How do I get to Oido from Seoul?

Take Seoul Subway Line 4 to Oido Station, the last stop on the line; the Suin-Bundang Line also stops there. Siheung city says the red lighthouse and seawall are an easy bus ride from the station.

When is Wave Park Siheung open and how much does surfing cost?

Wave Park's 2026 surf season ran from April 25 to October 31. On its fee page, one free-surf session in the beginner bay costs 80,000 won (board and suit not included), and a Level 1 beginner lesson costs 119,000 won with suit and board. Surfers must be at least 140 cm tall.

When do the lotus flowers bloom at Gwangokji in Siheung?

Siheung city says the lotuses at Gwangokji and the Lotus Theme Park start blooming in early July, peak in mid to late August and can be seen until early October. They open in the morning and close in the afternoon, so go between 09:00 and 14:00. Entry is free; only the observatory charges 1,000–2,000 won.

What is Siheung Gaetgol Ecological Park?

It is a park around an inland tidal creek and the old Sorae salt pans at Dongseo-ro 287. The creek was designated a national wetland protected area in February 2012. There is a 22 m swaying observation tower, restored salt pans that still make sea salt, and two old salt warehouses listed as Gyeonggi-do heritage.

Siheung Day Trip: Mudflats, Oido Lighthouse & Wave Park

Most of Siheung’s coast was made by hand. Oido, now the city’s seaside, was an island until a salt works built under Japanese colonial rule tied it to the mainland. Inland, the tide still pushes up a winding creek into what used to be the Sorae salt pans, and two of the old wooden salt warehouses still stand in the reeds. Out in Sihwa Lake, on reclaimed land called Geobukseom (“Turtle Island”), a machine now makes surfable waves; the city calls Wave Park the largest artificial surf park in the world.

That makes Siheung the easiest place to see the Yellow Sea from Seoul without going to Incheon’s islands. It is not a compact city — the sights are spread across a wide area of new towns, rice fields and seawalls — so it rewards picking one coast and doing it well: mudflats, a sunset and a plate of clams.

The short answer

Where: southwest of Seoul on the Yellow Sea, between Incheon and Ansan. Line 4 runs to its last stop, Oido; the Seohae Line crosses the middle of the city from Sosa (Line 1).
Best for: a day of mudflats and sunsets, reed walks in autumn, lotus fields in July–August, and surfing at Wave Park from late April to October.
Must-see: Siheung Gaetgol Ecological Park and Oido's red lighthouse.
Must-eat: clams — grilled or in kalguksu — on the Oido seawall, or raw fish at Wolgot Port.

How do you get to Siheung from Seoul?

Pick your line by which part of Siheung you want: Line 4 for Oido and Wave Park, the Seohae Line for Gaetgol and the lotus ponds. The coast and the inland parks are on different lines. These are the routes published by Siheung city and Wave Park.

🚆 Seoul to Siheung by public transport (Siheung city and Wave Park official pages, 2026)

Route	Start	Line / bus	Then	Best for
Line 4	Seoul Station or Sadang (Line 4)	Line 4 to Oido, the last stop	Local bus to the lighthouse	Oido, fish market, mudflats
Line 4 + bus	Seoul Station or Sadang (Line 4)	Line 4 to Jeongwang	Bus 28, 29 or 33 to Wave Park main gate	Wave Park, Geobukseom
Seohae Line	Sosa (Line 1) or Gimpo Airport	Seohae Line to Siheung Neunggok (Exit 4) or Siheung City Hall (Exit 1)	Village bus 5 to Gaetgol Ecological Park	Gaetgol, Gwangokji, Mulwang Lake
Suin-Bundang Line	Oido Station	2 stops to Wolgot	About 10 minutes’ walk to the port	Wolgot Port

From Oido Station, bus 99-3 runs past the Oido Museum to Wave Park’s main gate, so Oido and Geobukseom fit into one day. During the surf season Wave Park also runs a reserved shuttle from Gangnam, the Express Bus Terminal and Sadang.

New lines: what's open and what isn't

The Seohae Line is the one that matters now: it links Siheung's inland neighbourhoods to Sosa on Line 1 and, to the north, to Gimpo Airport. The Sinansan Line, which will link Siheung City Hall to Gwangmyeong and on toward Yeouido, is still under construction, with a CNB Journal report in October 2026 putting the likely opening after December 2028. The Wolgot–Pangyo Line, starting at Wolgot, is also still being built.

