Sado, Geumodo, Geomundo… Can You Really See All Three Islands in One Day?

There are so many islands off Yeosu's coast. The sea looks pretty from the cable car, sure, but step onto a boat and head straight into one of those islands, and you'll find a completely different Yeosu waiting. The catch is that every island has its own personality. One has a mysterious sea path that opens only sometimes, one is famous for a cliffside trekking trail, and one sits so far out you need a long boat ride just to reach it. So people always ask me the same thing: can you really see Sado, Geumodo, and Geomundo all in one day? Today, Sudal's going to walk you through how to string these islands together by boat, both as a day trip and as an overnight course.

Sado: The Miracle Sea Path and a Bike Trail

Sado belongs to Hwajeong-myeon in Yeosu, and what made this island famous is its 'Mysterious Sea Path.' It's the phenomenon where the water parts and connects seven small islands — Moraeseom, Gandeseom, Jungdo, Jeungdo, Jindaeseom, and more — into a walkable path. It doesn't happen just anytime; it only opens around five to six times a year. Time your visit right and you get the strange experience of walking from island to island on foot. Don't be disappointed if the sea path isn't open when you visit, though — there's a separate bike trail that loops the whole island, roughly 2km total, and you can comfortably finish it in about two and a half hours by bike. Dinosaur footprint fossils were found here too, so pairing your ride with the dinosaur theme park adds another layer of fun. The route runs from the beach through the village, Jungdo, Yangmyeon Beach, and out to Yongmi Rock — an easy enough loop to bring kids along.

Geumodo: Walking the Cliffside Bireong-gil Trail

Head a bit further south from Sado and you'll reach Geumodo. As covered in an earlier piece, the highlight here is Bireong-gil, hands down. It's a trekking trail that hugs cliffs dropping straight into the sea, split into several sections so you can pick and walk however much fits your time and stamina. If just trekking feels like leaving too soon, you can stay another night camping or glamping — the island has campgrounds and guesthouses ready to go, and plenty of travelers pair a kayak or snorkeling session with a fishing-village experience before heading home. You'll need to catch a ferry from Baekya Pier in Hwajeong-myeon to get here, and since it doesn't run all day, checking that day's ferry schedule before you go is step one.

Since Sado and Geumodo are both connected by the same Hwajeong-myeon ferry route, pairing the two into a single day is the most manageable combination. That said, both islands have walking or cycling routes of their own, so if you pack the schedule too tight out of greed, you might not have enough time to actually enjoy either island once you're there. It works better to treat one island as a light stroll and the other as your main trekking day.

Geomundo: An Island Over 2 Hours 40 Minutes Away by Boat

Geomundo has a different character from the other two. It's a fairly distant island, about two hours and forty minutes by boat from Yeosu Port. That means you need to commit to the trip, but the scenery waiting for you once you arrive is worth it. The trekking course through the camellia tunnel forest, out to Geomundo Lighthouse, and on to Sinseon Rock takes about five hours to walk in full — a proper, substantial hike. Walking beneath the tunnel of camellia trees, climbing up to the lighthouse for a wide-open sea view, then continuing on to Sinseon Rock — it's said to be a trail worth walking in any season.

Given the distance, Geomundo is a tight fit for a day trip since travel alone eats up more than five hours round trip. If you want to include Geomundo, it's more comfortable to plan it as its own day trip or overnight course, separate from the Sado-Geumodo combination. Local travel agencies in Yeosu run both day-trip and overnight packages to Geomundo, bundling the ferry, trekking course, and meals together. Exact prices vary by agency and season, so it's worth checking the package details directly before booking.

Day Trip or Overnight?

If you're moving on a day trip, I'd recommend pairing Sado and Geumodo. Both are connected by the same Hwajeong-myeon ferry route, so the travel burden is relatively light, and cycling a loop of Sado plus walking one section of Bireong-gil on Geumodo is enough to fill a satisfying single day. If you want to fit all three islands in, including Geomundo, plan for an overnight stay. Spend the first day taking your time trekking and camping on Sado or Geumodo, then cross to Geomundo on day two to walk the camellia forest and lighthouse course — that way you can take in all three islands without rushing.

Coordinating ferry times and trekking schedules for a route like this can be a hassle to plan solo, so a lot of travelers book it through a travel agency package. Some packages bundle the ferry, a trekking guide, and lodging or meals all together, which can actually be easier if it's your first time out here. That said, the island combinations vary a lot by package, so before booking, make sure to check which islands are grouped over how many days, and what time the boats actually leave.