Geoje Island | Best things to do in Geoje Island

There are a lot of beautiful places to visit in South Korea, however, Geoje Island seems to be one that is most overlooked by tourists. There is a huge expat community in Geoje which makes it ideal for many retirees, English teachers, and visitors as well. We met many Koreans who spoke English quite well and were very welcoming to many foreigners in the area. 

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Geoje Island | Things to do in Geoje Island, South Korea

I wanted to share some of the amazing places we were able to visit during our trip to Geoje Island. It’s a beautiful location perfect for the summer vacation or just a way to get out of the city and enjoy a relaxing time along the beach. 

Where is Geoje Island

Geoje South Korea is located in the Southern Province of Gyeongsangnamdo. It is just off the coast of Busan and can easily be accessed as a day trip from Busan. It is joined to the mainland of South Korea by a bridge that runs through Tongyeong.  Geoje Island, South Korea is known for its beautiful beaches, laid-back vibes, and surprisingly their shipping yards.

Why visit Geojedo

Geoje Island, South Korea has some of the best and most beautiful beaches in South Korea. We found several available to swim in however, we preferred swimming in the sand beaches. There are many rocky beaches available that are popular among locals, but having the appropriate shoes and since I was traveling with my friend and her daughter, we felt a sand beach to be more ideal. We were able to build sandcastles and swim in the cool refreshing water. 

If you are planning to visit Busan, try to take a day trip from Busan to Geoje by booking your Geoje Island tour here. 

Things to do in Geoje Island | Geoje Tourist Attractions

Surprisingly, there are a lot of things to do in Geoje, however, we spent most of our time lounging around the beaches during the summer heat. We were lucky to only get a few days of sunshine and heat during our busy monsoon season. These were some of our favorites and some we had planned to visit. Geoje city alone doesn’t have much to do since the city is very small. 

Windy Hill Geoje

Address: 경상남도 거제시 남부면 도장포마을

This is probably one of the most popular locations to visit in Geoje for the perfect Instagram shot. We went around sunset to avoid the brutal heat and wandered around after dinner. When we visited Geoje, we felt like we were in a completely different country. It had somewhat of Thailand vibes with islands surrounding the coast. Here you will find a classic windmill which is a short trek up some stairs along the hill. There is a shaded pathway covered in trees that you can continue the hike up. 

Cicadaseong Fortress or Maemiseong Castle Geoje-si (매미성)

Address: Bokhang-gil, Jangmok-myeon, Geoje-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, 경상남도 거제시 장목면 복항길

Another popular Instagram spot is at the Cicadaseong fortress. You can get a beautiful view of the ocean within the fortress which reminds me of visiting or traveling to Italy or Portugal. I found the view to be breathtaking. However, I suggest you line up as soon as possible since the line for the photo can take some time with many locals and even tourists wanting to get the perfect shot.

Wahyeon Beach

Address: Gyeongsangnam-do, Geoje-si, 일운면 와현해변길 34

If you are looking for a great sandy beach in Geoje to sit, relax, be able to grab some coffee, anything from the convenience store, this is the perfect beach for you in Geoje. There are quite a few beaches in Geoje, many are very rocky and a few are sandy beaches. We preferred the sandy beaches to allow us to be barefoot and sit on the sand. Additionally, this beach was the best because there were so many little shops nearby to order fried chicken, grab food nearby, and more. 

Gujora Beach

Address: Irun-myeon, Geoje-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, 경상남도 거제시 일운면

The other sandy Geoje beaches we enjoyed were not too far from Wahyeon which was very beautiful. There are a large parking lot and a shower which made this location pretty convenient. We started one of our days here, paid 1,000won to shower, and moved to our next destinations. Don’t expect the shower to be fancy, to us it was just a way to wash the sand off our bodies. 

Geoje Botanical Garden Jungle Dome

Address: 경남 거제시 거제면 거제남서로 3595

Like the Seoul Botanical gardens, this is very similar. I’ve traveled to quite a few biodomes in Seoul and the 3 large ones in Milwaukee. These are new places that provide greenhouse spaces for different climates. A lot of them do the tropical style plants and some also do dessert and other atmospheres as well. They are a great way to preserve some interesting plants and a great space for kids. Biodomes can be typically very humid, so keep that in mind when visiting.

