Bogildo

Bogildo (보길도) is a small island in South Jeolla Province, South Korea, known for its coastal scenery and its connection to the 17th-century Korean poet Yun Seon-do. The Buyongdong Garden and the Seyeonjeong Pavilion remain the island's central attractions.

Bogildo is best known as the retreat of the Joseon-era scholar and poet Yun Seon-do, who settled on the island after a shipwreck-forced stop while sailing toward Jeju Island. He built a garden estate and composed some of his best-known poetry while living there.

Outside of its literary history, Bogildo is a quiet fishing and farming island with several pebble and sand beaches, low forested hills, and a small population supported mostly by tourism and fishing.

The island is another name for Bogil-myeon, an administrative township in the southern part of Wando County.

Bogildo experiences a mild maritime climate due to the influence of warm currents, with an average January temperature of 3.3°C, an average August temperature of 26.3°C, and an annual precipitation of 1,351.5 mm. It belongs to the subtropical climate zone where evergreen broadleaf forests are distributed. Vegetation is centered around Jeokjabong; red oak groves are distributed on the south slope, while sawtooth oak and Korean pine groves are found on the north slope, and small camellia groves are well preserved around the villages of Buyong-ri and Buhang-ri. The Korean fir grove is distributed in small numbers in the valley and ridge area south of Buhang-ri village, the Sounuma and Korean pine groves on the eastern slope of Buyong-ri, and the crowberry and Korean dogwood groves along the coast of Yesong-ri.

Since Bogildo belongs to Wando County and there is no data specifying the island's own climate and precipitation, the climate table was based on Wando County's data.

After 1694, Bogildo came under the jurisdiction of Yeongam County, which collected taxes from the island annually. In 1870, a defensive garrison was established at the request of local residents, and the area came to be known as Samdojin. In 1897, the island was incorporated into Wando County and divided into three townships: Nwa, Bogil, and Imdo. After Korea’s liberation, the three towns and townships were reunited, and the Bogil Branch Office was established in 1982. This Bogil Business Trip was promoted to an independent Bogil-myeon in 1986.

As of 2021, Bogil-myeon consists of 4 legal villages (Jungdong-ri, Yesan-ri, Bujang-ri, Jeongja-ri) and 14 administrative villages (Baekdo-ri, Jung-ri, Yeohang-ri, Tong-ri, Wolsong-ri, Yesan-ri, Yeoyak-ri, Bujang-ri, Buyong-ri, Cheongbyeol-ri, Bo-ok-ri, Jeongja-ri, Jeongdong-ri, Seonchang-ri).

Bogildo is reached by ferry from Land's End Port in Haenam County, or from Hwaheung Port in Wando County. Ferries take roughly 40 minutes to an hour.

• 34.57423126.4555781 Ttangkkut Port (땅끝항), 1310 Songho-ri, Hwangsan-myeon, Heanam-gun, toll-free: +82 1577-6951. 09:00~17:00. This is the route to Bogildo by taking a passenger ferry from Haenam Ttangkkeut Port. Since Bogildo is connected to Nohwado by the Bogil Bridge, you must go from Haenam Ttangkkut Port to Nohwado Sanyang Port.  (updated Sep 2026)
• 34.304795126.678912 Hwahungpo Port(화흥포항), Wando-eup, Wando-gun, ☏ +82 61-555-1010. 06:00~19:30. From Wando Hwahungpo Port, you take a boat to Dongcheon Port in Nohwa-eup, Wando County, and then proceed to Cheongbyeol Port on Bogildo. It operates 12 times in winter and 13 times in summer.  (updated Oct 2026)

Bogildo can be explored using the local rural bus (Nong-eochon Bus) network, which departs from Cheongbyeol Port, the main ferry terminal.

