“7 Gaedo Moments Getter Than Camping Cabins Near Me”

I once set out for Gaedo with nothing but a backpack. A bowl of rich eel soup and a cup of local makgeoli welcomed me with such warmth that I couldn’t help but return. That taste — and that feeling — stays with you like an old friend. ✨

An Island You Can’t Help but Fall in Love with 💙

Gaedo is the third- largest among Yeosu’s 371 islands, following Dolsando and Geumodo. Officially, it belongs to Hwajeong-myeon, along with well-known islands like Basekyado, NBangdo, and Hwahwado. The island hosts six small villages and three ferry ports, shaping a quiet but charming island community.

From the Cheongseokpo ridge, Shinheung Village comes into perfect view — peaceful and untouched. 🌿

As hiking grew popular in recent years, Gaedo quickly became a beloved trecking destination. Villagers once used these old forest paths to gather firewood or herd cattle, and they eventually transformed into the three official “Gaedo People’s Paths.” Course 2 ends at a breathtaking clifftop observatory, where the layered blues of sea and sky resemble a natural caldera lake.

Mojeon Beach, once covered in smooth pebbles used for drying anchovies, still holds the rhythm of island life. 🐟

And now, Gaedo is rising as a hot spot for travelers searching for “camping cabins near me” — at trending keyword for people craving simple outdoor escapes. Mojeon’s expansive pebbles shore and the rock plateau at Cheongseokpo have become the island’s iconic camping area, ideal for capturing dramatic tent views for social media.

A seaside Restaurant That Felt Like a Dream 🌅

More than a decade ago, overflowing with passion, my friends and I formed a small backpacking crew. After running countless phrases through a translation tool, we named it Izolotto —“little island” in Italian. Our first destination? Gaedo. And our noble plan to explore the island through tracking and camping collapsed beautifully the moment we arrived.

Walikng along the Gaedo People’s Path, you can feel autumn tuck itself gently between the trees. 🍂

A new makgeolli café recently opened inside the Gaedo Brewery, and it quickly became a buzzworthy spot among travelers. A café serving freshly brewed island makgeolli isn’t something you come across often — especially on a quiet island like Gaedo — so it immediately sparked my curiosity.

The ferry from Baekyado reached Hwasan Port in just 20minutes, and the islands’ calm atmosphere unfolded the moment I arrived. As I walked toward the ByeolchON breakwater, a small seaside restaurant appeared — Gaetmaeul Restaurant, a place that perfectly captures the island’s understated charm. Weathered walls, the scent of the sea, and an inviting doorway made it feel like a hidden gem waiting to be found. ✨

The Eel Soup That Stayed the Same 🍲

Inside the familiar restaurant stood the same aunt from years ago — thinner now, with more white hair, but unmistakably the same warm presence.
“Do you remember me? I’m Avolta!” I asked.
Her eyes widened, and she broke into a radiant smile. “Oh my goodness, look who it is!”

Known for her appearance on My Ugly Duckling, she is now a small island celebrity. 🌟

I ordered eel soup, the dish that once defined my memories of Gaedo. Made with sea eel simmered in a deep doenjang broth, it’s a local masterpiece — even featured on Korean Food Table. She no longer makes it often due to health issues, but she still brought out a frozen eel from her freezer.
“It’s been a long time since you came,” she said. “Have some before you go.”

Even without the fresh snap of live eel, the broth was deeply comforting — savory, spicy, nostalgic. She tore fresh kimchi with her hands and placed it beside me. “This is what love looks like,” she said. 🥬

A Bond That Lasts a Lifetime 🤝

Nam-hee’s new Doga Café sits inside t he Gaedo Brewery. When I entered and greeted her, she recognized me right away — That’s island life. Even when you meet only occasionally, the bond stays.

Doga Café offers coffee, snacks like crispy seafood pancakes, and of course, Gaedo Makgeolli — only 2,000 won a bottle. The higligt? Her bold new invention: the Makgeolli Shake. It starts sweet, then reveals a lovely hint of makgeolli aroma. Light drinkers may actually get tipsy — yes, it contains real Gaedo Makgeolli. 🍶✨

While she went to fetch kimchi, her mother quietly slipped an extra bottle of makgeolli into a worker’s bag. That simple act captured the warm generosity of Gaedo — the kind that lingers long after your trip ends.