When the weather starts turning warm, I take my kid down to the water most weekends. Folding chair for me, a tumbler of something cold, some pool toys and a couple of towels for her. That's the whole packing list.
You'd think living on Jeju means going to the beach every week, right? Not really. People here don't go all that often. The sand gets everywhere and takes forever to deal with, and in summer the sand itself is too hot to sit on.
So where do we go instead? In my case, somewhere less than a ten-minute drive from my house that every single person in Seogwipo knows about: Beophwan Maksuk. There's another spring-water spot over at Jaguri Coast too, but Beophwan is closer to us, so that's where we usually end up.
Here's the strange part. I've almost never seen a foreign visitor there. Once in a while I'll spot one, and when I do, it's basically always someone married to a Korean. You've probably heard about Jeju's beaches and its waterfalls and its forest trails. But maksuk? There's just no information out there for you. You could have walked right past one and never known what you were looking at.
Jeju People Have Always Lived Where the Water Was
Jeju is a volcanic island, so no matter how much rain falls, it all soaks straight into the ground. That water travels down through layers of volcanic rock, gets filtered along the way, and then comes back up near the coast. That's yongcheonsu (용천수), spring water.
Which created an odd problem. The mid-mountain areas, where the farmland was good and you could get out of the wind, didn't have enough water. So people built their villages along the coast where the springs came up, or clustered inland around whatever spring they could find. Read the founding story of almost any village on Jeju and it's a story about water. None of it, the rock or the soil or the weather, works the way it does on the mainland, and this is what came of that.
You can still see the evidence all along the coast. Where a spring surfaces, people stacked stones around it to hold the water in place. In Seogwipo, we call that a maksuk.
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| The inner pool, away from the sea. This is where the spring comes up. |
So What Is a Maksuk?
Technically, Maksuk is a proper place name, and it belongs to exactly one spot: the one at Beophwan Port.
In 1374, near the end of the Goryeo dynasty, General Choe Yeong came to Jeju to put down a rebellion by the Mokho, Mongol horse herders who'd been running the island's pastures since the Yuan occupation. He set up his military tents and camped right where Beophwan Port is now, and that's where the name comes from: 幕宿, "tent" and "lodging." Goryeo sent a serious force for this: 25,605 elite troops and 314 warships. Choe Yeong took forty of the fastest boats, surrounded Beomseom Island just offshore from Beophwan, and finished off the last of the Mokho there. You can still find the traces in the street names around here, Maksukpo-ro and Choeyeong-ro.
So if you search 막숙, you'll get Beophwan. Simple enough.
Except that everyone I know in Seogwipo also calls the spring-water pool over at Jaguri Coast a maksuk. I asked a friend about this. She was born and raised here, her family has been in Seogwipo for generations, and she just looked at me and said, "Well, Jaguri Maksuk is a maksuk too. What else would you call it?"
Somewhere along the line, the word stopped being a place name and turned into a common noun. To people here, a maksuk is a bathing pool built around a spring. That's what I was told when I first moved to Seogwipo ten years ago, and nobody has corrected me since.
It might just be a neighborhood thing. We live near Beophwan, so maybe that's why we use the word this way, and maybe people who live right by Jaguri call it something else entirely. What I can tell you is that I've never heard anyone on the north side of the island use the word at all. There's a spring-fed bathhouse at Gwakji Gwamul Beach up in Aewol, still walled off with stone so you can't see in, still divided by gender, and nobody calls that one a maksuk.
Back before there was plumbing, this is how it worked. You found where the fresh water came up, you built something around it, and that's where you washed yourself, did your laundry, and filled your drinking jars.
Maksuk at Beophwan Port
This is the one I go to almost every week in summer. It's just below the newer part of Seogwipo, and parking is easy.
First, a Word About Maps in Korea
This trips up almost every visitor, so let me get it out of the way before we go any further.
Google Maps does not do driving directions in Korea. It'll show you where things are, but it won't route you. You need Naver Map or Kakao Map instead. Both have English settings. In Naver Map, go to the menu, then Settings, then Language, and pick English.
