Museulmok Beach

In the middle of Dolsando in Yeosu, at the narrow neck where the island pinches in, Museulmok Beach is covered with large pebbles for about 700 m. Small islands line the horizon, which makes it a well-known sunrise spot, and tradition holds that Admiral Yi Sun-sin defeated a Japanese fleet here during the Imjin War. It is a lovely place for a slow walk among the pines with the sound of rolling pebbles.

The story in the name

Museulmok is also called Musilmok or Musulmok. "Mok" means a narrow neck of land, and here the land between the two seas on either side of Dolsando narrows to about 100 m. A story tells how, in 1598, the last year of the Japanese invasions, Yi Sun-sin's navy lured Japanese ships into this narrow channel and destroyed them, and one explanation links the name to "musul", the name of that year in the traditional calendar. It is best to see this as one of several stories about the name.

According to the story, the Korean navy drew about 60 Japanese ships into the narrow waters and destroyed them all. The number is not confirmed by reliable records, but one look at the landform, where the seas on either side of the island almost meet, shows why it could have served as a battlefield. Today it is a peaceful pebble beach, yet standing on the shore and looking from one sea to the other, you can really sense the island's narrow neck.

What to see

• Pebble beach: smooth stones bigger than a fist cover the shore, rattling each time a wave runs in and out.
• Sand at low tide: when the tide goes out, white sand appears below the pebbles, so you see two different beaches in one day.
• Sunrise: the sun rises between small islands on the horizon, drawing photographers in every season. Together with Hyangiram Hermitage it is Dolsando's classic sunrise spot.
• Pine grove and sculptures: sculptures inspired by the sea around Yeosu stand among the pines behind the beach.
• Jeollanam-do Maritime and Fisheries Science Museum: just behind the pines, good for seeing sea life with children.
• Yeosu Gaetga-gil Route 2: a coastal walking trail that passes Museulmok, so you can carry on from the beach.

Tripto tips

• Visitor information: always open, every day, with free entry and free parking.
• Sunrise: around 1 January the roads are jammed with sunrise crowds. On other days, arrive about 30 minutes before sunrise and wait on the pebbles.
• Footwear: the pebbles are big and can be slippery, so wear trainers. Please don't take any pebbles away.
• Watch the waves: on rough days the pebbles roll with the surf and can hurt you. Stay back from the waterline and use the path along the pines.
• Time needed: 30 minutes to 1 hour for a walk and photos, about 2 hours with the science museum.
• Getting there: the address is 2876 Dolsan-ro, Dolsan-eup, Yeosu. From central Yeosu it is about 20 minutes by car across Dolsan Bridge, and city buses heading for Hyangiram also pass Museulmok.
• Combine with: Hyangiram at the tip of Dolsando, and Dolsan Park and the Yeosu Maritime Cable Car closer to town, for a full day.