Meet the Spectacular Murmuration of Baikal Teals

The Geumgang River, which originates at Tteunbongsaem Spring, meets the sea at the Geumgang Estuary Bank, straddling the border between Gunsan and Seocheon. The waters off the Geumgang Estuary are Gibeolpo, where Tang naval forces invaded at the fall of Baekje, and also the site where Choe Museon, using Korea's first cannons, annihilated Japanese pirate forces at the end of Goryeo. The Geumgang Estuary is a place steeped in history, and in winter it becomes a migratory bird sanctuary where you can witness the dazzling murmuration of Baikal teals.

Along the way

1. 1
   Jinpo Ocean Theme Park

   진포해양테마공원

   Jinpo Ocean Theme Park opened in 2008 as a maritime park commemorating the Battle of Jinpo, in which General Choe Museon of late Goryeo built cannons and defeated some 500 Japanese pirate ships. Set against the vast sea bordering the harbor, it displays 16 units across 13 types of retired military equipment. Inside the Wibongham (a decommissioned naval vessel), an exhibition hall showcases a model of the Battle of Jinpo, weapons used at the time, the story of the cannons built by General Choe Museon, and a hands-on experience of life aboard a naval vessel.MoreLess

   

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2. 2

   Saemangeum Excursion Boat

   새만금유람선

   The Saemangeum Excursion Boat is located at Yamido Plaza on the Saemangeum Seawall, envisioned as a hub for tourism and leisure. Linked to the world's longest seawall at 33km, along with an industrial zone and tourist zone, the area offers maritime tourism and cultural experience courses connecting some 60 inhabited and uninhabited islands, including Seonyudo, Munyeodo, and Bangchukdo. For visitors to Saemangeum, the boat offers a closer view of the stunning scenery arranged in a circular route, and on the course past its striking rock formations, there's time for photos to capture beautiful memories.MoreLess

   

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3. 3

   Lunch (Bieung Hoetjip, Saemangeum Hoetjip)

   점심식사(비응횟집, 새만금횟집)

   [Bieung Hoetjip] Located at Bieung Port, the starting point of the Saemangeum Seawall, this raw fish restaurant has a 10-year tradition of serving only wild-caught fish. Its owner also runs a wholesale business at the Bieung fish market of the Gunsan Fisheries Cooperative. Order a stew such as rockfish stew here, and wild-caught raw fish sashimi comes as a complimentary side. [Saemangeum Hoetjip] Featured as a local favorite on SBS's 'Morning Wide' and KBS's '6 O'Clock My Hometown.' Saemangeum Hoetjip catches its own black porgy directly from nearby waters to make its sashimi. Pickup shuttles run to downtown Gunsan, Seocheon, and Iksan.MoreLess

   

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4. 4

   Jinpo Poetry Park

   진포시비공원

   Jinpo Poetry Park sits beside the coastal road along the Geumgang Estuary in Naeheung-dong, about a 10-minute walk down the riverside path from the Chae Man-sik Literature Museum. The park displays 14 celebrated Korean poems — including Yun Dong-ju's 'Prologue,' Ko Un's 'Song Island,' and Yi Yuk-sa's 'Green Grapes' — along with 6 foreign poems by Tagore, Rilke, and others, all engraved on 20 granite stones standing 2 to 2.5 meters tall. It's a lovely place to savor poetry while slowly taking in the scenery of the lower Geumgang River.MoreLess

   

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5. 5

   Lunch (Bieung Hoetjip, Saemangeum Hoetjip)

   점심식사(비응횟집, 새만금횟집)

   [Bieung Hoetjip] Located at Bieung Port, the starting point of the Saemangeum Seawall, this raw fish restaurant has a 10-year tradition of serving only wild-caught fish. Its owner also runs a wholesale business at the Bieung fish market of the Gunsan Fisheries Cooperative. Order a stew such as rockfish stew here, and wild-caught raw fish sashimi comes as a complimentary side. [Saemangeum Hoetjip] Featured as a local favorite on SBS's 'Morning Wide' and KBS's '6 O'Clock My Hometown.' Saemangeum Hoetjip catches its own black porgy directly from nearby waters to make its sashimi. Pickup shuttles run to downtown Gunsan, Seocheon, and Iksan.MoreLess

   

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6. 6

   Jinpo Poetry Park

   진포시비공원

   Jinpo Poetry Park sits beside the coastal road along the Geumgang Estuary in Naeheung-dong, about a 10-minute walk down the riverside path from the Chae Man-sik Literature Museum. The park displays 14 celebrated Korean poems — including Yun Dong-ju's 'Prologue,' Ko Un's 'Song Island,' and Yi Yuk-sa's 'Green Grapes' — along with 6 foreign poems by Tagore, Rilke, and others, all engraved on 20 granite stones standing 2 to 2.5 meters tall. It's a lovely place to savor poetry while slowly taking in the scenery of the lower Geumgang River.MoreLess

   

   ReviewsSaveDirections