Here's the catch. English search works fine for big-name attractions, but small local places like these two often only exist in the system under their Korean names. And unless you have a Korean keyboard, you can't type them.
So use the coordinates. Paste the GPS numbers straight into the search bar and it'll drop a pin exactly where you want to be. This works in Naver Map, Kakao Map, Google Maps, and the built-in navigation in your rental car. I've listed coordinates for both spots below.
The other reliable trick: highlight the Korean text in this post, copy it, and paste it into the search bar. Korean apps handle that perfectly. It's typing it that's the problem, not reading it.
The Basics
GPS coordinates: 33.237775, 126.515794 (paste this into any map app)
Address: 2, Maksukpo-ro 37beon-gil, Seogwipo-si, Jeju
Address in Korean, for car navigation: 서귀포시 막숙포로37번길 2
Korean name to copy and paste: 막숙물
Entry fee: Free
Water temperature: 16–18°C (61–64°F), even at the peak of summer. Cold enough that most people never get past their knees
Depth: Under one meter (about 3 feet) at the deepest point
Parking: Free lot, fairly large
Restrooms: None on site, about a 5-minute walk into Beophwan village
Showers: None
Supervision: The village posts a lifeguard and caretaker during the day. They head home around 6pm
Busiest: Weekends from late July to mid-August
Beophwan Maksuk (33.237775, 126.515794)
Good news for this one: it's listed on the official Jeju tourism site in English simply as Maksuk, so an English search might work. If it doesn't, fall back on the coordinates. Official listing: Visit Jeju (English)
The spring here also goes by Donggareummul, and there's a second one called Seogareummul about 50 to 60 meters to the west. Gareum is the Jeju word for a village or neighborhood, so the names just mean "the east village water" and "the west village water." Back in the day one was for men and the other for women.
Summer 2026: Beophwan Maksuk Got a Lot Bigger
The village did construction work earlier this year and reopened the site in early summer. I went for the first time in early July and the layout had completely changed.
It used to be a pool-shaped basin, stones stacked around the channel where the spring comes up, with the shallow sea reachable just past the rocks. They've now turned that shallow section into a proper seawater pool. It works like the one at Nonjitmul in Yerae-dong. A breakwater-type structure holds the water, so at low tide you're swimming in fresh spring water, and at high tide it becomes a mix of fresh and sea water. The whole thing is much bigger now.
It's about half the size of Nonjitmul, but far easier to get to and much more of a "just stop by for an hour" kind of place. For a visitor, I'd take Beophwan.
If you've been here before, be prepared: it won't look like you remember. Almost every photo online is from before the work was done.
What It's Actually Like
This is a great spot with kids. Nothing is deeper than a meter. My nine-year-old can stand anywhere in it with her head well clear of the water, so you're not watching the depth. And because clean spring water is constantly flowing through, you're not worrying about water quality either.
What you do need to prepare for is the cold. Even in August. I only ever go in up to my knees because I can't handle more than that. The kids, meanwhile, splash around in it happily for hours.
One important thing: this whole place is made of rock. Do not go in barefoot. There's sharp volcanic stone around the edges and just as much of it underwater. Water shoes, or at minimum a pair of Crocs. I'm not being dramatic about this.
It's not just kids, either. Plenty of adults come to swim and snorkel. There are little fish, crabs and shrimp living in there, and they carry on going about their business while people are splashing around. If you want somewhere safe to try snorkeling, this is about as good as it gets.
When to Go
The middle of the day is brutally sunny, but after about 4pm the building right in front of the pool throws shade over the whole area. That's when I go in high summer. You get to avoid the sun and still be in the water, and just sitting near the pool is cooling. You can feel the chill coming off it.
Local kids are in there from early summer through to the end of the season, and apart from winter there always seems to be somebody around. Late July through mid-August, weekends get packed and parking gets tight.
Short version: a summer weekday, after 4pm.