What is Siheung known for?

Salt, mud and, lately, waves. For most of the 20th century this shore was salt pans and fishing villages. Siheung city’s heritage pages tell the story in layers.

Siheung's coast in five layers

Neolithic — people living on Oido left shell middens; the city describes them as the largest on the west coast. The site became a national historic site in 2002, and the Oido Prehistoric Park opened on April 10, 2018.
Early Joseon — according to local legend, the official Gang Hui-maeng brought back seeds of a lotus not yet grown in Korea from a mission to Ming China and planted them at 관곡지 Gwangokji, a square pond with a round island.
Japanese colonial period — the Gunja salt pans join Oido, then an island, to the mainland. Inland, the Sorae salt pans spread along a tidal creek, or 갯골 gaetgol.
2012 — the Siheung tidal creek, which the city calls the only inland tidal creek in Gyeonggi-do, becomes a national wetland protected area.
2020s — Wave Park opens on Geobukseom in Sihwa Lake and hosts the World Surf League's Siheung Korea Open.

Between these spots, Siheung is mostly apartment new towns (Baegot, Eungye, Mokgam), rice fields such as Hojobeol, and a large industrial complex near Jeongwang. It is a city locals visit for an afternoon by the sea rather than a sightseeing city, and it is worth it if you want Yellow Sea tides, mudflats and sunsets without leaving the subway network.

What should you see in Siheung?

Gaetgol and Oido first; add Wave Park in season, Gwangokji in summer and Mulwang Lake in spring.

🌾

Siheung Gaetgol Ecological Park

Tidal creek, old salt pans, reed beds and a 22 m swaying tower.

🚨

Oido & the red lighthouse

Seawall, sunsets, mudflat clam-digging and a Neolithic shell-midden park.

🏄

Wave Park, Geobukseom

Artificial surf park with lessons for beginners, late April to October.

🪷

Gwangokji & Lotus Theme Park

A Joseon-era lotus pond and 19.3 ha of lotus fields, best in July–August.

🌸

Mulwang Lake

Lakeside cherry trees, a restaurant and café street and evening lights.

🌅

Baegot Hanul Park

A long seaside park with a summer seawater pool and sunset views.

Siheung Gaetgol Ecological Park (Dongseo-ro 287) — Siheung’s best sight and the reason to come in autumn. Walk the paths along the creek at low tide to see salt-tolerant plants and red-legged fiddler crabs, climb the 22-metre swaying observation tower, and look at the two surviving salt warehouses of the old Sorae salt works, both listed as Gyeonggi-do heritage. Part of the salt pans has been restored and still produces sea salt, with salt-making sessions for visitors. In spring there are cherry trees, in autumn reeds and cosmos, and the Siheung Gaetgol Festival takes over the park in September. Water bikes run on the creek from April to October.

📍 Open in Naver Map

Oido and the red lighthouse (Oido-ro 170) — The red lighthouse at the end of the seawall is the photo everyone takes, and because Oido faces west and the sea wraps around three sides, it is one of the few places near Seoul for both sunset and sunrise over water. At low tide the Oido fishing-village programme lets you dig clams on the mudflat with a hoe and basket. Along the shore, the Oido Museum and the Oido Prehistoric Park show the shell middens, with an observatory and café looking out to sea.

📍 Open in Naver Map

Wave Park, Geobukseom (Geobukseom Dulle-gil 42) — Even if you don’t surf, it is worth watching machine-made waves roll across a pool beside the flat water of Sihwa Lake. Beginners start in the shallow “bay” with a group lesson of up to ten people; experienced surfers book the deeper “reef”. You need to be at least 140 cm tall. The 2026 season ran from April 25 to October 31, so check the 2027 dates before planning. Next door, the 300-metre Geobukseom Marina Bridge has a Little Prince photo zone and is lit at night.

📍 Open in Naver Map

Gwangokji and the Lotus Theme Park (Gwangokji-ro 139) — The small pond itself is a local heritage site; around it, 19.3 hectares of rice paddies have been turned into lotus and water-lily fields with about 80 kinds of water plants. Lotus open in the morning and close in the afternoon, so come before 14:00. In October the same fields host lotus-root digging.

