Ttangkkeut (Land's End), Haenam

This is where the Korean mainland runs out of land: Ttangkkeut, literally "the end of the land", also known as Tomal. A monument marks the southernmost point, an observatory crowns the hill above the village, and on clear days you are said to see as far as Hallasan on Jeju beyond the island-studded sea. For walkers and cyclists crossing the country from Seoul it is the classic start or finish line.

What Ttangkkeut is

The village lies in Songho-ri, Songji-myeon, Haenam County. The observatory stands on Sajabong, the summit of Galdusan, and the Ttangkkeut Tower stands on the cliffs below it at 34°17'38" N, counted as the southern tip of the peninsula's mainland. The harbour below was known as Galdu Port until 2014, when it was renamed Ttangkkeut Port to match the village.

The Samnam-gil long-distance trail, based on the main Joseon-era road between the capital and the southern provinces, also runs from here to Seoul, so for hikers Ttangkkeut is a starting point as much as an end.

It matters to geologists too: the Gwangju Fault, which cuts diagonally across southwestern Korea, runs from the Jinan Basin all the way to Ttangkkeut. The cliffs along the shore and the islets off the village are the mainland's last word.

What to see

• Ttangkkeut Observatory: on the summit of Galdusan, with views over the islands of the southwest coast from Jindo to Wando. The ground floor has a café and a photo corner.
• Ttangkkeut Monorail: opened in 2005, it climbs 395 m from the village to the observatory in about seven minutes, with views of the sea on the way up.
• Ttangkkeut Tower and skywalk: a 9 m triangular monument with an 18 m skywalk reaching out towards the sea. Part of the floor is glass, so you can see the water below. It is about 500 m down a boardwalk from the observatory.
• Maemseom: twin rock islets off the harbour pier, topped with pine trees. Around mid-February and 20-25 October the sun rises right between them, which draws photographers.
• Ttangkkeut Port: ferries leave for Nohwado and other islands of Wando County. A new passenger terminal opened in 2021.

Good to know

• The viewing platform in front of the tower was rebuilt as part of Haenam County's programme to renew ageing tourist sites. The skywalk's theme is "one step beyond the end of the land", and its design draws on the alpha and omega symbols for beginning and end.
• Around 270,000 people pass through Ttangkkeut Port each year. It is also an everyday harbour for residents of Wando islands such as Nohwado, Hoenggando and Heugildo.

Tripto tips

• Hours and fares: the observatory opens 09:00-18:00, subject to weather. The monorail runs from 08:00 until around sunset, and an adult return ticket costs KRW 6,000. Sources differ on whether the observatory itself charges admission, so check on site.
• Tower and skywalk: open at all times and free. Sunset is lovely, but the path gets dark afterwards, so bring a torch.
• Time needed: taking the monorail up, walking down to the tower and back to the village takes about 1.5-2 hours.
• Combine with: Mihwangsa Temple about 11 km away, or a ferry to Bogildo, for a full day in Haenam and Wando.