes opened wide with surprise.
Over a wide property stretching 19,835 m², wild flowers and cherry blossoms had been cared for by the owner,
creating a beautiful harmony with the traditional hanok buildings made of red clay and pine trees.
Spring was fully contained inside.
I thought that it would be enough to enjoy spring just by staying here without going outside.

Sonanggoo is divided into Sonanggoo Pension, Yenmasil Pension, and Sonanggoo Pavilion.
As for Sonanggoo Pension, it has 43 m² two-person rooms, 60 m² family rooms, and a 100 m² large family room.
Since I traveled alone, I stayed at “Haesongjeong,” a 43 m² room.
The room consisted of a bedroom, restroom, and a living room, making it quite spacious to use alone.
Thanks to the pine trees that surrounded the house,
I felt like I had entered mother nature’s arms even inside the room.
The kitchen had cooking devices including a cooking pot and a microwave, and an outdoor barbecue was also available.

I descended the staircase from the building I stayed at until I reached the teahouse called “Byeoljeongmasil.”
There, I drank a warm cup of jujube tea that the owner brewed for me.
Thanks to the brief rest I enjoyed while drinking the cup of tea,
I was able to completely relieve myself from the fatigue caused by traveling a long distance from Seoul to Geoje.
As of April 2022, Byeoljeongmasil is only available until 5:00 p.m.

After relaxing over a cup of tea,
I came out of the room and went up to the second floor where I was able to look down
on the entire Sonanggoo Pension and Jisepo Port.
Here, I spent quite a long time.
After the sun slowly set, the ocean quickly grew dark and yellow lights turned on
at various spots along Sonanggoo Pension.
The sight reminded me of a scene from Miyazaki Hayao’s animated film Spirited Away.
I spent the first spring night at Geojedo Island admiring this scene for a long time.

At 6:30 a.m, a time at which I would normally be sound asleep,
my eyes opened wide perhaps because of the spring feeling in the air.
I dressed lightly and walked out the door.
I descended the staircase from Haesongjeong to reach the Sonanggoo Garden that amounts to about 6,600 m² in size.
I walked toward the right side of the garden to reach the swing made by the owner,
which is nicknamed “Geoje Swing” after the tourist destination “Bali Swing” in Bali.
I listened to songs on the swing, which offers a view of the ocean, and enjoyed the morning at Geoje.


The Magnificent View of Geojedo Island at Haegeumgang Islets


Hesitant to leave my accommodation, I began to look around Geojedo Island after checking out.
After walking for about 30 minutes from Sonanggoo Pension (20 minutes by bus and five minutes by car),
you will reach Jangseungpo Port where you can take a cruise tour to Oedo-Botania.
I reserved a package product that added a cruise tour of Haegeumgang Islets to a round-trip to Oedo-Botania.
I reserved in advance because on-line reservation is offered
at a discounted price of KRW 14,000 compared to the listed price of KRW 20,000.
The tour takes around 3.5 hours.
I recommend taking a boat at another port if you want to visit Oedo-Botania only.

Five minutes after departing the port, I reached Jisimdo Island,
also known as Dongbaekseom Island, to the left. Soon,
I was able to vaguely see Tsushima Island from far away.
Starting with a sea rock called the Bride and Groom Rock that is in the shape of a woman sitting on the lap of a man,
the magnificent view of Haegeumgang Islets unfolded in all of its splendor.
Aboard the ship, the explanation was provided on various spots of the beautiful rocky island including the Chotdaebawi Rock
that stands precariously and the Sajabawu Rock that is supposedly most gorgeous during sunrise.
We were extremely lucky today since the islets can only be explored when the weather is nice.
This good luck lifted my spirits.

Exotic Spring at Oedo-Botania


One hour into the Haegeumgang Tour, we finally arrived at the final destination of Oedo-Botania.
Oedo-Botania is a marine plant park inside Hallyeohaesang National Park known as the Paradise of the South Sea.
The park was fit to be called paradise as there were over 740 rare tropical plants and beautiful flowers
and trees lined up at various locations including the Stairway to Heaven,
Venus Garden, and Benvenuto Garden once I landed on the island and walked up the path.


The island that resembles a spot in Europe situated
along the Mediterranean Sea is known to bloom with flowers all year round.
I thought that I could return here once the warm season was over and chilly weather arrived,
to enjoy the spring days whenever I miss spring.

Refreshing Spring at the Maengjong Bamboo Shoot Trail


I then set forth in search of the roads of Geoje.
Various walking trails were formed inside Geojedo Island.
I first chose the Maengjong Bamboo Shoot Trail that had a thick bamboo grove.
This course consisted of three sections.
I walked sections 1 and 2 which started at the entrance to Sahwan Village
and continued on to the Maengjongjuk Park Trail.
The three sections add up to 8 km,
but anyone can walk on these trails because the road is well-paved.


Geojedo Island has the largest number of maengjongjuk (a type of bamboo tree) in Korea.
Maengjongjuk Park in section 2 is packed with various elements that give you a unique experience.
Here, you will encounter a landscape that cleanses away any dirt from the body and mind.
I recommend visitors to walk on the Maengjong Bamboo Shoot Trail in April
when the sky is clearer than ever, to enjoy the refreshing vibe of spring.

Windy Hill Trail where the Spring Breeze Blows Gently


After walking on the northern trail of Geojedo Island, I descended to Dojangpo Village,
thinking that I should walk on the southern trail next.
The village is home to “Windy Hill,”
which is famous for its picturesque landscape featuring the blue ocean and the windmill.
You may also visit the “Windy Hill Trail” that passes through Windy Hill.
This trail connects Dojang Port to Windy Hill,
Ujebong Observatory, and Haegeumgang Parking Lot
and includes an easy hiking trail and takes around 3.5 hours to complete.


The highlight of this trail was section 1 of Windy Hill.
Pause for a moment here and sit here to feel the pleasant breeze.
It was a perfect spring walk featuring the ocean, mountain, and spring breeze of Geoje.