Haenam in Jeollanam-do is located between Jindo and Mokpo, at the edge of southwest Korea. Also known as a place where Ttangkkeut Village meaning “village at the end of the land,” is located, Haenam is a perfect vacation spot for those seeking real seclusion and relaxation. Even though it is tucked away in the corner of the country, visitors might be surprised by how big of an area Haenam is as it is elongated from north to south, taking over an hour to travel from top to bottom. With mild temperature throughout the year and low wind levels even by the seaside, Haenam is an ideal place to find peace and reenergize. Rest at the newly opened 4-star ocean view resort, explore a mountain that turned into a garden, go for a round of golf, and glide across the ocean in a marine cable car as we search for hidden gems in upper section of Haenam, the Usuyeong Area.

Exterior view of Haenam126 (Credit: VISITKOREA)

Haenam126

Standard Twin Room (Credit: VISITKOREA)

Getting to Haenam is not an easy journey so finding an accommodation to fully relax after a long trip is a must. Haenam126, the first 4-star resort in Haenam constructed by Korea Tourism Organization is an easy choice to make when choosing where to stay. The resort got its name by combining the city name with 126, the east longitude in the map. Freshly opened on November 1, 2024, the resort offers 120 rooms, all with ocean view, ranging from Standard to Suite rooms for 2 to 4 people. The rooms are equipped with 55-inch TV and Netflix for those who don’t want to leave the room, but you won’t be able help yourself but to go out when you see that ocean view from the room window. All rooms are non-smoking, so visitors do not have to worry about any foul smell in the room.

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Infinity pool (Credit: VISITKOREA)

Facilities include an infinity pool overlooking the ocean, a perfect spot to see beautiful sunset while swimming; a sauna for relaxing after a day of traveling; a fitness center to keep your exercise routine; a convenience store for snacks and late-night grub; a coin laundry; a café with an ocean view; a restaurant that offers meals from breakfast to dinner; seminar rooms; a banquet hall; a coastal trail, and more facilities planned to be added soon.

The resort is also the first barrier-free resort in Korea with no steps, making it wheelchair, stroller-friendly. The building was designed to be a modern reinterpretation of Nogudang House of the Haenam Yun Seon-do, a famous poet and politician during the Joseon dynasty. The architectural design made the most of combining the building with natural environment as well as adding two gardens and adding edges to keep with traditional Korean hanok-style look. Modern design of the exposed concrete walls keep the building simple, and large windows along the hallway make the area less confined.

Sunset view from the hotel (Credit: VISITKOREA)

The best part of the resort has to be the ocean view that can be seen from various parts of the resort including large windows in the guestrooms, outdoor terrace, restaurant, café, swimming pool and more. No wonder the resort is referred by guests as “noeul matjip,” meaning “an excellent sunset spot” in Korean. The sunset and its golden glow falling upon the nearby islands create a picturesque scene, resulting in beautiful photo results even in cloudy weather.

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Oceano Tourist Complex Photo zones (Credit: VISITKOREA)

Oceano Beach (Credit: VISITKOREA)

Walk down the pathway to the auto camp site and you can see Oceano Beach, popular for swimming and water sports as well as picking live clams on mudflats during low tides. The sand may be a bit coarse, as it was poured on top of the mudflats, but you can still relax and enjoy the view or sunbathe comfortably. Throughout the walking trail, you can find various photo zones to take memorable photos, especially near Camp Site 5. During summer season from May to September, Friday to Sunday and on public holidays, you can enjoy playing at the Oceano Fountain with floor fountain and curtain fountain to cool off the summer heat. Fountains operates from 10:00 to 17:00, every hour for 40 minutes.

Convenience store at the campsite (Credit: VISITKOREA)

Campfire at the campsite (Credit: VISITKOREA)

Next to the Oceano Beach, there is a camp site with a decent-sized convenience store that auto campers use, as well as shower stalls and a campfire area. You can rent camp fire materials and buy woods at the convenience store. For those who are more adventurous, spending a night camping by the ocean can also be a fun experience.

How to get to Haenam126

1) Train

It takes approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes from Seoul Station to Mokpo Station using the KTX, operating 7 times a day with the first train at 06:21 and the last train at 19:29. The estimated arrival time changes plus or minus 5 minutes depending on the train. From Mokpo Station, take a taxi for approximately 33 kilometers to the resort.

2) Bus

Express Bus: It takes approximately 4 hours and 50 minutes from Seoul Central City Bus Terminal to Haenam Bus Terminal, operating 5 times a day with the first bus at 07:00 and the last bus at 19:50. From Haenam Bus Terminal, you can take a taxi for approximately 44 kilometers to the resort. Another option is to take the express bus to Mokpo Bus Terminal, which takes approximately 3 hours and 50 minutes, operating 15 times a day with the first bus at 06:00 and the last bus 23:55, then take a taxi for approximately 35 kilometers.