Sinseondae Cliff

Address: San 21-19, Galgot-ri, Nambu-myeon, Geoje-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, 경상남도 거제시 남부면 갈곶리 산 21-19

This is a nice stop-off to get a beautiful view of the surrounding islands in the area. It’s a great pit stop to take a break, maybe have some lunch, or just enjoy the breathtaking views. It’s in the same area as Windy Hill, so it’s worth a visit on the way to Haegeumgang Island. 

Haegeumgang Island 

Address: San 1, Galgot-ri, Nambu-myeon, Geoje-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, 경상남도 거제시 남부면 갈곶리

I was shocked to know that this type of island exists in Korea. When I saw this pop up in my feed, I knew I had to visit. As someone who frequents visits to the Philippines, this was something that reminded me of the Philippines. The island of Geoje reminds me of a lot of places in Southeast Asia from the climate, the relaxed island vibe, and the beautiful beaches and sceneries. I only got a view of this from the coast, however, there are boat tours you can take to visit the beautiful island. 

Hakdong Mongdol Beach

Address: 18-1, Hakdong 6-gil, Geoje-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, 경상남도 거제시 동부면 학동6길 18-1

This beach is well known in Geoje and is a rock beach that is pretty popular among locals and tourists. I preferred visiting sand beaches because I love the feel of the sand under my toes. However, I can understand the appeal of a rock beach which often means less mess. This rock beach has a lot of umbrellas and tables you can rent for cheap. It’s a great place to have a picnic and swimming.  There are tons of free parking across the street, however, I would suggest you arrive early since many of the spots can be filled up as it gets hotter in the day. 

Hammok Beach

Address: 경상남도 거제시 남부면 갈곶리

We found this to be a less crowded beach since it can be difficult to find parking. However, if you have a pension nearby, this is a great place to check out and go to the beach. The waves can be a little rough later in the day. This is a rock beach that seems to be a bit more

Ujebong Observatory

Address: San2-16, Galgot-ri, Nambu-myeon, Geoje, 거제시 남부면 갈곶리 산2-16

We actually ran out of time to see this, but from what we saw on social media, this looks to be a beautiful location to visit. They have a beautiful photo spot with a frame and Haegeumgang Island in the background. It’s a great location to visit during sunset and sunrise. You can get a great view of Haegeumgang and other small islands in Geoje. 

Tunnels of Geunpo

Address: 450, Jeogu-ri, Geoje-si, Gyeongsangna-do, 경상남도 거제시 저구리 450번지

This is a popular destination in Geoje Island for some magical photos. It’s typically for couples, you’ll often see many pictures of couples kissing or posing within this cafe. So there are 2 and a half caves. There is typically a long line to get here and best if you drive since it’s a little bit of a walk to get to if you don’t have a car. It took us almost an hour and a half to wait and take this photo. I suggest you arrive super early to get the perfect shot. You will wait in line to take photos in the 2 caves, the 3rd “half” cave I call it is a free game to take photos. 

What makes this place spectacular, is that the cave is quite dark and you get a great view of the sky and ocean in the background. A lot of the photos you see might be photoshopped, however, with starry purple night skies. Additionally, it’s more of a silhouette photoshoot. So don’t worry so much about how you look or what you are wearing since you need to focus more on the position of your body.

Oedo Botanical Garden – Oedo Island, South Korea

Address: 17, Oedo-gil, Geoje-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, 경상남도 거제시 일운면 외도길 17

While we didn’t have the time to go here and to us, it was too brutally hot to visit, this is a highly suggested place to visit in Geoje Island. I suggest visiting between fall and spring. It’s a beautiful botanical garden located on a small island. You will need to take a ferry boat to get there and experience all the beautiful greenery. 

Geoje Tourism Monorail

Address: 경남 거제시 계룡로 61 포로수용소유적공원

I don’t know why, but I just seem to be obsessed with monorails in Korea. They are just outstanding and I think they just aren’t common in the US so I take any opportunity to visit them. This monorail is closer to the top of the mountain providing a great view and is perfect for sunset. The hours vary depending on the time of the year. It closes around 7 pm during July and August and usually around 5 outside of those months. Due to COVID, there are limited tickets that you can purchase online or show up early in the morning to reserve a time during the day. Tickets in person are limited as well and need to be reserved in advance the day of.

Cafes to visit in Geoje Island

Simhae Cafe

Address: 783-1, Sibang-ri, Jangmok-myeon, Geoje-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, 경상남도 거제시 장목면 옥포대첩로 1252

This is a very new cafe in Geoje Island and it’s in walking distance to the Fortress. This cafe was a beautiful cafe to visit because you can get a great view of the cafe but also a great view of the beach and the ocean. They have a few snacks and delicious coffee. I highly suggest you visit if you are looking for a cafe to relax and enjoy. 

