Marado Island Trip 2026: No Ferry Reservation & Jjajangmyeon Review
Almost missed my first trip to Marado Island due to rough seas, but I made it! Find out how I traveled without a reservation and my honest take on the legendary jjajangmyeon.
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Almost missed my first trip to Marado Island due to rough seas, but I made it! Find out how I traveled without a reservation and my honest take on the legendary jjajangmyeon.
I almost couldn't go because of rough waves causing a cancellation,
but after many twists and turns, I finally made it to
my first-ever trip to Marado Island!

I didn't even have a reservation, and then my ferry got canceled.
So, how did I manage to get to Marado safely?
And what was the famous 'Infinite Challenge' Jajangmyeon on Marado really like?
I'm bringing you a vivid review of it all :)

Booking a ferry to Marado is simple.
Just search for '[desired port] + Marado',
and you'll find the reservation page. Go in and make your payment – easy peasy!
Songaksan Port > Marado Reservation Page
Unjin Port > Marado Reservation Page
* Regular Marado passenger ferries depart from Unjin Port
Despite this, I hadn't made a reservation because
the guesthouse I was staying at had a partnership with the port,
allowing me to get a discount if I bought tickets on-site.
So, naturally, I didn't make a reservation and
just headed to Songaksan Port to catch the ferry at the right time.
📍 Unjin Port
Hamo-ri, Daejeong-eup, Seogwipo-si, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province
📍 Songaksan Port Ferry Terminal
130-10 Sangmo-ri, Daejeong-eup, Seogwipo-si, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province
Songaksan Port was close to my guesthouse,
and I had successfully parked there before,
so as a super beginner driver, I headed to Songaksan Port first.
(I went early, fearing I wouldn't find parking.)

Here's the ferry schedule for Marado from Songaksan Port on December 29th.
While there's a regular operating schedule,
you absolutely must check the real-time operation information!
The sea can change at any moment.

Also, check out the round-trip fare table for Songaksan Port <> Marado!

Songaksan Port, beautiful even on a second glance :)
I parked well and leisurely headed to the ticket office,
but about 10 minutes before departure, people suddenly rushed in.


It turned out that the ferry departing from Songaksan Port was canceled...
Feeling utterly disheartened, I wondered if I should just go to Gapado instead,
and called the guesthouse staff at Unjin Port.
"Oh? They say ferries are going to Marado from here?"
they replied, to my surprise!
* Unjin Port operates ferries to both Marado and Gapado
So, regrettably, I took my parked car out
and sped straight to Unjin Port.

The parking lot here was incredibly spacious,
so I quickly parked and went into the ticket office.

It was my first time seeing such a large passenger ferry ticket office!
With a fluttering heart, I asked, "Can I go to Marado?"
And the ticket office employee, completely unfazed,
issued my ferry ticket!

It turns out the sea routes to Marado vary by port,
and this one was operating!
I was worried they might be sailing despite the danger,
but after hearing the staff's explanation, I felt reassured right away.

For the Woonjin Port Marado regular ferry service too,
make sure to check the real-time operational status!


Here are the round-trip fares from Woonjin Port to Marado/Gapado too :)
Songaksan Port & Woonjin Port
Marado Round-Trip Summary
Departure Port | Destination | Round-Trip (Adult) |
Songaksan Port | Marado | ~$14 |
Woonjin Port | Marado | ~$14 |
Gapado | ~$11 |
* One-way takes 30 minutes
If you're heading to Marado and one of the ports is canceled,
there's a chance the other port might still be operating,
so be sure to check both Songaksan Port and Woonjin Port!
In my opinion, if you're planning to visit during the off-peak season,
it might be a good idea to check the real-time sea conditions on the day of your visit
and then purchase your ticket :)

So, as we were taking the boat to Marado,
it wasn't very crowded.
But what stood out even more in my memory were the incredible waves...

I'm fortunate enough not to get seasick,
so I had a blast enjoying the waves from the deck,
but I imagine it must have been tough for those who do.
It was fascinating to see the waves crashing, just like something out of a painting.
It made me think that our ancestors must have seen scenes like this
and been inspired to paint those white, breaking waves.

