Walking with the Wind on Jeju Olle Route 20, Gimnyeong to Hado

Jeju Olle Route 20 starts at Gimnyeong West Port and follows the coast through Seongsegi beach, Woljeong, Haengwon, Handong and Pyeongdae to finish at the Haenyeo Museum in Sehwa. Officially 17.4 km, 5 to 6 hours, medium difficulty (as of October 2026). There is not a single volcanic cone, but almost all of it is paved road beside the sea, so the scenery is easy and the feet get tired. The wind turbines over the Haengwon fields, said to be the first place on Jeju to meet the wind, are the landmark of this route, and Route 21 continues from the finish.

Waypoints and distances

• Gimnyeong West Port (0 km) — Start stamp. A small harbour with a haenyeo changing hut and toilets. Pass the old stone lighthouse and head for the beach.
• Gimnyeong Seongsegi Beach (1.6 km) — Fine white sand and an even seabed. "Taeyeok" is Jeju dialect for turf, and the Seongsegi turf path that follows is an earth track across grass.
• Gimnyeong sea wall (3 km) — A coastal rampart begun in 1270 against the Sambyeolcho rebels and repaired into the Joseon era, Jeju Monument No. 49; the Gimnyeong section was restored recently.
• Woljeong-ri Beach (6.9 km) — Reached by walking under the wind turbines; the surfers' beach, with cafes for a rest. Dangcheomul lava cave inland is Natural Monument No. 384 but has no entrance.
• Haengwon Port, Gwanghaegun memorial (8.3 km) — Middle stamp. The exiled king Gwanghaegun landed here in 1637; the marker stone was set in 2006. Haengwon is windy, so hold on to your hat in winter.
• Jwaga beacon (11 km) — A signal beacon on the Handong shore belonging to Byeolbang fortress, with stonework 1.8 to 2.2 m high surviving, a Jeju monument.
• Pyeongdae Beach (14.5 km) — Old name "Bengdui"; the village youth club rents tubes in summer.
• Sehwa market and beach (about 16 km) — The Bengdui lane brings you into Sehwa.
• Haenyeo Museum (17.4 km) — Finish stamp.

Stamps, information centres and passports

Route 20 has no official information centre. Buy a passport at the Route 1 centre by Malmi Oreum, at the Jeju Olle Traveller Centre in Seogwipo, or as a mobile passport in the Olle Pass app; the paper and mobile versions are not linked. The three stamps are at Gimnyeong West Port, the Gwanghaegun memorial at Haengwon Port and outside the Haenyeo Museum. From 2026 the 100 km completion certificate is issued at every official centre except the airport desk (as of October 2026). The Jeju Olle call centre is 064-762-2190.

Wind, shade, toilets and lunch

Shade is limited to a few pines near the Jwaga beacon, so a hat and sunscreen are essential, and the wind is strong in every season. In winter's north-westerlies the forward direction from Gimnyeong to Hado keeps the wind behind you (not official advice). Toilets are at Gimnyeong beach, the Seongsegi turf path entrance, the sewage plant, Woljeong beach, the Gyeryong-dong hall, the end of the Bengdui lane, Sehwa market and beach, and the museum. Convenience stores are in Handong, Pyeongdae and Sehwa; the 6.9 km from Gimnyeong to Woljeong has few shops, so fill your bottle before you start. Lunch is easiest on the Woljeong coast road or in Sehwa. Jeju Olle asks walkers to stop by 18:00 in summer and 17:00 in winter.

Sehwa market and walking in reverse

The Sehwa five-day market opens on the 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th and 30th of each month. It descends from a market founded in 1912 at Byeolbang fortress in Hado, opens around 8:00 and winds down in the afternoon (stalls vary), so timing your walk to a market day gives you lunch and snacks just before the finish. The route can be walked either way, and passing three of the seven required waypoints counts as completion. If the buses from Seongsan do not line up, many people start at Sehwa, finish at Gimnyeong and ride the 101 express back.

Getting there and back

From the house it is about 20 km and 30 minutes by car to Gimnyeong West Port. By bus, take the 101 express from the Goseong transfer stop to the Gimnyeong transfer stop (Gimnyeong Elementary School) and walk about 11 minutes to the port, or ride the 201 towards Jeju City from Onpyeong to the same stop. The 201 makes many stops, so allow about an hour (as of October 2026; check times on Kakao Map). To return, walk from the museum to the Sehwa transfer stop and take the 201 bound for Seongsan Ilchulbong or the 101 express. The Gujwa call taxi is 064-784-5500. The Gimnyeong end is covered in the Manjanggul and Gimnyeong guide and the Sehwa end in the Haenyeo Museum and Sehwa.