Mokpo

A port city in southwestern Korea with a sea-crossing cable car, a historic modern-era quarter and Yudalsan, plus island hops to Sinan's Purple Island and the Jeungdo salt farms.

Mokpo sits at the southwestern tip of South Jeolla Province in South Korea, where the Yeongsan River meets the sea. Opened as a port in 1897, it is one of the most important harbor cities on the southwest coast and the gateway to the 'Thousand Islands' archipelago of Sinan County. The city has two main parts: the old town on the southern slopes of Yudalsan, which preserves many Japanese-colonial-era townhouses and modern-era buildings and is home to the Modern History Museum, Yudalsan itself and the North Port station of the Marine Cable Car; and Hadang New Town to the east, with the musical fountain at Peace Square, Gatbawi rocks and a cluster of museums including the National Maritime Museum. The nearby Sinan islands are now linked by bridges, making for an easy day trip by car to the Taepyeong Salt Farm on Jeungdo, Purple Island and Cheonsa Bridge; to the south and east lie Wolchulsan, Daeheungsa Temple in Haenam, Ttangkkeut Village and the Myeongnyang Strait. Spring (Apr–May) and autumn (Sep–Nov) bring the most pleasant weather; summer is for island hopping and swimming, while winter is skate season and Sinan's camellias are in bloom. The KTX from Seoul's Yongsan Station takes about 2.5 hours to Mokpo Station. Old-town sights are walkable, but for the new town, Sinan and Haenam a rental car or private driver is recommended, as buses are infrequent. Plan on 2–3 days: one in the city, one in the Sinan islands and one in Haenam or at Wolchulsan. Local specialties include fermented skate, live octopus, hairtail and hanjeongsik (Korean table d'hôte), all of which you can sample in one go on the seafood street by the harbor.

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