Jindo Miracle Sea Road Festival In South Korea

The Jindo Miracle Sea Road Festival (진도신비의바닷길축제) happens only once a year during spring in Korea. During this time, a 2.8 kilometer gap opens and many festival goers have one hour to cross the ocean at extremely low tide. It’s a once in a lifetime experience and I have never seen anything like it.

In this blog post, we’re going to cover everything you need to know about the Jindo Island sea parting. You’ll know what to expect, what to wear, and what to do while at the Jindo Miracle Sea Road Festival.

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When is the Jindo Sea Parting Festival?

The year I attended the Jindo Sea Parting Festival, it was in March. Some years, it takes place in April. This festival is primarily held during spring in Korea. The Jindo Miracle Sea Road Festival 2024 will take place from March 11, 2024 to March 13, 2024.

What To Wear For Spring In Korea

What to wear in spring in Korea? If you’re looking for a spring in Korea outfit, then look no further. This is a detailed guide on what to wear in Korea in April until May. Here’s a mini list of what to pack for spring in Korea. These are my spring Korean fashion essentials.

A Spring Jacket – This is one of my most common spring essentials in Korea. I really love fleece style jackets with a lot of pockets. This is my go to during spring in Korea.
Long sleeved shirts – This is a basic essential. It can be a lighter one so you can layer it.
A scarf – Wear a more light silk scarf. It can double as a headband or hair tie during the day and a neck warmer at night.
Reebok Sneakers – I never wear sandals during spring in Korea because it’s too cold… I wear cute sneakers up until the end of May.
A Mask– Yellow dust and pollution in Korea is no joke. If you have allergies or are especially sensitive, I highly suggest a mask that will filter out the 2.5mg dust particles.

Spring Weather in Korea

Spring weather in Korea varies month by month. March in Seoul starts out pretty cool and then warms up toward the end of the month. As long as you’re equipped with a good spring jacket, you’ll be fine. It is a gradual change, but the temperature variation can cause you to get sick. The Korea spring months are usually from March to May. Spring time in Korea starts off pretty cool and then warms up quickly in May.

March Weather in Korea

South Korea in spring towards the beginning is quite chilly. Korea in March brings average high temperatures of 10°C (50°F) and an average low temperature of 0°C (32°F). South Korea in March can still be pretty chilly! Toward the end of March in Korea many of the cherry blossoms will bloom. The trees are also pretty bare until the end of the month.

April Weather in Korea

Spring in Korea in my opinion has the best weather of the year. It’s not too hot and not too cold. Korea in April brings average high temperatures of 17°C (63°F). In the evenings temperatures reach an average low of 6°C (43°F).

How To Get To The Jindo Sea Parting Festival

If you’re not familiar with the Korean public transport system or don’t wanna DIY it, I highly recommend booking the Jindo Sea Parting Festival Tour. They take care of the round trip transportation, festival entrance tickets, and a voucher for the actual festival.

History of the Jindo Sea Parting Festival

Korean urban legend has it that many moons ago, the Jindo Island Korea was plagued by savage tigers. Fearing the animal, villagers sought refuge on a small island off Jindo. During this escape Grandma Ppong was left behind. Wishing most diligently to be reunited with her family, she prayed to the gods. They answered her prayers and the sea parted enough so she could cross and be with her family again leaving the terror of the tigers and Jindo behind.

How Does The Sea Part at Jindo Island South Korea?

The Jindo Sea parting is likely the result of extreme low tides caused by a phenomena known as tidal harmonics. The gravity of the sun and the moon tugging at the surface of the Earth’s water causes high tides in some areas and low tides in others. This phenomenon happens twice a year.

Tips For The Jindo Miracle Sea Road Festival

1. Buy The Jindo Sea Festival Boots

While the sea before the tide comes in will be pretty low, in some places it will come up above your knees. Do not bring rain boots. These are not a good idea. Buy the festival boots. They’re only 8,000 won and you can loop the top straps int your belt loops to keep them up. They’ll keep you pretty dry.

2. Be Careful With Your Torch

Keep your torch up and away at all times. When I went there were quite a few idiots who weren’t paying attention. If your torch goes out while at sea don’t be a litter bug and dump it. Carry it back, respect the environment, and all festival goers who might trip on your idiocy

3. Dress Accordingly

During spring in Korea, the mornings will be quite chilly. Towards the afternoon it warms up and you’ll probably not want to wander around in your morning sweater or jacket. I have an entire guide on what to wear during spring in Korea. But for the Jindo Miracle Sea Road Festival, you should wear comfortable jeans or leggings in the morning. Since the chances of getting wet are pretty high, I also recommend bringing pants to change into just in case. In addition, wear a sweater or jacket close to your body so it also doesn’t get wet.

4. Walk As Fast As You Can

The sea path is narrow and the water doesn’t stay shallow for long. Stray from the path and you may find yourself waist deep in water. It’s also really hard to see because the water becomes murky with all the people kicking up the sand. Plus people move really slow so it might be hard to make it to the island. If you don’t make it to the island by the time the sirens go off, turn around.

5. Enjoy The Festival

Jindo Island is most famous for Korea’s national treasure… The Jindo Dog. Known as a one man dog, they are fiercely loyal to their human and have wills of iron. They’re super good at tracking things and were bred as a hunting dog. Because they’re so intelligent you also have to have a strong will for the dog to respect you and see you as the alpha. They usually have Jindo dog shows at this Korean festival to show how amazing these beautiful creatures are.

6. Write A Wish To Grandma Ppong

While at the festival, you’ll find all sorts of booths selling alcohol, food, and other trinkets. Just like Grandpa Ppong’s wish was heard by the gods maybe yours will be too! Jindo South Korea is honestly a really special place in Korean spring.

7. Enjoy The Cherry Blossoms

If the Jindo Miracle Sea Parting Festival is taking place in March, the cherry blossoms in Korea almost always bloom in southern Korean first. You’ll definitely be able to catch these beautiful flowers. Try to enjoy a stroll among them. To Koreans, they’re seen as a symbol of purity, love, and new beginnings.

If you’re wondering whether or not to go to the Jindo sea parting… Do it! I definitely had a fun time and this is a great adventure for the books. It’s a great spring Korea trip.

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