Daebudo

Daebudo (대부도) is an island that is part of Ansan city in the province of Gyeonggi, South Korea.

Satellite view of Daebudo

View of Daebudo sea

Understand

Daebudo is known as 'the Hawaii of Ansan'. The northern tip of the island is connected to the Ansan mainland by the Sihwa seawall, which has a road running along it. However, Daebudo still has the romance and lyricism of an island in various places.

Tourist information

• 🌍 Daebudo tourist office, 1531, Daebuhwanggeum-ro, Danwon-gu (take bus 123 or 790 and get off at 'Bangameori dock (방아머리선착장)'), ☎ [phone]. 10:00–17:00. Located at the entrance to Daebudo from the Sihwa seawall, you can find all tourist information here. The help desk is on the first floor, the permanent exhibition hall on the second floor, and the observatory on the third floor. You can access free Wi-Fi here. 

Get in

There is no direct subway route from Seoul or the suburbs of Seoul to Daebudo. Therefore, you are recommended to use both of the subway and bus. If you want to go to Daebudo with transportation, you could get off at 4 line subways and take on the buses that connect downtown of Ansan to Daebudo. In addition, if you are from the Ansan City Hall or region of

Gojan new town, you should get on the bus number 123. If you are from the Suwon or Hwaseong, you should get on the bus number 1004-1 and 727-1. Additionally, if you are from the Incheon, you should get on the bus number 790.

By bus

Bus number	Intervals	Bus route	Price (₩)	First bus and the last bus time	Bus Company Number
123	20 to 30 min	Gojan New Town ⇄ Ansan City Hall ⇄ Ansan Station ⇄ Jeongwang-dong ⇄ Sihwa Seawalls ⇄ Bangameori Park ⇄ Daebudo Community Center ⇄ Tando Island	1400	05:40 / 22:00 05:40 / 22:00	031-494-9126
727	160 min	Namsa-ri ⇄ Daenam Elementry School ⇄ Yeongjeon Village ⇄ Ssanggyesa Temple ⇄ Daebudo Community Center	1400	07:50 / 18:10	031-494-9126
727-1	Twice a weekday	Berneux, Adele and Equestrian Club ⇄ Yeongjeon intersection ⇄ English Village ⇄ Tando Island ⇄ Jeongok ⇄ Songsan Nonghyup (Sagang)	1400	09:20 / 14:30 11:40 / 16:50	031-494-9126
790	60 min	Ongjin County Office ⇄ Incheon City Hall ⇄ Sihwa Seawalls ⇄ Daebudo Community Center ⇄ Seonjaedo Island ⇄ Yeongheungdo Island	2500	05:00 / 21:10 06:10 / 22:20	032-424-8338
1004-1	180 min	Jeongok ⇄ Sagang ⇄ Namyang ⇄ Maesong ⇄ Eocheon-ri ⇄ Suwon Station	1900	05:25 / 22:05 06:20 / 23:00	031-356-5979

Daebudo Taxi Association : 032-886-8883

Get around

There is no subway line through Daebudo. There are a few buses, but service is not very frequent. Furthermore, Daebudo is very big and much of the area is separated by the sea. So the easiest method for getting around town is driving.

If you'd prefer to use a bicycle, Ansan's public bicycles are called 'Pedalro', but there are only 2 bicycle stops in the whole area. The first stop is located near the Daebudo tourist office (Green Number 1) and the other one is at Daebu Bada Hyanggi Theme Park (Blue Number 4).

See

• 

  Fishing ships in Daebudo
  🌍 Ansan Fishing Village Folk Museum, 7, Daebuhwanggeum-ro, Danwon-gu, ☎ [phone]. 09:00–18:00. Holiday on M. You can see the history of west coast foreshore and fishing village at Daebudo. You can directly experience the fishing industry culture and traditional folk in the fishing village of Ansan. Adult: ₩2,000, Soldiers and teenager: ₩1,500, Children (7~13 years old): ₩1,000. 
• 🌍 Ansan Sihwaho Tidal Power Plant, Choji-dong, Danwon-gu, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone]. A tidal power plant that is located in Ansan, and the largest tidal power plant in the world. 
• 🌍 Chungmunkyu Museum, 153-9, Daebuhwanggeum-ro, Danwon-gu, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone]:00–19:00. The representative museum in Daebudo. You can enjoy exhibition and concert together. Adult: ₩3,000, Children and teenager: ₩2,000. 
• 🌍 Daebudo Bada Hyanggi Theme Park, Daebubuk-dong, Danwon-gu, ☎ [phone]. You can take a walk in Daebudo Bada Hynaggi Theme Park. The park is full of beauty of nature. The walk is about 4.3km and water way and pond are nicely laid out. The five windmills, the landmark of Daebudo,are displayed in the park. 
• 

