The 40th Jindo Miracle Sea Road Festival will be held from May 16th to 19th at Godongri and Gohsin-myeon Modori in Gongun-myeon, where the Jindo-gun and the Jindo-gun Tourism Promotion Council will be held. You can experience mysticism.
Once a year at Jindo Island in Jeollanam-do, the sea mysteriously parts and visitors can walk through the sea from the main island to a smaller nearby island. This phenomenon is due to the buildup of pebbles and sand created over time with the tide, creating a 2.8-kilometer-long road measuring 40-60 meters in width that appears at extreme low-tide.
The Jindo Miracle Sea Road Festival takes place at the same time as this phenomenon. Visitors can enjoy walking along the sea road, gathering abalone and various other fun activities that make up the festival program. The spectacular sight of the sea parting is widely known and about half a million visitors flock from all over the world just to witness this amazing event.
However, it is still mysterious in its regular width of about 40m under the water. The tides come in and out 2 times a day. Though there are the differences of tide’s speed and wave such as Typhoon, this risen pit has formed. Every year, about a million Korean and foreign tourists rush to see this miracle, a fully exposed seaway for 1 hour. It is known as a worldwide spot where most people gather to see a temporary happening.
Jindo county presents many characteristic folk arts to visitors. The performance includes Nationally Designated important intangible cultural properties such as Ganggangsullae (Circle Dance), Jindo Ssitgimgut (Shaman Rite), Field song, Jindo Dasiraegi and Jeollanam Provincially Designated intangible cultural properties like funeral song and drum play. Besides, there are various events to please tourists growing larger year by year.
This magical seaway, called as the modern Mose’s miracle, became world-famous when French ambassador in Korea, Mr. Pierre Randi visited Jindo in 1975 and write about this phenomenon in a French paper. In 1996, a Japanese pop singer Dendoyosimi recorded big hit with the song “Jindo story”, based on this seaway. The number of Japanese tourists has increased sharply thereafter.
The portrait of Grandma Ppong in the beach shrine was painted by the Oriental painter Okjeon Gang, Jiju who was born in Jindo. The portrait is placed to see the miracle site when doors opened, there is a statue of Grandma Ppong in the approach of seaway, and the shape was completed in April 2000.
[Main Programs]
– Miracle sea road walking experience
– The sea road beacon light parade
– Grandmother Ppong, Legendary Story of Grandmother Ppong reenactment
[Hands-on Experience Programs]
– Travel Jindo Experience (Learning Jindo Arirang, Gugak, and Poetry Paintings) at Gagye hands-on experience booths
– Jindogae Dog Experience (Searching for Jindogae Dog, various acrobatic performances) at Gagye hands-on experience booths
– Jindo Hongju Experience (Jindo traditional alcohol tasting) at Gagye hands-on experience booths
[Performance Events]
– Jindo Intangible Cultural Assets performance
– International Festivals showcase
– Celebration Night performance
[Other Events]
– Haesangseonbak (Seaboat) parade
– Haesangpungmul (Korean folk music tradition) boating
– Go! Scoop Golden Abalone! – abalone catching experience
