Sanbangsan & Yongmeori Coast

Bernard Gagnon · CC0

A lava dome standing like a stone bell, above a shore of layered rock folded like dragon scales.

Sanbangsan has no crater — it is a plug of stiff lava that pushed up and set where it stood, a bell nearly four hundred metres high standing alone in the fields. Legend says it is the summit of Hallasan, thrown here by an angry god. Halfway up is a cave holding a small temple that looks straight out to sea. Below the mountain is the Yongmeori coast — 'dragon's head' — where sedimentary rock has been cut by wind and waves into curving layers, walkable at low tide. Here too is a replica of the ship of Hendrick Hamel, the Dutchman wrecked on Jeju in 1653 who later wrote the first account of Korea for European readers.

Visitor information

When is the best time to visit Sanbangsan & Yongmeori Coast?

March (rapeseed) and April–June, September–November

How much does it cost to visit Sanbangsan & Yongmeori Coast?

Yongmeori coast 2,000 KRW (1,000 teens and children); the cave temple 1,000 KRW. Free under 6 and over 65

How long do you need at Sanbangsan & Yongmeori Coast?

2–3 hours

What are the opening hours of Sanbangsan & Yongmeori Coast?

09:00–18:00

Did you know

Sanbangsan is about 395m high and is a lava dome, with no crater.
The Sanbanggulsa cave halfway up holds a temple facing the sea.
The Yongmeori shore is only accessible at low tide in calm weather.
A museum and replica ship nearby commemorate Hendrick Hamel, wrecked here in 1653.

Travel tips

Check the tide table: Yongmeori closes at high water or in heavy swell.
The cave temple is about 150 fairly steep stone steps up.
Come in March for the rapeseed fields around the mountain.

Source: https://theshinvia.com/yongmeori-coast-jeju/

Updated: 2026-08-04