Parking and Restrooms, Know Before You Go
There's a decent-sized free parking lot around Beophwan Maksuk, so parking is usually easy. On a peak-season weekend you won't get a space right next to the water, but you'll find something a short walk away without much trouble.
The real issue is the bathroom situation. There are no restrooms and no showers at the maksuk itself. For a restroom you'll need to walk about five minutes into Beophwan village. For a shower, there isn't one anywhere.
Because the water is fresh rather than salty, locals mostly just throw a towel over the car seat and shower at home. Visitors seem to do the same thing: dry off with a towel and head straight back to wherever they're staying. There's no entry fee, no ticket booth, nothing to check in for.
Tides and Typhoons
You don't need to plan around the tide. It's connected to the sea so the water level does move, but the pool is fed by the spring, so even at low tide there's plenty to swim in.
Typhoons are a different matter. When one is approaching, they'll close the water. And if there's a high-seas warning or advisory in effect and the tide comes in, the far end where it meets the open sea gets hit by real waves. That said, Beophwan Maksuk is long and narrow, running out toward the ocean, so as long as you stay at the inner end you're fine.
I went once the day before a typhoon, at high tide, with big swells rolling in. The entire maksuk was underwater. Please don't push your luck when a typhoon is anywhere near. Nature gives us everything here, and it takes things back without any warning at all.
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| Taken at high tide, with a typhoon sitting just south of the island. The maksuk is completely underwater. You can't even tell where it is. |
Getting There
By car
Coordinates 33.237775, 126.515794. Or search 막숙물 or 법환포구 by copying and pasting, or try "Maksuk" in English. About 20 minutes from Lee Jung-seop Street in downtown Seogwipo, with free parking right by the water.
By bus from Lee Jung-seop Street. Fare is ₩1,150, and all three options drop you at Beophwan Saemaul Geumgo [North] (법환새마을금고). From there it's about a 4-minute walk down toward the water.
680 or 642
Board at Soldongsan Ipgu [North] (솔동산입구). About 19 minutes, the fastest option. The 642 runs 14 times a day.
520
Board at Soldongsan Ipgu [North] (솔동산입구). About 28 minutes, but it runs 30 times a day, so you'll wait the least.
643
Board at Jeju Bank [North] (제주은행). About 35 minutes.
Frequencies shift by season, so check Naver Map or the Jeju bus site (bus.jeju.go.kr) before you head out. Bus stop names do show up in English once you've switched the language setting, so this part is easier than finding the pool itself.
While You're in the Neighborhood
Beophwan Port is worth more than a quick dip and a drive home.
"Typhoon Ground Zero"
When a typhoon is heading for Jeju, every broadcast news van on the island parks at Beophwan Port. It's the first place in the country the storm reaches, which earned it the nickname 태풍 1번지, roughly "Typhoon HQ." You don't need an actual typhoon to see something, either. Any rough-sea day gives you good waves. Korea's coastline is usually pretty calm compared to somewhere like Hawaii or Australia, so when the swell picks up, people here will drive down to the harbor just to watch.
Beophwan Haenyeo House and the training cove
Walk a bit farther along from the port and you'll find the Beophwan Haenyeo House and the cove where the divers train. It's also a well-known snorkeling spot. If you've read anything about Jeju you've probably come across the haenyeo, the women who free-dive for shellfish and seaweed. Every coastal village has a base for them, and that's what a haenyeo house is. I'll write about them properly another time.
Jestory, the gift shop
Between the maksuk and the haenyeo house there's a big Jeju souvenir shop called Jestory. It's been there since before I moved to Seogwipo ten years ago, and it's the shop people here point you toward. Two floors, a surprisingly good range of handmade things. Worth a stop. My friends always end up going in when they visit, and somebody usually walks out with something they hadn't planned on. We'd call that 득템 (deuktem), Korean slang for scoring a great find. Open daily, 9am to 9pm.
