South Korea
Tongyeong
A harbour choked with squid boats beneath a cable car climbing into coastal clouds.
The harbour bristles with squid boat masts, their decks stacked with drying racks and banks of night-fishing lights. Above, a cable car slides silently across 1.9 kilometres of open sea toward a summit that dissolves into the Hallyeo archipelago.
Tongyeong occupies a commanding position on Korea's southern coast, historically significant as the headquarters of Admiral Yi Sun-sin's 16th-century naval campaigns against Japan. The harbour remains a working fishing port — one of Korea's largest squid fleets operates from its docks. Chungmu gimbap, named after Admiral Yi's posthumous title, originated here: plain unseasoned rice rolls served with aggressively spicy squid and radish, designed to be eaten quickly by sailors. The Hallyeohaesang cable car — crossing 1.9km of open water to Mireuksan's 461m summit — offers views across hundreds of islands scattered through the strait. The Tongyeong International Music Festival, held annually since 2002, adds an unexpected cultural layer to a port town that smells primarily of brine and engine oil.
Couple
The cable car crossing at sunset, harbour-front seafood dinners, and island-hopping day trips make this one of the south coast's most romantic ports.
Friends
Fresh squid at the harbour, soju on the Mireuksan summit, and the naval history create a day that mixes adventure with indulgence.
- Yi Sun-sin's 16th-century naval headquarters commands the harbour approach
- Hallyeohaesang cable car crosses 1.9km of open sea to Mireuksan summit
- Chungmu gimbap originated here — named after Admiral Yi's posthumous title
- The harbour supports one of Korea's largest active squid fishing fleets
Chungmu gimbap — unseasoned rice rolls eaten with aggressively spicy squid and radish.
Honey bread filled with red bean paste, sticky and heavy in the hand.
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