Summer Vacation Part 3 - Jeju Island

Tue, Aug 10

Our flight from Gunsan takes an hour and soon we're touching down in the tropical paradise that is Jeju Island. It's the largest island in Korea at about half the size of Rhode Island. The flight route from Seoul to Jeju is the most trafficked in the world and the island is known as a popular honeymoon spot amongst Koreans.

We arrive to Jeju City in the north of the island at about 7pm and catch a bus directly south to the only other city, Seogwipo. After the hour and a half ride, we get some ramen and relax in our hotel for the night.

Wed, Aug 11

We start the day off with some exploring. It's drizzling as we make our way to the first waterfall of the day, Cheonjiyeon Falls (not to be confused with Cheonjeyeon Falls which we'll be visiting later). Even on our walk over the scenery is gorgeous. To get to the falls, we walk alongside a river and over a couple bridges; the rainy weather clears up too. Though it's insanely humid, the dampness adds to the tropical vibe of this walk through nature. The falls itself isn't too big but it's really beautiful and relaxing. We take a bunch of photos then trail back, passing another tiny falls and throwing some coins in the river to make wishes.

The next falls is a 35 minute walk away past some pretty ocean views and a Chinese garden. We walk down a ton of stairs and come out at the rocky shore. Jeongbang Falls is the only waterfall in Asia to fall into the sea and it's a gorgeous view.

Finally we trek back up the stairs and just a short walk away to Seojeongbang Falls. My map takes us on the sketchy path past some friendly horseback riders and through some overgrown trails full of mosquitos. This waterfall is much smaller, but there's no one else here. It's even possible to swim in the tiny pools underneath it.

It's dinnertime at this point so we go for Jeju's most famous dish, black pork. This breed originates from the island and is named for its black skin. To know if the meat you're served is true black pork, just look at the skin and you'll see the tiny black hair follicles. Don't worry, you can't taste it. The restaurant we go to has an hour wait so it must be good. We return (after petting the convenience store cat) and are seated around a small round table with a grill in the middle. They bring out all the side dishes and then two skewers of meat. The nice lady grills it for us and invites us to try two different sauces with it, both of which are really good. The meat itself is so delicious that we can all agree it's worth the higher price. And we're sad when it's finished. Luckily our night isn't over and we find a nearby soft serve ice cream shop. I get Jeju Hallabong (a special native tangerine hybrid) and blue tangerine. We vow to come back here every night.

Thu, Aug 12

It's rainy this morning so we get a quick breakfast then hop on a bus for two hours to the northeast side of the island. We're going to Manjanggul Lava Tube. Jeju is a volcanic island with Halla Mountain at its center so most of the smaller mountains around the island are cones and craters. This lava tube was formed 200,000-300,000 years ago and is one of the longest in the world. As we descend into the cave we can feel the temperature drop by the second. A hot 90F quickly turns to a cool 55, so we're all feeling quite chilly. The inside is amazing though, giant caverns turn to small tunnels, all showcasing different geological features. It was really cool walking on the hardened lava and listening to the moisture dripping from the stalactites. At the end of the portion we're allowed to walk through is a giant lava column, the largest in the world, standing at 25 feet tall. We walk back slowly, enjoying the refreshing coolness and peaceful atmosphere before emerging back into summer.

From there we take a bus to Woljeongri Beach and change into our swimsuits for some rainy day swimming. There are surprisingly a lot of people out swimming today. The ocean smells delicious, like seaweed soup, and the waves are decently high. Everyone's out having a blast jumping the waves even though it's raining. It's a ton of fun and makes me feel nostalgic for home.

After drying off and changing back, we relax in a cafe for an hour with drinks and cards. Then we get the two hour bus back to our hotel for the night. But not before stopping at the soft serve place.

Fri, Aug 13

We get breakfast at Boraed Bakery -a bakery known for croiffins - croissant muffins - and they are so good. Then we take a really nice hour and a half bus north through foggy winding mountain roads.

Soon we arrive at Love Land, a museum featuring all things love, specifically sex. Phallic statues, portraits of women in compromising positions, you name it. Christy and Jamie enjoy their time there while Kat and I find a gorgeous cafe to go to in the mean time. Turns out Mystic 3° Cafe is my dream place. The interior is modern rustic, full of wood and moss and giant windows. The back garden is large and labyrinthine with overgrown ivy, caves to sit in, and black volcanic stones. The damp, misty air adds to the mystical vibes. We spend a while just exploring the garden and taking pictures of all the cute goblin statues. We even spot some pigs and mini horses. We both agree that the greenhouse would make the perfect wedding ceremony spot. Back inside, we get some drinks and blueberry cake while enjoying the peaceful atmosphere and waiting for the others. Then we go back around the garden when they return.

