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
Somaemuldo
소매물도
Half-day trip from Tongyeong or Geoje: see the lighthouse, walk the tidal road, then back to the mainland. Not worth an overnight unless you want sunrise photos.
Somaemuldo is the smaller, more scenic of the Maemuldo islands, known for its lighthouse and a tidal gravel road that appears twice a day. Ferries from Tongyeong or Geoje make it a compact half-day outing; the island has one B&B for those who want to stay.
- Country
- South Korea
- Local name
- 소매물도
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (humid, typhoon risk), Dec–Feb (cold winds)
- Stay
- 0 nights
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
- Day trip ₩30,000–50,000 (ferry + snacks) (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 · Korea Travel Helpline 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 round trip from Tongyeong | ₩20,000–25,000 |
| Snack or instant noodles at the island shop | ₩2,000–5,000 |
| B&B per night (double room) | ₩60,000–120,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- PUS · Gimhae International (Busan)
- About 2 h by bus and ferry to Tongyeong
Typical fares
- Ferry Tongyeong → Somaemuldo
- about ₩11,000 one way, 30–40 min (check)
- Ferry GeoGu → Somaemuldo
- about ₩12,000 one way, 40 min (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
Walk only. The island is small; the lighthouse is a 20-min walk from the dock, the tidal road is just off the path.
See and do
Known for
- Somaemuldo Lighthouse
- Miracle of Moses tidal waterway
- Scenic coastal walks
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Tongyeong | Ferry from Tongyeong port, about 30–40 min | 1 h |
| Geoje | Ferry from GeoGu port on Geoje, about 40 min | 1 h |
Sleep
- Somaemuldo
- One B&B near the ferry dock; basic, book ahead.
- Tongyeong
- More options; 30–40 min ferry ride away.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | 안녕하세요annyeonghaseyo |
| Thank you | 감사합니다gamsahamnida |
| How much is the ferry? | 배는 얼마예요?baeneun eolmayeyo |
| When is low tide? | 썰물은 언제예요?sseolmureun eonjeyeyo |
| Where is the dock? | 부두는 어디예요?buduneun eodiyeyo |
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
- Check the tide schedule before you go: the Moses waterway is walkable only around low tide.
- Ferries from Tongyeong and Geoje stop at Daemaemuldo first; confirm you get off at Somaemuldo.
- Last ferry back to the mainland is usually mid-afternoon; confirm the return time when you buy your ticket.
Very safe. The main risk is missing the last ferry; keep your return ticket handy and set an alarm for the tide window.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Somaemuldo yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Somaemuldo Lighthouse
- Miracle of Moses tidal waterway
- Scenic coastal walks
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: Somaemuldo, revision 4077044 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4077044
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/somaemuldo). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.