Ulleungdo Thermal Volcanic Spring

Ulleungdo is a remote volcanic island in the East Sea (Sea of Japan) administered by North Gyeongsang Province, situated 87 kilometres east of the Korean mainland — one of the most dramatically beautiful and geologically fascinating islands in East Asia, formed by a relatively recent volcanic eruption and home to extraordinary biodiversity including endemic plant species found nowhere else in Korea. The sulphated volcanic spring waters associated with Ulleungdo's geothermal activity reflect the island's ongoing volcanic character — the island's highest peak, Seonginbong (984 m), and its extraordinary cliff formations, rock columns, and collapsed crater (Nari Basin) are all products of the same volcanic forces that heat the island's groundwater. Ulleungdo's squid fishing culture, its distinctive haenyo (female divers), the crystal-clear East Sea waters surrounding the cliffs, and the island's isolation from mainland Korean development give it an authentically wild and biologically rich character. The volcanic hot springs of Ulleungdo provide a natural thermal dimension to one of Korea's most spectacular and least-touristed island destinations, where the encounter with active volcanic geology is part of the complete island experience.