In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · South Korea
Deokjeok Island
덕적도
One night is enough: take the 1-hour ferry from Incheon, camp or stay in a minbak, hike Bijobong Peak and swim at Batjireum Beach.
Deokjeok Island is the largest island in the Deokjeok-myeon archipelago, 75 km south-west of Incheon. It's a quiet escape from Seoul with one proper beach, a short hike and a handful of seafood restaurants. Most visitors come for one night in summer.
- Country
- South Korea
- Local name
- 덕적도
- Best months
- Jun–Sep
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (cold, few ferries)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- KRW
- Money
- Cards work almost everywhere, including taxis, convenience stores and many market stalls; carry ₩30,000–50,000 in cash for street food, small markets and temple donations.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₩40,000–60,000 excl. bed · Mid ₩80,000–120,000 excl. bed · High ₩150,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- SK Telecom, KT and LG U+ sell tourist SIMs and eSIMs at airport arrivals; a passport is required, and data-only plans are cheapest.
- Emergency
- Police 112 · Fire and ambulance 119 · Travel helpline (24 h, English) 1330
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 220 V · 60 Hz · Round two-pin European plugs fit; US and UK plugs need an adapter, and US-only appliances need a converter.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and cafés: No tip; a service charge appears only in top hotels.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Hotel porter: Not expected; ₩1,000–2,000 in luxury hotels if you want.; Private guide or driver: Not expected; ₩10,000–20,000 or a meal is a thank-you.
- Water
- Officially safe from the tap; most people drink filtered water, and restaurants serve it free. Bottles cost ₩800–1,500 at convenience stores.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in every subway station; paper goes in the toilet in new buildings, in the bin where a sign asks. Bidets are common.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Ferry Incheon → Deokjeok, one way | ₩15,000 (check) |
| Van tour (up to 8 people) | ₩20,000–30,000 |
| Seafood meal (blue crab) | ₩15,000–25,000 |
| Minbak room per night | ₩50,000–120,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ICN · Incheon International
- Take AREX to Incheon station, then a taxi or bus to Incheon Ferry Terminal; about 1.5 h total
Typical fares
- Ferry Incheon → Deokjeok
- about ₩15,000, 1 h (check)
- Van tour (up to 8)
- ₩20,000–30,000
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Two bus routes from the ferry terminal: Bus 1 goes to Seopori Beach and Batjireum Beach. You can also charter a van (₩20,000–30,000 for up to 8 people) for a tour; ask your minbak owner.
See and do
Known for
- Batjireum Beach
- Bijobong Peak
- Blue crab (꽃게)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Incheon | Ferry back to Incheon Ferry Terminal, then taxi or bus | About 1.5 h |
| Seoul | Ferry to Incheon, then AREX to Seoul Station | About 2.5 h |
Sleep
- Dowoo port area
- Minbaks and pensions within walking distance of the ferry; owners meet arrivals.
- Batjireum Beach
- Camping only; bring your own gear.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | 안녕하세요annyeonghaseyo |
| Thank you | 감사합니다gamsahamnida |
| How much is it? | 얼마예요?eolmayeyo |
| I'd like to go to Batjireum Beach | 밧지름 해변에 가고 싶어요batjireum haebyeone gago sipeoyo |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A slight bow with a 'annyeonghaseyo'; handshake with the right hand, left hand touching the right forearm; avoid: Hugs and cheek kisses with people you have just met
- Age and rank: Expect to be asked your age; it sets how people speak to you. Let the eldest sit and start first; avoid: Calling older people by their given name
- Handing things: Two hands for money, cards, gifts and drinks; avoid: Passing things with one hand to older people
- Subway: Quiet voices, bags off seats, queue at the marked lines; avoid: Priority and pink pregnancy seats, even when empty
- Home visit: Shoes off; bring fruit or a boxed gift; refuse once before accepting; avoid: Writing names in red ink — it is used for the dead
- Temples: Covered shoulders and knees; bow at the main hall; avoid: Stepping on thresholds; loud talk; pointing at Buddha statues
- Numbers: Know that 4 is unlucky; buildings may show F instead of a fourth floor; avoid: Giving gifts in sets of four
- Sensitive topics: Listen; follow your host's lead; avoid: Comparing Korea with Japan or China casually; jokes about the North, the Japanese colonial era, or plastic surgery
Scams and watch-outs
- Ferry tickets require a passport number for all passengers; online booking needs a Korean credit card, but you can pay cash at the terminal.
- In summer, book the ferry at least a week ahead.
- Minbak owners speak Korean only; book by phone or ask your guesthouse in Incheon to help.
The island is safe. Watch for jellyfish at Batjireum Beach in summer and bring insect repellent for camping.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Deokjeok Island yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Batjireum Beach
- Bijobong Peak
- Blue crab (꽃게)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Deokjeok Island, revision 5110903 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5110903
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/deokjeok-island). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.