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July, 2023

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Cycling Ulleung Island… and visiting Dokdo, too

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1.summr
2. gettingulleung
2.a.takingbike
2.b.gettingpohang
2.c.taking large cargo
2.d.rentingbike
2.e.gettintickes
2.f.avoidigseasickness
3.orientd

Stats

  • Province: North Gyeongsang

  • Difficulty: Moderate

  • Elevation: 0 m, 228 m

  • Distance: 74km *See notes below

  • Riding time: 4 hrs.

  • Start & End: Dodong Port – 도동항

  • Connecting trails: East Coast

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Contents

Click to jump to section. 

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Figure 1. Map of Ulleung and Dokdo Islands

Note: Before I get started, I want to mention that this article was once meant to be a part of a book written alongside the amazing Bas Kragt. Unfortunately, the book never came to fruition, but I wanted to thank Bas for his amazing passion and inspiration. Please take a look at his website which has lots of amazing content: Routes Busan.

 

1. Summary

The best way to describe Ulleung Island – 울릉도 is the heavens flung a scenic postcard out into the sea, volcanic rock formed around it, and then, centuries later, some Korean fishermen came and etched out small villages on the mountainside. It is, without a doubt, the most beautiful place in Korea, but getting here is a serious challenge! The main obstacle for a lot of people is the 4-hour ferry ride which goes through rough seas. The other obstacle is that the trail is a part of a roadway, and in the east, near the main villages, it gets incredibly steep and has an unjustifiable amount of traffic, so you’ve got to be on your game! If you can manage those challenges, the bike trail does offer once-in-a-lifetime views and is definitely worth a visit.

 

Ulleungdo is 217 kilometers east of the mainland and 72.9 square kilometers in size [1]. In case you forgot, 도 is “island” in Korean, pronounced “doe.” Over the last several decades, it has become quite a tourist destination with its stunning cliff-faced shores, mountains, and thick forests full of birch, junipers, and pines. It is also known for being the rainiest place in all of Korea. Late summer / early autumn is monsoon / typhoon season. Plan accordingly!

 

Looking at its population, approximately 9,000 people live on the island [1], but like many of Korea’s far-flung places, it’s been faced with a sharp population decline in recent years because the young folks tend to flock to the big cities for more opportunities. It isn’t as noticeable like on other islands but is still an issue.

 

Aside from the natural beauty, one of the main reasons Korean tourists flock to Ulleung Island is because it serves as a gateway to Dokdo – 독도. In case you’re not familiar, Dokdo is an island – or more accurately, a pair of tiny islets – 87 kilometers further east, and it has been in the middle of a hotly contested territorial dispute between South Korea and Japan for decades. It’s a deeply-rooted source of national pride for Koreans, maybe the most central, defining aspect of their sense of patriotism. If you’re able to visit Dokdo, it’s a really cool place, and you’ll have serious bragging rights amongst your Korean friends. Dokdo is explained later in this article (see “7. Getting to Dokdo”).

 

2. Getting to Ulleungdo

As of mid-2022, when this article was originally written, the only way to get to Ulleung Island was / is by ferry, although an airport is set to open in 2025.

 

There are 4 ports on the mainland and 3 ports on Ulleung Island that connect to each other. Here are the routes:

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Figure 2. Ulleungdo and mainland connecting ferry terminals

Important notes

  1. The ferry schedules change day to day, season to season.

  2. Prices are all the same, about 68,000₩ one way, but fluctuate slightly due to fuel costs and inflation.

  3. The information posted online and at the terminals is intentionally vague, likely to encourage people to book their trips through tour companies.

  4. Tickets sell out quickly in the summer and can be canceled on a moment’s notice because of the weather (see "What if I have problems").

  5. If you don’t know Korean well, it would be easiest to book a tour through an agency. One group that does English tours to Ulleungdo is Adventure Korea; you can find them at https://www.facebook.com/adventurekorea/. 

  6. All of the mainland ferry terminals are accessible from the East Coast Bike Paths. If you’d like to learn more about them, take a look at my book, Korea’s Ultimate Bike Touring Adventure.

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Okay! Let’s assume you want to get tickets on your own! Good for you! Let’s break down how to get to Ulleungdo with a bike, step by step.

 

2.a. Taking a bike onboard a ferry

If you have a folding bike, you can depart from any ferry terminal, no problem. But if you have a regular-sized bike, technically, you’re only allowed to depart from Pohang. That being said, none of the ferry companies seem to have super clear rules about taking bikes, except Gangneung which gave a definitive no. If the ferry isn’t packed, you might be able to sweettalk your way onboard ferries connecting to Mukho or Hupo (based on my experience) because they’re not that busy.

