Yangjiam lighthouse 양지암등대

? meters

Approximately 6km return

📍trailhead

I first visited Yangjiam Lighthouse with Andrew in January 2018. I haven’t been back because we took a rather boring road to get there, but lo and behold, I found out there is a proper trail to reach the lighthouse, complete with a nice look-off along the way.

I started out at Neungpo Yangjiam Rose Park, which is kind of across the street for the trailhead to Mangsan (not the main one). From here, just follow the little stone road heading towards the Yangjiam Sculpture Park. Before you know it, you’ll reach the first wooden platform look-off coupled with a children’s play area.

Keep traveling along this path and you will gradually segue into the Sculpture Park. The Sculpture Park will be on your left. You can walk through it to check out the sculptures or just continue past. Walking through here you’ll be able to see the Neungpo Fire Beacon on the small mountain on the other side of the town.

Once through the Sculpture Park, stick to the right and follow the roadway at the top of the hill. You’ll see another wooden gazebo overlooking the ocean and then start to walk back down.

You’ll pass a sign post on the right that gives a good overview of the trail you’ll be taking. Soon enough, the road will begin to curve to the left and you’ll see a trail going up into the woods on the right. Follow the trail and you’ll quickly arrive at another fork. Take the trail up and to the left which heads towards 전망대 (look-off). You’ll return on the other trail you see to the right.

From here it’s quite easy to follow. You’ll pass a rest area with wooden platforms and have to go around a concrete building. Just keep following the signs headed towards 전망대.

It’s a nice trail through the woods. After the rest area you’ll pass one more wooden platform up the hill before you emerge at 전망대, the wooden gazebo overlooking the ocean. This would be a perfect spot for a picnic.

The gazebo overlooks the ocean on the right, but it was the view to the left that was stunning. I could see the shipyards in Okpo peeking out behind the trees, all along the coast leading to the Geoga Bridges heading into Busan. Seeing the coast from this angle really makes you realize how small the island actually is. I tried to take a panoramic photo but it was just too big of a view that I can’t do it justice. So you’ll have to go here to check it out for yourself!

There will be another area along the way with an “emergency shelter”. It’s just a floor-less wooden gazebo. Keep going straight through this area, but take note of the trail off to the right since this is where you can turn off to take an alternate route back.

There’s gonna be one more great look-off along the way, a wooden platform overlooking the ocean. There are no views looking back towards the other side of the island this time, but it’s still a great spot to stop for some pictures or to relax.

A little further along the trail, you’ll start to climb down a bit, eventually joining up with the roadway that leads to the lighthouse. Turn right onto the roadway and keep heading for the ocean. You’ll have to walk through a large fenced area as this leads to a military base, but it should be open and you are free to enter on foot.

Soon, you will see a little bench and a trail sign on the left hand side, you have to follow this route to reach the lighthouse as it bypasses the military base.

This will be your last small climbs down then back up again as you near the lighthouse. There is a great little walkway behind the lighthouse that leads to the ocean for a great view.

On your way back, you can simply:

• return the way you came.

• follow the road back which can take you into Neungpo or will eventually meet back up with the original fork where you first entered the woods.

• OR do as I did, and check out the other trail from the “Emergency Shelter” area.

For option 3, hang a left at the floorless gazebo and follow the trail. There weren’t any special views along here but it was lovely to stroll along with the sun shining through the trees and get a few more minutes of time spent in nature.