Food and convenience stores
You'll be hungry after all that. Cooking and full meals aren't allowed at the maksuk itself, but drinks and light snacks are fine. Right by Beophwan Maksuk there's a convenience store, a café, and a small place selling gimbap. There's also Mangoholic, known for its mango juice. Walking into the café or a restaurant while dripping wet would be awkward, but Mangoholic has a big outdoor seating area, so you can go straight there from the water.
I'll be honest with you though: there's nothing within walking distance I'd actually recommend for a proper meal. Eat before you come, or drive somewhere afterward. If you just want something quick, gimbap is a solid choice.
The Freshwater Pool at Jaguri Coast (Sonammeori)
This one is about fifteen minutes from my house, down on Jaguri Coast.
Its official name turns out to be Sonammeori Freshwater Pool, which I learned by searching while writing this post. Ten years here and I'd never heard it called that once. My friends and I just call it a maksuk, same as the other one. On Naver Map it comes up as 자구리공원 담수욕장, Jaguri Park Freshwater Pool. This one has no English listing at all, so coordinates are your friend.
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| From Jaguri Park, you take the stairs down to the shore. |
The Basics
GPS coordinates: 33.243423, 126.569450. This drops you at Jaguri Park; the pool is at the far end of the park, down by the shore
Address: 145 Chilsimni-ro, Seogwipo-si, Jeju
Address in Korean, for car navigation: 서귀포시 칠십리로 145
Korean name to copy and paste: 자구리공원 담수욕장
Park phone number: 064-760-3192. Korean map apps also accept a phone number as a search, which is handy in a rental car
Entry fee: Free
Water temperature: Spring-fed, so just as cold as Beophwan
Parking: Jaguri public lot next to Seogwipo Elementary School. Free on weekends, paid on weekdays
Restrooms: Yes, easier than at Beophwan
Showers: None
Bonus: In summer they run ground fountains on the hill just above the pool
Jaguri Park, with the freshwater pool at the far end (33.243423, 126.569450)
Jaguri public parking rates (weekdays, standard vehicle)
- ₩1,000 for the first 45 minutes
- ₩500 per 15 minutes after that
- ₩10,000 daily maximum
- Free if you leave within 30 minutes
- Large vehicles: ₩2,000 base, ₩1,000 per 15 minutes, ₩20,000 daily maximum
It's free on weekends, so that's where I park without thinking about it. On weekdays the rates aren't painful enough to bother avoiding, so I use it anyway.
What It's Like
You have to walk down toward the shore from Jaguri Park to reach it, so unlike Beophwan you can't see it from the road. On calm days this is another popular snorkeling spot.
Which makes sense when you think about it. Anywhere a spring surfaces tends to be good for snorkeling. If the water there were dangerous, people wouldn't have built their daily lives around it centuries ago.
Jaguri Park is more developed for visitors than Beophwan Port. There are street performers on weekends, cultural festivals nearby at Lee Jung-seop Street and Saeyeongyo Bridge, and a steady stream of tourists. Cafés and restaurants line the coastal path with good views out to sea.
If you're staying anywhere near Lee Jung-seop Street, come here rather than Beophwan. It's not that different an experience and it's far easier to reach. It's also close to Jeongbang Falls, so the two work well as one outing.
One more note on parking. There is a small free lot right next to the pool. It is also full. Permanently. Every season, all year. Don't count on it. Just go straight to the public lot by Seogwipo Elementary School, which is huge and means you'll never have to think about it. And don't park on the street during the day unless you want a ticket.
The restrooms here are much more convenient than at Beophwan. Still no showers, so rinsing off in the fresh water is as good as it gets. In summer, head up the hill just above the pool for the ground fountains.
Because the pool sits at the base of a cliff right against the shore, it stops being unpleasantly hot not long after midday. Another good one with kids.
Getting down to the water means stairs, though there's a longer way around that skips them. Worth knowing if you've got a stroller.
Getting There
By car
Coordinates 33.243423, 126.569450. Or paste 자구리공원 담수욕장, or search the phone number 064-760-3192. Park at the Jaguri public lot next to Seogwipo Elementary School.