 

From Pohang, there are two options: a.) heading over together with your bike on a passenger ferry which is the easiest and cheapest option or b.) sending your bike over on a cargo ferry and you sailing over on a separate passenger ferry which you’ll need to do if you’ve got an extra-large bike, an extra expensive bike, or are traveling in a group with several bikes. Sending stuff over on a cargo ship will be explained soon (see “2.c. Taking large cargo”).

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Here's how taking a bike with you on a regular passenger ferry works: 

  1. Buy your tickets, obviously. How to do that is explained below. 

  2. It’s free to take a bike onboard a passenger ferry.

  3. You’ll want to bag your bike before boarding. If you don't have one, they might offer a bag.

  4. Boarding procedures are a bit different at each port. Most likely, staff will spot you in the queue with your bike and will instruct you to bring it onboard ahead of the main boarding. You’ll put your bike in the cargo hold and then either sit down or go back to the queue. 

  5. The cargo hold is for parcels. It’s a very small area.

  6. They’re not responsible for any damage caused to your bike, and there’s a good chance of it getting messed up (mine certainly did).

  7. If your bike won’t fit in the cargo hold, they might ask you to disembark. Walk the plank, Matey! Argh!

  8. After you arrive, get your bike, disembark, and start your ride! 

 

Let's back up a little bit and discuss how to sail from Pohang specifically. 

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2.b. Getting to Pohang

Pohang has two bus terminals, express (long-distance) and intercity (within the province), which are 2.6 kilometers apart. The intercity terminal is further away from the port. If you are at the intercity terminal, after exiting, head a little north, and find the Pohang City Forest Bike Path – 포항시 숲 자전거길; it’s scenic and free of traffic. Regardless of which terminal you’re at, you’ll want to head to Pohang’s harbor, which is a really interesting place. It’s got lots of giant ships, naval vessels, and sculptures along the waterfront.

 

At the end of the harbor is Pohang Passenger (Ferry) Terminal – 포항여객선터미널. Head there.

 

2.c. Taking large cargo

If you’ve got an extra-large bike, an extra-expensive bike, or if you’re traveling in a group or want to take a car or something, you’ll have to ship your items on a cargo ferry and then head over to the island on a separate passenger ferry. That is, you’ll have to book two tickets with two different ferry companies! You might read information online that there are ferries that carry both cars and people, but they’ve since all been retired… as of mid-2022 anyway.

 

There are two companies that handle cargo to Ulleungdo.

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Figure 3. Large-cargo ferry companies

Using Gold Mining Shipping, one bike costs about 19,000₩. Cars range between 100,000 – 200,000₩, depending on the size. Also, note that Ulleungdo doesn’t have any LPG refueling stations if you’re driving a natural gas car. The people at Gold Mining Shipping are super friendly and speak slowly… but in Korean only. It’s right next to the passenger terminal. They’ll give you further instructions about how to ship your stuff and where you can pick it up on the island.

 

2.d. Renting a bike

If you don’t want to bother with bringing a bike, there are two places that I know of where you can rent bicycles, e-bikes, scooters, and other things on the island.

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Figure 4. Bike rental companies

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2.e. Getting ferry tickets

Now let's discuss how to get ferry tickets. Before the day of boarding, you can make a reservation by phone, online, or in person. This is only a reservation, however, not a ticket! You have to claim your ticket in person no later than 40 minutes before departure; after that, they’ll cancel your reservation. On the plus side, there’s usually no cancellation fee.

 

Also, keep in mind that you don’t have to have a reservation beforehand; you can just show up, although seats might sell out on weekends.

 

It’s standard practice for ferry terminals to only be open a few hours before the day’s departure and then close immediately after that.

 

When buying a ticket, you have to show your ID and give your phone number.

 

Travel Tip! Have your name and phone number written down on a separate piece of paper to give to the ticketing agent. This speeds things up! 

 

It’s important you have a working phone number because they’ll send you SMS messages about delays, cancellations, etc. Use Google Translate or Papago (a Korean translation app) to help you figure out what those messages mean.

 

To ask for a ticket, you can say, “울릉도로 가는 표 한 장을 주세요.”

 

They might also ask if you have return plans. They might say, “언제 돌아오십니까?”

 

You can then either buy a one-way ticket – 일방 or a roundtrip ticket – 왕복.

 

All the ferries are large, catamaran speed boats. They operate more like planes. You get a ticket. You’re assigned a seat. You’re not allowed to go out on deck. There are a snack bar and toilets in the back of the ship – more as a joke, though.

