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Voykit pocket guide · South Korea
Geomundo
거문도
Go if you have 2–3 spare days and want a quiet island with a British colonial footnote; skip if you are short on time — the ferry from Yeosu takes 2.5 h each way.
Geomundo is a small island group off the south coast of South Korea, reachable only by ferry from Yeosu. Its main draws are a handful of Japanese colonial buildings, the English Cemetery (10 sailors from the 1885–87 British occupation), and a slow pace of life. Most travellers come for one night, but two nights let you walk the island and see the cemetery without rushing.
- Country
- South Korea
- Local name
- 거문도
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot, humid, typhoon risk), Dec–Feb (cold, fewer 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 check · Mid check · High check (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 Yeosu → Geomundo (one way) | check |
| Minbak room per night | check |
| Simple meal (noodle or rice dish) | check |
| Bottle of soju at a convenience store | check |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- RSU · Yeosu Airport
- From Yeosu Airport take a taxi or bus to the ferry terminal (about 20 min). Flights from Seoul (GMP) and Jeju (CJU).
Typical fares
- Ferry Yeosu → Geomundo
- check
- Taxi from Yeosu Airport to ferry terminal
- check
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
The island is small enough to walk; a rental bicycle or scooter (check availability at the ferry terminal) covers more ground. No public buses.
See and do
Known for
- English Cemetery
- Japanese colonial buildings
- British occupation (Port Hamilton, 1885–87)
- Slow island pace
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Yeosu | Ferry from Geomundo, about 150 min | About 2.5 h |
| Jangheung | Ferry to Yeosu, then bus or taxi, about 3 h total | About 3 h |
Sleep
- Near the ferry terminal
- A few minbak (guesthouses) and a motel within walking distance of the dock. Godo Minbak is one option, about ₩50,000 per night.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | 안녕하세요annyeonghaseyo |
| Thank you | 감사합니다gamsahamnida |
| How much is it? | 얼마예요?eolmayeyo |
| Where is the ferry terminal? | 여객선 터미널이 어디예요?yeogaekseon teomineori eodiyeyo |
| Do you have a room? | 방 있어요?bang isseoyo |
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
- Ferries from Yeosu run about twice daily and take 150 min; check the schedule in advance — weather can cancel them.
- No ATM on the island; bring enough cash from Yeosu.
- English is not widely spoken; a translation app helps.
- Japanese colonial buildings are scattered and not all are marked.
Geomundo is very safe; the main risks are weather-related ferry cancellations and walking on narrow roads without pavements.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Geomundo yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- English Cemetery
- Japanese colonial buildings
- British occupation (Port Hamilton, 1885–87)
- Slow island pace
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: Geomundo, revision 5242630 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5242630
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/geomundo). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.