Local buses operate on the island via the Nong-eochon Bus network, departing from Cheongbyeol Port, the main ferry terminal. Rather than being numbered, routes are organized by destination, and each one runs a circular loop out to a village and back to Cheongbyeol Port, so there is no need to wait at the far end — the bus simply returns on its own. Five routes cover different parts of the island: one to Bogok-ri (about 15 minutes each way), one to Baekdo-ri passing Yesong-ri Pebble Beach, Jungni Beach, and the Song Si-yeol rock inscription (about 15 minutes), one to Buyong-ri serving the Yun Seon-do Garden, Dongcheonseoksil, Goksudang, and Nakseojae (about 10 minutes), one to Yesong-ri passing the Song Si-yeol rock inscription and Jungni Beach (about 15 minutes), and the shortest route to Imok-ri on Nohwado (about 5 minutes).

Fares are paid on board and (as of Sep 2026) range from about ₩500 to ₩1,500 depending on the destination — for example, ₩500 to the Yun Seon-do Garden, ₩1,000 to Goksudang, Baekdo-ri, or Yesong-ri, and ₩1,500 to Bogok-ri. Buses to the main sightseeing areas run on three of the five routes, excluding the Imok-ri route, so it is worth checking which route serves your destination before heading out. It is recommended to arrive at the stop about 10 minutes before the scheduled departure. For inquiries about bus schedules, contact Bogil Yeogaek at +82 61-552-1935, or at +82 10-4633-6080 or +82 10-7937-1914.

Taxis are a convenient option, particularly for travelers arriving at Sanyangjin Port, where taking a taxi directly to Cheongbyeol Port is generally more convenient than waiting for a bus. A taxi from Sanyangjin Port to Cheongbyeol Port costs around ₩11,000 (Sep 2026) if hailed directly, or about ₩12,000 if called in advance (including the call fee); the fare from Cheongbyeol Port to Boog-ri is around ₩16,000 (call fee included), with a travel time of 15–20 minutes. For bookings, contact Bogil Taxi at +82 61-553-8876, +82 10-8458-5832, 010-3193-8846, or 010-6796-1300.

