A couple of weeks ago, I decided to go on an impromptu trip to visit my friend Arthur Wong, who used to work as a museum guide before moving to Namhae because he wanted to live by the sea. I flew from Seoul’s Gimpo Airport towards Namhae, with the journey taking me to the nearby mainland airport of Sacheon before continuing to the island.

As usual, aside from my gut and heart telling me it was a good idea, I had done no research about the place before visiting. My idea was based on other mutual friends telling me Namhae was one of the most beautiful places in Korea. However, if Arthur did not live there, I would have never heard of the place.

Located off the southern coast of South Korea in Gyeongsangnam-do province, Namhae is roughly an hour and a half’s drive from the popular coastal city of Busan. As my plane took off during sunset, I wondered why I was the only non-Korean on the plane, despite hearing so many good things about Namhae and visiting during what I understood was peak tourist season.

Namhae may not be a popular place for international tourists, yet it is a place local Koreans flock to.

Cruising over the island during the golden hour, the sky breaking into rays of oranges and reds, I could understand why. The island was beautiful, with lush mountainous forests filling its interior, alongside soft, yellow-sand beaches and farmland.

The best thing about not doing any research about a place before travelling to it is that you have no expectations. Yet I believe if I did have expectations of Namhae, my trip would have exceeded them.

Arthur had previously worked as a museum guide in Hong Kong, and I felt my 24-hour trip on the island was a tailor-made tour made to my liking.

A slower way to experience Namhae

We started the morning cycling through Arthur’s villages, past grandmothers and fathers tending to their small farms and gardens, coastlines, and over bridges. The air was heavy with sea salt and peace, leaving me feeling a sense of rejuvenation I haven’t felt in other places in Korea.

After a stop at a bakery for breakfast, we did a little driving tour of the island. We visited a handful of pristine beaches, with Korean families setting up little day tents to relax in and kids playing in the water. Spending the past few years in Korea, I feel like I rarely see kids playing in streams and water when I travel around the country. Perhaps it’s the time or place where I usually travel to, or simply my misfortune, but I felt like it was refreshing to see toddlers having a blast playing and not afraid to get dirty.

We also spent our time in German Village, a mountainous seaside village filled with German-inspired architecture. Established in 2001, the village was developed for Koreans who had worked in Germany, particularly as miners and nurses during the 1960s and 1970s, before returning home. Now, the place is a popular tourist hub where one can eat pretzels, admire the iconic buildings, and celebrate Oktoberfest.

Old industrial buildings find new life as art spaces

Yet my highlight of my Namhae trip was checking out industrial buildings-turned-art hubs. We visited Space Mijo, an old shipyard in a harbour which had been converted into an art exhibition hall, performance space, and cafe.

My favourite moment was visiting DolChangGo. After driving through villages and farmland and feeling like we were seemingly remote, we arrived at an old industrial warehouse turned into a trendy pottery studio and cafe, with a rooftop viewing deck. The ceramic pieces made in the studio were made from local clay and glazed with stunning ocean-foam patterns. I was thrilled that the pottery artist was kind enough to teach me his process.

After a trip with an abundance of experience, it comes as a surprise to me that Namhae isn’t a place often talked about by international travellers. The island had wilderness, art, surf beaches, and cafes with beautiful views. Arthur told me that even folk in Seoul do not know where Namhae is.

Namhae gets forgotten for a number of reasons. The island is overshadowed by the marketing of its neighbour Busan, and places like Seoul and Jeju. Even though you can reach the area by flying into nearby Sacheon Airport or taking a bus, you still need a car to get around the place, which is why it’s popular with local tourists.

Sleepier and more quaint than tourist hubs like Jeju, there are perhaps fewer mainstream tourist attractions on the island.

Yet if you’re looking for an authentic local experience, experiencing a fishing village and farm life in Namhae makes for a wonderful visit.

All photos are by and courtesy of the writer, Sofia Shamsunahar.