Suncheonman Bay Wetland

Suncheonman is one of the best-preserved coastal wetlands in Asia and Korea's first Ramsar-listed tidal flat: a broad bay where the Dongcheon meets the sea, holding several square kilometres of mudflat and one of the largest reed beds in the country. A boardwalk runs out through the reeds from the ecological centre, and a path climbs Yongsan, the hill on the far side, to a viewpoint over the channel - which meanders through the flats in a series of S-bends that catch the light at sunset, and which is the image the bay is known for. Birds are the substance of the place: over two hundred species, including hooded cranes wintering in numbers that make this one of their most important sites anywhere, along with spoonbills, geese and waders. Boats run into the channel. The reeds turn gold in late autumn, which with the sunset makes October and November the peak season.

The landscape

• The reed beds - one of the largest expanses in Korea.
• The S-curve channel - the meander from the Yongsan viewpoint.
• The wintering cranes - hooded cranes on the flats.
• The boardwalk - the raised path through the reeds.

When to go

October and November for gold reeds and sunset; November to February for the cranes. The Yongsan climb takes about forty minutes and fills before sunset.

What to expect

The viewpoint climb is a real walk with steps and it queues at sunset. Bring binoculars - birds are distant, and approaching them is prohibited. The ticket covers the whole site.

Nearby

Suncheon's Naganeupseong walled town is nearby; Yeosu and Odongdo are east.