On foot, which is what I'd do
About 10 minutes from Lee Jung-seop Street. Even if you take the bus, the stop is at Seogwipo Elementary School and you still walk 4 minutes from there. The bus ride itself is one minute. Just walk. If the weather's bad for walking, take a taxi.
If you really want the bus
From Lee Jung-seop Street, fare ₩1,150. Board 641 (13 times a day) or 611 (4 times a day) at Soldongsan Ipgu [South] (솔동산입구), get off at Seogwipo Elementary School (서귀포초등학교), then walk 4 minutes. Total is around 8 minutes, one of which is the actual bus. Coming from further out, though, the bus makes sense.
What to Bring
A maksuk isn't a beach resort. There are almost no facilities. Bring these and your day gets a lot easier.
Essential
- Water shoes. I mean it. Crocs at minimum. Bare feet are a bad idea here
- Two or three towels. One to dry off, one to throw over the car seat
- Something to drink. No vending machines, no kiosk
- Dry clothes to change into. No showers, so you towel off and change
Nice to have
- A folding chair. There's nowhere comfortable to sit. I always bring mine. If you don't have one, the rocks work fine
- A waterproof phone pouch. Your bag is never far from the water, so it's not strictly necessary
- A cooler. In peak summer you'll end up staying for hours
- A trash bag. There are no bins. Whatever you bring in, you take out
- A float or life vest. If you're not a swimmer, it'll make the day more fun
Leave at home
- Sand toys. There's no sand
- A beach umbrella or pop-up shade. Nowhere to set one up. It's all rock, so nothing will stake into the ground
About That Cold Water
The water here isn't "refreshing." It's cold. 16–18°C (61–64°F), all year.
Hypothermia sets in below roughly 16–21°C (61–70°F). It can be over 30°C (86°F) in the air and you'll still lose body heat if you stay in too long. Kids cool down much faster than adults do, and of course they're the ones having too much fun to get out.
A few things that help
- Give kids 20 to 30 minutes, then get them out, wrap them in a towel and let them warm up before they go back in
- Blue lips or shivering means out, immediately. There's no "five more minutes"
- Same goes for adults. I only go in to my knees and even that starts to ache after a while
- Bring more dry clothes and towels than you think you need. Wet skin plus wind drops your temperature fast
- Warm up a little before you get in, and wade in slowly, starting from your feet rather than plunging
I know that all sounds alarming. But flip it around and the cold is exactly the point. Lowering yourself into that water after baking in the summer sun is a feeling you won't get anywhere else.
This Isn't a Resort. It's Somebody's Neighborhood.
A maksuk isn't a tourist attraction. It's village infrastructure. People who live here walk past it every day, the village maintains it themselves, and the fact that it's free and open is a choice they make.
So, a few things.
- Take your trash with you. There are no bins
- No soap, shampoo or detergent. That fresh water runs straight out into the sea
- Keep the noise down. Houses start about thirty feet away
- Park inside the lines. Residents use that lot every day
- Be careful photographing people. Local kids and neighbors are swimming here
- Listen to the lifeguard. They're from the village
I did think twice about writing this up. But I figure if you want to see the real version of Jeju, a short list like this one isn't going to bother you.
What Maksuk Means to Someone from Seogwipo
Nobody has ever officially promoted these places. They're not attractions, they don't appear on itineraries, they don't come up in "top ten" lists. Which is probably why visitors don't know they exist at all, and why I never see foreign travelers there.
But go once and that water gets you. Cold enough to ache, clear enough to see the bottom, with the whole open sea in front of you. That combination is one of those things you can't really explain to someone who hasn't stood in it. And the black volcanic rock against blue water and blue sky is beautiful in a way the photos never quite catch.
I've shown you two in Seogwipo, but there are spring-fed pools like this all over Jeju. If it interests you, the visitor centers and community halls in individual villages are full of good stories about their own water.
So now you know what a maksuk is. If you make it to Jeju, go stand in one for a while.
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