Bijindo Island, Island off the coast of Tongyeong, South Korea
Bijindo, also known as Bijin Island, is a small island off the coast of Tongyeong, in the south of South Korea. It consists of two parts connected by a natural sandbar, with a sandy beach running along its shore and a low hill at its center.
Bijindo was for a long time a remote fishing island, home to only a handful of families with little contact with the mainland. Ferry connections from Tongyeong brought it within reach of visitors over the past few decades, gradually turning it into a destination.
Bijindo is made up of two small islands joined by a narrow strip of sand, and this natural land bridge is a draw for visitors who want to see both shores side by side. Local life on the island is slow and simple, centered on a small village where a handful of families still live year-round.
A ferry from Tongyeong reaches the island in about 45 minutes and runs only three times a day, so checking the schedule before you go is helpful. In summer, arriving early at the terminal gives you a better chance of getting on board without a long wait.
From the top of the island's low hill, you can see both sides of the sandbar at the same time on a clear day, which reveals the dumbbell shape that gives Bijindo its name in some local descriptions. The name itself comes from a Korean word referring to a flying swallow, so the island carries two very different images depending on who you ask.
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