[Feature] "Yellow Canola Flowers and Beautiful Barley Swaying"... Cheongsando 'Slow Walking' Festival

Spectacular Wando Sea and Barley Fields: From Day Trips to Extended Stays

Nighttime Milky Way Tours Captivate Visitors

Healing Pay and Plogging Propose a New Model for Local Coexistence

This is a place where yellow canola flowers and green barley sway like waves in the gentle spring breeze. Cheongsando Island, once a destination for day-trippers who would walk along the winding stone-walled paths with the blue sea as their backdrop in Korea's first Slow City, is now changing.

Through the "2026 Cheongsando Slow Walking Festival," which Wando County will host for one month starting April 1, visitors will not only enjoy visual healing but also experience a new local business model that combines extended-stay tourism with eco-friendly (ESG) principles.

Wando County will hold the '2026 Cheongsando Slow Walking Festival' for one month starting April 1. Provided by Wando County

◆ Starry Night Skies and the Sound of Waves... A Bold Move with Night Stays and "Healing Pay"

The biggest limitation of traditional tourism on Cheongsando Island was the short duration of visits. Tourists would focus on collecting stamps along the Slow Road during the day, and there has been ongoing criticism that this offered only limited benefits to the local economy through accommodation or food and beverage spending.

However, marking its 16th edition this year, the festival has adopted the slogan "Experience Healing in Cheongsando This Spring," making the island’s breathtaking night scenery its greatest asset.

As the crimson sunset fades beyond the horizon, tens of thousands of stars—impossible to see in the city—cascade across the velvety night sky. The soft sea breeze tickles your toes, and the soothing sound of clear waves lapping like a lullaby seems to wash away even the deepest fatigue.

Wando County has greatly expanded its lineup of "nighttime stay programs," including night walks and Milky Way tours, so visitors can fully immerse themselves in the poetic atmosphere of Cheongsando’s nights. Of particular note is the bold introduction of the "Wando Healing Pay," which offers up to 100,000 won to support travel expenses.

Tourists visiting Cheongsando Island in Wando, where yellow canola flowers and green barley fields sway like waves, never cease to come. Provided by Wando County

The aim is to entice visitors to spend more by letting them soak up the enchanting night sea, while ensuring that this spending occurs at registered local businesses within Wando County—thereby injecting real vitality into the island’s economy, which has been struggling with population decline.

This has sparked high hopes among merchants and residents in Wando-eup. One restaurant owner in his 50s said, "In the past, tourists often just passed through the town, only concerned about catching the ferry to Cheongsando. This year, with more nighttime stay programs, visitors will spend more time throughout Wando, and thanks to the 'Wando Healing Pay,' I expect to see much more vibrant consumer activity in the local business district."

◆The Evolution of Value-Driven Tourism Preserving the 'Slow City' Identity

Much like a scene from the film "Seopyeonje," the festival stands out for its watercolor-like landscapes and efforts to keep the marine environment pristine. Wando County is tackling the risk of environmental damage (overtourism) caused by the influx of tourists head-on with "eco-friendly initiatives."

The "2026 Cheongsando Slow Walking Festival" is recognized as a model case of sustainable tourism preserving the identity of Asia's first Slow City. Provided by Wando County

This year’s festival highlights "plogging"—picking up litter while enjoying the sea breeze—and a plastic reduction campaign as core activities. This smart strategy transforms tourists from mere consumers of natural beauty into active participants in preserving Cheongsando’s scenic wonders.

By safeguarding the fundamental identity of Asia’s first Slow City while appealing to the eco-conscious Millennials & Gen Z, the festival is regarded as a model case of sustainable tourism.

An Hwanok, Director of Tourism, said, "This year’s festival will showcase not only the daytime scenery of canola flowers blending with cobalt-blue seas, but also the enchanting allure of star-studded nights. I hope visitors can set aside their busy daily lives and experience true relaxation on beautiful Cheongsando Island."

Attention is now focused on whether the Cheongsando Slow Walking Festival, now in its 16th year and finely weaving together the values of rest, healing, and local coexistence, will write a new success formula for regional festivals.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.