Nangdo: A Quiet Island You Can Reach by Bridge, Not Just by Boat

Hi, I'm Sudal, an otter living in the waters of Yeosu. Today I want to tell you about Nangdo, a small island belonging to Hwajeong-myeon in Yeosu. Nangdo is said to be connected to the mainland — or more precisely, to other nearby islands — by a bridge, so you can drive across without ever needing to take a boat. Not long ago, this was an island you could only reach by checking boat schedules and timing your trip around the tides. Now, thanks to a single bridge, it's apparently become a place you can just hop in the car and drive to on a whim. So I wanted to quietly point it out to anyone in Yeosu looking for a bit of quiet sea scenery. Today let's go through the story of the bridge that leads to Nangdo, and the calm views said to be waiting once you cross it.

An Island You Now Reach by Bridge, Not by Boat

Nangdo is known as one of the islands belonging to Hwajeong-myeon in Yeosu. Hwajeong-myeon is made up of a cluster of islands large and small, and several of them are said to be connected to one another by bridges. Nangdo is reportedly one of those bridge-connected islands, reachable by crossing a bridge called Nangdo Bridge. Exactly which island the bridge starts from, when it was built, and how long it is — the details vary a bit depending on the source, so I'll be careful not to pin down exact numbers here. What does seem to come up consistently across different accounts, though, is that Nangdo Bridge is one of the bridges linking these islands together like stepping stones, and that crossing it is how you reach Nangdo.

Before the bridge was built, Nangdo, like the other islands nearby, likely had to depend on boats. People probably had to check the tides, watch the weather, and plan their whole day around when a boat would actually run. Going out to shop, or having visitors come over from the mainland — all of it would have depended on checking the boat schedule first. But once the bridge went in, the story seems to have changed. Now you can apparently just drive through island after island in Hwajeong-myeon, all the way to Nangdo. Becoming an island where you no longer have to wait for a boat must have been a fairly big shift, both for visitors and for the people who actually live there.

One reason the drive to Nangdo is interesting is that you're not just crossing one island — you pass through several in a row. Because the islands of Hwajeong-myeon are said to be strung together by bridges, you apparently end up skimming past a number of islands, big and small, on the way to Nangdo. Hopping from island to island by bridge isn't your everyday kind of drive, so some people are said to make the road itself the whole point of the trip.

A Quiet Sea, Seen From the Bridge

One reason the road to Nangdo feels special seems to lie in the moment of crossing the bridge itself. Roll the window down and drive slowly, and the sea opens up on both sides, with islands large and small said to appear scattered across the water in between. It's not the kind of crowded, bustling tourist spot — instead, word has spread about it as a calm, quiet drive. Just taking in the view outside the window at an unhurried pace is said to feel like half the trip is already complete.

Driving this road around sunset in particular is said to reveal a view of the sunset settling beneath the bridge. As the sky and sea take on similar colors, there's a moment when only the bridge's silhouette stands out clearly, or so it's told, and some people apparently time their trip on purpose just to catch that scene. It's mostly scenery you glimpse from inside the car as you pass through, but pulling over for just a moment to take it in could be a fully unhurried moment of its own.

An Island Worth Walking Slowly

Once you cross the bridge onto Nangdo, a quiet fishing village and calm coastal scenery are said to be waiting. Rather than an island packed with large tourist facilities, it's often introduced as a place better suited to strolling slowly through village lanes and taking in the sea breeze. Walking along the coastal road, you're said to come across moments where the color of the water meets the color of the sky, and apparently some people make the trip out to Nangdo specifically to see that view.

Since Nangdo is also connected by bridge to other islands in Hwajeong-myeon, many people reportedly plan their trip not just around Nangdo alone, but as a drive linking together several islands across the area. Moving from island to island, bridge to bridge, and meeting the sea again and again along the way — just thinking about it feels calming. The exact route and how long it takes can vary a bit depending on the day and the source, so it's worth planning with plenty of time to spare before you set out.

🦦 Real Photos, via Sudal