Korea's west coast has some of the largest tides on earth. Twice a day the Yellow Sea pulls back for kilometres, exposing vast shining mud flats, the getbol, laced with channels and alive with crabs, mudskippers, worms and shellfish. UNESCO has listed a series of these Korean tidal flats for their extraordinary biodiversity and for the millions of migratory shorebirds that stop here to feed on their way between Siberia and Australia.
Incheon is a city of millions, home to Korea's main airport and one of its biggest ports, and much of its coastline has been reclaimed from the mud over the decades. That makes the remaining flats all the more precious. When the tide is out, you might see people bent over the mud gathering clams, and when it comes back in, it moves frighteningly fast across the flat ground, so stay off unless you are with someone who knows the tides. Herons, egrets and spoonbills feed along the edges, and the sunsets over the Yellow Sea, with the mud reflecting the sky, can be extraordinary.
Riding here has one important rule: motorcycles are not allowed on Korean expressways, so you will be on national and local roads, which can be congested around Incheon and Seoul. Traffic is dense and fast, with delivery scooters darting between lanes and frequent speed cameras. The best riding is out on the coastal roads and islands linked by bridges, such as Ganghwa and Yeongjong, where traffic thins and the views open across the flats.
Fuel stations are everywhere, often with attendants, and payment by card is easy. Incheon's Chinatown, the oldest in Korea, is said to be the birthplace of jajangmyeon, noodles in black bean sauce, which makes for a fun stop. Along the coast, seafood restaurants serve grilled clams, raw fish and spicy fish stew. Spring and autumn bring the best weather and the bird migrations; summer is hot and wet with the monsoon, and winter can be bitterly cold.