Ganghwa travel info

Ganghwa is the island where the Goryeo court moved its whole capital in 1232 to escape the Mongols. A narrow, muddy tidal channel separated it from the mainland, and cavalry could not simply ride across. For about forty years this was the seat of the kingdom. Today a palace site still sits on a hill at the edge of town, and Joseon-era coastal forts and walls ring the shore. The altar on top of Mount Mani and the dolmens at Bugeun-ri are far older still.

The island is best taken slowly. A dolmen stands in the middle of a field, and turnips grow in roadside plots every autumn. You can walk the ginkgo path at Jeondeungsa Temple, then head to the Dongmak tidal flat or the Seokmodo shore for a sunset over the Yellow Sea. Lunch often means jeotguk-galbi, pork ribs in a shrimp-salt broth, or a plate of seasoned raw herring.

One express bus gets you here from Seoul, though it takes a while. Local buses from Ganghwa-eup run at wide intervals, so pick your sights before you set out. With a car, the whole island fits into a single day.

From Seoul (BUS)

From Incheon and Gimpo (INC)