It’s an unreal experience to have the privilege of your weekend looking this stunning. I’ve been in Korea for just over three years and it still boggles my mind. If you’re a Seoulite who rarely manages to get out of the big city, it is my personal opinion that you are totally missing out. Don’t get me wrong, I love Seoul. I really, really do. I can’t imagine living in any other city. It is my firm belief that Seoul is one of the greatest cities in the world. That being said, the rest of Korea is pretty damn great as well. Get out of the city, play outside and visit some islands.

Deokjeokdo is a gem I regret not visiting until recently. A quiet island 44 miles southwest of Incheon, it boasts long and stunning beaches, hiking paths and some pretty incredible lookouts. It is remarkably quiet and unpopulated by Korean standards.

I visited the island with Seoul Hiking Group but my impression is that it is not too difficult to reach the island independently. It is worth mentioning that on our way back to Seoul, I attempted to buy ferry tickets back for the following weekend but they were already sold out. In fact, our group of 30 arrived on Saturday morning to get tickets to Deokjeokdo and were originally refused tickets. Perhaps it’s not the most simple to reach, but it’s totally worth it.