Daewangam Park

Walk out of the pine forest and the coast suddenly opens up: reddish granite boulders tumbling into the sea as if poured from a giant bucket. Daewangam Park sits on the eastern tip of Ulsan's Dong District, on the cape that juts furthest into the East Sea from Korea's south-east corner. A footbridge takes you out to the rock islets in the middle of the waves, and since 2021 a suspension bridge over the sea has made this Ulsan's most popular coastal walk.

History: from Ulgi Park to Daewangam Park

The area was originally known as Ulgi Park. In 1906 the Ulgi Lighthouse was built on the cape; when the surrounding pines grew tall enough to hide its beam, a new lighthouse went up about 50 m away in 1987, and the old tower has been preserved. In 2004 the park was renamed after Daewangam, the rock at its tip.

The rock comes with a Silla legend. King Munmu was buried in an underwater tomb off Gyeongju, and his queen is said to have followed him in death, turning into a guardian dragon that sank beneath this rock to protect the country. Locals came to call the rocks at the end of the cape Daewangbawi, "the great king's rock", or Daewangam.

What to see

• Pine walk: about 600 m of century-old black pines lead from the entrance to the lighthouse. In April, cherry trees form a blossom tunnel along the way.
• Daewangam and Daewanggyo Bridge: cross the bridge between the islets right to the end. The granite formed in the Cretaceous and has a distinctive reddish tint. Climbing on the rocks is dangerous, so stay on the decks and bridges.
• Named rocks: along the shore you pass Yonggul (Dragon Cave), Tanggeon Rock and others, each named for its shape or a local story.
• Suspension bridge: 303 m long, it links the Hatgaebi and Surubang sections of the coastal path in a single span with no supports in between.
• Nakhwaam twin rocks: a pair of rocks saved when the cliffs of Mipo Bay disappeared under a shipyard, moved here in 2017.

Tripto tips

• Suspension bridge: open 09:00–18:00 (last entry 17:40) and free; closed on the second Tuesday of every month and on Seollal and Chuseok days. The park itself is always open.
• Coastal paths: the seaside path from Seuldo Island takes about 40 minutes, the legend-rock path from Ilsan Beach past Yonggul about 30 minutes. Walk in on one and out on the other.
• Time: 1.5–2 hours covers the pine walk, Daewangam and the suspension bridge.
• Sunrise: together with Ganjeolgot, this is Ulsan's best-known sunrise spot. It is windy, so dress warmly on winter mornings.
• Bus: city buses stop at the park car park and at the Daewangam Tower stop on the west side.

Nearby

• Seuldo Island: a tiny island off Bangeojin Port with wave-drilled rocks and a lighthouse, linked by the seaside path.
• Ilsan Beach: a sandy beach right next to the park's northern edge.
• Jangsaengpo Whale Culture Village: a former whaling village with a whale museum, 20–30 minutes away by car.