Sinjido

Tucked against the east side of Wando's main island, Sinjido is linked by bridge, so you can drive straight in without a ferry. Its south coast is lined by Sinji Myeongsasimni, a 3.8 km sandy beach that was the first in Asia to earn the international Blue Flag eco-label. It is also the island where the late-Joseon calligrapher Yi Gwang-sa lived out his exile and died.

An island joined by bridges

Sinjido covers 30.99 km², is about 13 km long and has 48 km of coastline. Its spine is formed by Sangsan (324 m), the highest peak, along with Nohakbong (225 m), Beomsan and Giseonbong. Island life changed for good when the Sinji Bridge to Wando opened (sources give 2004 or 2005), and in 2017 another bridge linked it to neighbouring Gogeumdo. In 2021 the population was a little over 3,300. Its old name was Jido (智島); according to local tradition the character for firewood (薪, sin) was added to tell it apart from the Jido island in Sinan.

Sinji Myeongsasimni

As the name suggests, Myeongsasimni is a beach where fine sand runs for nearly ten ri. The character used for myeong (鳴) means "to cry", a nod to the sound the sand seems to make in the wind and waves. Behind the wide beach stretches a pine wood, and the water is clean enough that, after becoming the first beach in Asia to win the Blue Flag, it has kept the certification year after year. In summer 2026 the beach was open for swimming for 38 days, from 11 July to 17 August, with kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, rafting and yacht sessions on offer.

It is a good beach to walk even outside the season. At low tide a broad band of firm sand appears, perfect for walking barefoot, with layer after layer of small islands out to sea.

An island of exile

In the Joseon period Sinjido was a place of exile. Yi Gwang-sa (1705–1777), known by his pen name Wongyo and credited with perfecting the native Korean calligraphy style called Dongguk jinche, was moved here after seven years of exile in Hoeryong in Hamgyeong Province. On Sinjido he set down a lifetime's thinking on calligraphy in his treatise Seogyeol, and he died on the island in 1777. It is striking that such an important book in Korean calligraphy was written on a small island facing the sea.

Tripto tips

• Getting there: take a bus from Gwangju or Mokpo to Wando, then cross the Sinji Bridge from Wando-eup. County buses run from Wando Bus Terminal to the island, but not often, so a car or taxi is easier if you want to explore.
• Myeongsa Gaetgil: the first section of this coastal trail runs about 10 km from the Sinji Bridge rest area past Myeongsasimni beach to Ulmol, a good half-day walk with the sea beside you.
• When to go: July–August for swimming during the official season; May–June and September–October for quiet beach walks. Season dates change every year, so check Wando County's notices.
• Time needed: 1–2 hours for the beach alone, half a day with the Myeongsa Gaetgil.
• Combine it with: the Cheonghaejin site on Wando's main island just across the bridge, for the story of Jang Bo-go alongside the sea views.