Geomundo and Baekdo Silver Sea Experience Event

Two and a half hours off the coast of Yeosu, to Geomundo, which embraces Baekdo, the 'forbidden island'

Two and a half hours south by boat from Yeosu Port. Geomundo, reached by passing Sonjukdo and Chodo, is a distant island unfamiliar to people on the mainland. Every summer, the Geomundo-Baekdo Silver Sea Experience Festival is held in the Samhogyo Muchangjang area of Geomundo. Now in its 24th year, this festival runs for two days, from July 31 to August 1. The centerpiece is a demonstration of the 'Geomundo Boat Song,' sung by Geomundo fishermen as they worked at sea, and it is joined by sea experiences such as group net hauling, bare-handed fish catching, and catching top-shells, plus the Silver Song Festival and a tasting of grilled hairtail. What made this festival especially memorable to me was that it is not just a simple food market; rather, it puts the 'livelihood culture of island people' on stage exactly as it is, on an island that can only be reached by boat.

Baekdo next to Geomundo is even more dramatic. Since 1987, access has been forbidden to people in order to protect the environment and preserve the ecosystem, making it a 'forbidden island'. Strange rock formations such as Byungpung-like cliffs, Hyeongjebawi Rock, Nogeokseom Island, and Maebawi Rock rise like a castle above the sea, so taking a sightseeing boat to Baekdo along with visiting Geomundo during the festival becomes, in fact, the highlight of the trip.

A foreign traveler's day: booking the boat is 80 percent of the job; the rest can be managed by intuition

To be honest, this festival is won or lost on the 'journey' rather than the 'site.' The first thing to do is book the passenger ferry. Geomundo is a remote island, so there are only a few boats a day, and during the summer peak season, especially on festival weekends, seats sell out quickly. It takes a little over two and a half hours by high-speed ferry from Yeosu Coastal Passenger Terminal, passing through Sonjukdo and Chodo. If you want to bring a car, vehicles cannot be loaded at Yeosu Port; you must use the car ferry (Pyeonghwa Ferry) departing from Nokdong Port in Goheung. If it were me, I would recommend booking the Baekdo sightseeing boat as soon as you secure the festival ferry. The sightseeing boat requires a separate reservation from the passenger ferry, and in the peak season it sells out early.

Because Geomundo is far out at sea, cancellations due to weather are frequent. This is the biggest variable on this trip. Starting a week before your trip, check the weather and sea forecast for Geomundo, and on the morning of departure, be sure to check real-time operating information as well. Whether the boat leaves or not depends on the sky, so leaving one extra day in your schedule will make you feel more at ease.

When you arrive, the Samhogyo Muchangjang area is the festival site. Group net hauling is a traditional fishing method in which many people pull a net together to catch fish, so even if you don't share a language, you can just grab a rope and follow the people next to you. Bare-handed fish catching and catching top-shells are also 'physical' experiences, so there is almost no language barrier. That said, the scale makes it hard to expect official English guidance or interpretation, so I recommend keeping a translation app open. Don't miss the tasting of grilled hairtail, either, since it is a Geomundo specialty.

Boat songs and fireworks at night, sea experiences by day - how should you split the two days?

The program takes on different characteristics over the two days. On the first day, it opens with a demonstration of the 'Geomundo Boat Song,' followed by the opening ceremony, and the night is filled with fireworks and celebratory performances. On the second day, coastal tours and sea experiences such as group net hauling and catching top-shells are concentrated in the daytime, and the Silver Song Festival brings the festival to a close. So, if you want to enjoy both the 'first night's performance + second day's daytime experiences,' I think staying one night in Geomundo is the most natural plan. For a day trip, you are likely to be pressed for time by the boat schedule and end up seeing only half of it.

It is safest to book accommodation and restaurants on the island in advance during peak season. In particular, rooms disappear quickly on festival weekends, so I recommend confirming your lodging at the same time you reserve your ferry. For reference, Samhogyo has a narrow road, making it difficult for vehicles to pass each other; if a siren sounds from the sensors at either end of the bridge, it means a car is coming from the other side, so please be careful when crossing on foot.

Things to know in advance so you are less flustered

• The key issue is whether the boat will run. To prepare for cancellations, leave one extra day in your schedule and check real-time operating information on the morning of departure.
• The reservation office for the Geomundo passenger ferry and the Baekdo sightseeing boat are different. Booking the sightseeing boat right after reserving your ferry helps you avoid sold-out seats in peak season.
• If you want to bring a car, you must use the car ferry at Nokdong Port in Goheung, not Yeosu Port.
• Because it is an island, there may be stalls or small shops that do not accept cards or mobile payments, so it is a good idea to bring some cash.
• Considering the summer sun and the rocky shore/muchangjang terrain, a hat, sunscreen, and slip-resistant sneakers or aqua shoes will be useful.

Exact schedules and program operations may change depending on conditions at the venue on the day, so please double-check the official operating information for the boat schedule before you go.

So, who is it for?

I recommend this festival to travelers who want to experience a real island day with their own body rather than a bustling downtown festival, to families who want to enjoy sea activities and evening performances with their children, and to people who want to capture Baekdo's spectacular rocky scenery in photos. It takes effort to travel two and a half hours by boat, but that effort lets you enjoy the clean sea of the South Sea and island culture without being overwhelmed by crowds. On a day when the sea route allows it, I hope you will meet a silver sea in Geomundo.