Wido Island

Fifty minutes by ferry from Gyeokpo Port, off the Byeonsan Peninsula, Wido is the largest island in Buan County. Its name comes from its outline, which is said to resemble a hedgehog (wi), and a coastal road of about 20 km links beaches, a sunset viewpoint and the village that keeps alive the Ttibaennori, a fishing ritual listed as national intangible heritage. In late summer the island's own white spider lily, the Wido sangsahwa, comes into flower.

An island of fishing booms and a naval post

Wido is the main island of Wido-myeon, a district of six inhabited and 24 uninhabited islands. The sea to its south was once the Chilsan fishing ground, famous for its seasonal yellow croaker markets. A hedgehog sculpture greets you at Pajanggeum Port, where the ferry docks, and in Jin-ri the Wido Gwana, the office of a Joseon-era naval garrison, survives as a listed heritage site of Jeonbuk State.

The island also carries a painful memory. On 10 October 1993 the ferry Seohae, sailing from Wido to Gyeokpo, sank in heavy seas and 292 people died; a memorial tower to the victims stands on the island. In 2003 Wido was proposed as the site of a radioactive waste facility, but the plan was dropped after strong opposition from Buan residents.

The Ttibae boat ritual and the Wido spider lily

Every year on the third day of the first lunar month, Daeri village holds the Wido Ttibaennori, a rite for the safety of the village and a good catch. Villagers join in a shamanic ceremony for the Dragon King on the shore, and the climax comes when a small boat woven from cogon grass (the ttibae) is loaded with the year's bad luck and sent out to sea. The ritual is listed as national intangible heritage and has its own training centre on the island.

The Wido sangsahwa is a spider lily first described from this island, and its scientific name, Lycoris uydoensis, carries the island's name. Its white flowers open from late August to early September around Wido Beach and the Sangsahwa Garden.

What to see

• Wido Beach: the island's largest beach, with more than 1 km of fine sand and shallow water that suits families.
• Small coves: Gipeungeum, Nongeum and Miyeonggeum appear one after another along the coastal road.
• Wangdeung Sunset Viewpoint: watch the sun set beyond Wangdeungdo in the western sea; it is one of the island's traditional Eight Views.
• Yongmeori Coast: a shore of layered rock known as "Wido's Chaeseokgang", after the famous cliffs on the Byeonsan mainland.
• Naewonam: the island's only temple; the crape myrtle in its courtyard is about 300 years old and blooms pink in midsummer.

Tripto tips

• Ferry: the crossing from Gyeokpo to Pajanggeum Port takes about 50 minutes. The number of sailings and their times change with the season and the weather, so check before you travel, and bring photo ID, which you need to board. Ferries are cancelled in strong wind, so leave some slack in your plans.
• Getting around: an island bus runs in step with the ferry times. A bicycle is a pleasant way to take the coastal road slowly.
• When to go: July and August for swimming, late August to early September for the spider lilies. For the sunset, head to the viewpoint on a clear evening.
• Time needed: a day trip tends to be a race against the ferry timetable; to see the sunset, plan to stay overnight.
• Walking: there are four hiking routes of 2–7 km, and in Jeonmak-ri in the north-east of the island you will find a pavilion and a mudflat experience area.