Jindo Sea Road

Between Hoedong on Jindo and the small island of Modo runs a natural ridge of sand and gravel, and on the very largest tides of the year the water drops far enough to expose it - a road across the sea about two point eight kilometres long and up to forty metres wide, open for roughly an hour before the water returns. It is the largest such parting in Korea and the county builds a festival around it, with tens of thousands walking out together carrying torches and buckets, digging for shellfish and octopus on the way. The legend explains it as an answer to an old woman's prayer to be reunited with her family, and a statue on the shore marks it. The dates are set by the tide and published a year ahead, usually falling in spring with a second window later. Outside those days the sea is simply there. Jindo is also the home of the Jindo dog, a national natural monument.

What you actually see

• The sea road - the exposed ridge to Modo island.
• The crowd - thousands walking it in the open hour.
• The shellfish digging - people working the seabed as they go.
• The festival - torches, music and stalls on the shore.

When to go

Only on the published parting dates, which are set by tide and announced far ahead - check the Jindo county calendar before planning anything around it.

Honest expectations

The window is about an hour and the returning tide is fast - people get caught every year and have to be picked up by boat. Festival crowds are enormous and accommodation books out. Outside the dates there is nothing to see.

Nearby

Jindo town and the dog centre are on the island; Mokpo and Haenam are on the mainland.