Hyangilam Temple [향일암] is a seaside temple on the island of Dolsando [돌산도], south of the city of Yeosu [여수] in the province of Jeollanam-do, South Korea. This temple is a regional must see attraction, and has gained national attention with it’s inclusion on the Korea National Park Services’ Marine National Park Stamp Tour program, as one of the best sites to see in Dadohaehaesang Marine National Park [다도해해상국립공원]. And importantly, it’s a location you can visit completely by public transportation and it has an amazing short hike with gorgeous views!
Hyangilam is one of Korea’s four major Gwaneum Prayer Centers, alongside Naksansa Temple (near Seoraksan National Park), Boriam Temple in Namhae, and Bomunam Hermitage on Ganghwa Island (near Incheon). It is renowned for offering stunning open-ocean views where visitors can witness both the sunrise and sunset.
Hyangilam Temple has a complex layout designed around the various rock slabs that make up this island. This area prohibits recreation drone use, but news and government organizations have captured this temple from a bird eyes view. These images really give a feeling for how ‘on-the-edge’ this temples feels.
The temple complex is distinctive among ocean-side Korean temples, as the rocks are seamlessly integrated into its construction and layout.
This is one of those locations that the pictures don’t really do it justice, as it’s more of an experience.
Transportation & Lodging
Hyangilam Temple is accessible by car, taxi, or bus.
Bus number 111, operating from 5:15am to 8pm, connects downtown Yeosu with Hyangilam Temple and departs roughly every hour and a half. The journey takes about an hour by bus or 35 minutes by car. A taxi ride from Yeosu costs around 28,000 won. If you choose to drive, parking is free but tends to fill up quickly, so arriving before 11am is recommended.
Hyangiram Public Parking Lot 전남 여수시 돌산읍 향일암로 70-4 https://naver.me/FSwupH7w
As a former Suncheon resident which is the town directly above Yeosu, I had the chance to explore Yeosu a couple of times. I recommend staying in the area directly north of Dolsan Island, which is the area where cable car is and is near to Odongdo Island walk
A place I have personally stayed was the DarakHyu Yeosu Capsule Hotel by WALKERHILLMy. The appeal to this spot is that it’s very close to the train station, making it very easy to navigate to. It has ocean views and on the water. Very foreigner friendly and kind staff helping me with my stay here. I personally enjoyed my multiple night stay here.
Located on Dolsan Island, but still in my recommended area is the Lium Spa Hostel (weird name considering it’s a hotel). While the other two hotels look out onto the open ocean, this one instead focuses on the bay with views of the beautifully lit of bridge, cable car and boats. ($60-110 per night). A similar place to stay to this one, but across the bay is Suite Stay Yeosu.
One of nicest hotel in Yeosu in this area is the Sono Calm Yeosu. This hotel is a stand out with its unobstructed views which sits practically on the pier while all the other hotels are set back. This is my dream hotel for visiting Yeosu!
Hiking to Geumosan [금오산] or Just for Views
Departing from Hyangilam Temple there are two great hiking options to chose from – hiking there and back to Geumosan or just hiking to the Geumosan observatory point.
Option 1: Hiking to the peak of Geumosan
Geumosan is 1.7km from the temple and 1.4km or 1.7km (depending on your end point) back to the same area – making the hike 3.1km to 3.4km long. Its worth noting that you can’t park very close to the temple itself, so taking the shorter and easy course back (the one labelled 임포), which ends outside the temple complex don’t drastically influence your day or make navigating difficult.
Overall once you have gotten past the advanced section leading to the scene point, the trail is not particularly difficult. However, in the summer the heat and direct sunlight can be intense so pack a hat and plenty of water!
The photo of the map above was taken from the other end of this patch of the park, where there is another parking lot. I completed the full hike (not as a there and back), but I don’t recommend it. This is because there aren’t really any views prior to the descent after the peak, and it would make transportation difficult (as you would need to get back to your car).
Between the observation point and the peak there are a number of complete ocean view points, such as the one below in this video. I was luck to be able to see these views on a perfectly clear day, but even at the end of May this was a HOT hike!
Option 2: Hiking to the Observation Point
The observation point can be reached after just 400 meters, however its an extremely steep 400 meters, though well built with staircases and stone steps. So the observation hike can just be 800 meters, or a small loop can be made and that course is 1.3km.
This section will likewise been seen on a there and back to Geumosan hike.
This trail is not recommended for those afraid of heights, but it’s an essential part of visiting the temple. Surprisingly, despite its beauty, the trail wasn’t very crowded compared to the dozens of visitors I saw just below at the temple.
Take your time and pace yourself; the ascent is steep with straight stairs and steps, making it a challenging 400 meters. However, on a clear day, the stunning views make the intense effort completely worthwhile!
Happy Trekking!
-Aurora
