Jeongbang Waterfall

Jeongbang falls about twenty-three metres from the top of a sea cliff directly onto the rocks and into the water at Seogwipo, which is rare - most coastal waterfalls reach an estuary or a beach first, and a fall discharging straight into the sea is uncommon in Asia and is the reason this one is known. Reaching it means going down a long flight of steps cut into the cliff from the ticket gate, and then picking across boulders at the bottom, which is where the difficulty lies: the rocks are wet, uneven and slippery with spray, and it is not a place for unsteady footing or poor shoes. From the base you look up at the fall with the sea immediately behind you and the spray blowing across. There is a carved inscription on the cliff attributed to a Qin dynasty envoy, which is traditional rather than verified. Volume depends entirely on recent rain.

What you actually see

• The sea drop - the fall landing straight into the water.
• The cliff steps - the descent from the gate to the shore.
• The boulder shore - the rocks at the base and the spray.
• The cliff inscription - the carving attributed to an old envoy.

When to go

Year-round, and after rain for volume. Mornings are quieter. Rough seas and heavy swell can close the lower access.

Honest expectations

The steps down and the wet boulders at the base are the real obstacle - poor footing here causes injuries. It closes in rough weather. Flow varies with rainfall.

Nearby

Cheonjiyeon falls and Seogwipo's Olle market are in town; Soesokkak is east along the coast.