 

Travel tip! Ships are frequently canceled or delayed because of bad weather which can appear quickly. When planning your trip, give yourself a day or two of extra time in case you get stuck on the island longer than expected (see “8.1. What to do if you have problems?”).

 

A great app to check the weather is www.windfinder.com.

 

2.f. Avoiding Seasickness

If you’re prone to seasickness, you’ll want to try to sit in the back of the boat. To ask for that, you can say, “저는 배 뒷좌석에 앉고 싶어요.”

 

You’ll also want to buy some seasickness medicine. They sell it at all the ports and local pharmacies. In Korean, it’s 멀미약, pronounced “meolmi-yak.” Two pills are 1,000₩. Take one pill 30 minutes before departure.

 

Also, a word of wisdom, make sure you have some good headphones, an audiobook, or some good music for the ferry ride, too. Even if it’s smooth seas, the odds of someone near you getting seasick is still pretty high, so you’ll want to have something to help you zone out the sound of them spewing out chunks of radish. And don’t drink booze, either.

 

So, now you’re ready to set sail!

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3. Getting oriented on the island

When you get off the boat, you’ll be shocked by how beautiful the island is… unless you’re seasick, then you likely won’t care. 

 

At the east of the island are the two main urban areas. There’s Jeodong Port – 저동항. It’s the smaller of the two, but it has several restaurants, hotels, and pensions. Ferries from Gangneung arrive here.

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Dodong Port

A bit south of there is the bigger village, simply called Ulleung County - 울릉군, where the main port is located, called Dodong Port - 도동항, as well as many more restaurants, motels, and things like that. It’s much busier than Jeodong Port. If you’re coming from Pohang or Mukho, this is where you’ll disembark.

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Even though the two villages are near each other, it’s not easy to get between the two because there’s a huge climb separating them. There is a beautiful coastal walkway that connects them, but it involves a lot of stairs (see "More to do").

 

At the southern tip of the island is Seodong Port - 서동항. The future airport will be in this area. It’s got a lot of construction. Currently, there’s not much around. It receives ferries from Hupo Port.

 

There are also several smaller villages around the island, mostly on the northwest coast. They’ve got a few motels, restaurants, and convenience stores. But they’re pretty small.

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Here's a repeat of the map... 

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For more great content, considering ordering one of my cycling books and getting a copy of my giant map, "Korea’s Cycling and Long-Distance Hiking Paths." Click the images to learn more! 

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3.a. Accommodations

There are lots of accommodations on the island, mostly near Dodong and Jeodong ports. You’ll find homestays – 민박, hotels – 호텔, and bed & breakfasts – 펜션. They’re basically all the same, except pensions will have a cooking area, and they are all set at the same price, too. I’d say the average price is 50,000₩. They operate like a typical motel on the mainland, but few have beds – just mats.

 

Nearer the water, on weekends, and of course during peak season, prices are higher. Plus, nearer the water, they might have an early-morning checkout time to receive the first-day’s arrivals, maybe 0930. Super annoying! Also, while you’re wandering around trying to find a place to stay, you’ll notice some places that only have a phone number listed on the door, no receptionist; unless you can speak Korean well, don’t bother with those.

 

Tips for getting a lower price! If you pay with cash, you might be able to talk down the price by about 5,000₩, maybe more on slow days. A few tips for this are, firstly, be super nice! Then, when they refuse the lower offer, politely refuse and prepare to leave. Odds are, they’ll agree to what you asked to keep you from walking out the door because there are dozens of other hotels nearby. Cash is the key to negotiating!

 

3.b. Camping

Along the trail, there is really only one place where you can camp, called National Leisure Campground - 국민여가 캠핑장. It has five camping decks where you can pitch a tent. Renting a deck costs 20,000₩ per day (10,000₩ in the offseason). There are family-sized bungalows behind the camping area (80,000₩). It’s got showers, CCTV, and a kitchen area. It’s also right off the coast. You should have a Korean friend call ahead and make a reservation for you (Tel: 054-791-6781). Aside from that, there’s really nowhere else that’s suitable since the highway runs right along the coast, and most of the waterfront is covered in craggy rocks. However, there are a few more campsites on the mountainside.

 

3.c. Food

There are lots of places to eat. The bigger villages have convenience stores, and there’s a Lotteria (burger place) near Dodong Port, uphill near the bike trail, if you need a break from Korean food.

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If you’re in Jeodong Port, look for 삼시세끼, a restaurant that has 백반 (grilled fish, soup, and side dishes), as well as stews and other things. The lady who runs it is very nice.