Intercity Bus: It takes approximately 5 hours and 22 minutes from Dong Seoul Bus Terminal to Haenam Bus Terminal via Mokpo Bus Terminal, operating twice a day with the first bus at 07:10 and the last bus at 15:40. From Haenam Bus Terminal, you can take a taxi for approximately 44 kilometers to the resort. Another option is to take the intercity bus to Mokpo Bus Terminal, which takes approximately 4 hours and 23 minutes and also runs twice a day, then take a taxi for approximately 35 kilometers.

Nearby Attractions

Birds-eye view of Pine Beach Golf Course Links (ⓒPhoto Korea - Korea Tourism Organization, Lee Bumsu)

Pine Beach Golf Course Links

Ready for a round at Asia’s Pebble Beach? Constantly ranked among Korea’s Top 10 Golf Courses, out of over 500 courses throughout Korea, Pine Beach Golf Course Links is the only links course in Korea that combines golf course with open natural landscape in a coastal area for additional challenge and excitement. Beach Course Hole 6, was chosen multiple times as the most beautiful Par 3 course in Korea. With a total of 27 holes, three 9 hole courses including Pine, Oceano, and Beach, you might forget that you were golfing as you admire the beautiful scenery. Even if you are not a golfer, just visiting the Country Club for other facilities and looking at the breathtaking courses next to the ocean will leave you in awe.

It only takes a 7-minute drive from Haenam126, approximately 4.6 kilometers, for a round of golf or appreciating a beautifully designed golf course.

Sani Garden

A mountain transformed into a garden, Sani Garden is the first garden-type botanic garden in Jeollanam-do. Opened in May 2024, the garden took over 5 years to complete as it was planned and designed so that it does not disturb the original nature of the area while adding different touches to make the garden more beautiful. The garden not only has a variety of flowers and tree, but it also has walking trails, a museum, café, playground, outdoor sculptures and more.

Out of the 528,925 ㎡, the first phase of the garden consisting of approximately 165,289 ㎡ opened in May 2024, presenting areas like Welcome Garden, Nori Garden, Lake Garden, Story Garden, Promise Garden, Wedding Garden and more. The second phase of the garden consisting of approximately 363,636 ㎡ of land is planned for a grand opening in May 2025 with foot golf course, glamping site, winery, tropical botanic garden and more.

Major highlights of the garden include a sculpture of Le Petit Prince overlooking the lake and the museum; an art installation titled 0121-1110=116501, which is a brass sphere made up of various size circular forms by the lake; and Bridge of Human, a white human shaped sculpture with overly outstretched arms with little human figures on top. There is also an outdoor wedding hall and bridal waiting area with a complete view of the garden, popular for wedding shoots and other photo sessions.

The course can take anywhere between one hour to as much as three hours, depending on how much you would like to see, but make sure to have enough time in hand to enjoy all the corners of the garden with new finding everywhere you look.

From the resort, it takes approximately 18 kilometer by car.

View of Usuyeong Tourist Area (ⓒPhoto Korea - Kim Jaeeun)

Usuyeong Tourist Area / Myong Ryang Air Voyager

For anyone that knows Korean history, the name Yi Sun-Sin should sound more than familiar. The sea in front of the Usuyeong Tourist Area is the site of the famous Battle of Myeongnyang, where Admiral Yi Sun-sin defeated 133 Japanese warships with only 13 ships of his.

Exterior of The Battle of Myeongnyang Memorial (Credit: Haenam Country Office)

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Interior of The Battle of Myeongnyang Memorial (Credit: Photo Korea - Korea Tourism Organization, Lee Bumsu)

The Battle of Myeongnyang Memorial, a three-story building dedicated to providing historical information about the battle is a must for history buffs. The memorial building includes a 4D theater, exhibition halls, experience programs and more to learn all about the battle that is etched in naval history.

Walk outside and you will see a skywalk curving out to the ocean. Uldolmok Skywalk was built at a vantage point overlooking where the Battle of Myeongnang took place. The figure 8-shaped skywalk was designed with a motif of Ganggangsullae, Korean folk dance, where women dance in circles and weave in between, a tactical strategy used by Admiral Yi Sun-sin during the Imjin War, making it look as if great number of soldiers were marching from afar against the invading Japanese soldiers. A replica of panokseon, a type of Korean warship used during the battle, can also be seen next to the skywalk. You can see how quickly the water moves and the whirlpool made from the center of the skywalk where the glass-bottom floor gives an extra jolt of freight. The viewpoint was also the filming site of the movie “The Admiral: Roaring Currents (2014).”

The main highlight of the area has to be the Myong Ryang Air Voyager, a marine cable car that runs from Haenam to Jindo over the site of Battle of Myeongnang. It is the first cable car in Korea to go over a historical site making it even more special. There are two types of cabins, regular and crystal, with crystal cabin having a clear glass-bottom for a full view of the sea below and a bird’s-eye-view of the whirlpool the water makes near the battle site. Once you get to the Jindo Station, be sure to visit the Jindo Tower and other attractions nearby.

From the resort, it takes approximately 16 kilometers by car.

* This column was last updated in November 2024, and therefore information may differ from what is presented here. We advise you to check for updates before visiting.