📍 Open in Naver Map

Mulwang Lake (Sanhyeon-dong 188) — A reservoir that the city says has drawn day-trippers since the early 1950s, with cherry trees along the shore in April, coloured lights on the water at night and a street of restaurants and big bakery cafés. A 7.5 km cycle path, the Siheung Green Way, runs from here past the Lotus Theme Park and Gwangokji to Gaetgol; the city puts it at 30–40 minutes by bike, with public bike rental at Wolgot and Jeongwang stations.

📍 Open in Naver Map

Baegot Hanul Park (Haesongsimni-ro 61) — A seaside park running along the Baegot new town, with sculptures of six famous figures, from King Sejong to Beethoven, and a 3,082 m² seawater pool that opens in July and August. Parking is free. For the sunset, walk up Baegot Maru, a 27-metre spiral viewing hill in nearby Baegot Saengmyeong Park.

📍 Open in Naver Map

🎫 Seasons, hours and prices (Siheung city and Wave Park official pages, 2026)

Place	When	Price	Note
Wave Park surfing	2026 season April 25–October 31	Bay free surf 80,000 won per session; Level 1 lesson 119,000 won	Lesson includes suit and board; minimum height 140 cm
Oido mudflat clam-digging	March–November, times set by the tide	Adults 8,000 / children 5,000 won; boots and hoe 2,000 won	Check the tide schedule before you go
Gwangokji lotus	Blooms early July to early October, peak mid–late August	Free (observatory 1,000–2,000 won)	Best 09:00–14:00
Seawater pools (Gaetgol, Baegot Hanul Park)	Summer only; 2026: from June 20 to mid/late August, 10:00–17:00	5,600 won	Free under 36 months and 65+
Oido Traditional Fish Market	Tue–Fri 09:00–21:00; Sat & holidays 08:00–22:00	Daily market price	Each building closes on two Mondays a month

Where do locals eat in Siheung?

By the water — on the Oido seawall, at the Oido fish market and along Wolgot Port — or around Mulwang Lake. Siheung is not a city of old-name restaurants; people come for shellfish and fish sold by the sea, and the seafood here is the reason for the trip.

Oido seawall: clam grill and kalguksu — Siheung city describes Oido’s shore as lined with raw-fish and 조개구이 jogae-gui restaurants. Grilled shellfish comes as a big platter of clams, scallops and mussels cooked over coals at the table; the cheaper, one-person meal is bajirak kalguksu, hand-cut noodles in a broth of short-necked clams. Oido faces west, so a late lunch or early dinner here comes with the sunset.

📍 Open in Naver Map

Jeongdongjin (Oido-ro 151-1) — A clam-grill house on the seawall between the red lighthouse and the “Tree of Life” sculpture, with sea views from the tables. Its Korea Tourism Organization listing names mozzarella-cheese jogae-gui as the signature: shellfish grilled at the table and finished with melted cheese. Seafood ramyeon and seafood kalguksu are the one-person options. Open 24 hours, every day.

📍 Open in Naver Map

Haesang Gongwon Hoetjip (Oido-ro 129) — A seafront raw-fish house whose KTO listing (updated January 2026) suggests coming at sunset or after dark. The house set, haesang-kase, is a table of the day’s seafood; there are also raw-fish, clam and king-prawn sets, and the bajirak kalguksu and seafood pancake are the popular smaller orders. Weekdays 10:00–22:00, Saturday to 24:00, Sunday to 23:00.

📍 Open in Naver Map

Oido Traditional Fish Market (Oido-ro 167, 173) — Running since 1999, the market sells flatfish, red sea bream and other live fish at the day’s market price, plus salted seafood, clams and king crab, and the city notes it has been recognised for accurate country-of-origin labelling. Hours are Tuesday–Friday 09:00–21:00 and weekends and holidays 08:00–22:00; building A closes on the 2nd and 4th Monday of the month, building B on the 1st and 3rd.

📍 Open in Naver Map

Wolgot Port — A working harbour about ten minutes’ walk from Wolgot Station on the Suin-Bundang Line. Raw-fish restaurants line the port, boats come and go with the tide, and the rooftop observation deck (on top of the public toilet building) looks over the whole harbour. A seaside path continues to Sorae Pogu in Incheon. Each October the Siheung Wolgot Port Festival has bare-hand fish catching and fishing-boat rides; the 2026 edition, the 13th, ran October 9–11.