 

Sushi areas

Near the terminals, you’ll notice giant sushi places, called Raw Fish Towns - 회타운. They’re a bit complicated to figure out. Basically, the first floor has all the fish. You pick the ones you want. One squid will cost about 10,000₩, for example, and the fish will be more expensive. A rock fish – 우럭 will cost about 60,000₩. After you pick out your fish, you go upstairs where there are several restaurants. You pay a little extra for the side dishes, beer, etc., about 8,000₩, and they’ll prepare your sushi and serve it to you. Solo diners are welcomed.

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4. The Bike Trail

The main event! The bike trail circles around most of the island. To phrase that another way, the trail DOES NOT make a full circle around the island. It makes a semi-circle. One way, it’s 37 kilometers. But you’ll need to double back, making the total ride 74 kilometers.

 

You’ll start at one of the ports on the eastern coast; then, you’ll go counterclockwise around the island. Getting out of the villages is the most dangerous part because it’s very hilly and has loads of traffic.

 

The southern coast is very flat and beautiful with several pensions along the way. The western coast has two very steep, intense climbs – up to 290 meters. The northern coast is idyllic, sublime, flat; it’s got several small villages with restaurants.

 

Important! The east coast part goes through a 4-kilometer-long tunnel. Technically, once you reach the main tunnel, you’re supposed to turn around and cycle back the way you came! If you don’t want to do that, you can either call a cab or be dumb like me and ride through it. I decided to ride through the tunnel because a typhoon was about to hit. Honestly, that was one of the scariest things I’ve ever done because cars flew through there doing 100kmh. If you go this option, make sure you have really good lights on your bike and have made peace with your Maker beforehand. Really, it’s best to double back!

 

The tunnel ends just a few kilometers north of Jeodong Port.

 

4.a. Signage and navigation

There are no signs whatsoever for the trail, and the main navigation apps, Kakao Map and Naver Map, don’t list the trail, either. That’s not a big deal, though. You just follow the coast.

 

5. More to do on Ulleungdo

If you have some extra time, most people hike the island’s mountains. The main peak is Seonginbong – 성인봉. It’s 984 meters. Apparently, there are two or three mountain biking trails up in the mountains, too; that’s something you could investigate.

 

Other than that, there’s a short cable car which takes you up to a really awesome viewing area where you can take in all the mountains in the background. It costs 7,500₩. There’s a snack area at the top. Nearby, there's a small museum and a beautiful Buddhist temple.  

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There’s also a coastal walkway connecting Dodong and Jedong Port which is really beautiful. It's called Haengnam Coastal Walking Path. You can’t take your bike because there are a lot of stairs, but it’s definitely worth a visit. Really pretty! 

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Check of Ulleung Island's official tourism page for more places to visit. 

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6. Getting to Dokdo

If you’re so inclined, Ulleungdo is the departure area for tour boats heading to Dokdo - 독도. Summer is the best time to go. All the passenger ferry terminals on Ulleungdo have daily tours. Most have two a day. The prices are all the same, about 60,000₩, roundtrip. And the departure times are staggered, one after the other, to accommodate all the tourists. The ships can fit about 160 passengers.

 

You won’t take your bike, obviously.

 

To get to Dokdo, it’s about 1 ½ hour. You then spend about 30 minutes on the island walking around on a dock and taking photos. You’re only able to look around a small area, but it’s still a neat experience. Everyone is waving around little Koreans flags. And when I was there, a group of singers, all wearing hanbok, sang Arirang, and everybody sang along. It was really touching. After 30 minutes, you head back.

 

Getting a ticket works the same as any other ferry. Here are some details:

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Figure 5. Ferries heading to Dokdo

7. Dokdo’s history

Dokdo sits 215 kilometers from mainland Korea and 250 kilometers from mainland Japan, more or less smack dab between the two. What’s surprising about Dokdo is even though (or perhaps because) it sits in the middle of an angry, long-standing territorial dispute between the two countries, it’s actually a really beautiful place. There are giant craggy rocks sticking out of the sea covered in soft foliage that seem to loom over the sea precariously. There’s the sound of waves crashing against the rocks, seagulls arguing over bird stuff, and the smell of salt. It’s even more impactful when you think about just how much Dokdo means to Koreans. Undoubtedly, it’s the single most important place in terms of Korean national identity, pride, and patriotism. It’s one thing all Koreans are unified around.

 

Much of what’s written below was taken from a lecture I heard by Professor Yuji Hosaka, a Japanese-Korean researcher who gave a talk at my local library [2].

