Why this ride
354 km from Haeje to Haeje, about 4 h 59 of riding. The stops in between: Koch'ang Dolmen Site, Seocheon Getbol and back through Koch'ang Dolmen Site. It was put together for the scenery rather than the shortest line.
CURVESCOUT / MOTORCYCLE RIDE
Muan Hamhaeman Getbol and Seocheon Getbol
Plan this ride
- Recorded distance
- 354 km
- Riding-time estimate
- 4 h 59
- Journey
- Recorded itinerary
Distance and timing basis
Ordered leg totals agree within rounding. Stop distances are approximate sums of rounded legs. Stops, delays, approach and any separate return travel add time. Basis: producer-declared routed record.
Reading history stays on this device. My road watch requires a separate selection; opening it does not subscribe this ride.
Distance and riding time are measured on the routed road. Check local closures and conditions before you ride.
Waypoint introductions and full write-ups
1. Muan Hamhaeman Getbol
The southwest coast of Korea is a maze of bays, peninsulas and islands, and when the tide goes out, it reveals immense mudflats, the getbol, stretching to the horizon. Hamhae Bay, in Muan county, is one of the finest examples, a sheltered bay where the tides deposit fine mud rich in nutrients, supporting an extraordinary variety of life: crabs, shellfish, worms, mudskippers and octopus, and the birds that feed on them. The Korean tidal flats were listed by UNESCO in 2021, recognising their importance for migratory birds on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, including endangered species like the spoon-billed sandpiper and the black-faced spoonbill.
Read the complete Muan Hamhaeman Getbol write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Muan Hamhaeman Getbol is where the day begins. Next is Koch'ang Dolmen Site.
2. Koch'ang Dolmen Site
Korea has a remarkable concentration of the world's dolmens, and Gochang, on the southwest coast, has the largest cluster of all. Hundreds of these megalithic tombs are scattered along the foot of a range of low hills, some standing like tables on stone legs, others with a massive capstone resting almost directly on the ground. They were built during the Bronze Age by the people who farmed these lands, as tombs for the elite or as markers of territory and ritual. Together with the dolmen sites at Hwasun and on Ganghwa Island, they were listed by UNESCO in 2000.
Read the complete Koch'ang Dolmen Site write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Koch'ang Dolmen Site comes up about 78 km into the recorded legs. Next is Seocheon Getbol.
3. Seocheon Getbol
The tide here goes out so far that the sea simply disappears. The Seocheon getbol, a vast sweep of tidal flats on the west coast of Korea where the Geum river meets the Yellow Sea, is one of four areas listed by UNESCO in 2021 as the Korean Tidal Flats. Twice a day the water withdraws over kilometres of glistening mud and sand, leaving channels, pools and a hum of life: crabs, worms, shellfish and mudskippers, and above all birds.
Read the complete Seocheon Getbol write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
about 178 km into the recorded legs you reach Seocheon Getbol. Next is back through Koch'ang Dolmen Site.
4. back through Koch'ang Dolmen Site
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Koch'ang Dolmen Site write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
back through Koch'ang Dolmen Site, late in the day. Next is Muan Hamhaeman Getbol.
5. Muan Hamhaeman Getbol
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Muan Hamhaeman Getbol write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Back at Muan Hamhaeman Getbol. That is the ride.
Leg by leg
Muan Hamhaeman Getbol to Koch'ang Dolmen Site
Muan Hamhaeman Getbol → Koch'ang Dolmen Site is 78 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Koch'ang Dolmen Site to Seocheon Getbol
Koch'ang Dolmen Site → Seocheon Getbol is 100 km of getting across. Ride it tidily and keep the enthusiasm for what comes after.
Seocheon Getbol to back through Koch'ang Dolmen Site
Seocheon Getbol → back through Koch'ang Dolmen Site is 101 km of getting across. Ride it tidily and keep the enthusiasm for what comes after.
back through Koch'ang Dolmen Site to Muan Hamhaeman Getbol
back through Koch'ang Dolmen Site → Muan Hamhaeman Getbol is 76 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.