Igidae Coastal Walk — A Volcanic Cliff Trail That Only Opened in 1993

Igidae is a stretch of sea cliffs on the shore of Yongho-dong, Nam-gu, Busan. The trail along it is the Igidae Coastal Walk, part of the Busan National Geopark. There is no admission fee, and it is open year-round.

Where does the name come from? Igidae (二妓臺) means "the place of two gisaeng" — gisaeng were professional female entertainers of the Joseon era. The Dongnae Yeongji, a local gazetteer written in 1850, says the spot was called Igidae because "two gisaeng are buried above." Another story says a Gyeongsang Left Naval Commander (the regional navy chief) enjoyed feasts here with two gisaeng. A different account says that during the Imjin War (the Japanese invasion), a righteous gisaeng threw herself into the sea holding a drunken Japanese general, so the place was first called Uigidae (義妓臺, "the place of the righteous gisaeng"), which later became Igidae. Which version is right has never been settled.

A place people could not enter. During the Japanese colonial period, Japanese troops are said to have built coastal guard barracks and positions along this shore. Afterward it stayed a restricted military zone for a long time, closed to civilians, and it only opened to the public in 1993. There was also a copper mine here, worked during the colonial period; it is said to run 550 m horizontally and 380 m vertically.

The rock at Igidae formed from volcanic activity about 80 million years ago, in the late Cretaceous. You can see layers of rock built up from lava and volcanic ash, and some guides say traces of at least three eruptions can be seen here. Over a very long time, waves carved this rock into the cliffs you see today.

Igidae from above — a bridge and boardwalk link the rock cliffs.

The seasons. Guides describe flowers in spring, sea breezes in summer, silver grass and sunsets in autumn, and clear views in winter. Some visitors report yellow daffodils at Oryukdo Sunrise Park around mid-March. The wind off the sea is often strong, so bring a light jacket.

The trail by day — boardwalks and bridges run between forest, rock and sea.

This is not a loop but a one-way trail. The Korea Tourism Organization describes it in the order below; you can walk it in reverse too.

There are not many facilities along the way, so bring water. Sneakers are recommended.

Dongsaengmal Observatory — Gwangan Bridge and the Haeundae night view behind the circular photo spot.

The cloud bridge at night — on the lit stretch you can see Gwangan Bridge and the Haeundae skyline.

A U-shaped glass bridge at the end of Oryukdo Sunrise Park. It juts out about 15 m from a 35 m-high cliff, with the sea visible under your feet. This is known as the point where the East Sea and the South Sea meet, so the Haeparang Trail, which runs along the east coast, starts here, and the Namparang Trail, which follows the south coast, ends here. Oryukdo are six rocky islets just offshore. The name means "five or six islands": the island nearest the shore, Usakdo, looks like one island at low tide and like two (Bangpaeseom and Solseom) at high tide, so people counted either five or six. An old record also says it looks like five peaks from some spots and six from others.

The six islands of Oryukdo (in order from the shore)

Oryukdo Sunrise Park — the blue Skywalk sits at the cliff edge, and Oryukdo rises from the sea.

Spring daffodils — beyond the flower bed you can see the path to the Skywalk and Oryukdo.

Pond and boardwalk in the park — the Skywalk and Oryukdo are visible in the distance.

The path to the Skywalk — the Skywalk is at the end, and Oryukdo is in the sea on the right.

You cannot walk to Igidae from a subway station. Take Subway Line 2 to Gyeongseong Univ.·Pukyong National Univ. Station, exit 5, then a bus. The bus depends on where you are headed. Tap the directions button in each card below to open the route from the station in a map app.

If you drive, parking costs KRW 300 per 10 minutes, with a daily maximum of KRW 8,000 (per Naver Map, October 8, 2026).

Instead of walking, you can look up at the Igidae cliffs and Oryukdo from a boat. The Oryukdo Marine Tour from Haeundae Cruise (Mipo Pier, Haeundae) is described as passing Dongbaekseom → Gwangan Bridge → Igidae → Oryukdo. In the evening there is also a Gwangan Bridge Night Tour.

Fares are in KRW. Boats depart as needed, and the schedule can change from month to month, so check departure times at the pier on the day you go.

If you have time left, these are easy to add on the same day. The two are right next to each other, so you can see both in one go.

Parts of the trail may be closed for maintenance or safety checks. Before you visit, check with the Nam-gu Office Parks and Greenery Division (051-607-4544) or the Igidae Park management office (051-607-6398).

Times are K-Rambles' rough estimates. They vary with walking speed and photo stops.

Photo credit — Busan Tourism Archive (KOGL Type 1 (Korea Open Government License)).