South Korea's Purple Island Is Your Next Travel Destination to Bookmark

South Korea’s Purple Island Is Your Next Travel Destination to Bookmark

Colour me purple.

Banwol Island, off the southwestern coast of South Korea, has given itself an all-purple makeover. Nicknamed South Korea’s Purple Island, this remote fishing community with fewer than 150 residents has seen a spike in visitors since the transformation.

south korea purple island banwol

Image credit: Shinan County Office

Inspired by nature’s blush

About 400 of the island’s roofs, along with structures like phone booths and bridges, have been painted with the unique shade of lilac. The colour was chosen to match as closely as possible to the purple island’s native purple bellflowers, also known as campanulas. 


As part of the purple project, the local government has also planted over 30,000 New England asters and 21,500 square meters of lavender fields to spruce up South Korea’s Purple Island. Take a walk through the fields of lavenders, or stroll through the villages where sidewalks, homes and even food trucks are painted purple! A great spot not to be missed for your Instagram aesthetic is the iconic purple bridge, which connects Banwol Island with Bakji Island nearby. 

south korea purple island banwol

Image credit: Shinan County Office

Amenities on South Korea’s Purple Island

To further welcome the new surge in tourists, Banwol Island has included new facilities and amenities to create a holistic purple island experience. These include a cafe, two full-service restaurants (one each on Bakji and Banwol), bike rental services and a small hotel. At just KRW5,000 per person, you can rent a bike and explore the whole island at a leisurely pace.

Also read: 8 Cabin Retreats in South Korea for a Cosy Getaway 

Getting there

  • From Seoul station, hop on the Korean Train Express (KTX) high-speed train to Mokpo station
  • Board a bus from Mokpo station to Anjwa-Myeon intersection (or Anjwa village)
  • Lastly, take the Anjwa Village Bus to the Purple Bridge

The admission fee to Banwol Island is KRW3,000 for adults, KRW2,000 for teenagers, and KRW1,000 for kids. Don’t forget to go dressed in matchy purple outfits with the place and get the best Instagram photo for your feed! Let’s hope that travel to South Korea will be possible soon and we can explore South Korea’s Purple Island wonderland!

About Author

Shawn Tan
Shawn Tan

Shawn believes that travel is a state of mind. Whether it is winding through the bustling medinas of Marrakech or the morning ritual of brewing coffee, travelling to him is all about being lost in the moment.

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