Yeosu on the South coast of South Korea is both an industrial city and a city popular with tourists for its beautiful scenery and wide variety of things to do.
Also, since hosting the Yeosu World Expo back in 2012 it has become more easily accessible from most metropolitan areas in Korea with the Yeosu Expo KTX train station. In this article we will highlight just a few of the top things to do in Yeosu for when you visit.
Top Things to Do in Yeosu
1. Sunset and Night View at Dolsan Park
The first Top Things to do in Yeosu is to watch Sunset and stay for the night view at Dolsan Park. Dolsan park is located on Dolsan Island which is connected to the mainland through two bridges. Dolsan Park is also where one of the Yeosu Cable Car stations is which is written about more below.
While Dolsan Park is great to visit and walk around any time of day as it has great views of the surrounding ocean, it is best in the evening when the sun sets and the bridge and city lights turn on. The park has a nice boardwalk where you can capture the best views of the sun setting and to get great pictures of the bridge and city lights.
To get to Dolsan Park, it is easiest to drive, however if you are staying in the hotels near the Yeosu Expo area, a taxi ride would not be very expensive. Also, near the Yeosu Expo Site is also the other cable car station, so you could just ride the cable car to Dolsan Park, get off to take sunset and night photo pictures and then ride it back across the waterway to the Expo Site again.
Here is a map of where Dolsan Park is:
The best sunset views and night views are from the West side of the park which overlooks dolsan bridge.
2. Climb Yeongchwisan
The 2nd of Top Things to do in Yeosu is to Climb Yeongchwisan. Yeongchwisan is on the mainland about a 15-20 minute drive from the Yeosu Expo area and is a modest peak at just over 500m in height. While this peak is nice to climb any time of the year, it’s during the spring season that this peak really shines.
The reason is because this mountain is covered with hundreds if not thousands of Azaleas. It is one of the top 3 famous places in Korea for azaleas and also is one of the first locations to bloom in the spring because of it’s southern location.
These days, the flowers will start blooming towards the end of March and last for a few weeks. Also before Coronavirus, there was always a large festival that was held to celebrate, however the last 2 years it has been canceled.
There are multiple routes up the mountain, however, the one we recommend starts from a place called Dolgogae (돌고개) parking lot. It’s on the north side of the mountain and is really close the Yeosu Industrial Complex. This path up the mountain is lined with Azaleas and also is fairly straight forward. Below is the map for where the parking lot is located:
Like so much hiking in Korea, you can expect lots of stairs. In total, you should expect to take about 2 hours to reach the summit. If you just want to see the azaleas though, just below the summit is good enough as there are azaleas pretty much everywhere.
3. Visit Odongdo and Yeosu Expo Site
The third of Top Things to do in Yeosu is to visit Odongdo and the Yeosu Expo Site. First off is Odongdo. Odongdo is a small island off the coast that is connected to the mainland by a 1km breakwater. So it is really easy to walk or bike there from near the Yeosu Expo area.
Odongdo is another location that is best visited in the spring time as it is famous for Camellia Flowers and also many other varieties of wildflowers that bloom on the island. The camellias aren’t just in spring though as they begin to bloom in November and last until around April.
Aside from the flowers, there are nice walking paths throughout the island, a lighthouse you can walk up to, and great views of the surrounding ocean view.
Also, at certain times of the year there is a music fountain and if you get hungry there are several snacking options as well on the island.
If you are visiting Odongdo, it is also a good time to also visit the Yeosu Expo Site. Back in 2012 Yeosu hosted the World Expo and the location the expo site is just near the breakwater to Odongdo.
While the world expo site is no longer as it was during the 2012 Expo, there is still a lot to see and do. On top of there being some great hotels at the expo site, there is still a few expo halls to visit and there is also an aquarium that you can visit these days on the site.
Finally, there is the Yeosu Big O Show which is a music and light fountain. This is an attraction that was built for the Expo and has continued to run these days during certain times of the year. It is a spectacle of water, lights, and sound and is a great way to end your evening after touring around Yeosu. Currently is runs from April to December with various shows during the evening To check the times, it’s best to visit the Big-O Show website here.
4. Ride the Yeosu Cable Car
The 4th of Top Things to do in Yeosu, is to ride the Cable car that connects the main land to Dolsan Island. The hop on/hop off spots are well located with one being near the Yeosu Expo Site and the other being at Dolsan Park on Dolsan Island.
The cable car has both normal cabins and also crystal cabins which have a glass bottom so you can see the world beneath your feet. Prices as of writing this article are below:
Normal Cabin: Adults Round Trip (15,000krw), Children Round Trip (11,000KRW)
Crystal Cabin: Adults Round Trip (22,000krw), Children Round Trip (17,000KRW)
Children under the age of 4 ride for free and there are discounts for groups, military, disabled and elderly.
The cable car runs all year round, although depending on weather or other circumstances there may be times where it isn’t running. Most of the year too, you can ride it into the early evening. It is best to check the latest price and operating times through their english website here.
Where to stay in Yeosu
Yeosu has hundreds of hotels, pensions and guesthouses where you could stay. From the upscale Sonocalm hotel near the Yeosu Expo Site to cheaper hostels, there is no shortage of lodging.
Personally, we would recommend Hotel Haven (click the link to book this hotel) on Dolsan Island. This hotel is relatively new and has amazing views of both the cable car and bridge and also amazing sunrise views as well.
The rooms are well furnished, really comfortable and have huge windows looking towards Expo Bridge. They have a beautiful swimming pool and a delicious buffet breakfast on offer as well.
To top it off, there is also a 24 hour convenience store on site if you want to pick up any evening snacks. What better way to end a great day visiting the sites of Yeosu, then by having delcious snack while admiring the night view of Expo Bridge and Yeosu Cable car right outside your hotel room window.
When booking Hotel Haven, make sure to ask for the room that faces the bridge. Most of the Superior Double rooms should face that direction.
Whether you stay at Hotel Haven or not, you can see all the various options on places to stay by searching through Agoda.com Below:
*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links through booking.com and agoda.com, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.
So that wraps up this article on Yeosu. Aside from the places mentioned here, there is a lot more to do in Yeosu besides this. There are islands to visit, other mountains to climb and so much more. Hopefully you can have a chance to go there and see it yourself. If you have any questions or comments, please let us know below.
