Deliberating on where to visit once international travel reopens? Forget the big cities like Busan or Jeju. There’s a new attraction making waves in South Korea.
Banwol-do, meaning “half-moon island”, is located in Sinan County, province of South Jeolla in South Korea. No, we did not add any filters on these pictures.
It’s not certain how this island came to be purple. The authorities had apparently announced its plan to line the island with 40,000 lavender plants, thousands of empress trees, as well as other purple plants one summer.
Everything here is bathed in beautiful hues of purple and violet. To stay true to its moniker, even the houses and pathways are painted in purple.
And of course, there is a bridge in the colour of purple. Cheonsa Bridge, also translating to “Bridge of Hope”, links Banwol and Parkji islands.
Convinced yet? Explore the Purple Isle through bike rentals starting at 5000 Korean won (around SGD 6). Meanwhile, purple-colored homestays start at KRW50,000 per night or approximately SGD 60.
Don’t forget to pack a suitcase of purple clothings!
How to get there
“From Incheon Airport Terminal 1, take the train to Seoul Station. Ride the Korean Train express (KTX) to Mokpo Station, and board a bus to Anjwa-Myeon. Once at the Anjwa village, you can take a bus that will drop you off at the purple bridge.” @Gale Nungira
