[One Day Walk] The Beautiful Sea and History Breathe Together on 'Nampalanggil Course 29'

Course 29 of the Nampalanggil Trail offers a panoramic view of the beautiful sea scenery of Tongyeong Bridge and the Hallyeohaesang National Park. Although it is a long route of 17.6 km that takes about 6 hours and 30 minutes to walk, most of it is a seaside promenade, so it is not physically demanding.

From Tongyeong Intercity Bus Terminal, take bus number 321 or 121 and travel for about 25 minutes. Get off at the entrance of Nammangsan Sculpture Park, where you can quickly find the sign marking the start of 'Nampalanggil Course 29.' If you come by car, park at the Nammangsan Park public parking lot. After completing the course, take a city bus for 10 minutes from the last section at Mujeon Beach Park bus stop to Tongyeong Central Market. The Nammangsan public parking lot where you left your car is a 5-minute walk from there.

The course proceeds in the following order: Entrance of Nammangsan Sculpture Park → Dongpirang Village → Sebyeonggwan → Chungnyeolsa Shrine → Seopirang Park → Seoho Market → Yoon Isang Memorial Park → Tongyeong Undersea Tunnel → Gyeongsang National University College of Marine Science → Gukchi Village → Cheondae Village → Minyang Port → Pyeongin Iljuro → Galmok Village → Upo Village → Sopo Village → Mujeon Beach Park.

If you have already visited Dongpirang Village, where murals are painted on retaining walls or fences of each house, Seopirang Village where novelist Park Kyung-ri was born, and historical sites such as Chungnyeolsa Shrine and Sebyeonggwan, you can start walking directly from Tongyeong Undersea Tunnel or Gyeongsang National University College of Marine Science by bus or on foot. It takes 30 minutes on foot or 10 minutes by bus from Nammangsan Sculpture Park to Tongyeong Undersea Tunnel.

The seaside path along Tongyeong Canal under the Tongyeong Undersea Tunnel and the old and new Tongyeong Bridges is a must-walk. Built in 1932 by the Japanese colonial government, the Tongyeong Undersea Tunnel was the first undersea structure in East Asia, connecting Tongyeong and Mireukdo Island by digging under the Tongyeong Canal. The Tongyeong Canal itself was also created by the Japanese by cutting through land to make a waterway. Learning about this historical background and comparing it with various maritime cities around the world such as Venice adds a unique enjoyment to walking this course.

However, the seaside path from Gukchi Village extends for more than 10 km with simple scenery, which can be monotonous. It is recommended to visit oyster shell peeling and packaging factories, a specialty of Tongyeong, or try fresh oysters along the way.