The Udo Sora Festival: A Spring Seafood Party on the Island That Looks Like a Cow
Last Updated on March 4, 2026
If you’re coming to Jeju Island in the spring, let me put a fun event on your radar: The Udo Turban Shell Festival (우도소라축제), also called the Udo Sora Festival. I always recommend a daytrip to nearby Udo Island. Come to Jeju Island and then island hop to another island? Yes. Getting to Udo is super easy and going during this festival makes the visit even more fun.
The festival is one of those very Jeju events where fresh seafood, local pride, and a breezy island atmosphere all collide. Open to everyone and free to enter, you just need to get yourself onto the island and you will have a fantastic experience. We love finding townie events in Korea and this is a great one that isn’t overly commercialized but so full of local energy.
Get ready to visit Udo Island for their annual Turban Shell Festival:
- Quick Basics: What is Udo Island?
- What are “Sora” or Turban Shells?
- What To Know About the Udo Sora Festival
- How to Get to Udo Island
- The Festival Highlights
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Quick Basics: What is Udo Island?
Udo Island (우도) is a small island off Jeju’s east coast that people say resembles a cow lying down (that’s where the name actually comes from). For centuries it was uninhabited, until a state farm was established in 1679, and today it’s known for its peanuts and marine products like turban shells, abalone, and sea cucumbers.
Udo is also Jeju’s largest offshore island, and it’s an easy day trip requiring a ferry ride that takes less than 15 minutes. During the festival period, you might consider staying the night though because the locals really throw the part after the last returning ferry departs.
Pro Tip: When you get to the island, make sure to rent the electric bicycles or scooters. The festival is going on all day at the port area, but you’ll have plenty of time whether for a daytrip or the weekend to explore and there’s a lot to see on Udo Island.
What are “Sora” or Turban Shells?
In Korea, sora (소라) usually refers to the horned turban snail, a spiral-shelled sea snail prized for its briny sweetness and chewy-bouncy texture. If you’ve never tried it, imagine something between clams and abalone in vibe. It’s often served grilled or sliced like sashimi with cho-gochujang, a sweet and spicy Korean sauce.
What To Know About the Udo Sora Festival
The Udo Turban Shell Festival is an annual spring festival centered around Udo’s famous turban shells, and it typically lines up with Jeju’s wider spring flower energy.
- When is it? It’s generally held in late April.
- Where is it held? The main festival events are held mainly near the Cheonjin Port plaza area.
- How much does it cost? There is no admission fee. Your main cost is simply the ferry ticket to get to Udo.
How to Get to Udo Island
To get to Udo Island, you need to take a ferry which you can get from one of two ports: either Seongsan Port or Jongdal Port. The ferries will drop you at one of two ferry ports on Udo Island: Haumokdong Port or Cheonjin Port. We departed from Seongsan Port and arrived at Cheonjin Port which is where the most frequent ferries are.
Things to remember about the ferries to/from Udo Island:
- Make sure you note the return times of ferries and don’t miss that last one. The ferries usually start around 8:00am give or take depending on the season and the last one returns around 5:00pm give or take a bit depending on the season.
- When you buy your ticket to go to Udo Island, make sure you check those return times. The ferry trip is short and takes just 15 minutes or so.
- The ports on Udo Island are quite close to each other, but one doesn’t run when the tide is low. When the tide is going out, you just go to the other one and you’ll be able to get on. Wonder how you’ll know? No one will be waiting at one port to depart.
Stay at Hundert Hills
The best hotel on Udo Island is Hundert Hills. It has a convenient location on the island and the rooms are spacious. We stayed in a suite with two rooms and a main area with a kitchenette which made for a great time on the island. It was very comfortable and the staff is very helpful.
The Festival Highlights
The Food
Obviously, the biggest highlight is the food. If that wasn’t obvious, it should be. Not only affordable and made with locally caught turban shells, it’s a great time to try them cooked in a variety of ways.
Saunter up to the grills and watch as the locals expertly grill the turban shells. Once completed, take them over to the tables where people will pull out the meat, cut it up, and get it ready for you, then you find a table and dig in as you watch the nearby performances.
Fun Fact: If you stay after the last ferry departs the island and most of the tourists have left, the food is FREE! We had no idea, but most tourists come for just the day and once they leave, the locals really get the party on, food is free, there is music and fun. Plan to stay the night on the island and you’ll have a blast.
Games, Experiences, and Shopping
Visit the tents set up to play games, do a little shopping to support the locals, and if you have kids, let them do some of the experiences like painting. There are also turban shell games like diving in pool to find the golden shell and other fun events. Make sure you check at information tent to get the schedule and know where you should be and when.
Traditional Performances and Songs
Throughout the two-day event there are performances both traditional and modern from local artists, troupes representing the local haenyeo women divers, and bands. Check the schedule, plan to see a few performances in between exploring the rest of the island. The highlight for many was this group of women who sang traditional songs.
Local’s Tip: You can learn more about the local haenyeo, or female free divers who catch seafood at the Jeju Haenyeo Museum on Jeju Island. The haenyeo culture of Jeju was inscribed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, so it’s definitely worth taking the time to learn about.
A Night Of Fun
When we visited the information booth after first arriving, they were very keen to tell us about how the night is a must-see. We got there early in the day, but they told us to definitely come back at night if we were staying on the island, luckily we were.
Even if you don’t go to the party, you’ll hear it. The locals really party hard late into the night on Saturday. Jeju Island is fun, but Udo definitely has a more island in the middle of the ocean far away sort of vibe, especially at night… and it’s not even that far away.
Spring in Jeju is already beautiful, but adding a super local event just gives you another reason to explore beyond the obvious. The Udo Sora Festival is not just about eating seafood, it’s about supporting local fishermen, experiencing the local community, and seeing Jeju culture in action.
Get ready to island hop, eat well, and wander slowly. That’s how Jeju is meant to be experienced.
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