Explore the fringes of Korea, find hidden gems in Haenam

Haenam in Jeollanam-do is located between Jindo and Mokpo, at the edge of southwest Korea. Also known as a place where Ttangkkeut Village meaning “village at the end of the land,” is located, Haenam is a perfect vacation spot for those seeking real seclusion and relaxation. Even though it is tucked away in the corner of the country, visitors might be surprised by how big of an area Haenam is as it is elongated from north to south, taking over an hour to travel from top to bottom. With mild temperature throughout the year and low wind levels even by the seaside, Haenam is an ideal place to find peace and reenergize. Rest at the newly opened 4-star ocean view resort, explore a mountain that turned into a garden, go for a round of golf, and glide across the ocean in a marine cable car as we search for hidden gems in upper section of Haenam, the Usuyeong Area.

Getting to Haenam is not an easy journey so finding an accommodation to fully relax after a long trip is a must. Haenam126, the first 4-star resort in Haenam constructed by Korea Tourism Organization is an easy choice to make when choosing where to stay. The resort got its name by combining the city name with 126, the east longitude in the map. Freshly opened on November 1, 2024, the resort offers 120 rooms, all with ocean view, ranging from Standard to Suite rooms for 2 to 4 people. The rooms are equipped with 55-inch TV and Netflix for those who don’t want to leave the room, but you won’t be able help yourself but to go out when you see that ocean view from the room window. All rooms are non-smoking, so visitors do not have to worry about any foul smell in the room.

Facilities include an infinity pool overlooking the ocean, a perfect spot to see beautiful sunset while swimming; a sauna for relaxing after a day of traveling; a fitness center to keep your exercise routine; a convenience store for snacks and late-night grub; a coin laundry; a café with an ocean view; a restaurant that offers meals from breakfast to dinner; seminar rooms; a banquet hall; a coastal trail, and more facilities planned to be added soon.

The resort is also the first barrier-free resort in Korea with no steps, making it wheelchair, stroller-friendly. The building was designed to be a modern reinterpretation of Nogudang House of the Haenam Yun Seon-do, a famous poet and politician during the Joseon dynasty. The architectural design made the most of combining the building with natural environment as well as adding two gardens and adding edges to keep with traditional Korean hanok-style look. Modern design of the exposed concrete walls keep the building simple, and large windows along the hallway make the area less confined.

The best part of the resort has to be the ocean view that can be seen from various parts of the resort including large windows in the guestrooms, outdoor terrace, restaurant, café, swimming pool and more. No wonder the resort is referred by guests as “noeul matjip,” meaning “an excellent sunset spot” in Korean. The sunset and its golden glow falling upon the nearby islands create a picturesque scene, resulting in beautiful photo results even in cloudy weather.