Haenam Hostels

Haenam-eup is the capital of the Haenam-gun county in the South Jeolla province of South Korea. The city one of South Korea’s less-populated cities and is easy to get around in. It is just south of Mokpo and sometimes is considered a suburb of the larger port city. In Haenam, there’s a lack of public transportation so it may be easier for you to hire a car to explore in and around the city.

Haenam-eup might be the capital, but its a relatively small town. Much of the attraction here is the natural beauty of Duryun Mountain and the nearby fishing village of Ddangkkeut. There are very few hostels in Haenam, so if you plan on going over a holiday weekend, it is best to book in advance. Expect hostels here to be spacious and clean, with friendly staff, and comfortable beds and common areas. Most of the hostel staff in South Korea speak English, but just in case, the characters in “호스텔” in Korean are also pronounced “hostel.”

One of the popular sights in Haenam is Jindo Island, Korea’s third largest island. There’s a bridge that takes you out there, and a bus service that runs from Mokpo to the island. There’s plenty to see in the town on Jindo from pagodas to a fortress and several temples. However, one of the most unique things about this island is that for an hour (on a variable day, several times in the spring) the sea parts and a thin, narrow strip of land appears between Jindo Island and the nearby Modo Island. It’s enough time for someone to walk the nearly two mile strip of sand. Once a year there is a festival for this rare tidal occurrence; if you are in the area from May to June, ask your hostel when it is and you might be lucky enough to witness it!