Cheongsando Island

Fifty minutes by boat from Wando harbour, Cheongsando, the island that stays green all year, was named Asia's first Slow City. Stone-walled lanes, terraced gudeuljang rice paddies and hillsides covered in yellow rapeseed flowers in spring line its 42.195 km of Slow Trails, made for unhurried walking through island village life.

The island

Cheongsando lies 19.2 km from Wando at the southern edge of the archipelago. For its beauty it was long called Seonsan or Seonwon, the home of Taoist immortals. People first settled here in 1608, a naval garrison was established in 1681, and in 1866 the Dangni garrison set up here oversaw the Gangjin, Haenam and Wando area. Winters are mild, with January averaging around 1 °C. Peaks of around 300 m rise across the island, the highest being Maebongsan (385 m), and the south coast has sea cliffs and woods of camellia and Japanese bay trees. It became part of Dadohaehaesang National Park in 1981 and was designated Asia's first Slow City in 2007.

What to see

• Slow Trails: footpaths that once linked the villages were restored and opened in 2010. The network covers 11 courses and 17 trails, 42.195 km in total, and in 2011 Cittaslow International certified it as World Slow Trail No. 1. Each course has its own theme of sea views, villages, paddies and local stories.
• Gudeuljang paddies: to grow rice on stony ground where water drains away, islanders laid flat stones and covered them with soil. In 2013 they became Korea's Important Agricultural Heritage No. 1.
• Beombawi (Tiger Rock): legend says a tiger roared at this rock, took fright at its own echo and fled the island. The rock is said to be so magnetic that compasses misbehave nearby. From the top the whole island spreads out below you, and on clear days you can see Yeoseodo, Geomundo and even Jeju.
• Film and drama locations: the island became known through Im Kwon-taek's film Seopyeonje. Locations from the dramas Spring Waltz and Scent of a Woman also lie along the Slow Trails and draw photographers in rapeseed season.

Good to know

• The waters around Cheongsando were designated a marine protected area in 2013.
• Every April, the Cheongsando Slow Walking Festival takes place along the flower-lined trails.
• Inhabited islands such as Daemodo, Somodo, Yeoseodo and Jangdo, along with many uninhabited islets, make up Cheongsan township.

Tripto tips

• Getting there: car ferries from Wando harbour take about 50 minutes. Sailings increase sharply during the festival, so check the timetable in advance.
• Getting around: village buses and a circular tour bus run from Cheongsando harbour. Walking sections of the Slow Trails and linking them by bus works well.
• Best time: April, with rapeseed flowers and the walking festival, is the busiest and most colourful month. For quieter walks, choose late spring or autumn.
• How long: a day trip is possible, but to walk several courses and see Beombawi, one night on the island is recommended.