  Ansan Sihwaho Tidal Power Plant
  🌍 Daebudo Bangameori Food Culture Street, Daebubuk-dong, Danwon-gu. This is the food culture street that is located at the north Daebudo. The most famous food is 'Bajilack noodle soup'. It is a noodle soup with clams. The Daebudo Bangameori Food Culture Street also known as 'Bajilack Noodle Soup Street'. You can enjoy sliced raw fish, a shellfish baked, Soy Sauce Marinated Crab, Soybean paste stew with clams and more. 
• 

  Daebudo's sea at low tide
  🌍 Grande de Haute Perche, Coteaux Winery, 107, Ppeokkuksan-gil, Danwon-gu, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone]. A winery that makes the wine with Daebudo grapes. 

Mudflat in Daebudo

• 🌍 Gubongdo Island, San 25, Daebubuk-dong, Danwon-gu. There are nine mountaintops ('Gubongdo' in Korean) at the end of the seaside in the northern part of Daebu. There are also two towering rocks; the small one is called 'Grandmother' and the bigger one is called 'Grandfather'. At sunset, the view of the rocks is amazing. There are also many enjoyable attractions, such as places to enjoy camping and fishing. 
• 🌍 Gubongdo Sunset Observatory, Daebubuk-dong, Danwon-gu. Many visitors visit Gubongdo Sunset Observatory for enjoy sunset. It is located in Gubongdo. You can go through the Haesolgil. 
• 🌍 Nueseom Lighthouse Observatory, S17-156, Daebuhwanggeum-ro, Danwon-gu, ☎ [phone]. March to October: 09:00–18:00, November to February: 09:00–17:00, Holiday on M. Only 4 hr with two times, it is possible to enter to the Nue island. Nue means silkworm in Korean. The shape of the island looks like a silkworm, so the name is island has made. free. 
• 🌍 Pungdo Island, Pungdo-dong, Danwon-gu, ☎ [phone]. Pungdo is different with other island that its depth of water is deep. So, it does not have the mud flat and beach. According to this conditions, it is on very rich fishing grounds like rock fish, rock trout, blue crab and more. The boat service is only one time a day. 
• 🌍 Sihwaho Tidal Power Plant, 2098, Daebudong-dong, Danwon-gu, ☎ [phone]. Built in 2011, the world's biggest tidal power plant which can produce energy available for half a million a year. If you'd like to watch the view of this plant, you are recommended to go 'T-Light' park. There is Moon Observatory in this park, so you can enjoy sunset of the west coast. Admission free. The easiest way to get here is take bus 123 and get off at Sihwaho Tidal Power Plant. 
• 🌍 Ssanggyesa Temple, 1171, Daebuhwanggeum-ro, Danwon-gu, ☎ [phone]. Daebudo's only Buddhist temple 
• 🌍 Tando Island, Seongam-dong, Danwon-gu. Tando is the forth biggest island following the Daebudo, Sungam island, and Booldo. It is famous for the observatory at Nue island. There are many visitors who are fishing with family. It is not appropriate for playing or swimming in the sea. However, it is great place for enjoying the quiet sea. 
• 🌍 Yukdo Island, Poongdo-dong, Danwon-gu, ☎ [phone], [phone]. Yukdo is the island that 6 small-sized island together. About 30 citizens live in Yukdo and most of them work in the fishing. You can visit Yukdo by boat. There is 2 way for boat way, Daebudo to Yukdo and Incheon to Yukdo. It isn't that famous for travellers, so if you want quite and relax travel, you can enjoy the quiet sea of Yukdo. 

Do

Activities

Mudflat experience in Daebudo

Mud Flat

The mud flat in western sea of South Korea is one of the 5 largest mud flats in the world. The gap between in/out of tide is huge, which makes Daebu's mud flat much more fertile than others. Especially after the tide's out, hidden black mud flat comes out, which is the most beautiful part of Daebudo. You can find various marine creatures in the wetlands while the tide is out. If you'd like to experience this mud flat as it is, do not hesitate to choose mud flat activities. You can easily find people who are trying to catch various marine creatures such as shellfish, razor clams, small octopuses and small crabs on the mud flat. This activity is especially famous regionally for families because parents want to give a precious memory to their children. The mud flat activity is generally open through spring to fall.

