The Most Touristy Thing In Wando Is A Tower
Wando, Korea might not be the first destination that comes to mind when you think of traveling in Korea. Tucked away in the southern part of the country, this island is most visited by travelers that are taking the ferry from the southern part of mainland Korea to Jeju Island. That’s exactly why we were visiting, but wow is the food good and the ocean glistening here.
We’ll be through a few times, so for our first trip through, we stopped at what seems to be the most touristy thing there—the Wando Tower (완도타워). I thought we’d just pop in to this observatory and pop out, but boy was I wrong. It’s a great spot and if you have time for only one thing to do in Wando before your ferry, make it this!
What to know about the most popular tourist spot in Wando:
(This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase after clicking at no cost to you. Thank you for your support.)
Basic Info
Address: 330 Jangbogo-daero, Wando-gun, Jeollanam-do (전라남도 완도군 완도읍 장보고대로 330)
Hours: Every day: May – September: 9:00am~ 10:00pm; October – April: 9:00am ~ 9:00pm
Admission: Adults: W2,000; Children: W1,000
- Monorail: Adults: W6,000; Students: W4,000
- Zipline: W18,000
What To Know About Wando
“Wan” means “to smile broadly,” and “do” means “island” in Korean—a fitting name for a place known for its friendly locals and relaxing atmosphere. It’s also considered a good spot for visitors interested in health and wellness.
Aside from the wellness and smiles, Wando is THE place to have all of the abalone you can fit in your belly. 80% of the abalone in Korea comes from Wando so you can try everything from abalone sashimi to abalone bread in Wando.
Wando Tower (완도타워)
Standing at about 51 meters high, the observation platform offers panoramic sights of Wando’s downtown area and the surrounding scattered offshore islands. On a clear day, you might even catch a glimpse of Jeju Island, roughly 95 kilometers away.
Take The Monorail
The tower seems to be the most touristy thing in the area and so that is where we headed first. You can opt to hike up, but in the thick of the humid summer, we opted for the monorail.
Not busy at all when we went, the operator took us up as soon as we arrived and told us when we were ready to go back down to call her so she could come back up again to retrieve us.
The trip is a leisurely pace giving you enough time to take pictures out of the windows as you ascend the hillside.
Meander Through the Gardens
After stepping off of the Monorail, you’ll find a little snack and drink shop and then a rose garden and trees with benches, and various meandering paths that lead up to the observatory. Take your time on the wooden observation decks if it isn’t too hot.
If you take the wooden path after the rose garden that slopes up, you’ll come to an elevator up to the observatory main door, which is easier than the steps if you go the other direction.
Media Art & Fun
After paying the entrance fee, you could head straight to the elevator and right up to the observatory, but don’t! If you have kids, they’ll really enjoy the first floor of rooms that feature media art and experiences.
Starting from the left, you can head into a space which offers an aerial experience. Pretend to fly your own airplane over the nearby islands. Our daughter loved it and since we were the only ones there, she did it a few times.
That room leads into another more fishy space. Create your own fish on a screen and then upload it to the aquarium on the wall before you. Learn about the various sea creatures in the area while in this room as well.
The last room with media art has fun artwork that makes you feel like you’re walking over a ravine on a bridge. Listen to the sounds of the water rushing below.
Find The Observatory
Finally, you’re read to head to the elevator to get up to the observatory and take in the views. Walk around seeing all that you can see, and then you can sit and enjoy a snack and drink from the cafe up here. FYI, if you want to try one of the popular abalone bread items, you can have them here!
Take the Zipline Back To The Monorail Station
I didn’t take any pictures of me or my daughter on the zipline, though we did ride it and enjoy the ride. Was definitely in the moment. To get back down from the observatory to the Monorail station, it’s a great option for some high-flying fun.
Once back at the monorail platform, wait for it to come back up to get your ride down, or call like we did. If you can’t speak Korean, the snack shop staff can also assist you.
We had a great time in Wando and the Wando Tower was more than I even realized. If you’re looking for something to do with your kids in Wando and want a good tourist stop, this is a good place to head that can take a couple of hours. Get ready to enjoy those views!
Did you like this post? Pin IT!
