🚶Walking Atlas

Yeosu walking tour & city guide

The romantic 'night sea' of Korea's southern coast.

Video by Seoul Travel Walker on YouTube. All rights belong to the creator. Like or comment on YouTube ↗

Yeosu, a port city on Korea's southern coast, is surrounded by hundreds of islands and calm bays. It hosted the 2012 World Expo and became famous across Korea thanks to the hit song 'Yeosu Night Sea', which captured the romance of its glittering waterfront after dark.

Yeosu by night

The waterfront comes alive in the evening, when bridges and ships are lit up and couples and friends stroll along the promenade. Nangman Pocha, a street of tent restaurants by the harbor, is the place to sit by the sea with seafood and drinks, as the night walks show.

The illuminated Dolsan Bridge and the turtle ship-inspired Geobukseon Bridge make the bay especially photogenic.

Islands, temples and the cable car

Odongdo, a small island linked to the city by a long causeway, is covered with camellia trees that bloom red in early spring, and has walking trails and a lighthouse. The Yeosu Maritime Cable Car, Korea's first cable car over the sea, crosses the harbor with views over the city and islands.

On a cliff at the southern tip of Dolsando island, the Hyangiram Hermitage overlooks the open sea and is a famous place to watch the sunrise. Yeosu is also linked to Admiral Yi Sun-sin, whose turtle ships were built here.

Visiting tips

Yeosu is about three hours from Seoul by KTX. The nearby city of Suncheon has the beautiful Suncheon Bay wetlands and a large national garden. Spring and autumn are ideal, and summer evenings by the sea are wonderful.

Top sights in Yeosu

  1. 1

    Yeosu waterfront at night

    Glittering bridges and harbor lights.

  2. 2

    Yeosu Maritime Cable Car

    Korea's first cable car over the sea.

  3. 3

    Odongdo Island

    Camellia forests and coastal trails.

  4. 4

    Hyangiram Hermitage

    A cliffside temple famous for sunrise.

  5. 5

    Nangman Pocha Street

    Seaside tent bars and restaurants.

  6. 6

    Expo 2012 site

    The former World Expo grounds by the sea.

Food markets & where to eat in Yeosu

  1. Nangman Pocha

    Seafood and drinks in tents by the harbor.

  2. Gyodong market area

    Traditional markets and seafood restaurants.

  3. Dolsan Island restaurants

    Restaurants serving local specialties.

  4. Harbor cafés

    Coffee with views of the bay.

Food to try in Yeosu

  1. Gat kimchi

    Spicy mustard leaf kimchi from Dolsan Island.

  2. Gejang

    Raw crab marinated in soy sauce, served with rice.

  3. Seodae-hoe

    Raw sole salad with spicy sauce.

  4. Grilled eel

    A popular local seafood dish.

Opening hours and prices change often. Please check with each place before you visit.

Plan your trip to Yeosu

Enjoyed the walk? Here is everything you need to see it for real.

Some links may be affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

More cities in South Korea