Outside the cafe is the mysterious road. Local legend says that goblins lived here and would act playfully or grant health and good fortune to those who needed it. Once upon a time, a poor woodsman lived here with his elderly parents. All he wanted was to serve his parents delicious meals, so the goblins made an easy path for the woodsman to cut down trees near Halla Mountain. However, the man grew greedy and cut down more and more, so the goblins enchanted the downhill path to look like an uphill ramp. The woodsman never returned. Even today the road outside the cafe gives the illusion of being an uphill ramp despite the fact that it is actually 3 degrees downhill.

We buy a can of soda at a convenience store and walk to the mysterious road where another family has already gathered. The road does in fact look uphill, if only slightly. And the cans do look like they're rolling upward!

Next we make our way over to Sumokwon Theme Park which isn't really a theme park but more of an amusement center. First we enter the ice room which has a bunch of ice sculptures and an igloo and an ice slide. It's freezing inside and we're all in T-shirts and shorts but it's a nice break from summer. The ice slide is fun too. Then we take some silly photos in the trick art section and do an AR roller coaster. As we make our way outside we notice a bunch of food trucks clustered around a cute park. It's raining now so we imagine it would've been a better time if the weather was good, but we get some food and find a spot under cover. The vibe is really nice anyway. Finally we take the bus back to the soft serve place and then walk to our hotel.

Sat, Aug 14

To start the day, we go to a cute cafe playing Sinatra for breakfast. It's raining again today, but we still walk up and down the streets to do some souvenir shopping. We also stumble across a traditional house replica that belonged to Jeju's most famous painter.

After spending some money, we head to Cheonjeyeon Falls, which is actually a cluster of three different waterfalls. The first one only falls when it rains so I feel lucky that it's raining today and we can see it. The bridge directly behind the falls detracts from the serenity, but the geometric rocks and misty emerald green pool are beautiful. The walk to each waterfall is also very nice with the rain bringing an enhanced saturation to the leaves and stones. We also come across a bridge which lets us see the ocean in the distance.

Though the tropical atmosphere is nice, we're all wet and keen to just relax in a cafe for a bit. The Cliff cafe sits on the edge of a drop off to the sea, so the view is beautiful, but it's mostly outside seating and the inside seems more like a nightclub than a cafe. It's nice to see though, especially since Twice had recently filmed one of their music videos here. Luckily there's another cafe nearby where we can have a snack and dry off.

Then we go to Seogwipo Market to sample some Hallabong tangerine bread and juice. The bread is too tangeriney for me but the juice is really good. We go back to the black pork restaurant for dinner since we're all going to miss it from now on. And we end our day with one final cone from the soft serve place.

Sun, Aug 15

After checking out, we get the hour and a half bus back to Jeju City where I part ways with my friends and head to a laundromat. On the ride, we get our first glimpse of Halla Mountain in the center of the island. Unlike today's blue sky, the last few days have been so rainy and foggy that we haven't been able to see the top at all.

I chill for a bit waiting for my laundry to finish then I walk to a restaurant nearby for lunch. It's in a weird area but it's so cool inside with the traditional rustic interior. I sit on the floor at a natural wood table and look at the menu, which is short and handwritten on traditional paper. I get perilla seed rice porridge and green plum iced tea and eat while talking with my family and looking outside at all the greenery.

Soon it's time to go and meet my friend at the airport. We rent a car then take off on the start of our island circuit road trip. Neither of us have many plans for this week, we don't even have a hotel booked for the night or a plane flight home. It's chill yet adventurous at the same time and I love it.

We start off west to our first stop, Iho Tewoo Beach which is known for the red and white horse lighthouses. We take a snack break and walk down the pier. It's a bit overcast but not rainy which is a nice change. We hop on the coastal road which winds it's way around all of Jeju island. It's our goal to stick to this road as much as possible, so even though our driving time will be longer, at least we'll get the best views.

Next we go to Bomnal Cafe which juts off the land into the rocky water. We get some drinks and watch the kayakers outside. The man swimming with his golden retriever warms my heart. Then we take a walk along the coast and spot at least four kittens huddled around a cluster of potted cacti. So cute!

We drive a little bit farther to Hyeopjae Beach just after the sun has set. The sky behind the blue clouds is still pink and the water is a gorgeous turquoise. With Biyangdo Island in the distance, it makes a beautiful sight. Dinner is a very ~interesting~ pastry crust pizza at a nearby restaurant and here we also book our hotel for the night. Afterward we sit in the dark by the beach for a while listening to the live music and watching the roman candles. Finally we drive inland to the middle of nowhere where the hotel is.

