There’s a new attraction in South Korea that’s currently making on social media—the PURPLE WONDER ISLAND!!!
But… Why a Purple?
They decided to paint it all in purple because they grow purple sweet potatoes, purple bellflowers, and purple onions on those islands…so why not PURPLE???!!!
Credit: KBS광주
Address: Purple Island (퍼플교) 58 Banwol-ri, Anjwa-myeon, Sinan-gun, Jeollanam-do
Open 6am-6pm (please check before you plan to go there)
Tickets to enter the islands cost 3,000 won for adults, 2,000 won for teenagers and military personnel and 1,000 won for children. But it’s free if you are wearing or dressed in purple.
There is an umbrella or hat or prop for rent/sale at the ticket office. You can bring your pets, just make sure they are on the leash!
***During Pandemic, they will check your fever and you are required to wear a mask***
*Purple for rent at the Ticket Office
Purple Island (퍼플섬) or Purple Bride (퍼플교) is in Sinan County, this county includes 1004 islands! (you will see many signs with the number “1004”).
Sinan county is next to MOKPO city. There is a “KTX” station and Airport in Mokpo. If you travel from Seoul by KTX, it would take about 4-5 hrs (including transferring, etc) to Mokpo. Then from Mokpo city, you can take a ferry (50-60mins) or drive (1-1.5hrs) to Purple Island.
We are traveling from Geoje Island, we stopped to stay in Yeosu (a good place to stop with lots of things to do) and made a day trip to Purple Island.
If we are driving directly from Geoje to Purple Island, it would take 4-5 hrs! It’s far away (No one would come all the way up here, that’s why they made it more special, said Tim!)
FYI: Staying in Mokpo would be another great idea for Purple Island.
Purple Island combined with two small islands neighboring each other in the South Sea, “Banwoldo” (반월도) and “Bakjido” (박지도).
Driving from Mokpo is not too bad, it takes about 1-1.5hrs in the countryside but safe. The bonus of driving is to stop for the famous wall art, it’s a mural of an old couple with camellia bushes on their head, quite unique!!! (we stopped on the way back from Purple Island).
There are many fig fields in these islands, don’t forget to get some if you’re up there during their harvest (Around August – September, I guess!)
Before 2015, the islands had just 120 residents, most of them over 60 years old, with no nearby convenience stores or elementary schools insight.
The government invested about 4 billion won ($3.34 million) to develop walking and hiking trails around the islands to attract visitors interested in taking scenic walks.
*Coffee shop on Purple Island
Both islands have great paved trails that go the whole way around, the total distance is about 6.2 kilometers or you can rent a bicycle at 5000 won per day. (but you can’t bike over the purple bridge).
*Bicycle for Rent (Contact the Coffee Shop for Rent)
*Ops! RED Chilli, not purple LOL!
Crossing the purple bridges are about 1.4 kilometers (0.87 miles), we took almost 30 minutes to walk and stop to take the pictures.
If you come here during June-July, you can see the lavender fields in bloom all over the island!
And all we did here was just walk from the other side of the main island throughout those two islands on the purple bridge.
We visited in the middle of September, the weather started to cool down a bit but it’s still sunny.
The main idea to visit the purple island just walks(!!) & take pictures (!!!)– that’s it!
So I don’t think guys would be too into this bridge but for women or purple color lovers, this is a purple wonderland!
Well, it took a lot of work to drive up here from where we live, but I’m glad we made it (once!)
On the way back, we stopped to take a picture at the wall art at Dongdong Intersection in Amtae-myeon , Sinan-gun.
This is the couple of Son Seok-sim and Moon Byung-il who actually live in this house. I’ve been reading the local blog, they said it was only a camellia tree, so they decided to paint grandma’s face. But grandpa was jealous, so he planted another camellia tree next to the one they have and told them to paint his face too 😀
*Everybody stopped to take a picture at this house…<free>!
Now both paintings are popular over the country!
Ref: Sinan-Gun Naver Blog
DON’T MISS to Stop and buy some figs, they are as big as oranges! They just harvested it from the field and sell in front of their property! Super Fresh!
If you really want to visit Purple Island,
just make sure that you are ready for long travel and a little bit of effort!
This trip is part of our Yeosu trip, read more about our Yeosu trip!
Traveled date to Purple Island: Saturday 12th September 2020