• 34.162975126.5567181 Buyongdong Garden-(Yun Seon-do Garden) (부용동 정원), 201-2, Buhwang-ri, ☏ +82 61-550-6637. 09:00~18:00. Bogildo Yun Seon-do Wollim (Garden) is a Scenic Site designated as a National Heritage of South Korea, and it was where Gosan Yun Seon-do (1587–1671), a Joseon-era scholar-official, poet, and scholar, spent the rest of his life. Gosan gave names to the island's most scenic spots and, as he moved between them, composed exquisite classical Korean poems, including Eobusasisa ("The Fisherman's Four Seasons"). Bogildo Yun Seon-do Wollim is regarded as one of Korea's three great traditional gardens, showcasing the representative garden style of the Joseon era.  
• 34.162476126.555942 Seyeonjeong (세연정), Buhwang-ri, ☏ +82 61-550-6637. 09:00-18:00. Seyeonjeong was a space for leisure and pleasure. The name Seyeonjeong means "a place so clean and refreshing that the surrounding scenery looks as if washed by water," and according to the Gosan Yeonbo (Chronological Biography of Gosan), the garden was built when Gosan first arrived on Bogildo and discovered Buyongdong in 1637. Adults ₩3,000, youth and military personnel ₩2,500, children ₩2,000.  
• 34.140599126.5629463 Yesong-ri Beach (예송리 해수욕장), 108, Yesong-ri, ☏ +82 61-550-6621. Dangsa, Yejak, Dalksseom, Giseom, and Chuja are islands that can easily be seen from Yesong-ri Beach. Visited by around 300,000 people annually, Yesong-ri Beach is a year-round resort destination, with its dark, rounded pebbles (cheonghwanseok) stretching along a shoreline about 50 meters wide and 2 kilometers long. free.  
• 34.153743126.5414274 Dongcheonseoksil (동천석실), Buhwang-ri, ☏ +82 61-550-5761. 09:00-18:00 (closed every Monday). Dongcheonseoksil is a small pavilion site on the mountainside directly facing Naksseojae, offering a panoramic view of Buyongdong; in the philosophy of Neo-Confucianism, it was regarded as a realm where immortals dwell.
  It takes about five minutes by car from the ticket office of the Yun Seon-do Garden to the entrance of Dongcheonseoksil, followed by roughly a 20-minute hike up the mountain to reach the site itself. Adults ₩3,000, youth and military personnel ₩2,500, children ₩2,000.  (updated Sep 2026)
• 34.159538126.5525695 Gosan Yun Seon-do Literature Experience Park (고산 윤선도 문학체험공원), Buhwang-ri, Bogil-myeon, ☏ +82 61-550-6621. 40 display panels, each featuring a single poem from Eobusasisa (The Fisherman's Four Seasons) in both the original text and translation—have been installed along a walking path. The site includes a campfire area capable of accommodating around 50 people, a pond, and a pavilion, while a bamboo-lined path offers visitors the chance to enjoy a refreshing bamboo forest bath.  (updated Sep 2026)
• 34.125704126.5189266 Bo-ok-ri Dinosaur Egg Beach (보옥리 공룡알해변), 483-3, Buhwang-ri, ☏ +82 61-550-6621. Open at all times. The name comes from the fact that the pebbles are large and rounded, resembling dinosaur eggs. Locally, it is also called the Pporaegi mudflat. Although it is not a beach, it is a great summer retreat where you can relax quietly while listening to the sound of dinosaur eggs by the camellia forest or on the shore, or even hike Bojuk Mountain.  (updated Sep 2026)
• 34.139248126.5050757 Manggeut Observatory (망끝전망대), Jeongjari, ☏ +82 61-550-6621. Open at all times. Manggeut Observatory is located on the outcrop at the tip of Mangwolbong, just before Bo-ok-ri, the westernmost point of Bogildo. Mangkkeut is the place where you can witness the most beautiful sunset in Korea, with its red-hued sea blending into the vast, refreshing West Sea. Along with Chuja Island, you can see the many islands of the Dadohae, such as Okmae, Gado, and Sangdo, as well as Jeju Island. free.  (updated Oct 2026)
• 34.157033126.6240438 Rock inscribed with Uam Song Si-yeol (송시열 글쓴바위), 1-1, Jungtong-ri, Bogil-myeon, Wando-gun, ☏ +82 61-550-6621. Open at all times. During the reign of King Seonjo, the great Confucian scholar Song Si-yeol of the Sukjong era was stripped of his official rank over the issue of appointing a crown prince and exiled to Jeju; while resting here in this scenic location, he engraved his feelings of regret and longing for the king into poetry and carved it into a rock. Locally, it is called the 'Writer’s Rock' of Song Si-yeol. He expressed his lonely state in poetry and carved it into a rock. free.  (updated Oct 2026)
• 34.147053126.5453349 Nakseojae (낙서재), San 38-4, Buhwang-ri, Bogil-myeon, ☏ +82 61-550-5151. Nakseojae is a historic site located beneath Byeongpung Rock in Buhang-ri. The word “Nakseojae” symbolizes the life of a scholar who enjoys reading while pursuing learning. Unlike Seyeonjeong, this is where the scholar Yun Seon-do lived, studied, and taught his disciples. free.  (updated Oct 2026)
• 34.162732126.59056410 Jungni Beach (Jungni Silver Sand Beach) (중리은모래해변), Jungtong-ri, Bogil-myeon, Wando-gun, ☏ +82 61-550-6621. Open at all times. Jungni Beach is a short distance from Tongni Beach. It has a gently sloping shore of fine white sand, and old pine trees grow along the beach.  (updated Oct 2026)

• Coastal hiking trail. A walking trail connecting several beaches and viewpoints. 
• Bogil Yoon Seon-do Cultural Festival(보길 윤선도 문화축제): 15–16 May 2026. Yutnori by Village, Song Contest Preliminaries, DJ performance (date needs updating)

• Nohwa-do local market. Small market near the ferry terminal. 

• Local seafood restaurants near the port. Several small restaurants serving fresh local seafood. 

• Village convenience store. Basic drinks and snacks near the main village. 

• Local guesthouses. Small family-run guesthouses near the port. 

Mobile coverage is generally available across the island.

• Wando
• Jindo