Donghae Sakaiminato ferry

Donghae Guide

Donghae Ferry Port

The city of Donghae in the north-east of South Korea is a small settlement that stretches for 6-miles along the Sea of Japan coastline. This mountainous region, once a thriving industrial trade route, is now a renowned fishing community with local restaurants specialising in serving locally-sourced seafood dishes. Mukho Port, found in the north of the city, also hosts the largest squid market on the eastern coast, an event that attracts merchants and connoisseurs from across the country. Mukho Port is home to the ferry terminal of Donghae too. It sits in the shadow of the Mukho Lighthouse, a tourist hotspot built high upon the slopes of the nearby Mount Dongmun that commands spectacular views over the harbour and into the open Pacific. The lighthouse is also surrounded by a tranquil park brimming with native Forsythia blooms – the perfect spot for a summer picnic in the embrace of the refreshing sea breeze. Although the passenger terminal is small and offers little in the way of facilities, it is well serviced by a number of transport links. A number of bus and coach stops can be found on the Ilchul-Ro road that runs adjacent to the harbour, taking passengers to and from the city centre. The Donghae railway station is just a short walk from the terminal too. Trains leaving from the station follow the Yeongdong line across the province of North Gyeongsang, a route that feeds into other lines venturing westwards towards the capital city of Seoul. Only one ferry currently operates from the port in Donghae. A DBS Cruise Ferry leaves the port once a week, heading northwards on the day-long voyage across the Pacific to the major port city of Vladivostok at the foot of Russia.