Mon, Aug 16

We check out and go back to Hyeopjae Beach for some midday swimming. The tide is out, the waves are small, and there are tons of people, but it's fun. I'm glad to finally give the turquoise Jeju waters a try. For lunch we get some more black pork barbeque.

Finally the sun has come out in full force as we drive down to Singgyemul Park, a park dedicated to wind turbines. It's pretty cool hearing their sound and seeing how big they are. We cross a bridge to the base of one turbine, but the next bridge is partially submerged, so I take off my shoes and embrace the refreshing water.

On the next leg we make it to the westernmost point of Jeju and stop off at Suwolbong Observatory. From the grassy cliff face we can see Chagwido Island and even the park we were just at. As we walk back to the car, a girl and her uncle pass us on horseback and we almost step on a giant male stag beetle.

We take a stop by the water to chill, book our hotel, and find a place to eat. We get dinner - seaweed kalgugksu (knife-cut noodles) for me - and drive to Gunsan. No, not the city we visited previously, this Gunsan is a small mountain near the coast. Luckily we can drive almost all the way up, but it's a really sketchy drive up a tiny winding "road." It's 8:30pm so it's totally dark but we make it up to the top without dying and then only have to walk a little bit more to the peak. The view from here is beautiful with all the town lights down below outlining the edge of the land. We can even see the lights of what look like hundreds of boats off the coast. It's so peaceful up here in the dark. Eventually we go back down and to our hotel for the night.

Tue, Aug 17

We start the day at Songak Park which has a walking course around the grassy Songak volcanic crater, the southernmost point of mainland Jeju. Along the trail we spot some wild horses and beautiful views of the sea. It's also interesting to see the different strata of the bare cliff faces.

Next we attempt to go to Yongmeori Beach but the waves are too high and the whole area is closed. Instead we drive to The Cliff, the cafe I went to a few days ago with my other friends. Today is bright and sunny though, directly contrasting my previous visit. There are lots of people, and instead of chilling at the cafe, we walk down to the beach below for some swimming. The waves are huge! And a ton of surfers are out. We have a blast jumping the waves and swimming.

Finally we make it to Seogwipo at the south of the island. It's sprinkling as we get out of the car at Hwanguji, a natural swimming hole. We walk down the wooden stairs and the trees part to reveal a truly gorgeous sight. It's evening and raining a little so there aren't too many people sitting around the three rocky pools down below. The water is dark green and looks so refreshing next to the blue sea. It's rough walking over all the rocks, but when we jump in it's perfect. The rocks provide natural ledges to sit on and the ocean waves bring the water level up and down rhythmically.

I never want to leave, but it's getting darker so we dry off and head into the city for dinner at Seogwipo market. We get delicious black pork skewers and some fried chicken, as well as book our hotel. Turns out the one I stayed at last week has room so we stay there again tonight.

Wed, Aug 18

Today we get gogiguksu (meat noodles) - a specialty of Jeju - for breakfast and then go back to the area with the natural swimming pool. But this time we walk along the cliff-side trail instead of going down. We see Oedolgae, a rock standing solitary in the ocean. Legend has it that the rock was originally an old grandmother, but waiting for her lost husband who'd gone fishing, she turned to stone. Nearby we take a little rest in a gazebo for a while before continuing our walk around.

Next we visit a small museum dedicated to one artist - Lee Waljong - whose work is known for showing the beauty and colors of Jeju Island. His work uses very similar motifs and imagery (except in the ~18+ only room~). I think it captures the happy and relaxed island vibe here well.

We get a snack at Boraed Bakers then continue east on our journey. We're still driving along the coastal road, which at some points is difficult to follow. At one time, it completely ends into the ocean and we have to back up the narrow road on a short but steep hill until we can turn around. Another time the road winds us up in a labyrinthine cluster of houses that we have to find our way out of. My favorite part of this road (besides the constant beautiful sea views) is that it takes us off the beaten path by hidden beaches and local villages.

Now, we're stopping because we spot haenyeo off the coast. They're Jeju's famous women divers who train their whole lives to catch seafood. They free dive without any breathing apparatus and most are over 50 years old. It's very cool to see them just going about their business in the water.

Our next stop is Soesokkak Estuary which is popular for it's vibrant teal water and kayaking. The water is so blue that it seems unreal, like a scene from a fairytale. We want to kayak here but the wait is an hour so we just walk along and take in the pretty views.

