EasyTicket We’ve gathered the recommended Namparang Trail courses and their parking locations in one place. If you’re planning a day trek by car, the most important things are the parking at your start and end points and how you’ll loop back to your car — and knowing just these 3 popular sections makes weekend planning a lot easier.
What Kind of Trail Is the Namparang Trail?
The Namparang Trail is a walking trail that runs along Korea’s south coast from Oryukdo Sunrise Park in Busan to Ttangkkeut Village in Haenam, South Jeolla Province. Spanning 90 courses and about 1,470km in total, it’s the south coast section of the Korea Dulle Trail, developed second after the Haeparang Trail on the east coast (source: Korea Tourism Organization).
Much of the trail runs alongside Hallyeohaesang National Park and Dadohaehaesang National Marine Park, so dramatic coastal views, fishing-village lanes, and downtown walkways flow naturally into one another. Walking all 90 courses in one go isn’t realistic, so most travelers pick a single course for a day trip — and when they do, the biggest variable is where to park and how to loop back to your car.
Top 3 Recommended Day-Trek Courses
Of the Namparang Trail’s 90 courses, here are 3 popular picks that combine good accessibility, scenery, and amenities.
Busan Course 1 — Starting from Oryukdo Sunrise Park
This carries a lot of symbolic weight as the starting point of the entire Namparang Trail. It covers 18.9km and takes about 7 hours (source: Durunubi), starting from the stunning views at Oryukdo, passing through Sinseondae and Webtoon Ibagu-gil (Storytelling Road), and ending at Busan Station (KTX) — a mix of downtown and coastal walking. It runs through a lot of urban areas, which means plenty of restrooms and convenience stores along the way, but the distance itself is no joke.
Tongyeong Course 29 — A Scenic Stroll Through Dongpirang and Seopirang
Covers 17.2km and takes about 6 hours. It starts beside Tongyeong Hyundai Church, passes through the Dongpirang mural village, Sebyeonggwan, Seopirang Park, and the Tongyeong Undersea Tunnel, and finishes at Mujeon Beach Park. Since most of it follows seaside promenades and back alleys, it’s relatively easy on the legs, and you can combine it with sightseeing around downtown Tongyeong, which makes it a popular day-trip pick for office workers.
Goseong Course 33 — The Dinosaur Trail
Also known as the Dinosaur Trail, this course starts at the Hai-myeon Office, runs past the Goseong Dinosaur Museum, Sangjogam, and Maekjeonpo Port, and continues on to Impo Port, with sea, forest, and dramatic rock-cliff scenery all along the way — great for photos. It also draws a lot of families, so parking tends to be relatively easy to find.
📋 Parking Locations for Each Recommended Course at a Glance
The most confusing part before setting off by car is figuring out “where do I leave my car,” so here’s a table of parking hubs for all 3 recommended courses.
| Course | Section (Start → End) | Distance & Time | Parking Hub |
|---|---|---|---|
| Busan Course 1 | Oryukdo Sunrise Park → Busan Station (KTX) | 18.9km · 7 hrs | Start: Oryukdo Sunrise Park public parking lot |
| Tongyeong Course 29 | Beside Tongyeong Hyundai Church → Mujeon Beach Park | 17.2km · 6 hrs | Start: Nammangsan Park public parking lot / End: Mujeon Beach Park parking lot |
| Goseong Course 33 | Hai-myeon Office → Impo Port | About 16km · 5+ hrs | Start: Near Hai-myeon Office / Midpoint: Sangjogam County Park parking lot |
For courses where the start and end points differ (one-way courses), if you’re relying on a single car, it’s smart to plan your loop-back route by city bus or taxi ahead of time. On Tongyeong Course 29, it’s about a 10-minute city bus ride from the Mujeon Beach Park stop to Tongyeong Jungang Market, which is then a 5-minute walk to Nammangsan Park.
Car or Public Transit — Which Should You Take?
Most Namparang Trail courses are one-way, with different start and end points, so if you’re relying only on a car, your loop-back route is the key thing to plan.
When a Car Makes Sense
- Courses like Tongyeong Course 29, where the start and end points are connected by city bus in under 30 minutes
- Courses like Goseong Course 33, where you walk just part of the route from a midpoint hub (the Sangjogam parking lot) and turn back
- Courses where you can leave early, reach the end point, and get back to the start by Kakao T or city bus
When Public Transit Makes Sense
- Courses like Busan Course 1, where both the start and end are close to a subway or train station
- When your group has 2 or more people, making it hard for just one person to go back for the car
- When you want to have a drink or take a long rest partway through the course
Downloading each course’s GPS route and start/end coordinates ahead of time from the official Durunubi app means you won’t get lost even in coastal sections with weak signal.
✅ Pre-Departure Checklist
Here’s what’s worth checking before heading out on a Namparang Trail day trek.
- Confirm the course distance and time suit your fitness level (15km+ takes 6+ hours)
- Check the starting parking lot’s hours and fees (many beach park lots are free)
- Save your end-to-start return transportation in advance (city bus routes, taxi apps)
- Download the course’s GPS data offline in the Durunubi app
- At least 1L of water, energy snacks, sunscreen, and a rain jacket
- Walking shoes with non-slip soles, a hat, and spare socks
- Check sunrise/sunset times — during shorter-daylight seasons, start an hour earlier
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. Is parking free at all the recommended Namparang Trail courses?
Parking lots attached to beach parks or township offices are free in a lot of cases, but in downtown areas (part of Busan Course 1 and Tongyeong Course 29), public parking lots charge by the hour. It’s safest to look up the specific lot on Kakao Map or T Map before you go to confirm the fee.
Q. Which of the 90 courses is the easiest?
Tongyeong Course 29 and Goseong Course 33, which are mostly flat ground and beach promenades, tend to be relatively easy. That said, both still run over 15km, so it’s also worth breaking the walk up at a midpoint to match your own fitness level.
Q. Is it okay to walk only half a course and turn back?
Of course. The official Durunubi courses are meant to be completed in full, but in practice, travelers more often break the walk up at midpoints (parking lots, bus stops). The most important thing is not to push yourself too hard and to go at your own pace.