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Ulleungdo is a beautiful volcanic island off the east coast of South Korea. It is a popular short break destination for South Koreans but foreigners rarely make it out to this small yet wonderful island. When it came to researching this trip there was not a whole lot of information that I could find online. But I managed to make the trip to Ulleungdo with two times trouble and I have now put together all that I know from my experience and research. I hope that these posts will provide a useful guide to those of you who are planning a trip to South Korea. Ulleungdo is definitely worth the effort to travel to and is hands down, one of my favourite places in South Korea.
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The only way to reach Ulleungdo island is by ferry. Currently, there are three terminals on the South Korean mainland, all of which are easily accessible from Seoul. A crucial thing to bear in mind is that ferries will not run if weather conditions are bad, so keep an eye on the forecast and be prepared to change your plans! It would be advisable to check the ferry situation or call the travel hotline before departing. Although the journey was uneventful, it did get a little rocky at times so don’t forget to take some travel sickness pills.
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#Gangneung port is the terminal that we used to get to #Ulleungdo. It was an easy 2hr 50min direct bus ride from the Express Bus Terminal in Seoul (check prices and bus schedule on the Kobus website). Thanks to the 2018 Winter Olympics it is now even easier to get to the East Coast as a newly opened KTX line now runs directly from Incheon International Airport. This line passes Seoul through to Pyeongchang and Gangneung.
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Because of windy weather, the ferry was cancelled on the day that we planned to travel. It would be another two days before we could set sail for Ulleungdo! Therefore it is worth reiterating that you may have to wait until the weather is calm enough before the ferries start to operate again. We were so grateful that there were enough attractions in Gangneung and the #Gyeongpo area to keep us busy until the next available ferry.
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At the time of writing, there was only a single daily ferry bound for Ulleungdo which departs at 8:00 AM and returns in the afternoon. The ferry is very clean and comfortable and is operated by Seaspovill (Korean only website and the timetable is not always up to date). Unintentionally, we booked premium seats (KRW 59,000 each) which meant that we were sat in a separate, closed-off area. A standard seat ticket is a touch cheaper at KRW 54,000. To be honest, the standard seats looked perfectly fine so it’s not necessary to go premium.
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The journey took just over three hours. Ferries departing from Gangneung will arrive at Ulleungdo’s Jeodong port.
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Ferry tickets can be reserved ahead of time but it is not easy for non-Korean speakers. For our outward journey to Ulleungdo, we asked our hotel receptionist in Gangneung to help us with the reservation. You could also call the 1330 travel hotline to help you if this is not possible. For our return to the Korean peninsula, we reserved our seats in person at the ticket counter in the Dodong ferry terminal on Ulleungdo. We were able to make this reservation a couple of days in advance. Once your reservation is complete, you will receive a text message to confirm (only if you have a South Korean mobile number). On the day of travel, make sure you allow at least half an hour before the ferry departure to pay the fare and collect your tickets.
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It is possible to turn up on the day to buy your tickets. However, if you are short of time I would not recommend this. We were travelling outside of high season and the ferry was almost fully booked on both our outward and return journeys. Also, if a ferry is cancelled then priority to board the next available ferry would be given to those who have made a reservation. So if you don’t book a seat then you might not be able to travel on your chosen date. Even if the ferry is running.
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Officials will need to check your identity before you board the ferry on the way out to Ulleungdo, so make sure you bring your passport.
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