Port Guide | South Korea | Dive Deep

Yeosu

Alexis Tonken | Editor

Published on 2025-01-14

You're cruising into Yeosu, South Korea-and let's face it, after days at sea aboard your luxurious floating apartment, even endless champagne and shuffleboard tournaments can start feeling a bit Groundhog Day. So here's the good news: Yeosu isn't just another pretty Korean port town (although its rugged coastline, gleaming Expo center, and Insta-worthy islands certainly don't hurt). This once-sleepy fishing outpost woke up with a splash for Expo 2012, but locals proudly remind you they've been kicking maritime ass since Admiral Yi Sun-sin-notorious naval badass and inventor of the legendary turtle ship-beat the stuffing out of invading fleets in the 16th century. Today, Yeosu's battles are mostly culinary; local chefs duke it out to present you with seafood so fresh, it'll spoil every half-hearted sushi roll you've ever eaten back home. So shake off that cruise-induced stupor, venture ashore, and dive headfirst into grilled eel at the fisheries market, hop a ferry to Odongdo Island to stretch your sea legs, or, better yet, treat yourself to a sunset stroll along Dolsan Bridge-Yeosu's neon answer to the Golden Gate (minus the fog and tech bros). Welcome to Yeosu, traveler-time to upgrade your wanderlust from generic to epic.