Mokpo: Yudalsan, Gatbawi and maritime history

Mokpo offers different experiences within a compact range of themes: at Yudalsan, hiking trails and views of Mokpo and the Dadohae Sea meet a ride on the Mokpo Marine Cable Car. Gatbawi, in turn, is a natural rock formation near a river mouth. Museums and a sculpture park add maritime, natural-history and cultural themes to your exploration. Which of these experiences you want to focus on may also influence your choice of a holiday apartment in Mokpo.

Experience Yudalsan on foot or along a panoramic route

For a hike on Yudalsan, you can choose between two routes with different lengths and stops. Route 1 is 2 km long and takes approximately 40 minutes. It starts at the entrance to Yudalsan and passes Dalseonggak, Yuseonggak, Madangbawi and Ildeungbawi. Route 2 covers 1 km and takes approximately 20 minutes; it runs from the entrance via Soyojeong and Ideungbawi. If you want to plan the timing of your outing, you can compare the approximate durations and the listed stops. Route 1 passes four listed stops, while Route 2 passes two. These descriptions therefore offer different points of reference for deciding which distance and places you would like to include.

The Mokpo Marine Cable Car offers another perspective on the mountain: it starts at North Port Terminal, passes over the summit of Yudalsan, over Mokpo and the Dadohae Sea, and reaches Gohado Island. The route is 3.23 km long; a round trip takes approximately 40 minutes. This makes it possible to include the ride as a separate activity in your day’s plans and distinguish it from the hiking trails. If you would rather take in a road around the mountain, the 2.7 km-long Yudalsan Scenic Road is another option. It runs around Yudalsan; the Cable Car and the Scenic Road are two different ways to include the mountain in your exploration of Mokpo.

Gatbawi: rock formation and natural monument

Gatbawi is a natural sandstone and tafoni formation near the mouth of the Yeongsangang River, where fresh water flows into the sea. It consists of two separate rock formations: one is 8 m high and the other 6 m. According to tradition, the name Gatbawi refers to their shape, which is said to resemble two men wearing traditional Korean hats called “gat.” On April 27, 2009, Gatbawi was officially recognized as a natural monument. The formation thus combines a striking natural feature with a specific explanation of its name and a protection status with a precise date.

Museums and art on Yudalsan

Mokpo Modern History Museum No. 1 is the oldest building in Mokpo and a testament to Korea’s modern and contemporary history. The Mokpo Modern History Museum presents an exhibition on Mokpo’s history across seven themes. These include the production and exploitation of various goods during the Japanese colonial period from 1910 to 1945, as well as miniature reconstructions of Mokpo’s streets from that time. For a cultural outing, this brings together different ways of exploring the city: historical themes and reconstructed streets each give the city’s history its own form. The Mokpo Maritime Heritage Exhibition Center adds another perspective with four permanent exhibition halls.

Natural history and maritime culture are also part of the city’s museum offerings. The Mokpo Natural History Museum displays rare dinosaur fossils, cultural artifacts and exhibitions. It is located in Gatbawi Culture Town, a major tourist attraction in Mokpo. The National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage has an outdoor exhibition area and a special exhibition hall. If you want to include several themes in your stay, you can consider these institutions when choosing the experiences you want, without reducing Mokpo to its mountain and sea views alone.

At the summit of Yudalsan, Yudalsan Sculpture Park lies directly below the rock Ideungbawi. The park features 104 works of art on the themes of nature, culture and sculpture, and was Korea’s first outdoor sculpture park. It adds a distinctive note alongside the hiking trails and historical exhibitions: the focus is on artworks in the open air and the three themes to which they are dedicated. When choosing where to stay, you can consider which of these Mokpo experiences are especially important for your trip.

If you’d like to discover more destinations: Wando-gun, Gurye, Gwangyang-si, Boseong-Gun, Hwasun-Gun, Yeosu, Yeongam-Gun and Goheung-gun.

For the higher-level travel overview: Jeollanam-Do.