Oedo Botania

Oedo Botania is a marine botanical garden covering the whole of Oedo, a small island off the southeast coast of Geojedo. A couple spent more than 30 years shaping this remote island, which once had no electricity, into what you see today. After a boat ride past the Haegeumgang rocks, you step ashore into an unusual mix of subtropical plants and European-style gardens framed by the sea.

History: a lonely island bought by an angler

Oedo was a rocky, isolated island where only a few families lived. They grew sweet potatoes on steep plots and gathered seaweed, and bad weather could cut them off from the mainland for ten days at a time.

In 1969, Lee Chang-ho came fishing nearby, was caught by a typhoon and spent a night on the island. He bought the whole island by 1973 and began developing it with his wife, Choi Ho-suk. They first planted 3,000 tangerine trees and 8,000 cypresses as windbreaks for a farm, but after several failures they turned it into a botanical garden instead. It opened in 1995 as the "Oedo Marine Farm". The current name, Botania, combines "botany" and "utopia". Total visitor numbers passed one million in 2008.

What to see

The island covers about 148,000 m² and is divided into Seodo, which is landscaped, and Dongdo, which is left in its natural state.

• Venus Garden: The signature garden, modelled on the gardens of Buckingham Palace, with Venus statues standing among neatly clipped trees.
• Stairway to Heaven: A slope once planted with tangerines and cypresses. After heavy damage from Typhoon Maemi, it was replanted with a dense patchwork of ornamental trees.
• Lee House: The house seen in the final episode of the drama Winter Sonata (2002). It looks Mediterranean from outside, but inside it follows a traditional Korean layout.
• Hill of Love: A viewpoint with a protected tree about 300 years old, where villagers once held rites for a good catch.
• Sea viewpoint and lighthouse: The closest view of Haegeumgang and the surrounding islands. On clear days you may see Tsushima in the distance.

Thanks to the mild maritime climate, palms, agaves and yuccas grow outdoors all year, and camellias bloom even in midwinter.

Tripto tips

• Getting there: The island can only be reached by cruise boat. Boats leave from several Geoje harbours, including Gujora, Jangseungpo, Wahyeon, Hakdong, Haegeumgang and Dojangpo, and most circle Haegeumgang before landing at Oedo. The boat fare and garden admission are paid separately.
• Time on the island: Your time ashore is set by the boat schedule. Always check the return departure.
• Opening: 08:00–19:00 in summer and 08:30–17:00 in winter. Check fees and closing days on the official website.
• Watch out: Sailings depend entirely on the weather. In strong winds boats are cancelled even on the day, so check in the morning. The island has plenty of slopes and steps.
• When to go: Spring and early summer, when the most flowers are out. Midday in summer is hot with little shade, so bring water.