📍 Open in Naver Map

Buja Hongdukkae Haemul Kalguksu (Dongseo-ro 10beon-gil 18, Wolgot-dong) — Near Exit 1 of Wolgot Station, a kalguksu house where you cook the noodles yourself in a pot of clam-and-scallop broth at the table; a small bowl of barley rice comes first. Order the basic bajirak kalguksu and add fried king prawns. 10:00–20:00 (break 16:00–16:30, last order 19:20), open daily; it closes early when ingredients run out.

📍 Open in Naver Map

Maepsi Nakji, Mulwang Reservoir main branch (Dongseo-ro 857beon-gil 6-1) — Of the restaurants around Mulwang Lake, this one does dolpan nakji-bokkeum: spicy stir-fried octopus served sizzling on a stone plate, also with beef intestines (nakji-sogopchang). It appeared on KBS2’s Saengsaeng Jeongbo in January 2026; a broadcast round-up post listed hours of 11:00–21:00 daily, last order 20:00.

📍 Open in Naver Map

🦪 Where to eat in Siheung at a glance (Siheung city pages; Korea Tourism Organization listings, 2025–2026; KBS2 broadcast summary, Jan 2026)

Place	Area	Order	Why locals go
Oido seawall restaurants	Oido	Jogae-gui, bajirak kalguksu	Shellfish with a sunset view
Jeongdongjin	Oido seawall	Cheese jogae-gui	Clam grill facing the sea, open 24 hours
Haesang Gongwon Hoetjip	Oido seawall	Seafood set, bajirak kalguksu	Seafront tables at sunset
Oido Traditional Fish Market	Oido	Live fish, clams, salted seafood	Market-price seafood since 1999
Wolgot Port	Wolgot Station, Suin-Bundang Line	Hoe (raw fish)	A working harbour 10 minutes from the subway
Buja Hongdukkae Haemul Kalguksu	Wolgot Station Exit 1	Bajirak kalguksu	Cook-it-yourself noodles near the port
Maepsi Nakji	Mulwang Lake	Dolpan nakji-bokkeum	Spicy octopus after a lakeside walk
Mulwang Lake café street	Mulwang Lake	Bakery cafés	Lake views, cherry blossoms in April

What is a good one-day route in Siheung?

Gaetgol in the morning, Oido for lunch and the tide, Geobukseom for sunset. Between Gaetgol and Oido, a taxi is far simpler than buses.

09:00 — Seohae Line to Siheung City Hall or Siheung Neunggok, then village bus 5 to Gaetgol Ecological Park.
09:45 — Gaetgol. Creek boardwalk, salt warehouses and the swaying tower (about 2 hours).
12:00 — Taxi to Oido. Clam kalguksu or a jogae-gui platter on the seawall; walk out to the red lighthouse.
14:00 — Mudflat or museum. Dig for clams if the tide is out (March–November), or visit the Oido Museum and Prehistoric Park.
16:00 — Bus 99-3 to Geobukseom. Watch the surfers at Wave Park in season and walk the Marina Bridge.
18:00 — Sunset over Sihwa Lake, then bus 28, 29 or 33 to Jeongwang Station and Line 4 back to Seoul.

Seasons and practical tips

Spring: cherry blossoms at Mulwang Lake and along Gaetgol's paths in April.
Summer: lotus at Gwangokji (peak mid–late August), seawater pools at Gaetgol and Baegot Hanul Park, and Wave Park at its busiest. Bring a hat: the parks and seawalls are open to the sun.
Autumn: the best season — reeds at Gaetgol, the Gaetgol Festival in September (September 18–20 in 2026), the Wolgot Port Festival in October, and a fireworks-and-drone show at the Oido lighthouse (October 24 in 2026).
Winter: Wave Park is closed and the wind off the sea is strong, but the fish market keeps its regular hours and the Oido sunset is still there.
Tides: the mudflats, the creek and Wolgot Port all look different at high and low tide. Check the tide times before you choose a time to visit.

Siheung Day Trip: Mudflats, Oido Lighthouse & Wave Park

How do you get to Siheung from Seoul?

What is Siheung known for?

What should you see in Siheung?

Where do locals eat in Siheung?

What is a good one-day route in Siheung?

Frequently asked questions