Salt Field

Daebudo's salt field produces bay salt, using the traditional, old-fashioned method of salt-making. This is a very suitable place to produce salt because there is plenty of wind and sunshine. Bay salt is known for good health, because it has lots of minerals. According to a study by Gyeonggi Institute of Health & Environment, salt from here, analysed by ingredients, is more healthful compared to 'Guérande' bay salt from France, which is well known for high quality of salt in the world. That's because salt from Daebudo is made by 'Kkaempari', which means pieces of pottery. That's why salt from here are called as 'Kkaempari salt'. These pieces of pottery simplify the collection of minerals. Not only you can buy this bay salt, but you can make salt, yourself. Go to the 'Dongju Salt Field' website for more information. You can make your own salt with plenty of explanation.

🌍 Dongju Salt Field, 240, Gubong-gil, Danwon-gu (http://www.djsalt.co.kr/front/php/newpage.php?code=7), ☎ [phone]. There are 4 experiences on offer in the Dongju Salt Field: Education about the salt field, salt production experience, making colorful salt pillars, and making soap with bay salt. 

Villages

• 

  Stacking fishing nets in Daebudo
  🌍 Jonghyeon Fishing Village, 240, Gubong-gil, Danwon-gu (http://vill.seantour.com/Vill/About/Route.aspx?fvno=3108), ☎ [phone]. There are various experience in Jonghyeon Fishing Village, mud flat ecology education, sledding at mud flat, catching a mudfish with bare hands, fishing mudskipper, grape picking, making grape juice, making topiaries, planting grape trees, marine leports and more. 
• 🌍 Seongam Fishing Village, 95-2, Gaegeonneo-gil, Danwon-gu (http://vill.seantour.com/Vill/About/Route.aspx?fvno=3101), ☎ [phone]. There are various experience in Seongam Fishing Village, shell gathering, fishing with a net, sledding at mud flat, grape picking, sweet potato picking experience, riding all-terrain vehicle, painball game, potato picking experience, and more. 

Festivals

There are several festivals in Daebudo featuring distinctive regional characteristics.

• 🌍 Ansan Daebu Grape Festival, Galmaji-gil, Danwon-gu. Grape is well known local products in Daebudo. It is held in September every other year. In festival, you enjoy many kinds of special food with grape and other events like Miss Daebu grape contest, singing contest and quiz contest etc. 
• 🌍 Ansan M Valley Rock Festival, 1848-253, Daebubuk-dong, Danwon-gu, ☎ [phone]. This is one of the biggest rock festivals in Korea. It is held every year around July, with many famous domestic and foreign artists. 

Art centers

• 🌍 Daebudo Glass Island (Korea's Murano), 254, Buheung-ro, Danwon-gu, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone]. Tu–Su 09:00–19:00 in Apr–Oct, 09:30–18:30 in Nov–Mar, Monday is holiday. The Daebudo Glass Island is also known as the Murano of Korea. The products that made from glass are exported to almost all of countries in the world. There are glass-garden that display various arts, exhibition that display modern glass art creator, craft showcase and more. Also, there are various experience programs that you can make glass cup, glass accessories, key holder, aroma lamp and more craft yourself. Adult: ₩10,000, Teenager: ₩9,000, Children: ₩8,000, Before 7: free. (updated Nov 2015)
• 🌍 Gyeonggi Creation Center, 101-19, Seongam-ro, Danwon-gu, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone]:00–18:00, Monday is holiday. The Gyeonggi Creation Center is run by Province Gyeonggi and support native and foreign artists to create and study. Various artists who are chosen by contest exhibition exhibit their arts. There are mentoring program, lecture from artists, seminar, workshops and more various programs. More information about exhibition will be updated on the official website. (updated Nov 2015)
• 🌍 Sejong Pottery Center, 255, Seongam-ro, Danwon-gu, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 10:00–18:00. The Sejong Pottery Center has built to give wider publicity to other people. This center can accommodate 600 people and it provide various programs that is systematically organized. You can participate the programs like salt pond experience, mud flat experience, etiquette lessons, or dye experience. Moreover, there are pottery programs that you can make your own pottery and color it. The programs start from ₩10,000 (updated Nov 2015)

Others

• 🌍 Dongchun Circus, 1849-31, Daebubuk-dong, Danwon-gu, in front of Hyundai gas station, ☎ [phone]. 01 Jan 2014–11 Nov 2017, 2 times a day on weekday, 3 times a day on holiday. One of the most traditional Circus in South Korea. It started in Mokpo city, 1929 with more than 90 years. ₩25,000 for adults, ₩16,000 for children (discount for more than 4 people). 
• 🌍 Daebudo Haesolgil, Daebubuk-dong, Danwon-gu. Haesolgil is the walking trail of Daebudo. There are 7 courses of trail and each course has different way to walk. 

