All night long the ships cry,
waking me,
calling me to the sea
– Baek Seok
Essential Tongyeong Guide
Oh, Tongyeong!
When we landed teaching jobs in this small city on Korea’s south coast, little did we know how much we would come to love it. Nestled among sharp-edged forested hills, its clustered buildings climbing the slopes, the city reminded us of New Zealand’s Wellington at first. The locals know it as the ‘Napoli of Asia’, as many harbourside hotels, cafes and shops will attest. It is famed among Korea for its seafood, particularly oysters, and is a top holiday destination for Koreans. As the gateway to the Hallyeohaesang National Marine Park it is busy year round with visitors to its many islands. It is also a place of great historical importance in the country’s long and fraught relationship with its neighbour Japan. The surrounding hills and mountains, chief of which is Mireuksan, provide a network of hiking trails and stunning viewpoints from which to enjoy the area. Outside the city, the roads wind along some fantastic coastline, through sleepy fishing villages and past striking sea views.
During the three years we lived there, our friends and family visited Korea and travelled around the country a fair bit. When pushed to name a favourite place, they always said, “It has to be Tongyeong!” Our local knowledge allowed them to get the best out of the city, and we hope it will do the same for you.
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TONGYEONG MAP
We have created a detailed Tongyeong map to accompany this guide, which can be used online or offline to navigate during your trip and quickly pinpoint all of the places mentioned here. This includes everywhere outlined in our ‘See and Do’ and ‘Islands’ sections, along with all of the hiking, cycling, and driving routes, plus our recommended places to eat, accommodation, and practical info such as ferry terminals and vehicle rental places. It is the perfect companion to this written guide.
SEE AND DO
Tongyeong is a small but spread out city. Its hilly geography separates it into different districts. Some of the main attractions are on the island of Mireukdo, connected across a narrow channel by two bridges and one undersea tunnel. Some careful planning can help you get the most from your visit, so let’s take a look at some of the best things to see and do around the city.
Mireuksan 미륵산
(Mount Mireuk)
In a city of hills, one rises above all the others. At 461 metres, this is Mireuksan. From the top, you have an unrivalled view of the city and surrounding islands on a clear day. There’s a cable car that climbs most of the way and a network of hiking trails that snake up, down and around the mountain. Two temples sit on its slopes and both can be reached by forest path or road. We recommend taking the cable car up and hiking back down, stopping in at the temples.
If you decide you want to skip the cable car and do a proper hike, here’s the Relive from our 2018 New Year’s Day sunrise hike to give you a little taster. We’ve marked various hiking routes on our map.
Looking over Tongyeong from the top of Mireuksan
The Cable Car
At 1,975 metres long, the Hallyeosudo Cable Car is the longest tourist ropeway in Korea. It has 47 cars and takes around 9 minutes to get to the summit station. It’s a great experience. As you climb, the views slowly reveal themselves, getting better and better. By the time you reach the top, the whole of Tongyeong is spread out before you.
The cable car runs from 9:30 – 5:30 in Winter, 9:30 – 7:00 in Summer and 9:30 – 6:00 in Spring/Autumn. It costs 10,500₩ for a single or 14,000₩ for a return. Discounts are available if you present a Luge or Dpirang ticket.
To get there by bus, take the 141 or 181. Both run from the Intercity Bus Terminal, go through town and drop off right outside. For more info, go to Getting Around.
Heading To The Summit
At the cable car station there are toilets and a cafe area where snacks can be bought: coffee, ice cream, corn or some questionable battered hot doggy kind of thing. Throw a coin into the pretend waterfall for some good luck.
From here a wooden staircase heads up through the trees towards the summit. It’s a really pleasant place, with flowers, stone sculptures and sunlight breaking through the trees. One day we even saw monks from 미래사 (Mi-rae Temple), their rhythmic chanting filling the air. The path continues past several viewpoints, looking out to the famous sites below of the Great Battle of Hansan.
Your article is so useful!
I just booked a room in the Brown Stay Pension that you recommended.
Thank you
Thanks, glad you’ve found it helpful! The view from Brown Stay Pension is so beautiful, have a great time! Cheers, Kim
While I know you posted this a couple of years ago, I am so grateful for it and will be using it for my trip(s) to Tongyeong. I’m in Gwangyang-si teaching but fell in love with Tongyeong photos and stories. I feel many weekend trips there in my future …
Hi Katie! That’s so cool to hear. We think about Tongyeong all the time, it is our second home and we have such good memories from there. Hope you have great adventures there, too! Cheers, Kim
Hey Kim! One more question – I’m headed to Tongyeong next week and want to know if it’s feasible to stay at the Brown Stay and rely on taxis and the bus system to get me around to the downtown area and the ferrys? Thanks so much for your help.
Hey! Sounds great, Brown Stay is so nice and the setting is fantastic. Yeah, that’s totally doable, especially with taxis. You can use Kakao taxi or whatever. Buses are less frequent and less convenient, but still an option. Have a wonderful time! Cheers, Kim
What is the address of chef Jang’s restaurant? Is sounds too good to miss ☺️
It is too good to miss! You can see the location on the map in our post.
Here’s the address too:
셰프장 (Chef Jang)
055-642-9111
경상남도 통영시 (Tongyeong) 무전동 (Mujeon-dong) 중앙로 (Jungang-ro) 12
Tell him we said ‘Hi’.