Jangsaengpo Whale Culture Village

Jangsaengpo was the centre of Korean whaling until commercial whaling ended under the international moratorium in 1986, and the district has been redeveloped around that history rather than away from it. There is a whale museum with skeletons, harpoons, boat equipment and an account of the industry; a life science hall with a live-animal facility, which is the part that draws criticism from conservation groups and which visitors should know about before buying a ticket; a recreated 1960s-70s whaling village of shops and houses; a monorail; and boat trips into the bay that sometimes encounter dolphins and, much less often, whales. The Bangudae petroglyphs upriver, showing organised whaling several thousand years ago, connect to the same story and are the reason Ulsan frames itself as a whale city. Sightings on the boat trips are not guaranteed and frequently do not happen.

What you actually see

• The whale museum - skeletons, harpoons and the industry's record.
• The recreated village - the whaling port as it was in the 1960s and 70s.
• The bay boat trips - dolphin sightings sometimes, whales rarely.
• The link to Bangudae - prehistoric whaling upriver.

When to go

April to June and September to November. Boat trips run seasonally and are weather-dependent. Closed some Mondays.

Honest expectations

The live-animal facility keeps cetaceans in captivity, which many visitors object to - it is a separate ticket and can be skipped. Boat sightings are a matter of luck and often come to nothing. Facilities are ticketed individually and add up.

Nearby

The Bangudae petroglyphs are upriver; Taehwagang bamboo grove is in the city.