 

The history is complicated, very complicated. The island was uninhabited for centuries, only used by fishermen. However, several ancient documents, from settlements over fishing-area disputes to nautical maps, showed Dokdo being a Korean territory as far back as the 6th century AD [2, 11]. Japan refutes this, pointing to maps drawn in the 1600s by Western explorers and a few of their own which show it as Japanese [2, 10].

 

In 1849, a French whaling ship crashed on the island, and they named the island after their ship, Liancourt. That name, Liancourt Rocks, is often used as a neutral way of referring to the island [2, 3]. But I think that’s stupid. Why name a place after a ship that crashed there?

 

Things changed in 1905. Japan was engaged in a two-year war with Russia and outright claimed Dokdo as their territory to aid in their war effort, saying it had been terra nullius or claimed by no country [2], which contradicted other claims they made, saying it had been theirs since the 1600s.

 

Either way, Japan defeated Russia soundly and murdered all of the Russian-allied royals in the Korean court, including the queen. This victory pushed Japan onto the international stage as a major military power. Three years later in 1910, they’d fulfill their centuries-long goal in conquering all of Korea, which had been in a state of steep decline for decades. Japan’s colonial ambitions would grow across Asia, as well, leading to WWII.

 

In 1945, after the war, Japan was forced to relinquish all of their colonial holdings on the Korean Peninsula, but when the U.S. was marking out Japan’s post-war borders, they “left enough ambiguity” to let Japan claim Dokdo again [2]. As evidence, Japan points to a situation where the U.S. told Japan they’d be using Takeshima (the Japanese name for the island) as a bombing area in 1950 as proof that America gave it to them.

 

Things heated up in 1952 when then-Korean president Syngman Rhee created the “Syngman Rhee Line,” stating that Dokdo was a Korean territory and sent troops to occupy it [2, 3]. The U.S. said (and still says) it won’t get involved in further disputes over the island [4]. A short time later, things got even more complicated when gas deposits were found off the island’s waters.

 

To this day, South Korea has kept a small military presence on the island and also uses it as a research station. To further boast their claims, a Korean fisherman and his wife lived on the island for several decades, but due to old age, I believe they’ve both moved back to the mainland.

 

In 2005, Korea started letting tourists visit. Things were quite tense at that time. There were several stories of Koreans going to the Japanese embassy in Seoul and cutting off their pinkie fingers in protest over Dokdo [5, 6, 7]. Yikes! There are also dozens of stories where diplomats or trade delegates abruptly ended trade negotiations or started boycotts over the island [8].

 

Japan has several other disputed islands with Russia, China, and Taiwan, and many see them as a part of Japan’s war-time legacy. For Koreans, they see Dokdo as a reminder of their bitter, often violent history with Japan.  

 

8. Getting home from Ulleung Island

Heading home is pretty simple. When you arrive on Ulleungdo, check the departure times. Make a reservation. And then show up an hour beforehand and follow the same boarding procedures as mentioned above.

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8.1. What to do if you have problems?

If there’s a problem with the ferry, maybe bad weather, maybe they’re sold out, here are some tips.

 

First off, check your SMS messages carefully, paying special attention to 050 area codes. Use Papago or Google Translate to figure out what they mean. They might announce delays or cancellations. If they cancel your ferry, they might call you and help you rebook.

 

However, since you’re a foreigner, you might have trouble rebooking by phone. By the time you figure out what you need to do, the next ferry might be sold out (happened to me!).

 

If the ferry is sold old - 매진, odds are a tour group bought up a bunch of tickets, so there might be cancellations. That means you have a chance of getting on a standby list - 대기명단. You can only write your name on one of these lists the day of, in person, and not by phone or online. Also, you need to try to get on the standby list when the ticket booth first opens to get at top of the queue. You’ll write your name and phone number. If you get a seat, they’ll send you an SMS.

 

Language note! In Korean, there are two words for “wait.” There’s the Korean verb, 기다리다. And there’s the Chinese verb, 대기하다, which is used in more formal situations such as “waiting room – 대기실” or, in this case, “waiting name paper – 대기명단.”

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And that's it! I hope you can make it out there and have an awesome trip! 

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9. List of figures and tables

 

10. Works cited & further reading

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For more great content, considering ordering one of my cycling books and getting a copy of my giant map, "Korea’s Cycling and Long-Distance Hiking Paths." Click the images to learn more! 

3.a.accomodaton
3.b.campig
3.c.food
4.biketrail
4.a.signageandnav
5.moretodooneulleung
6.gettingdokdo
7.dokdohstor
8.gettighom
8.1prolems
9.fiue
10.workscited
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