Marado Island

Korea's southernmost island — this is Marado.

Viewed from above, it's shaped like a sweet potato, largely flat except for the east side near the lighthouse, where sea winds have carved jagged cliffs. It's a 30-minute ferry ride from Unjin Port, with regular ferries and sightseeing boats running several round trips a day, making it an easy island to reach.

The whole island is covered in low grass with almost no steep terrain, and a full loop takes just 1-2 hours — comfortable walking for visitors of any age. In autumn, silver grass blooms spectacularly across the island, and the western coast is lined with sea caves carved by waves over centuries.

At the island's southern tip stands the southernmost monument, drawing a steady stream of visitors eager to take a photo proving they've reached "the southernmost point of Korea." The island's highest point holds Marado Lighthouse, an essential landmark on nautical charts worldwide, surrounded by miniature replicas of famous lighthouses from around the globe.

Walking the island counterclockwise, the first thing you'll encounter is a shrine called Halmangdang — a modest stone-walled enclosure with an altar, but still regarded as sacred today, honoring the deity said to protect haenyeo divers and ensure safe passage at sea.

Honestly, though, ferry service can be cancelled depending on weather, so checking operations before you visit is essential.

Open at all times with no separate admission fee, though a ferry fare applies. Inquiries go through the Daejeong-eup Resident Autonomy Division in Seogwipo.