We get driving again soon because we have a long way to go (an hour and a half drive) before stopping for the night. We pull off a few times to book our hotel, get some air, and enjoy the view, specifically at sunset when the sky looks beautiful. We're almost there, but at 7:30 we start getting hungry so we find a place for dinner. I get duruchigi which is basically a kind of pork and vegetable stir fry. Finally we arrive in the far east of the island and at our hotel for the night.

Thu, Aug 19

We'd planned to get up early this morning to see the sunrise, but we both can't be bothered and sleep in instead. First we head to the ferry terminal to go to the tiny nearby Udo Island. Upon arriving 20 minutes later, we rent a two-person motorbike and set off in a loop around the island. We stop often, just admiring the view and walking around. Along the way we even pick up some turban shells which Udo is known for. They say Udo somewhat resembles Scotland in places and I can definitely see it in the rolling green hills and cliffs that fall into the sea.

I get some of the famous peanut ice cream and we continue to go higher. As we drive to the mountain side of the island it just keeps getting more beautiful.We stop off to hike to the top and see the view of Jeju island in the distance. We practically run back down to the bike because our rental time of 3 hours is quickly running out. This whole trip just seemed so magical and I think Udo just added to that magic. While it storms over on Jeju, here the skies are bright and blue.

At 3:30 we get the ferry back to the main island. We have an early dinner - some more gogiguksu - then drive to the coast to watch the sunset. As dusk falls, we take a walk around this peninsular little piece of land. Most of it is a cluster of hotels and vacation units. We walk up to a lighthouse and then a glass building with a giant swing outside. It's very peaceful here at night. We walk back through the vacation units, all of which have whirlpool tubs outside. Somehow we get stuck inside this walled-in community and end up having to climb over a rocky wall in order to get back to the car. We try to sleep as soon as we get back to the hotel (we'd decided to stay another night in the same one).

Fri, Aug 20

We're up at around 5 this morning to try to catch the sunrise. Luckily it's just a short drive to Seongsan Ilchulbong, an impressive grassy crater on the coast. This early you don't have to pay to go up, but there are quite a few other people with the same idea as us. It's a pretty short hike to the top, but the stairs are steep and merciless. Dawn is breaking as we arrive, and there's already a pretty good crowd gathered. Unfortunately it's a bit too cloudy at the horizon to see the sun coming out of the water, but it's still beautiful once it rises above the clouds. We hike back down close to 7 with an amazing view of Jeju before us. We walk around a bit and take in the sight of the peak and then go back to the hotel to nap until check out time.

Sadly today's our last full day in Jeju so we have to make it back to Jeju City tonight. First, we abandon the coastal road and head inland to Bijarim Forest, also known as the 1000 year old forest. It's the world's largest single-species forest with 2,800 nutmeg yew trees. It's so peaceful here just walking through the dirt paths, the trees glittering with dew. When there are no people, we pull down our masks to breathe in the fresh scent of nature.

Next we drive back along the coastal road, get lunch, book our hotel, and then stop at a beach for some final swimming. When we return to the rocks to get our stuff, we realize the tide has risen and one of my shoes has floated away! Luckily it's easy to find, but now they're both sopping wet.

We get our last look at the ocean along the coastal road before switching to the highway as it gets dark. Finally we arrive back in Jeju City, coming full circle on this incredible road trip around the island. We have to drop off the car by 8pm and make it just in time. Then we get a taxi to the central market for some dumplings and tangerine garlic chicken before walking to the hotel.

Sat, Aug 21

The adventure isn't quite over yet as we wake up to pouring rain and alerts about flight cancellations. Every flight to Ulsan this morning has been cancelled because of high winds. Mine isn't until late afternoon but it's seeming less and less likely that it'll take off. We decide to just go to the airport as soon as possible and see what I can do. After getting to the airport, it's certain that my flight has been cancelled, and there will be no flights to Ulsan or the other closest city, Busan, for the rest of the day. I get my refund and then book the earliest flight to Daegu which isn't too far from Ulsan and seems to be running, just on a 30 minute delay. I say bye to my friend and get on the flight at 1:30.

It's only an hour before I reach Daegu, and I even stop off to see some of my friends for a bit. Then I get a train to Ulsan and I'm back home by dinner.

Overall this has been an amazing trip that I'll never forget. It's been three weeks of constant excitement and beauty, definitely one for the books. It's nice to be sleeping in my own bed again after three weeks away, but I'm sad to be ending the trip and going back to work.

Thanks for reading, and check out the video below~