Oryukdo Islets

If you had to pick one image of Busan's coastline, it would be these rocky islets. Oryukdo is a line of small islands about 600 m off the tip of Seungdumal point in Yongho-dong, Nam District. The view is one of the city's emblems, and from the skywalk on the cliff opposite you look the islets straight in the face.

The name: five or six?

The name means "five-six islands", because the number of islets seems to change depending on where you stand. The Dongnaebu-ji, a local gazetteer compiled in 1740, says they look like six peaks from the east and five from the west. A Japanese account from around 1825 adds that the count changes with the tide.

From the shore outwards they are Bangpaeseom, Solseom, Suriseom, Songgotseom, Gulseom and Deungdaeseom. Bangpaeseom and Solseom are joined at the base and were once treated as a single island, Usakdo, until names of uninhabited islands were standardised in 2011. All are uninhabited except the lighthouse island.

How the islands formed

The islets are made of andesitic volcanic rock laid down some 70 to 80 million years ago. Until about 120,000 years ago they formed a single ridge; over time the waves cut along cracks in the rock and split it into separate islands. Oryukdo was designated a national Scenic Site in October 2007, and the surrounding waters became a marine ecosystem protection area in 2003.

What to see

• Oryukdo Skywalk: a horseshoe-shaped glass platform about 15 m long, made of 24 glass panels and set on a 35 m cliff. Opened in October 2013, it lets you watch waves hit the rocks beneath your feet.
• Lighthouse island: the lighthouse on the outermost islet was first built in 1937 and replaced in 1998 by the current 27.5 m tower.
• Where two seas meet: a marker near the skywalk shows the boundary between the East Sea and the South Sea. It is also where the Haeparang and Namparang long-distance trails meet.
• Oryukdo Haemaji Park: the hillside park behind the skywalk has daffodils and rapeseed flowers in season. On clear days Tsushima is said to be visible.

Nearby

• Igidae Urban Nature Park: about 4 km of coast north of Oryukdo where the same volcanic cliffs continue. The name most likely comes from an old record of two gisaeng buried here. It is also a popular spot for photos of Gwangan Bridge.
• Haeparang Trail, Course 1: the long-distance trail that follows the east coast all the way to Goseong in Gangwon Province starts right at Oryukdo Haemaji Park. Even the first stretch shows Busan's coastline at its best.

Tripto tips

• Skywalk hours: 09:00–19:00 from June to September and 09:00–18:00 from October to May, with last entry 10 minutes before closing. On the Seollal and Chuseok holidays it opens at 12:00. Entry is free.
• Coastal walk: the Igidae coastal path from Dongsaengmal to Oryukdo Haemaji Park runs along boardwalks between rock cliffs, with views of Gwangan Bridge and Haeundae. Allow 2 hours or more one way at an easy pace.
• Time needed: about 1 hour for the skywalk and the park alone.
• When to go: as the park's name, "sunrise park", suggests, dawn is beautiful here, and spring flowers draw crowds. On windy days the clifftop gets cold, so bring a jacket.