The most beautiful sight at Marado
was the terrain visible just before disembarking.
Basalt rock, carved by the vivid blue sea,
formed an arched bridge, supporting Marado.

It was beautiful enough to make me think it surpassed
any sea or island I'd seen abroad.

The wind here is incredibly strong!
If you want to take proper photos,
you'll probably need to wear a hat and tie your hair back.. haha.
It didn't feel cold, but the wind was stronger than I ever imagined,
so definitely bring a thick outer jacket in autumn and winter!

When I visited in November, there were lots of eulalia and reeds.

Since I went without looking up any information again,
I just kept walking, and walking, without a specific plan.
It was cold, so I only walked halfway around,
and it didn't even take an hour.



Seashells tucked into the stone walls, the deep black basalt, and adorable Shiba Inus leisurely exploring the low-growing grass – I just soaked in this truly peaceful scene.

However, it was so incredibly quiet, almost to the point of being a little eerie!
So many people got off the ferry, yet I couldn't help but wonder where everyone disappeared to.

Even so, I loved it.
On my first solo trip in ages, making it all the way to Marado, Korea's southernmost point, felt like truly savoring a profound sense of solitude.
I wonder when I'll get to visit Marado again?
It was such a precious moment.

There's a vendor here selling a snack called 'Dolkorong Olanda,' and it was so incredibly good that I just had to buy a bag!
It was ~$3, and honestly, the best Olanda I've ever tasted!
I brought it back and shared it with everyone at the guesthouse :)

I think I was only there for about two or three hours,
but the weather drastically changed from when I arrived – it got really cloudy all of a sudden.
Marado's weather truly is unpredictable...


Even in a place with such a small population,
you'll find the dedicated gentleman semi-drying squid...
and a friendly Husky companion too!
After all that exploring,
the chill started to set in, so I quickly headed to grab some Jjajangmyeon.
📍 Original Marado Seafood Jjajangmyeon Restaurant
46 Mararo101beon-gil, Daejeong-eup, Seogwipo-si, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province
Right after you arrive in Marado, just walk a little further,
and you'll see a line of Jjajangmyeon places.
The one that appeared on 'Infinite Challenge' is super easy to spot
thanks to its prominent sign!

It was hilarious to see the gourd-shaped Jjajangmyeon bowl that Jung Hyung-don (from the show) had to eat from!
To think I'd actually see it in person...

And finally, my Marado Jjajangmyeon arrived!
The price was ~$8
(Seafood Jjamppong was ~$12)
Honestly, someone I met at the guesthouse highly recommended it, so I had pretty high expectations,
but personally, I didn't find it particularly tasty.
It felt somewhat healthy, but with a strangely prominent floury taste...?
Anyway, it just wasn't really my cup of tea.
Still, it holds a certain symbolic significance, so I'm glad I gave it a try!
After all, when would I ever get another chance?
And just like that, my whirlwind trip to Marado came to an end.
I took the 11:10 AM ferry in and departed on the 2:30 PM ferry – I actually had a bit of time to spare.
(There wasn't an earlier ferry option back)

But the scenery was so incredibly beautiful that I found myself perfectly content just gazing out and waiting for the ferry.
I have a feeling Marado would feel completely different in each season,
so I truly hope to visit again someday.

With that, I hope my humble Marado travel story has been helpful to someone out there,
and I'll wrap up this post! :)
The author visited Marado without a reservation by utilizing an on-site purchase discount affiliated with their guesthouse. When the ferry from Songaksan Port was canceled, they moved to Unjin Port and purchased tickets there to visit Marado.
Yes, according to the article, even if ferries departing from Songaksan Port are canceled, Unjin Port might still be operating. The author also moved to Unjin Port after the Songaksan Port ferry cancellation and was able to take a ferry to Marado.
The adult round-trip fare to Marado from both Songaksan Port and Unjin Port is ~$14. The one-way travel time to Marado is 30 minutes.
The price of Jjajangmyeon at 'Wonjo Marado Haemul Jjajangmyeonjip' is ~$8. The author personally rated it as not tasty, mentioning that it felt healthy yet had a strangely strong flour taste.
The author entered Marado on the 11:10 AM ferry and departed on the 2:30 PM ferry. It took less than an hour to walk halfway around the island.

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