Oedo Neolseori

Address: 21 Gujora-ro 4-gil, Irun-myeon, Geoje-si, 거제시 이운면 구조라로21길

This is probably one of the most popular cafes in Geoje Island because of it’s unique style. This cafe is quite beautiful and like many of the cafes in Geoje, it’s along the side of the beach. It looks like a farm-style or greenhouse cafe. They have beautiful drinks and desserts here. If the weather was cooler, we would have sat outside to listen to the ocean waves. 

We ordered one dessert to share and 2 drinks. A latte, lemonade, and the Mongdol Rainbow dessert. The dessert was a creamy custard filled with raspberry and lemon sauce on top of a cookie. It was covered in hard white chocolate with a rainbow design. 

Anamura

Address: 88-4, Deokpo-dong, Geoje-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, 경상남도 거제시 옥포대첩로 430-5

This cafe became famous because of it’s stairway to heaven. If the sky view is beautiful, it’s a great photo opportunity to get.  It’s right in front of Deokpo beach making it pretty accessible.

Cafe Sangsang

Address: 2752, Geoje-daero, Irun-myeon, Geoje, Gyeongsangnam-do, 경상남도 거제시 이룬면 거제대로2752번길

This cafe is very white and clean in color. It gives it a bit of a sterile atmosphere which a gorgeous large outdoor patio. The patio overseas the beautiful ocean, islands, and cliffs. They also serve some desserts here as well and is worth making the trip out there. 

On the Sunset Cafe

Address: 경남 거제시 사등면 성포로 65

Probably one of the most beautiful cafes to see some of the best views. It was a great place to see a beautiful sunset at the end of the day. There is a large walkway you can easily access during sunset. The sun lands typically right between these mountains making a great view. They also have some interesting drinks you can order, but I found many of them way too sweet be sure to ask to make them less sweet.

N436

Address: 436 Mangchi-ri, Irun-myeon, Geoje-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, 경상남도 거제시 이룬면 망치리436번길

This cafe is probably most popular for its desserts. They have a large array of desserts to choose from like cake, macarons, brownies, and so much more. They rave about their coffee and lemon pound cake, so be sure to have that when you visit. At this cafe, you can also get a gorgeous view of the ocean as well. 

Beaches in Geoje

There are a lot of beaches I’ve listed some of the best beaches above which I think are the best Geoje island beaches.. I’ll include a list of beaches in Geoje below if you are looking for all the beaches to check out.

• Myeongsa Beach
• Hammok Beach
• Hakdong Heukjinju Mongdol Beach
• Mangchi Mongdol Beach
• Gujora Beach
• Wahyeon Beach
• Deokpo Beach
• Heungnam Beach
• Dumo Mongol Beach
• Deogwon Beach

Best time to visit Geoje Island

Weather in Geoje Island

The best time to visit Geoje Island would be during the summer months, however, if you don’t want to be stuck in hot weather or even the rainy season, the spring or fall will be best. The problem with the Geoje island weather when visiting during summer is you can possible get stuck in heavy rain. It really depends on how well the weather cooperates. 

August is usually the month with heavy rainy because of the typhoons coming in and monsoon season. We visited in August, but this summer was brutal with heavy rains. We were lucky to experience one week of great weather. 

Fall or spring, the weather is very temperament but too cold to swim in. The views will be gorgeous and the weather will be perfect to be in which allows for hiking, walking, and gorgeous blossoms or fall color trees. 

Where to stay in Geoje Island

There are a lot of pensions in Geoje Island which makes it a great location for families and friends to rent a large space to share. Some of the most known places to stay in Geoje are below. Some places are not as easily found on websites like booking.com.

• Samsung Hotel Geoje
• Oasis Hotel
• Hotel Sang Sang
• Home for Stay
• Oedo Palace

How to get to Geoje Island in South Korea

The best way to get to Geoje Island is to rent a car or take your own car down. Some buses can take you there, but it’s best to be able to get around the island by driving. 

If you are not driving, I suggest you take the train or bus down to Busan. From Busan, you can choose to do a day tour to Geoje by booking your Geoje tour here. The second option would be to take a bus to get there and take public transportation once to get to Geoje.

Map of Geoje Island

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