enjoy tour

The same boat from Jangseungpo that takes travelers around Haegeumgang goes even further to Oedo to allow visitors to disembark and meander around the thousands of plants that have been cultivated there before returning back to port. Oedo is the first island in Korea to be owned and developed privately and is a marine botanical garden a part of the Hallyeo Maritime National Park. It all began back in 1963 with Changho Lee and Hosook Choi, a couple that tried unsuccessfully to grow orchards of tangerines and then breed pigs on the island before deciding to grow rare plants there in 1976. With a little luck and perspiration their endeavor paid off and they opened the island to tourists for a small fee in order to maintain the land. A path from the dock winds visitors through the 3,000 different species of plants, some from Korea, and some from more subtropical climates. The path not only provides views of beautiful flowers but there also statues scattered throughout, a pavilion that looks Greek and a small school house that doesn't cater to students anymore. Places of interest include the Cactus Garden, the Venus Garden, the Flower Garden, and the Stairway to Heaven. There is a cafe at the top for visitors to take a rest in and enjoy panoramic views before heading back down to the port for the 20 minute ride back to the mainland. The whole walk takes about an hour and a half. The son of the couple that cultivated the land told us that there's an island just a stones throw away that they are currently trying to prepare to connect to Oedo via bridge for even more beautiful scenery in the park. It probably won't be soon, but when it's finished, it'd be worth a second trip for those tourists that have already been.