Oryukdo: Korea’s Beautiful Islands

The 5 to 6 islets off the coast of Busan are collectively known as Oryukdo (오룍도 literally meaning 5-6 islands in Korean). The name of these islands stems from the fact that you can see the 6th island depending on the tides.These well-known islands were formed by volcanic rock along the coast, and are about a 45 minute bus ride from Gwangalli Beach area.

These beautiful islands are stunning, the tiny pieces of land standing proudly in the crystal blue water and have become home for both a marine sanctuary and geopark. When you visit you’ll most likely see local fishermen out on boats or along the rocky coast, and even see haenyeo divers out in the water. Haenyeo are famous on Jeju Island, however when I visited it wasn’t a good time, so my visit in Busan was my first time seeing the female divers out at work. When I was there it was a very chill day and when they were swimming back to the dock they called over a visiting dad to help pull their catch up since they had so much. It was a cool interaction to witness. They were really sweet with visiting kids and showed them around while other haenyeo were busy working and chattering in their Busan dialect.

There are many areas to explore and take in the beauty of the islands. A park above the islands offers a panoramic view of the area, and there is a skywalk to walk out and look down, although some people may not be too fond of the glass floors. One of the things I liked when visiting Oryukdo and walking around the center located there, there was a really picturesque view looking back at Heaundae across the water. 

Location: 137, Oryukdo-ro, Nam-gu, Busan
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