Travel Guide
Quiet farmland, low hills and villages shaped by generations of island life. Hauido is best known as the birthplace of former President Kim Dae-jung, but its deeper story also includes farmers’ resistance, traditional learning and a landscape that feels surprisingly rural for an island.
An island of history,
fields and quiet villages
Hauido Island lies in Sinan County off Korea’s southwest coast. Unlike many islands known mainly for cliffs or beaches, Hauido is characterized by broad fields, low hills and farming villages spread across the landscape.
The island is closely associated with Kim Dae-jung, South Korea’s 15th president and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate. His restored birthplace in Hugwang-ri is one of Hauido’s most important visitor sites and a major reason many travelers come to the island.
Hauido also has a long history of resistance over land rights. The Hauido Three-Island Farmers’ Movement Memorial preserves the story of local farmers who fought over land and tenancy rights across generations. Together with Deokbong Lecture Hall and the island’s open-air sculpture museum, these sites make Hauido a particularly meaningful destination for travelers interested in Korean history and culture.
How to Get to
Hauido Island
Hauido Island is reached by passenger ferry from the Mokpo area. Sailing schedules may change with season and marine conditions, so check the latest information for your travel date.
Travel to Mokpo
Begin in Mokpo, one of the main passenger ferry gateways for the islands of Sinan County.
Go to the Ferry Terminal
Head to the appropriate passenger ferry terminal and confirm the departure point for Hauido. Arrive early enough to complete boarding procedures comfortably.
Take the Ferry to Hauido
Board the ferry serving Hauido. Depending on the sailing, the vessel may call at other islands, so check the current route before departure.
Mokpo → Passenger Ferry Terminal → Ferry → Hauido → Kim Dae-jung Birthplace → Historical Sites
Plan the island around your return ferry
Hauido can be visited as a day trip, but its attractions are spread across the island. Check the return sailing first and leave enough time to get back to the ferry landing.
Best Places to Visit
on Hauido
Hauido’s highlights are closely tied to modern Korean history, local resistance and the everyday landscape of a farming island.
Kim Dae-jung Birthplace
Former President Kim Dae-jung was born in Hugwang-ri on Hauido. His birthplace has been restored as a traditional thatched-roof house, with displays and memorial elements introducing his life and legacy.
View on Google Maps →Hauido Three-Island Farmers’ Movement Memorial
This memorial preserves the history of the long struggle over land rights involving farmers from Hauido, Sangtaedo and Hataedo. The story stretches from the Joseon era into the Japanese colonial period.
View on Google Maps →Hauido Land Rights Monument
The monument commemorates the islanders’ long history of defending their land and livelihood. It adds important context to Hauido’s identity beyond its peaceful rural scenery.
View on Google Maps →Deokbong Lecture Hall
Deokbong Lecture Hall is connected with the scholar Kim Ryeon, who collected a large number of classical books and taught students on Hauido. The site reflects the island’s lesser-known tradition of learning and scholarship.
View on Google Maps →Hauido Open-Air Sculpture Museum
Sculptures are placed along the island road, turning parts of Hauido into an open-air exhibition space. Many works are inspired by peace, democracy and human dignity.
View on Google Maps →Fields & Village Roads
One of Hauido’s most distinctive sights is the broad farmland around its villages. Unlike a typical rocky island, parts of Hauido feel almost like a quiet countryside landscape surrounded by sea.
View on Google Maps →
Hauido
Recommended Course
Hauido is best explored by combining its major historical sites with slow drives or walks through the island’s fields and villages.
A good first route is Ferry Landing → Kim Dae-jung Birthplace → Farmers’ Movement Memorial → Deokbong Lecture Hall → Village Roads → Ferry Landing. If you stay overnight, add more time for the open-air sculpture route.
Getting Around
Hauido
Hauido’s main attractions are spread across the island, so it is useful to plan transportation before arriving.
Vehicle
A vehicle is convenient for visiting several historical sites in one day because Hauido’s attractions are not concentrated in a single village.
If taking a vehicle on a ferry, check reservation, vehicle boarding and fare conditions for your sailing in advance.
Walking
Walking works best for individual villages, memorial sites and shorter sections of the island road.
Distances between attractions can be longer than they appear, so avoid planning the entire island as one continuous walk unless you have enough time.
Passenger Ferry
Ferry access from the mainland determines the rhythm of a Hauido day trip.
Confirm both outbound and return sailings before planning your sightseeing route.
Is Hauido
Right for You?
Hauido is especially rewarding for travelers interested in history, quiet rural landscapes and places with a strong local story.
Visit sites connected with Kim Dae-jung and the island’s long land-rights movement.
Deokbong Lecture Hall and the open-air sculpture museum reveal different layers of Hauido’s cultural identity.
Broad fields and quiet villages give Hauido a peaceful, rural atmosphere.
Hauido is a place where island scenery and modern Korean history are closely connected.
What to Check Before
Visiting Hauido
Hauido is relatively spread out, so ferry timing and transportation are more important here than on a compact walking island.
Confirm the latest Hauido ferry schedule for your travel date.
Check weather and marine conditions before departure.
Plan your transportation around the island before arriving.
If taking a vehicle, confirm vehicle boarding conditions for the ferry.
Bring water and essential supplies for a full day of sightseeing.
Return to the landing well before your scheduled ferry.
Cross the sea to an island
where Korean history still feels close.
Hauido is more than a scenic island. Visit the birthplace of Kim Dae-jung, learn about the farmers’ land-rights movement and travel slowly through villages and fields shaped by generations of island life.
Explore more
Korean islands
If Hauido is only the beginning of your island journey, continue with more English island guides from SEOMITTA. Compare different coastlines, travel styles and ferry-access islands before choosing your next destination.
An island where quiet fields
hold powerful stories
Hauido may look peaceful today, with its broad fields, low hills and small villages, but the island carries a remarkable history of resistance, learning and democracy.
Visit Kim Dae-jung’s restored birthplace, explore the story of the farmers’ movement, and continue along the island roads where sculptures and rural scenery appear between the villages.
A Hauido Island trip is less about dramatic sightseeing and more about understanding a place. Give yourself enough time to travel slowly and notice how history, landscape and everyday island life come together here.