Korean Job Discussion Forums

The Great Toad · Joined: 12 Jun 2004

VanIslander · Posted: Wed May 12, 2010 2:00 pm Post subject:

The pictures of Jindo are on a cloudy day, Wando on a sunny day so that makes the latter look brighter and better.

Your pictures of Jindo do a great injustice to the beautiful areas of the island. Where are the two nice beaches? The mountain vista? The country town charm? The dogs and the bridge and the farming are quite unique there too.

Wando has three majestic beaches, and within 10 minutes over the bridge to nearby Sinjido there is Myeongsashimni, one of the best beaches in Northeast Asia. Wando has a 3-hour ferry to Jeju for a couple of summer jaunts, has express buses to Seoul and Busan without transfers, and is closer to scenic south coast drives if you have your own transportation, not to mention countless islands in the vicinity.

I've been to Jindo twice and plan a third time, and could imagine living a year locally there with nothing more than a bicycle to get around.

I have been to the Wando area countless times and plan to go several more times because there are so many nice places thereabouts. I really dislike downtown Wando itself, which was fuglier than hell in 2002 and now is much more modern and developed but with surprisingly limited appeal. I cannot imagine living in the town of Wando without my own car because that would mean spending the bulk of my time walking or cycling around that hole of a town, and by hole I do not mean small as there are many smaller nice communities along the coast of Korea, but that ain't one of them. I could see myself using Wando as a base for six months from May to October one summer inbetween contracts but can't imagine a winter there, however mild it is being in the southernmost part of the peninsula.

You being you TGT, the self-contained charm of Jindo might be just right to chill on, cycling around. Plus it's closer to Gwangju for weekend shopping and entertainment when big city interests call.

Good luck whatever.

The Great Toad · Joined: 12 Jun 2004

MMmm you are right it is slanted towards Wando... to be honest I was only two or so days in Jindo and did not always take pictures... it was an easy 4hour ride from Mokpo if you discount irritating highway traffic... but highway traffic that goes 120 kilometers and hour is a bother no matter what country you ride. I think I missed the beaches in detail because I just sort of looped around it twice or so and then took the ferry to visit an isolated friend teaching on a bridgeless island across from Jindo.
-there are some more sunny Jindo pictures there:
http://eng.jindo.go.kr/

Yeah downtown Wando was a bit drab. I remember the city of Jindo seemed pretty boring as well in both places I never saw anyone but Koreans but I just did weekend trips there and did not stay up late looking into nightlife as I was riding my bicycle most of the day.... I guess I will just go with whichever job offers the larger hotub and Kim Chee Pot.

Anyhow.... anyone else want to advise me I be interested... Actually it might all come down to which job will put me in a beach house or the closest thing to it overlooking a good beach...

Zutronius · Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Location: Suncheon

Wando has amazing beach parties. The city itself is pretty drab but it's not hard to get away from the place either. Jindo is depressing. I was on a Korean game show for Mokpo MBC and me and my friends were recorded wandering around Jindo. Some of my friends also lived in Jindo and were bored.

itaewonguy · Joined: 25 Mar 2003

ive been to all those places.. I guess it depends on what are you looking for.. all can be isolated to a point.. and both have towns for supplies.

it doesnt really matter which place you choose as both can be accessed easily by bus, or car down there.. but If I had to choose I would go with Wando, due to its ferry access, beaches tourist sites...

The Great Toad · Joined: 12 Jun 2004

Right then it must be Wando I guess... Jindo seems to have more traffic too - Wando can be sweet if you cross to the island next to it by bridge you get way little traffic and it is where the pine beach is to Shinan or Sinji or something is the name of the island... anyway it is more dependent on which place wants me more... regardless I will have to host a Daves' end of summer beach bash when I get there for the next semester ... of course I will have some Ajumas monitor it and lay down the smacky stick when anyone gets wild or litters.