Jeju sea walking without getting your face wet: Underwater Play

How to walk in the sea in Gimnyeong, Jeju, without getting your face wet

I’m the kind of person who wants to try marine activities but absolutely does not want my carefully done makeup to come off. Then I heard that off Gimnyeong in Gujwa-eup, famous for its emerald sea, you can stroll underwater without getting a single drop of water on your face. So I visited Underwater Play Bada Sea Walking, an unusual Jeju sea-walking experience where even complete non-swimmers can walk in the sea wearing an easy-breathing helmet. 🌊

It is great as a Jeju date activity for making special memories with your partner, and it is safe for everyone from children age 7 to seniors, so it would be hard to beat for a visit with kids, too!

Underwater Play Bada Sea Walking location and parking

It is near Gimnyeong Port, one of eastern Jeju’s clean-water destinations, so it is easy to combine with Gimnyeong Beach and Seongsegi Al Beach.

Getting to the sea-walking site

Search for “Underwater Play” or “Gimnyeong Fisheries Culture Complex Center” in your navigation app and you will enter the broad harbor area. There is plenty of room in the public lot in front of Gimnyeong Fisheries Culture Complex Center and the dedicated lot behind the Underwater Play building, so parking was completely stress-free.

One thing to watch out for: indoor sea walking and ocean sea walking take place at different locations! Indoor sea walking takes place at the location below.

For indoor sea walking, look for the Tom N Toms building. I know because I got confused and went the wrong way. ^_^

Charging service and pets

There is a fast-charging service for smartphones that easily run out of battery while traveling, and pets are welcome too, so it seems like a good option for anyone enjoying a Jeju trip with their dog.

Sea-walking reservations and extra costs

The experience programs range from the signature Sea Walker experience to professional certification courses. They operate by advance Naver reservation to reduce waiting times and make entering the water more comfortable. Naver reservations offer the lowest price, so I definitely recommend booking through Naver.

There was also a ₩10,000 September holiday discount coupon at the time. Grab one before you book! 👍🏻

• Towel rental: ₩2,000
• Suit rental: ₩10,000
• Fish feeding: ₩4,000
• Personal underwater photography: ₩10,000

What happens during a two-person ocean sea-walking experience?

The two of us visited with an advance reservation, and this is how systematically everything went.

QR smart check-in and safety briefing

You use a QR code on your phone to complete a simple check-in and experience consent form.

After checking the reservation details, you receive a briefing on safety precautions.

Suit rental and changing

You can arrive in your own rash guard, but we rented suits and changed on site to retain body heat and maintain stable buoyancy.

The weather was so nice, right?? Ocean sea walking may not be possible when the weather is bad, so we were lucky.

A 3-minute safety video

For about three minutes, you watch a safety video covering underwater breathing, equalizing ear pressure, and hand signals. A professional instructor goes over the precautions once more, helping even people who fear water relax.

Put on the helmet and walk along Gimnyeong’s seafloor

Wearing a special helmet, you slowly descend into the sea via a ladder. The biggest benefit of this helmet is that it rests on your shoulders, so seawater never touches your head or face! Professional diving instructors hold your hand with one-on-one close care as you walk along the emerald Gimnyeong seafloor. I was a little nervous at first, haha.

When you release the feed placed in your hand, schools of colorful sea fish rush right in front of you—seriously, ㅠㅠ it was so much fun.

There are dol hareubang (Jeju stone grandfather) photo spots along the way, too.

Free hot-water shower and completion certificate

Right after the experience, we went to the shower room and washed off the salty seawater with warm water. Sea-walking guests do not pay a separate shower-room fee, which I was very happy about. I recommend bringing your own toiletries, including a towel and shampoo.

Once you finish showering and come out to the lobby, you receive a proud “Sea Walking Completion Certificate” with your name on it as a gift.

It would be lovely to keep as a memento for couples, and it could give younger visitors a big sense of accomplishment. I’m an adult, but I felt accomplished too, and I loved that.

A Jeju marine activity to enjoy even if you cannot swim

Underwater Play Bada Sea Walking was a Jeju marine activity that lowers the barrier to ordinary Jeju scuba diving or snorkeling. Even a total non-swimmer like me can move through the clear underwater world without fear, thanks to the professional instructors’ close care. I strongly recommend it to families looking for things to do in Jeju Island with kids.