Muuido Island

Muuido sits just off Yeongjongdo, the island Incheon's airport was built on, which makes it one of the closest island escapes to a major international gateway anywhere - the beach is about twenty minutes from the terminal. Hanagae Beach on the western shore is the main draw: a wide bay of firm sand backed by pine, with a huge tidal range, so at low water the sea goes out several hundred metres and leaves flats for clam digging, and at high water it comes back to the tree line. Wooden cabins on stilts along the sand can be rented overnight. A trail crosses the island's low ridge, Horyonggoksan, in an hour or so with views over the flats and out to the shipping lanes. Silmido, the smaller island beyond, is reachable on foot at low tide. It is popular with Seoul day trippers in summer and quiet the rest of the year.

What you actually see

• Hanagae Beach - the wide bay and its pine backing.
• The tidal flats - hundreds of metres of seabed at low water.
• The stilt cabins - wooden huts along the sand.
• The ridge walk - the hour over Horyonggoksan.

When to go

April to June and September to October; July and August bring Seoul crowds. Tide times govern the beach and the walk to Silmido.

Honest expectations

At low tide there is no swimming - the water is far out. Beach entry is charged. The island is developed for day trippers rather than remote. Mudflats are sticky and the returning tide is fast.

Nearby

Incheon airport and Yeongjongdo are over the bridge; Incheon's Chinatown is on the mainland.