Buy

There are many special products you can buy from Daebudo.

• Daebu grape Daebodo is suitable place for growing grapes. Because of wind from sea, it offers good quality of temperature, and humidity, so grapes from Daebudo has much higher sugar and plenty of juice. people are trying to make good quality of grapes, cooperating with government. There are many street grapes shops along the  thoroughfare when is in season. If you'd like to buy these grapes, just pull over and try it.
• Daebu seaweed Daebu’s seaweed has very good quality, affected by western sea of Korea. Daebu seaweed is not only full of nutrition but taste and smell.
• Salt kkaempari (salt from Dongju Salt Field), floored pottery pieces (called ‘kkaempari’), not general pan on the bottom of salt pond, Daebudo makes the best quality of sun-dried salt. Using pottery makes the salt purer and amplifies other nutritive components. However, because it is made by people and not machines, it is produced in very small batches every time and they do sell out quickly. You can buy salt kkaempari in Dongju Salt Field (Grey number 1). 

Eat

• 🌍 Daebudo Bangameori Food Culture Street (just off the Sihwa seawall, at the entrance to Daebudo). There are more than 60 restaurants on this street. They specialize in seafood and are famous for sashimi, snails and kalguksu (a kind of noodle). There are so many restaurants in a row, it is hard to choose just one. Watch out for the touts who stand in front of their restaurants trying to lure you in. (updated Nov 2015)
• 🌍 Daebudo Bangameori seafood direct outlet. Daebudo has great quality of seafood. You can have fresh raw fishes and roasted clam caught that day. There are many restaurants in the outlet so you can buy some fishes and eat right away at the same time. (updated Nov 2015)
• Kalguksu. Daebudo has good quality of restaurants which have their own food, among them kalguksu (noodle soup) with clams is famous. People also order haemul pa jeon (seafood and green onion pancake) together which is a perfect with a kalguksu. There are many kalguksu restaurants located on the street in a row. You can choose any among them, but be aware there will be many touts trying to get you into their restaurants.

Drink

• 🌍 American muffin, 920-11, Daebubuk-dong, Danwon-gu, ☎ [phone]. Newly opened, nice place if you'd like to eat muffin and cake as dessert. All baked goods are hand-made. Reasonably priced and tasty. Muffin ₩2,500, Coffee ₩2,500. 
• 🌍 Hagenna, 1848-111, Daebubuk-dong, Danwon-gu, ☎ [phone]. This cafe is located in along the seaside. You can enjoy beautiful scenery. Parking lot is available in front of cafe. Americcano ₩5,000, Latte ₩6,000. 
• 🌍 Ruedecafe, 341, Daeseon-ro, Danwon-gu, ☎ [phone]. Fancy cafe, pleasantly decorated in European style, serving many kinds of hand-drip coffee of high nice quality. Americano ₩4,000, Latte ₩5,000, Pan Cake ₩10,000. 

Sleep

There are many beautiful boarding houses (locally called "pensions"), similar to those in Europe. Many of these are grouped in "pension villages". Most have their own swimming pool, so they are good to enjoy in summer. Alongside the sea, you can enjoy their walkways.

• 🌍 Daebudo Pension Town, 12, Chamsari 2-gil, Danwon-gu, ☎ [phone]. A boarding house, offering 3 meals a day as part of the room price. 
• 🌍 Daebudo Pension Park, 4, Chamsarijungang-gil, Danwon-gu, Danwon-gu, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone] accommodations from ₩70,000 - ₩500,000. 
• 🌍 Daebu Tourist Hotel, 5, Sageunnyeo-gil, Danwon-gu, ☎ [phone]. ₩50,000 in weekday and ₩60,000 in weekend.. 
• 🌍 Inyeon Guest House, 846, Daebubuk-dong, Danwon-gu, ☎ [phone]. No breakfast, There is a Supermarket next to Guest House ₩25,000 for 1 person.. 

Connect

Most cafes in Daebudo have Wi-Fi access, but it is hard to use internet in restaurants. In the Tourist Office in Daebudo (Green number 1), you can access free Wi-Fi. Internet cafes known as PC bang (PC 방) (pr: pee-shee-bang) are ubiquitous in Korea, and usually cost anywhere from ₩800-₩2,000/hr.

• 🌍 Nolewa PC, Galmaji-gil, Danwon-gu. 

Go next

• Incheon — big city with an international airport, beautiful islands to visit and the oldest Chinatown in Korea
• Suwon — 30 kilometers south of Seoul, the home of Hwaseong Fortress (화성), a UNESCO world heritage site
• Seoul — capital of South Korea, most famous and many valuable places to visit