Baengnyeong-Daecheong Geopark Guides Begin Activities...Programs Run Through December

Incheon City announced on the 25th that guides at the Baengnyeong-Daecheong National Geopark will begin full-scale activities from next month.

Baengnyeong-Daecheong National Geopark, which consists of Baengnyeongdo, Daecheongdo, and Socheongdo, was certified as a national geopark by the Ministry of Environment in 2019. Since 2016, the city has been training local residents as geopark guides and has deployed 30 of them to the field. This year, 24 guides are scheduled to be active.

They serve both as interpreters who explain geological heritage and as promotional ambassadors who raise the profile of the region. They also act as stewards, continuously monitoring geological attractions and spreading awareness of conservation.

A guide is explaining the island's geological formation and related features to tourists at Nongyeo Beach on Daecheongdo. Provided by Incheon City.

This year’s guided programs will run from next month through December and will be offered in two formats: on-site interpretation at geological attractions and companion interpretation tours.

The on-site interpretation program allows visitors to meet guides and listen to explanations on location at geological attractions in Baengnyeong-Daecheong National Geopark and at the geopark information centers located at each island’s pier. Reservations can be made on the Baengnyeong-Daecheong Geopark website, or visitors can sign up on-site.

For the companion interpretation program, in which visitors move together with a guide not only to geological attractions but also to ecological, cultural, and historical sites for in-depth explanations, reservations must be made through the website at least three days before the visit date.

Last year, geopark guides were stationed at 12 information centers across the three islands and provided a total of 35,218 guided sessions to 292,715 visitors. Rather than offering simple directions, they delivered expert commentary that covered the islands’ geological formation processes, ecological and environmental changes, history and culture, and stories of local residents’ lives, earning a strong response from tourists.

An Incheon City official said, “Geopark guides provide in-depth explanations to visitors based on their extensive field experience and affection for the region,” adding, “We will offer citizens and tourists visiting Incheon’s islands a distinctive marine and geological tourism experience.”