Travel Guide Bogildo 보길도

This small village located in the centre of the island is 1,5 km from the harbour. You have to go by taxi or bus (summer only). This is where Yun Seon-do (1587-1671) lived. He left Haenam during manchoues invasions of 1636 to help the king. But on the road to Ganghwado, he learned that the king had gone. He decided then to go to Jejudo. He stopped at Bogildo by chance and found the island so beautiful that he decided to settle there. He will be 13 years in total and will write his famous poem, the Song of the fishermen's four seasons. He built his house Nakseojae (one can see the site), the pavilions and a garden. The latter is always visible, and this is one of the few examples of Joseon's garden. There is a beautiful pavilion, the Seyeonjeong, built in the middle of a pond of water lilies, and some other artificial basins. Above the road to the mountain, we go to the Site site, as well as to a pavilion built in height on the mountain. The road takes about 3,5 km to the small dam above the valley. We can walk there, and it is a pleasant walk, or by taxi. There is no bus. From the dam, a trail leaves to the Nam-eunsa temple. The trail passes through a beautiful forest of camellias and pine trees in the middle of a beautiful wild valley. It splits to the right and climbs up to the temple (40 min walk from the dam). This small-year old hermitage has a superb view over the valley. A lone monk has lived there for 18 years. It may offer you syrup of fermented pine needles that it manufactures itself with the spring water. This mountain source never dries up and allows the monk to live there all year round. At 5 min in amount behind the source lies the top of the mountain, surmounted by a rock from where we have a breathtaking view of the island, the sea and even Tomal on the mainland. This unforgettable hike can also be done from the village of Seonchangni on the west coast, where a campsite is located.